CEiMB: Turkey Roulade

A few months ago, I wanted to make a recipe that called for a turkey breast. Since ground turkey and other bits have become commonplace in the grocery store, I thought that naturally so would turkey breasts. Not so grasshopper. I went to 3 different stores and found not one turkey breast. Fast forward to last weekend and I saw a looooonnng row of them in the meat section at Wal-Mart...right next to the whole frozen turkeys. Ah ha. You can get all the turkey breast you want, as long as you wait until Thanksgiving time. Sneaky grocery stores.

Now what's the need in that whole spiel up there you ask? Well, our chosen recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly is Turkey Roulade. And it requires...you guess it...a turkey breast. I picked up a small frozen breast and put it in my fridge to thaw for a few days. When it was time to make the dish, I took it out and woah...that thing was juicy! Note to self...frozen turkey breasts don't have to thaw as long as whole turkeys. They may be big but they're not that big.

This is definitely not a Wednesday night dinner (of which I found out on Wednesday night). It isn't hard but it has multiple steps that take some time. This would actually be better and easier if made on the weekend or a day where you have more time. At least that should be the rule for me.

I made a few substitutions. I didn't have pecans so I used almonds. I picked up apple juice instead of apple cider by mistake so I used that in the gravy instead.

I had a little issue with the thickness of the breast. I don't think I got it quite thin enough so when I rolled the breast up with the stuffing, it didn't make the spiral shown in the picture. I also needed to tie the twine tighter next time. The turkey shrunk a bit in roasting and the gaps weren't as tight as I would have liked.

The stuffing was delicious on its own! The dried cranberries were a great addition. They are slightly tart and sweet at the same time. It makes quite a bit of stuffing so I had some leftover that I'm sure will find its way onto the menu soon.

All together, this was a very tasty meal. I can definitely see myself making this again. Its a perfect starter into the Thanksgiving season. Actually, it might make a great addition to the Thanksgiving meal. Its faster than preparing a whole turkey and just as juicy and delicious. Plus you don't have to worry about all the icky innards and such that can come with a whole turkey. yuck.

This weeks recipe was chosen by Holly at PheMOMenon. It was a great pick and a perfect way to get me in the Thanksgiving frame of mind! Thanks Holly!

You can see more takes on the Turkey Roulade by Ellie-heads at CEiMB.


Turkey Roulade

Ingredients

* 1 (2 1/2-pound) skinless turkey breast, butterflied
* 1/2 cup dried cranberries
* 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
* 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups), plus 1 cup sliced onion
* 2 large garlic cloves, minced
* 5 slices day-old whole-wheat bread, crusts removed, cubed (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 1/3 cup lightly toasted chopped pecans
* 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh crumbled sage or 3 teaspoons dried, divided
* 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup apple cider
* 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

Directions

Special equipment: kitchen twine

Place the turkey breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound lightly with a meat mallet to an even thickness of about 3/4-inch. Set aside while stuffing is prepared.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the cranberries in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, cook for 1 minute, then remove from heat, drain and reserve. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onions and cook, stirring, until onions are golden but not charred, about 12 to 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Add bread, cranberries, pecans, 2 tablespoons fresh or 2 teaspoons dried sage and 1/2 to 3/4-cup chicken stock, depending upon consistency of stuffing; (you want the mixture to be moistened, but not too wet, since the turkey will release moisture when cooked). Cook over low heat for about 2 to 3 minutes, remove from heat.

Salt and pepper the inside and outside of the turkey breast. Spread the stuffing on the turkey, leaving about 1 1/2 to 2-inches uncovered on all sides. Roll up and secure tightly with kitchen twine, trying to keep all stuffing intact.

Heat 1 tablespoon of canola oil in a large Dutch oven or medium-sized roasting pan until hot. Sear stuffed turkey breast on all sides until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Add sliced onion and 1 1/2 cups chicken stock, cover tightly and roast in the oven until turkey reaches 160 degrees F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into inner layer of meat, about 60 to 65 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from oven and transfer to a cutting board to rest.

Make the gravy: Add apple cider, 1/2 cup chicken stock, vinegar and remaining sage to the onions, chicken stock and juices in the roasting pan, bring to a boil and cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced by 1/3. Slowly add the cornstarch mixture, stirring constantly, and cook for 3 minutes more. The gravy should not be thick, just slightly thicker than a jus. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Makes 1 1/2 cups gravy.

Remove twine from turkey breast and slice into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces. Serve with gravy.

Source: The Foods You Crave by Ellie Krieger. Also available at Foodnetwork.com