ROASTED TURKEY BREAST AND NATURAL JUS WITH MUSHROOM, BROWN BUTTER, AND SAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• In an 8-quart stockpot or other nonreactive container, combine 16 cups water with sugar, salt, unpeeled onion, unpeeled garlic, peppercorns, bay leaves, 1 bunch thyme, and 1 bunch parsley. Squeeze juice from both lemon halves into water and add lemon halves. Place stockpot on stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Add turkey breast to cooled liquid and refrigerate for 8 hours or up to overnight. Remove turkey from liquid, rinse, and pat dry. Place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with a wire rack; refrigerate until ready to cook, up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Melt 4 tablespoons butter. In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups peeled, chopped onion, celery, carrots, peeled garlic, sage, 4 sprigs thyme, and 1 tablespoon melted butter. Transfer vegetable mixture to the outer well of a vertical roasting pan. Fill the inner well of the pan with 1/2 cup chicken broth; pour remaining chicken broth over the vegetable mixture. Brush turkey breast with remaining 3 tablespoons melted butter; season with Essence and pepper. Position the turkey breast over the inner well of the vertical roasting pan so that it sits securely upright.
• Transfer roasting pan to oven and cook until turkey is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast reaches 165 degrees, about 1 hour. If the skin begins to brown too quickly, cover with parchment paper-lined foil.
• Remove roasting pan from oven and transfer turkey breast to a carving board; let stand for 10 minutes before carving.
• In a small bowl, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons butter and flour to make a smooth paste. Strain liquid from roasting pan and discard solids. Transfer liquid to a 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter-flour mixture, taking care not to let it boil over. Whisk in remaining butter-flour mixture, 1 teaspoon at a time, and simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove jus from heat and stir in chopped parsley.
• Carve turkey and serve with warm jus and Mushroom, Brown Butter, and Sage Stuffing.