Look at the size of those thighs!

Turkey thighs, that is. I've never bought just the thighs from a turkey before, but they've always been my favorite part of the bird. The whole stuffing business didn't really work out so well; these were not pretty, neat, little packages with stuffing evenly distributed throughout. More like lopsided lumps with the stuffing all hanging out on one end and falling onto the roasting pan. But tasty!

For the stuffing, I caramelized some onions, then mixed them with rice and orange zest. The caramelized onion flavor didn't come through very clearly, but I think it did give a background of depth and sweetness. The orange zest was very flavorful (I used one of those cara-cara pink navels that have been in the stores lately).

For a glaze, I blended some fig spread (which all the cool bloggers have been using lately, and which I love with all my heart), a bit of orange juice, some balsamic vinegar, and black pepper. I could have eaten that mixture straight from the bowl, so it was a bit disappointing that there wasn't enough glaze to really sauce up the thighs. I will definitely be making that sauce again, but next time I'll make enough to drizzle some on the meat on the plate.

Overall, it needs a little tweaking, but I liked this dish. I might use wild rice in the stuffing next time, for a little savory contrast to the sweet flavors of orange and fig. Turkey thighs are cheap and actually taste like something, unlike turkey breast. Don't know why I haven't made them before.

As you can see, I made a pile of vegetables as side dishes, mostly so that I would have lots of leftover vegetables for this week's lunches. That cauliflower wasn't flavored with turmeric or saffron - it's a yellow cauliflower called "Carnival." It has a nice flavor and a beautiful color, recommended.