Smothered Turkey Wings

Ingredients

• 6 whole turkey wings, or 7 turkey wings without the tips
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 half onion, chopped
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp flour
• 3 cups of turkey stock
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup cream

Directions

1. With poultry shears or a sharp knife, cut each turkey wing at the joints into 3 segments: the drumette, the flat, and the tip. Save the tips for the stock. Set the drumettes and flats on a rimmed baking sheet or in a roasting pan, arranging them with the skin facing up. Coat them with olive oil, then season with salt.
2. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, then slide it into a 275 degrees F oven. Roast for 2 1/2 hours.
3. While the wings cook, start the stock with the reserved tips. Warm 2 Tbsp olive oil in a medium, thick-bottomed pot over medium high heat. Add the wing tips and brown them all over.
4. Add carrot, onion, and celery to the pot; cook everything together for a few minutes.
5. Add salt, then pour in 3 cups of water so the vegetables and wing tips are covered. On high heat, bring the pot to a boil; then turn it down to the lowest setting for a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let the stock bubble quietly for a couple of hours while the turkey roasts.
6. As the oven time nears its end, get the stock ready for gravy. Lift out the largest pieces from the pot and discard them. Pour the remaining liquid through a fine mesh strainer, then set the stock aside for the next part.
7. Start the gravy in a thick-bottomed, medium sized pot: set it over medium heat and melt 3 Tbsp butter. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then let the roux bubble and cook for about a minute.
8. Pour in the turkey stock gradually, whisking the whole time so lumps do not get a chance to settle in.
9. Work the mustard, salt, pepper, and thyme into the gravy, then incorporate the cream. Keep it at a low simmer until it thickens.
10. Once the wings have spent 2 1/2 hours cooking low in the oven, they should be tender enough to pull apart; if they are not there yet, leave them in until they are. Take off the foil, then set the wings on a rack positioned a few inches below the broiler. Broil for about 5 minutes, just until the skin has picked up some color.
11. The drippings are optional, but they deepen the gravy. If they are stubbornly stuck to the pan, set the roasting pan across burners on the stovetop and turn the burners on.
12. Pour a cup of water into the pan and scrape up the browned bits with a metal spatula. Add those pan juices to the gravy pot.
13. For serving, ladle the gravy over the wings. Add mashed potatoes, root vegetables, or cauliflower alongside.