A Kind of “Turkey à la King”

Makes about 8 cups:

1/2        Spanish onion finely chopped

8 oz      button mushrooms, cleaned, stalks removed and thinly sliced

3 tbsp  olive oil

3 c        cooked turkey meat cut into 1/2″ cubes

1 c        frozen peas

Heat one tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add onions and cook over a medium heat until golden brown–about 5-7 minutes. Put onions in a large mixing bowl. Return pan to heat add two tablespoons of olive oil, heat and add mushrooms. Cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes or until mushrooms are soft. Drain off any juices and put mushrooms into bowl with the onion, stir together. Cook peas for 2-3 minutes, add to mushroom onion mixture and leave to the side. Prepare sauce.

Bechamel Sauce:

8 tbsp     unsalted butter

8 tbsp     unbleached all purpose flour

3 c           milk

1/2 tsp   ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over a low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring over a low heat for 3 minutes. Raise the heat to medium and slowly add the milk, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Continue whisking until sauce thickens about 4 minutes. Add the nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir well, and pour over onions, mushrooms and peas in mixing bowl and add chopped turkey—stir into mixture. Ready to use in any recipe. Cool before freezing.