Herb roasted turkey breast with cranberry turkey jus

Serves 8

 

Preparation time : 30 minutes with an overnight marinade

Cooking time : 5 hours

 

Ingrédients:

5 medium sized yellow onions

7 large carrots peeled

1 bunch of celery

1 large head of fennel

1 heads of garlic

1 bunch of thyme

1 bunch of tarragon

1 bunch of parsley

1 bunch of chives

1 bunch of chervil

2 tablespoons of crack black pepper

4 bay leafs

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1 cup chicken broth

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup salt

4 oz butter room temp

1 small turkey 5-8 lbs

 

Preparation for the turkey stew:

1. Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).

 

2. Cut 2 onions into thin slices.

 

3. Peel 10 cloves of garlic and crush with the back side of a chef’s knife.

 

4. In a large bowl combine the onions, black pepper, garlic, honey, salt and let sit for 1 hour.

 

5. Add the extra virgin olive oil, mix and reserve.

 

6. Cut 6 carrots, 2 onions, and all but 2 stalks of celery into large 1 inch pieces.

 

7. Break down the turkey by separating the breasts, wings and legs from the bones.

 

8. Place the bones in a roasting pan with the large dice vegetables, and bay leafs, roast until dark brown (about 90 minutes).

 

9. Place the breast, wings and legs in the marinade and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours best if over night.

 

10. When the bones and vegetables are roasted place all the ingredients as well as a few sprigs of thyme in a stock pot and deglaze the roasting pan with a cup chicken broth and water.

 

11. Cover the vegetables, and bones in water and the liquid from deglazing and bring to a low simmer for 5 hours. Once the stock is done strain through a fine sieve and let cool.

 

12. Once the turkey meat is out of the marinade rinse it with lightly with some cold water and dry it.

 

13. Place a third of the marinade in a Dutch oven and sauté until brown.

 

14. Place the leg and wings in the Dutch oven skin side up.

 

15. Add the strained turkey broth just enough to barely cover the legs.

 

16. Place the lid on the pot and place in a 300 °F (150°C) oven for 3 hours and remove the lid and keep braising for another hour or until it is tender and brown on top.

 

17. When the turkey legs come out of the oven let cool enough to handle.

 

18. Discard the bones and the shred the meat and skin into a bowl.

 

19. Cut 1 carrot, 1 onion, and 2 stalks of celery into small a quarter of an inch pieces sauté in a small pan and add 1 cup of turkey broth on high heat. Once the broth is simmering, strain and add to the turkey meat and skin. Season with salt to taste.

 

Preparation for the roasted turkey breasts:

1. Rub the turkey breast with 2 ozs butter.

 

2. Chop the chives, tarragon, parsley and chervil and mix all together.

 

3. Place ½ of chopped herbs on to the turkey breast.

 

4. Roast the turkey breast skin side up in a 375 degree oven until the thermometer reads 160°F on the thickest part of the turkey breast.

 

5. Baste the turkey breast every 10 minutes with the butter and herbs in the pan.

 

6. Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

 

Preparation for the cranberry turkey jus:

1. Strain the braising liquid from the legs and wings into a medium sauce pan.

 

2. Add equal amount of turkey broth and let it slowly reduce by ½.

 

3. Add in ½ cup of chopped dried cranberries and turn the heat off.

 

4. Finish with the chopped herb mixture used for the breasts.

 

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

 

This recipe was specially created by Chef Tsu-Hung Bam Liu