Issue Date: December 16, 2007
A new twist on turkey
This holiday, make a delicious stuffed turkey breast, add colorful vegetables and end the meal with a simple trifle.
Looking for a holiday dinner menu this year that's impressive yet cost-effective? Consider centering the meal around a turkey breast that is boned and then stuffed with a delicious filling. Get the butcher to remove the breastbone for you, leaving the skin intact. Or bone it yourself by turning the turkey breast bone-side down. Using a sharp knife, carve each lobe off the bone, staying as close to the rib bones as possible. Repeat on the other side, then cut around the top bone, leaving the skin attached.
Stuff the turkey with a filling of spinach, ham, garlic, nutmeg and golden raisins. To keep the roast smart-looking and the filling contained, roll and tie it crosswise and lengthwise with twine.
Cut new potatoes in half and roast them alongside the turkey to golden, crisp perfection. For a side dish, a vegetable medley of broccoli, cauliflower and bell peppers is colorful and seasonally appropriate. The peppers and garlic can be sauteed ahead of time and the vegetables pre-assembled so that the final cooking takes only five minutes.
End the meal with a flourish by serving Vanilla Raspberry Trifle, which you can make in advance; in fact, it's best when made the day before.
Contributing Editor Pam Anderson's latest cookbook is an entertaining guide, "Perfect Recipes for Having People Over" (Houghton Mifflin, $35).
Recipes for a Holiday Feast
Turkey & Crispy Potatoes
Holiday Vegetable Medley
Vanilla Raspberry Trifle
Boned Roast Turkey Breast With Spinach Stuffing & Crispy Potatoes
5 Tbs. olive oil, divided
1 cup (about 5 ounces) medium-diced ham
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 10-ounce boxes frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry, reserving 1/4 cup spinach liquid
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper, as directed
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 whole turkey breast(about 6 pounds), boned but with skin left intact, and the tenderloins removed and placed overbreastbone to even out thickness
Kitchen twine
2 pounds (about 16) small new potatoes, washed and halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
4 tsps. cornstarch dissolved in 4 tsps. cold water
Stuffing: Heat 1 Tb. oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add ham; reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes. Add another 1 Tb. oil and the garlic; saute until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high; stir in spinach, nutmeg, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper, and cook 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in cheese, raisins and bread crumbs; adjust seasonings and stir in eggs.
Tying the turkey
1. Place stuffing along center of roast.
2. Tie crosswise with kitchen twine.
3. Then tie lengthwise for reinforcement.
Turkey: Adjust oven rack to center position; heat to 400 F.
1. Cut a 30-inch piece of kitchen twine and lay it vertically on a work surface. Then cut 6 to 8 18-inch pieces of twine and lay them across the middle of the long piece of twine, about 11/2 to 2 inches apart. Center turkey breast, skin-side down, on the twine. Season turkey with 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Place stuffing along center breastbone area. Using both hands, bring both sides of turkey up around stuffing.
2. Alternating between the ends (so turkey is evenly stuffed), tie turkey crosswise with the 18-inch lengths of twine.
3. Tie turkey once with 30-inch piece of twine around the length to reinforce. Snip off long ends of twine.
Coat a heavy cookie sheet with sides with cooking spray; set turkey in center, skin side up. Brush with 1 Tb. of oil and season the skin with 1/2 tsp. of salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Roast turkey 45 minutes.
Toss potatoes with remaining 2 Tbs. oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Use drippings from the pan to make a delicious sauce.
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After turkey has roasted 45 minutes, remove from oven and place potatoes, cut-side down, in a single layer around it. Return to oven; roast until potatoes are golden and a meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of turkey registers 160 degrees. Total cooking time: 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours.
Transfer turkey to cutting board; let rest 20 minutes. Remove twine. Keep potatoes warm in covered bowl.
Set sheet over burner on low; add wine, stirring to loosen browned bits. Pour drippings into a pan; add broth and simmer. Whisk in cornstarch and simmer until thickened. Slice turkey, and serve with potatoes and sauce.
Serves 10 -- Per serving (with skin):
633 calories, 66g protein, 27g carbohydrates, 27g fat (7g saturated), 197mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 701mg sodium
Holiday Vegetable Medley
3 Tbs. olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
3 large garlic cloves, minced
6 cups broccoli florets (11/4 to 11/2 pounds)
6 cups cauliflower florets (2 medium heads)
1/4 cup drained capers
2/3 cup water
1 tsp. salt
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Saute peppers until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds longer. (Peppers can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead.)
Add broccoli, cauliflower, capers and water with 1 tsp. salt. Increase heat to high; cover and steam until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes.
Serves 10 -- Per serving:
69 calories, 2g protein, 7g carbohydrates, 4g fat (1g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 132mg sodium
Vanilla Raspberry Trifle
1 quart whole milk
11/4 cups sugar, divided
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
2 Tbs. vanilla extract, divided
1 12-ounce package frozen
raspberries, partially thawed
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
2 cups heavy cream
3 Tbs. brandy
2/3 cup cream sherry
1 16-ounce pound cake, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 6-ounce containersfresh raspberries, reserve12 berries to garnish top
Make custard: Microwave milk in 1-quart Pyrex measuring cup until steaming, 4 to 5 minutes. In saucepan, mix 1 cup sugar, salt and cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks. Turn heat to medium and whisk in milk. Continue to whisk until thickened to pudding consistency, about 4 minutes. Stir in 4 tsps. vanilla. Turn off heat. Transfer custard to a bowl, covering surface directly with plastic wrap (to keep skin from forming); cool to room temperature. (Custard can be refrigerated up to 5 days.)
Make sauce: To partially thaw frozen berries, microwave on high power 1 to 11/2 minutes. Transfer to food processor; puree with jam. Put through a strainer to remove seeds. Refrigerate until ready to assemble trifle. (Sauce can be refrigerated up to 5 days.)
Before assembly, whip cream, adding remaining sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. Slowly beat in brandy and remaining vanilla. Brush cake slices with sherry.
Assemble: Put trifle in 4-quart glass bowl in 4 layers in this order: 1 cup custard, 1/4 of the fresh raspberries, 1/4 of the cake, 3/4 cup whipped cream, 1/2 cup raspberry sauce. Top last sauce layer with remaining whipped cream, and garnish with reserved berries.
Refrigerate, covered, at least 3 hours or overnight.
Serves 12 -- Per serving:
527 calories, 7g protein, 65g carbohydrates, 25g fat (15g saturated), 185mg cholesterol, 4g fiber, 238mg sodium
For more recipe ideas from past holiday seasons, go to usaweekend.com |
