Name: Justin North: Slow-cooked turkey breast with mâche, pear and cranberry salad
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 80 gm softened butter; 2 tbsp thyme leaves; 1 turkey buffe (about 3.5kg; see note); 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 2 carrots, coarsely chopped; 1 onion, coarsely chopped; 60 ml sherry vinegar (¼ cup); 3 cups mâche (loosely packed); 2 Josephine pears, thinly sliced; 80 gm dried cranberries

Justin North: Slow-cooked turkey breast with mâche, pear and cranberry salad

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for slow-cooked turkey breast with mâche, pear and cranberry salad by Justin North.

Guy Grossi: Turkey saltimbocca with cranberries — Justin North: Slow-cooked turkey breast with mâche, pear and cranberry salad

Serves 6

Prep

20M

Cook

55M

Total

1H 15M

“This turkey recipe is a great way of eating the breast without it becoming too dry. Too often turkey dries out and becomes ghastly. This technique keeps it moist, juicy and tender,” says North.

Ingredients

80 gm softened butter

2 tbsp thyme leaves

1 turkey buffe (about 3.5kg; see note)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 carrots, coarsely chopped

1 onion, coarsely chopped

60 ml sherry vinegar (¼ cup)

3 cups mâche (loosely packed)

2 Josephine pears, thinly sliced

80 gm dried cranberries

Method

Main

1.Preheat oven to 130C. Combine butter and thyme in a small bowl, season to taste. Carefully separate skin from turkey breast with your fingertips then stuff butter under skin and gently press to distribute evenly.

2.Heat oil in a large flameproof roasting pan over high heat, add carrot and onion, stir occasionally until starting to caramelise (8-10 minutes). Place turkey skin-side up on vegetables, cover with foil, roast until turkey is cooked through (40-45 minutes). Remove from oven, remove turkey from pan, cover loosely with foil, set aside to rest (15-20 minutes). Discard vegetables, whisk vinegar into pan juices, season to taste and keep warm.

3.Meanwhile, combine mâche, pear and cranberries in a large bowl, toss gently to combine. Serve with thickly sliced turkey and pan juices.

Note A turkey buffe consists of the breasts left on the rib cage (legs removed). You may need to order it from your butcher.
This recipe is from the December 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
Drink Suggestion: Juicy, succulent pinot noir. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes