Turkey Breast Roulade

Do you roulade? You should. All the cool kids are doin' it.

"The word roulade originates from the French "rouler" meaning "to roll". Typically, a roulade is a European dish consisting of a slice of meat rolled around a filling, such as cheese, vegetables, or other meats. A roulade, like a braised dish, is often browned then covered with wine or stock and cooked. Such a roulade is commonly secured with a toothpick or metal skewer, piece of string or twine. The roulade is then sliced into rounds and served. [...] The second most common form of roulade consists of a souffle-type mixture baked in a flat pan rolled around a filling. Appropriate to the meaning of the word however, a roulade may refer to any such "rolled" dish, such as sushi, and is not limited strictly to the European dishes."

Culinate is currently featuring a recipe for Fennel-Stuffed Roast Pork Loin with instructions on how to butterfly a boneless pork loin in preparation for stuffing and rolling.

Last weekend, I made a turkey breast roulade stuffed with sauteed leeks. The recipe came out of Tyler's Ultimate cookbook. It was easy to prepare, the meat was juicy & tender, and it made for an impressive presentation. I am very happy with this dish, and I think I'll make it for Thanksgiving again next year instead of roasting a whole bird. Though, this is easy enough to make anytime with a whole chicken breast.

The original recipe (below) calls for golden raisins & dried apricots, but I omitted the fruit. I also sauteed the leeks in bacon fat, because I was out of butter.

Turkey Breast Roulade

1 whole boneless turkey breast, butterflied

2 whole leeks, roots trimmed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs (I used rosemary)

salt & pepper

• Trim off most of the green part of the leeks & cut the leeks almost in half lengthwise, leaving the halves attached at the root end. Rinse under running water to get all the sand out. Pat dry.
• Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks & cook for about 10 minutes, turning every now and then, until the leeks are softened by not colored. Take the leeks out of the pan and let cool.
• Spread the butterflied turkey breast out flat. Season the inside with salt, pepper, & chopped herbs (save some for the outside, too!).
• Lay the leeks vertically on one side of the turkey. Starting with that side, roll the turkey up into a cylinder.
  
• Drizzle the outside of the breast with a bit of olive oil & season with salt/pepper/herbs. Tie in four places with butcher's twine.
• Roast in a 400 degree oven until the meat registers 160 on a thermometer.
  
• Let the turkey rest 10-15 minutes before slicing.