Rich turkey legs are braised low and slow with red wine, pancetta, herbs and spices until fall-apart tender, then served over buttery polenta with Parmesan. Deeply savory and comforting, this rustic dish is perfect for cool spring turkey hunt.

Ticinese (meaning "from Ticino", an Italian-speaking canton, or state, of Switzerland) is a standard tomato braise with the notable inclusion of warm spices in the form of cinnamon and juniper. This alone makes it a heartier dish that's more apt to be served in cold weather, or on the side of a mountain while turkey hunting.

Use any turkey braising cuts here, like the legs, thighs, necks or wings, in any combination.

Featured in the Turkey Video.

Serves 4

6 ounces pancetta, bacon or salt pork, diced

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 turkey leg quarter, cut into drumstick and thigh; or 1 drumstick, 1 neck (cut into 2 pieces)

 and 1-2 turkey wings

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 cinnamon stick

8 juniper berries

2-3 bay leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

6 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups red wine

1 14-ounce can tomatoes

1 quart turkey stock or water

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a large enameled cast iron pot with a lid or braising pot, heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add the pancetta or bacon and cook until rendered and crisp and remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Season the turkey with salt and pepper. Brown the turkey parts well in the remaining fat until nicely caramelized all over. Remove to the plate with the pancetta.

Add the onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 8 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, wrap the cinnamon, juniper, bay and fresh herbs in cheesecloth and tie securely. Add this to the cooking vegetables and continue to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, then add the tomatoes and the stock or water.

Bring to a very gentle simmer, cover the pot and place in the oven for 3 hours, checking after 2 hours to make sure there’s enough liquid to cover the turkey. Turn the turkey at this point, too.

Continue to cook until the turkey leg is tender, which might take up to 4-5 hours. Once tender, remove the lid, discard the herb bundle and turn up the heat to reduce the sauce more quickly. Let the sauce become thickened and slightly jammy.

Serve the turkey over game bird polenta.

Game Bird Polenta

Use good-quality cornmeal for polenta. There are many smaller producers selling flavorful cornmeal, available in many grocery stores. If you can find a small gristmill in your area or order some online, all the better. Make this with cornmeal ground for polenta or grits. Grits tend to be a little more coarse, which is actually my preference. A 4:1 ratio of liquid to cornmeal yields a looser finished product for serving with stews and braises, while cutting that down to 3:1 will make a firmer polenta that can then be chilled, sliced and crisped in a pan.

Serves 4

1 quart turkey stock 

2 cups heavy cream, half and half or milk

1 bay leaf

Pinch ground nutmeg, optional

1 ½ cups polenta or grits

Salt and pepper

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp unsalted butter

In a medium pot over medium-low heat, combine the stock, cream, nutmeg and bay leaf. Warm for a few minutes, then remove the bay leaf and whisk in the polenta in a steady stream until incorporated. Cook, stirring very often, until cooked, about 20-30 minutes depending on the cornmeal. Add the Parmesan and butter, then season with salt and pepper to taste.