TURKEY BREAST STUFFED WITH MATZO AND FENNEL

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Turkey Breast Stuffed with Matzo and Fennel image

Categories     turkey     Roast     Sauté     Passover     Purim     Raisin     Fennel     Spring     Gourmet

Yield Makes 10 to 12 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 pound fennel (sometimes called anise), stalks and fronds cut off and discarded, then bulbs cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 celery ribs, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 egg matzos (about 6 inches square), broken into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seedstoasted and ground in an electric coffee/spice grinder
1 (6- to 7-pound) whole turkey breast (bone and skin attached)
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth (14 fluid ounces)
1 teaspoon potato starch
Special Equipment
kitchen string; an instant-read thermometer

Steps:

  • Make stuffing:
  • Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to moderate and add fennel, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel and celery are golden and tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a bowl to cool.
  • Soak raisins in boiling-hot water to cover 5 minutes, then drain well and chop. Add to vegetables.
  • Rinse matzo in a colander under hot running water until softened, 15 to 30 seconds. Drain, pressing gently on matzo to extract excess water. Add to vegetables along with egg, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and stir until combined.
  • Stir together 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and ground fennel seed in a small bowl.
  • Bone turkey and remove skin:
  • See No Bones About It.
  • Butterfly and flatten turkey:
  • Arrange 1 breast half, skinned side down, lengthwise on work surface, with thinner, pointed end nearest you. Starting at top (thicker part), cut breast half lengthwise down middle, but not all the way through to work surface, with a boning knife or a sharp, small knife, stopping about 1 inch from end closest to you. Then, turning knife horizontally, cut turkey breast open on either side like a book jacket, beginning at lengthwise cut, to form 2 flaps. Open flaps, then put butterflied breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap.
  • Pound turkey with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick. Butterfly and flatten remaining breast half.
  • Stuff and roast turkey:
  • Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
  • Remove top sheet of plastic wrap from 1 breast half and pat turkey dry. Arrange with a short side nearest you and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Mound half of stuffing in center, leaving a 1-inch border on each long side. Fold short end nearest you over stuffing to enclose, gently pressing on filling, then roll to form a cylinder (don't roll too tight, or filling will slip out of ends). Tie rolled turkey breast crosswise at 1-inch intervals with kitchen string. Season remaining turkey breast half with remaining 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then stuff, roll, and tie in same manner.
  • Rub fennel oil all over roasts to coat. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large heavy flameproof roasting pan straddled across 2 burners on moderately high heat. Add roasts (position 1 roast over each burner) and sear, turning with tongs, until golden brown on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Cover pan tightly with foil and roast turkey in oven until a thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into center of each roast (to touch stuffing) registers 165°F, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer roasts to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 10 minutes before slicing.
  • While roasts stand, straddle roasting pan across 2 burners on moderately high heat, then add 1 1/2 cups broth and deglaze by boiling, stirring, and scraping up brown bits, until liquid is reduced to about 1 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk together remaining 1/4 cup broth and potato starch and whisk into sauce, then boil, whisking, until slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a sauceboat and skim off any fat. Serve turkey with sauce.

Farren October
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This recipe was a bit too salty for my taste, but overall it was a good dish. I would recommend using less salt next time.


Linda Hawthorne
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I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. The turkey is always moist and flavorful, and the stuffing is delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.


Ayesha Ameen
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I would not recommend this recipe. The turkey was dry and the stuffing was bland. I was very disappointed.


Fareed Jatt
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This recipe was easy to follow and the turkey turned out great. The stuffing was a little dry, but overall it was a good dish.


Umahi Philip
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I followed the recipe exactly and the turkey came out perfect. The stuffing was also delicious. I would definitely recommend this recipe.


Carolyn h Rice
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This recipe is a keeper! The turkey was juicy and flavorful, and the stuffing was moist and delicious. I will definitely be making this again.


Srabon islam
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The turkey was a little dry, but the stuffing was amazing. I would definitely make the stuffing again.


NINGA GAMING
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I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. The turkey is always moist and flavorful, and the stuffing is delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.


Tiger Obinna
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This recipe was a disappointment. The turkey was dry and the stuffing was flavorless. I would not recommend this recipe.


Syed Shahbab Morshed Raz
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This recipe was easy to follow and the turkey turned out great. The stuffing was a little bland, but overall it was a good dish.


Tiripty Biswas
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I love this recipe! The turkey is always cooked perfectly and the stuffing is delicious. I've made it for Thanksgiving dinner several times and it's always a hit.


Aliugbala Mmaduabuchi
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This recipe was a bit too salty for my taste, but overall it was a good dish. I would recommend using less salt next time.


Greta Ranum
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I've made this recipe several times and it always turns out great. The turkey is always moist and flavorful, and the stuffing is delicious. I highly recommend this recipe.


RK hosaein
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This recipe was a disaster. The turkey was overcooked and the stuffing was bland. I would not recommend this recipe.


Dominique Jackson
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The turkey was a little dry, but the stuffing was delicious. I think I would try brining the turkey next time.


John Meeks
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This recipe was easy to follow and the end result was amazing. The turkey was cooked evenly and the stuffing was moist and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.


Alex Ryan
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I'm not usually a fan of turkey, but this recipe changed my mind. The stuffing was delicious and the turkey was so juicy. I'll definitely be making this again.


Jermaine Morgan
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This turkey breast was a hit at our Thanksgiving dinner! The matzo and fennel stuffing was flavorful and moist, and the turkey was cooked perfectly. Even my picky uncle went back for seconds.