Escaldums

Escaldums is a traditional stew originating from the Balearic Islands. The stew is usually prepared with a combination of turkey breast or leg pieces, onions, tomatoes, garlic, brandy, olive oil, thyme, bay leaves, almonds or pine nuts, and seasonings. The dish is prepared in a large cazuela pot – the meat is browned, then mixed with a sauce made from garlic, onions, tomatoes, and brandy, and the combination is then cooked with bay leaves and thyme until the turkey becomes tender. Near the end of cooking, almonds or pine nuts are finely ground and added to the stew, which is served hot. If there are a lot of people coming over for dinner, it’s recommended to add sautéed mushrooms and albóndigas (meatballs) to the stew during the last few minutes of cooking, but this step is completely optional.