Turkey Chowder

I started out following Jasper White's recipe for turkey chowder this evening, but quickly strayed from the text. In my humble opinion, the results were magnificent. I used lean turkey bacon instead of pork, cut way down on the butter, added sherry for greater depth of flavor, used a little leftover turkey gravy as a thickener instead of heavy cream, and threw in some chopped garlic and fresh herbs for a little extra oomph. I think its pretty safe to say that its no longer Jasper White's chowder...

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 ounces turkey bacon, cut into large dice
1 large yellow onion, cut into large dice
3 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed, coarsely chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
3 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves removed, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, cut into large dice
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups of turkey stock
1 lb leftover turkey meat, shredded
1 1/2 cups turkey gravy (or whole milk)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In a large pot, brown the turkey bacon in the butter. Add the onion and celery and sweat the vegetables until they soften a bit but do not brown. Add the fresh herbs, garlic and potatoes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the sherry, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock. It should just barely cover the potatoes. Cook vigorously until the potatoes are cooked through but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes. Add the shredded turkey and simmer until heated through. Add the gravy or milk and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with some crusty bread.