Turkey Breast Roasted on a Bed of Vegetables
Some people say that the best part of a big roast turkey is that it lasts: not just the meat, but the bones, which you can simmer into something wonderful the next day. If you’re a small group for the feast, you can make a boneless breast, but when it’s gone, it’s gone. Or you can roast a half breast on the bone and when the celebration is over, the fun begins. In this case, the breast roasts over a bed of butternut squash, red onions, and russet potatoes. Give the vegetables a long head start before adding the poultry, then let the juices in the bird baste the vegetables while they continue roasting.
The next day, simmer the meaty bone in a pot with leftover roast vegetables and add some fresh ones: carrots, cauliflower, and cabbage. Stir in canned tomatoes and after a while, a handful of soup pasta. At the end of cooking, when you pull the bone from the pot and shake off the vegetables, all the bits of succulent turkey meat will have dropped into the broth, making the most satisfying bowls and extending the feast as long as possible.
1 bone-in turkey breast half (3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
Olive oil (for sprinkling)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 red onion, cut into wedges with root intact
2 halves peeled, seeded butternut squash (2 pounds total), cut into 2-inch pieces
2 large russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tablespoons each chopped fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano
1. In a large bowl, rub the turkey breast all over with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or for as long as 1 day. Leave the turkey out for 30 minutes before cooking.
2. Set the oven at 400 degrees.
3. In a roasting pan that will hold the vegetables snugly, toss the onion, squash, and potatoes with half the herbs, salt, and pepper. Spread the vegetables out. Roast them for 1 1/2 hours, turning several times.
4. Turn the oven down to 375 degrees.
5. Move the vegetables to the sides of the pan. Set the turkey breast, skin side up, in the middle. If the skin seems dry, sprinkle it with more oil.
6. Roast the turkey for 55 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees.
7. Remove the turkey from the oven and set it in a warm place for 10 minutes. The temperature will rise to 165 degrees. Carve the turkey into slices and serve with the vegetables. Sprinkle with the remaining herbs. Set aside the turkey bone and 2 cups of vegetables for the soup.
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