Spatchcocked Turkey Breast And Roasted Cranberries For Thanksgiving

If your guest list has expanded to a large crowd, add a spatchcocked turkey breast to the menu. In most families, white meat seems to be the favorite. Roast the turkey breast a day ahead, refrigerate it, let it come to room temperature and then reheat it after the big bird has come out of the oven to rest. However, if you have two ovens, start the whole turkey first and roast the turkey breast second.

Roasting is not the usual method of cooking cranberries. Once you taste this relish, perhaps you’ll forget about all the others! Cranberries and shallots drizzled with maple syrup magically caramelize while they are roasting. Make the relish up to one week ahead and plan to serve it at room temperature. Happy Thanksgiving!

Bon appétit!

Roast Spatchcocked Turkey Breast(Serves 8-10)6- to 6-1/4-pound turkey breast with bones and skin attached

1 large lemon, juiced

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sweet Hungarian paprika for dusting

Several fresh sage leavesFor the roasting pan:2 carrots, chopped

2 stalks celery with leaves, chopped

1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

1/3 cup dry vermouth

1/2 cup water

Fresh sage sprigs for garnishTo prepare:Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the center of the oven.

Have a large deep nonreactive roasting pan on hand. Scatter the carrots, celery, and onion on the bottom of the pan and set aside.

Rinse the turkey breast with cold running water, pat dry with paper towels and place on a large cutting board. With a very sharp chef knife or meat cleaver, split the breastbone at the center joint and press the sides of the turkey breast open so it looks like a butterfly.

Drizzle the inside of the turkey breast with lemon juice and rub the outside with the cut side of the lemon and generously sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer the spatchcocked turkey breast, skin side up, on top of the bed of vegetables in the roasting pan.

Slip your fingers between the skin and the breast meat and push the sage leaves between the skin and the flesh. Pull the skin back over the sage.

Drizzle with lemon juice, then sprinkle with salt and pepper, drizzle olive oil on the skin and dust with paprika.

Add vermouth and water to bottom of the pan and bake until the skin is crisp and browned, about 25 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F. If the liquid in the pan has evaporated, add more water and vermouth. Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the turkey breast and then cover with a large piece of aluminum foil, crimping the edges to seal. Continue baking until the juices run clear and the internal temperature reaches 179 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about one and one-quarter hours.

Transfer the turkey breast to a cutting board and let rest in a warm place for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, place a strainer over a saucepan and pour all the accumulated juices from the roasting pan into the saucepan (either eat or discard the vegetables.) Set the pan over high heat and bring the juice to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer about eight to 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Transfer the “au jus” to a small pitcher and pass it at the table. (Can be done ahead to this point, refrigerated and reheated the next day.)

Carve the turkey breast into thin slices, arrange on a platter and garnish with sprigs of fresh sage.Roasted Cranberry Sauce(Serves 8)1 pound fresh cranberries, washed and picked over

2 shallots, thinly sliced, about 1/3 cup

6 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Zest from one orange, plus about 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pure cinnamonTo prepare:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Coat a large baking dish with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the cranberries, shallots, maple syrup, orange zest and juice, salt and cinnamon together.

Spread the berries in the baking dish and bake, stirring about every 15 minutes, until the cranberries burst and their juices start to thicken, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Cool completely, stirring often and transfer to a glass container and refrigerate until serving time.