Peachy Breast Salad
Braised tarragon turkey breast, sliced thin over a chilled salad of peaches, burrata, asparagus and peas - a whole entertaining spread with a warm side of gravy.
Serves: 4-6
Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 20 minutes resting
Cook time: 55 minutes
INGREDIENTS
1.5kg turkey breast, boned, skin on
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 small French shallots
3 sprigs tarragon
500ml chicken stock
50g butter
1/4 cup plain flour
salt and pepper, for seasoning
For the salad
4 firm peaches
2 burrata
4 bunches asparagus, ends removed
2 cups frozen baby peas, thawed
2 baby lettuce (cos, butter or romaine), leaves washed
1 cup mixed herbs (tarragon, chervil, parsley)
To serve
METHOD
Salt and pepper both sides of the turkey.
Melt the 1 tablespoon of butter and the oil together on medium heat in a large pan with a lid.
Brown the turkey breast skin-side down first for 5 minutes, then turn over. Add the French shallots and brown the flesh side for 5 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock and tarragon sprigs. Cover and low simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove the turkey from the pan and wrap in foil to rest for 20 minutes.
Strain the pan liquid, discarding the solids.
Melt the 50g butter and the flour together in the pan until thoroughly mixed to a paste. Gradually add the pan liquid while stirring to form a gravy. Keep warm.
Prep the salad ahead and store in the fridge: thaw the frozen peas in a bowl of cold tap water; blanch the asparagus in boiling water and refresh immediately in iced water; trim and wash the lettuce leaves; pick and rinse the herbs. All of these can be stored in containers overnight, adding paper towel to the lettuce and herb containers so they don't sit in water.
When ready to serve, thinly slice the turkey and layer with the chilled salad components and sliced peaches.
Top with 2 unbroken burrata and serve with tarragon vinaigrette, buttermilk and chive dressing, and a warm side of gravy.
HINTS
Braising the turkey breast in stock keeps it succulent where a dry roast can leave it tight - the poaching liquid then becomes your gravy, so nothing is wasted.
Almost all of the salad can be prepped the day before and chilled - it's an entertaining dish designed to be assembled, not cooked, at the last minute.
Warm gravy over a cold salad sounds odd and tastes right - don't skip it.
NUTRITION (per recipe total, serves 4-6 - guide only):
Energy: approximately 17800kJ (4255 calories)
Protein: 400g
Fat: 220g
Saturated fat: 90g
Carbohydrates: 90g
Sugars: 40g
Fibre: 25g
Sodium: 4200mg
Note: dressings for serving estimated modestly; excludes extra.
This nutrition information is a guide only and may vary depending on brands, exact quantities, and ingredient substitutions used.