The holidays are drawing near. Fun for most and craziest for those who have to lock the apron strings tight to commander their kitchens. Somehow, Thanksgiving never feels complete without that big bird on the table. If only if it's as simple as popping that turkey in the oven. Those who've been there know that it takes about 6 to 7 days to actually prepare. The thawing, the brining, the cleaning, seasoning and the actual cooking could go on forever. All that grueling labor and the finish product...sadly, most often a disaster. Too dry, undercooked, devoid of flavor- a dish nobody really wants to partake. It often ends up back to the fridge repurposed to sandwiches, soups & casseroles...yes, days of turkey smorgasbord. When you want that turkey centerpiece on the table but don't want to spend days preparing it, this recipe is perfect for you! Roulade is simply a flattened piece of meat (in this case, turkey), with a spread of choice filling and rolled into a log. This dish when cut into pinwheels look delectably elegant, fancy enough to serve and worthy of taking the centerpiece of your thanksgiving feast.
There are no hard rules, you can choose the filling you want. Personally, I would advise to incorporate pork to render fat and much needed moist to the naturally lean turkey meat. In this recipe I chose a mix of 50% bacon for the fat & 50% chorizo for its smokiness & burst of spice flavors.
The sauce is easy to make and you don't have to make it the day before. It is best though to make it first prior to the roll to allow enough time for the flavors of to marry.
As for the turkey meat, it's easier to buy the deboned turkey breast. Considering the side dishes & the filling, a half pound person would be a good estimate.
Ingredients: Cranberry-Orange Bourbon Sauce
1 pack Dried Cranberry
1 can Cranberry Sauce
4 pcs. Clementine Oranges (They have the best flavor)
1& 1/2 tbsp. Clementine Zest
2 shots Wild Turkey Bourbon
1/4 cup Dark Brown Sugar (you may add more as desired)
To Taste Salt
Directions: Cranberry-Orange Bourbon Sauce
Combine the bourbon and dried cranberries to marinate & rehydrate for at least an hour.
In a saucepan with the heat on low, combine the juice of the 4 clementine oranges & brown sugar until the latter completely dissolves. Add in the can of jellied cranberry sauce and drop in the bourbon & dried cranberries. Stir to mix homogenously and increase the heat into medium low. Simmer & lightly stir until the sauce is reduced to the desired consistency.
Taste and add enough salt to balance the sweetness
Put off the heat and stir in the orange zest, cover. The residual heat will sweat the citrus oil out of the zest and bring out delicious orange aroma.
Ingredients: Turkey Roulade
2 lbs. Turkey Breast (serves 4)
1/4 pack Bacon (crisped & chopped)
4 pcs Chorizo (cooked and chopped)
2 cups Baby Spinach
1 pack Shredded Swiss Cheese (or any cheese of preference that holds well for roasting)
To taste Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Garnish Thyme & Rosemary (fresh is best!)
Directions: Turkey Roulade
Preheat the oven to 325F. Prepare the filling. Chopped the bacon & chorizo and sauté in a lightly greased pan until it is crisp & renders fat. Skim and save the fat.
Add the spinach to the 2 proteins and continue to cook until the leaves shrink. Set aside & allow to cool.
Remove the turkey skin carefully and set aside (you will need this later). Sandwich the turkey meat in between heavy plastic sheets and lightly pound the meat with a mallet until it flattens and doubles in surface area. Season generously with salt and pepper and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.
After seasoning, spread the filling evenly all over the top side of the pounded meat. Top with shredded swiss cheese and sprinkle with thyme leaves.
Carefully roll to keep the fillings in into a log and secure with turkey pins. Make sure to secure the ends to keep the cheese from oozing out. Season the other layer of the log with salt and pepper and arrange the turkey skin back on top and bind with a cooking twine-season the skin as well.
Roast until the skin turns golden brown or until the thermometer registers 150F in the center. Remove and allow to rest for at least 10 minutes (to keep it moist) before slicing.
You can make gravy with the drippings if you want. I did for my children who prefer the brown sauce.
Gravy:
Pour the drippings in a sauce pan and mix with 1/2 cup of flour. Stir to mix and cook in low heat to make the roux.
Pour 2 cups of chicken broth and blend with the roux homogenously until desired consistency-continue to simmer on low for 5 minutes.
Finish with freshly cracked black pepper.
Accompaniments:
Corn, Potatoes, Brussel sprouts, Haricots, etc.
Presentation:
On a platter, fan out the sliced turkey roll to display the filling swirl. Fill in the both sides with vegetables and drizzle on top with the cranberry-orange bourbon sauce. Garnish with rosemary & thyme. Serve warm.
Digestif:
Such a hearty heavy meal and craving for a sweet high proofer. The boldness of dried fruity flavors of orange and apples with a hint of tobacco on the nose makes this dram the ideal turkey for turkey pairing. Cheers!
Wild Turkey Rare Breed Barrel Proof Bourbon
116.8 Proof
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