Ingredients
- Jumbo size plastic food bag, (recommended: Hefty brand 3 to 5 gallons)
- 1 gallon spring water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1/2 cup superfine sugar
- 6 fresh bay leaves
- 2 large shallots, quartered lengthwise
- A palmful coriander seeds
- A palmful black peppercorns
- A palmful paprika
- A palmful poultry seasoning
- 1/2 palmful allspice berries
- 6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped or sliced
- 1 (6 to 7 pound) full turkey breast
Directions
Open a jumbo plastic food storage bag in the sink and add the water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, shallots, seasonings and garlic and swish around to combine. Add the turkey breast and seal the bag. Put it into the refrigerator and let it brine for 24 hours in advance of your cooking day.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Pat the turkey breast dry, season with salt and pepper and put it in a roasting pan. Roast in the oven at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Baste, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F and roast until an instant-read thermometer registers 170 degrees F, about 40 minutes. Remove the turkey breast from the oven to a cutting board. Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes. Carve the breast and arrange it on a serving platter. Serve with pan juices.
Reserve 1 pound of meat for another menu. Cool, wrap and refrigerate the reserved meat.
- Maple-Worcestershire Gravy
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock-in-a-box
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 1/3 cup dark amber maple syrup
- Lots of coarsely ground black pepper
Add the butter to a medium sauce pot and melt it over medium to medium-high heat. Add the shallots and thyme and saute for 2 minutes, then add the flour and stir 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, Worcestershire and maple syrup. Season with black pepper, to taste, and reduce the mixture until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Fruit and Nut Pilaf
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup (1-inch pieces) broken thin spaghetti
- 1 1/2 cups rice
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- 4 scallions, whites and greens, chopped
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 3 cups chicken stock-in-a-box
- 1 small navel orange, supremed or sectioned and chopped
- 1 cup halved seedless red grapes
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 1/2 cup chopped parsley leaves
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the spaghetti and toast until deeply golden in color. Add rice, carrot, celery, scallions and orange zest, then stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook until the rice is tender, about 16 to 18 minutes.
Fluff the rice with fork and add the oranges, grapes, nuts, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste.
Transfer the rice to a serving bowl.
Photo: Roasted, Brined Turkey Breast with Maple-Worcestershire Gravy and Fruit and Nut Rice Pilaf Recipe
















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By achodgin
on January 08, 2013
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We have only made the Pilaf, the best. First time we made it, followed the recipe exactly. All the following times we doubled the fruit and parsley, we LOVE this recipe. This is so bright tasting and refreshing. Thanks Rachel!!!
By cortescristy_10...
Vega Baja, PR, PE
on November 18, 2012
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I love the Rice Pilaf recipe. Yummi and presentation is beautiful!
Thanks Rachel!
By njsweets
NJ
on November 18, 2012
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I just saw this episode this morning and was so inspired by the Pilaf recipe, and especially the toasting of the pasta in butter. Of course I don't have all the ingredients, but got right to the kitchen and put my own twist on this. I toasted/browned Stelline (star Pasta (bigger than pastina, but small nonetheless, then added coarsely chopped mushrooms, chopped onion, jasmine rice, and the chicken stock. When it was done, I seasoned with salt and pepper and served it up with some scrambled eggs for breakfast today. It's SO delicious and the aroma of the pasta toasting/browning in butter was just amazing. I can't wait to try her version and the turkey too.
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