One Perfect Bite: Turkey Roulades

Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Turkey Roulades

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I've had this recipe in my must-do pile for ages now and because our holiday plans are still unsettled, I thought I'd give it a test run as a possible candidate for our Thanksgiving dinner. Before I explain why I'll not be serving these roulades, I want you to know that this is a lovely recipe and my judgement is based on personal taste and the amount of effort required to get the roulades on the table. I was drawn to the recipe because I loved the uniqueness of the quinoa and mushroom force meat, and I really wanted to give it a try. Despite a thorough reading of the recipe, I was not prepared for how involved it became or how much time was required to actually get them on the table. I must also admit that I was disappointed with the final result, which I thought tasted like braised turkey that needed more salt. While the dish is unremittingly beige, the sliced roulades are quite pretty to look at, especially if they can be served on a bed of parsley, but my final judgment was based on the fact that I could prepare a small turkey in less time than these cutlets took. I do hope my thoughts are not a complete turn-off for you. There is nothing wrong with this recipe, save for the fact that my expectations for the dish were probably too high. I get picky and over-critical when prep time hits the hour mark and the roulades fell into that time category. I do hope you'll consider the recipe. Here is how the roulades are made.

Turkey Roulades with Quinoa and Mushroom Stuffing...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Laura Frankel via Jewish Cook for All Seasons

Ingredients:
Stuffing
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil. divided use
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Turkey and Gravy
2-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless turkey breast cutlets
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
6 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 cup white wine
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
8 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
4 teaspoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:
1) To prepare stuffing: Rinse and drain quinoa. Combine quinoa and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium and cook until quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Toss with 1 teaspoon of the oil. Set aside. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Add mushrooms and shallots and saute until lightly brown and liquid has evaporated, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add mushroom mixture, pine nuts, lemon juice salt and pepper to quinoa, then set aside.
2) To prepare turkey: Heat oven to 300 degrees F. Place turkey cutlets on a cutting board and cover with plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound them to an even 1/4 inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Spread stuffing over each flattened cutlet. Roll each cutlet into a cylinder. Secure with kitchen twine at 1-inch intervals. Sprinkle the rolled turkey with salt and pepper.
3) To pre-cook cutlets: In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high, heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add half of roulades and cook, turning from time to time, until lightly browned on all sides.10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 2 teaspoons of oil and cutlets.
4) To prepare braising liquid: Return skillet to heat and add wine. Bring to a simmer, stirring to scrape up any browned bits. Add broth and return to a simmer. Remove from heat. In a large Dutch oven over medium, heat remaining 2 teaspoons of oil. Add onion and sauté until softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
5) To finish roulades: Add browned turkey cutlets. Pour in wine mixture from skillet, then add thyme. Cover Dutch oven and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted at the center of the cutlets registers 170 F, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm.
6) To make gravy, strain liquid from the Dutch oven into a medium saucepan, pressing liquid out of solids. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, then cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water and whisk into simmering gravy until lightly thickened. Add mustard and lemon juice, whisking until smooth. Season with pepper and cook until heated through. Remove the string from the cutlets. Carve into 1/2-inch-thick slices and serve with gravy. Yield: 8 servings.