Herbed-Lemon Turkey with Wild Mushroom Gravy
Date: Dec. 6th, 2018 - 1:00 PM
Ingredients
½ cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh sage
1 (4½ to 5 pound) whole turkey breast (bone-in)
1 lemon, quartered
1 medium onion, quartered
½ cup dried porcini, oyster, shiitake and/or chanterelle mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Chicken broth
2 tablespoons dry sherry
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Place dried cherries, 1 tablespoon olive oil and sage in a blender container or food processor bowl. Cover and blend or process just until cherries are finely chopped.
- Slip your fingers between the skin and meat of the turkey breast to loosen the turkey skin. Lift the skin and, using a spatula, carefully spread the cherry mixture directly over the turkey breast meat. Place the turkey breast on a rack in a foil-lined shallow roasting pan. Place the lemon and onion quarters underneath the turkey breast. Insert a meat thermometer into the breast without the thermometer touching the bone. Brush with remaining 1 tablespoon oil.
- Roast, uncovered, in preheated oven for 1½ to 2¼ hours or until thermometer registers 170°F, covering with foil the last 45 minutes of roasting to prevent over browning. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes before carving.
- Meanwhile, place mushrooms in a small bowl. Pour boiling water over mushrooms to cover. Let stand 10 minutes. Drain mushrooms. Strain the mushroom-soaking liquid through a fine-mesh sieve lined with 100%-cotton cheesecloth, paper towels or a coffee filter and reserve. Rinse and drain mushrooms a second time.
- Pour pan drippings from turkey into a large measuring cup. Skim and reserve fat from drippings. Pour ¼ cup of the fat (if necessary, add butter) into a medium saucepan. Stir in flour. Add enough mushroom liquid and broth to remaining drippings in the measuring cup to equal 2 cups. Add broth mixture all at once to flour mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Stir in mushrooms and sherry. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
