Turkey Dinner For Two Made Easy
Turkey Dinner For Two Made Easy? Absolutely! Using a Dutch Oven, the intensely flavored spice-rubbed turkey breast is prepared with a favorite side of mashed sweet potatoes, and is ready to serve in just under 2 ½ hours.
Servings: 2 people
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 Tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons ground dried Aleppo pepper Note: If you can’t find Aleppo pepper you can substitute ¼ teaspoon paprika and ¼ teaspoon finely chopped red pepper flakes.
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg
- Salt and pepper
- 1 3 to 3.5 -pound Split bone-in turkey breast
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
- ¼ cup half-and-half warmed
- 1 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Microwave 3 tablespoons oil, garlic, paprika, coriander, Aleppo pepper, cumin, cinnamon,nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt in bowl until bubbling and very fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through microwaving. Let cool to room temperature. Mix lemon juice and zest into the paste mixture. Measure out 3 Tablespoons of harissa to rub on the turkey breast and reserve the rest for serving.
- Place breast, skin side up, on counter. Remove any excess fat. Using your fingers, carefully loosen and separate turkey skin from the breast. Peel back skin, leaving it attached at top and center of breast. Rub 1 tablespoon remaining harissa onto the breast, then place skin back over meat. Rub 1 tablespoon remaining harissa onto underside of breast cavity. Place turkey on large plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for 1 hour.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Toss potatoes with remaining oil and sprinkle with salt (about ¼ teaspoon), arrange in even layer in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and gently massage the remaining 1 tablespoon harissa over the skin. Place turkey, skin side up, on top of potatoes. Transfer pot to oven and roast, uncovered, until turkey registers 130 degrees, 1 to 1¼ hours.
- Now, remove pot from oven and crank up the heat on the oven to 500 degrees. When oven reaches 500 degrees, return pot to oven and roast, uncovered, until turkey skin takes on a nice golden brown and breast registers 160 degrees, 15 to 30 minutes.
- Remove pot from oven. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest for 30 minutes. Time to make the potatoes. Using potato masher, mash potatoes until smooth; cover to keep warm.
- Stir in enough warm half-and-half to achieve desired texture. Sprinkle with cilantro, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Carve turkey and serve with potatoes, passing reserved harissa separately. Enjoy!