Cooking In Stilettos...: Tried and True: Barefoot Contessa's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast...

Sunday, January 4, 2009 Tried and True: Barefoot Contessa's Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast...

For the holiday this year, I decided to keep it simple and didn't freak out making a whole turkey but just a good size turkey breast. When it came to doing research as to the *right* recipe to try, I thought "Barefoot Contessa - one can't go wrong with a Barefoot Contessa recipe" and I'm glad I went with that idea.

Granted, there were a couple things I would change, like buy fresh thyme as the store was out and I substituted dried but it was a wee bit more than I should have used but the turkey came out moist, flavorful and perfect not only for dinner but also for leftovers.

Preppin' for the initial rub

I would highly recommend making this when you are looking to keep it small but somewhat traditional.

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Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast

Recipe courtesy of Barefoot Contessa and Food Network

Ingredients

1 whole bone-in turkey breast, 6 1/2 to 7 pounds

1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup dry white wine

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the turkey breast, skin side up, on a rack in a roasting pan.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, mustard, herbs, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to make a paste. Loosen the skin from the meat gently with your fingers and smear half of the paste directly on the meat. Spread the remaining paste evenly on the skin. Pour the wine into the bottom of the roasting pan.

Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 to 2 hours, until the skin is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest and meatiest areas of the breast. (I test in several places.) If the skin is over-browning, cover the breast loosely with aluminum foil. When the turkey is done, cover with foil and allow it to rest at room temperature for 15 minutes. Slice and serve with the pan juices spooned over the turkey.

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Viola - the finished product