TURKEY: This is a tasty alternative to roasting and serving a whole turkey.

TURKEY ROLL WITH SPINACH AND HAM STUFFING:



1 x 4-5 lb. turkey breast

1 onion, chopped

1 cup cooked spinach, chopped & drained

½ cup chopped cooked ham

salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

½ cup grated Gruyere cheese

cooking oil + butter


sauce:

1 each onion & carrot, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
3 cup turkey or chicken stock
3 tbsp. butter + 3 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper



Halve turkey breast, skin and de-bone and place the halves between sheets of waxed paper. Pound and flatten with a meat mallet into equal and even thickness. Arrange the halves, boned side up and slightly overlapping, into a rectangle and press them together. Pound the overlapping edges slightly to stick them together.

In a heavy non-stick skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp. oil and butter together. Cook onion for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Remove to a large bowl; then add in spinach, ham, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Combine mixture well and let cool before adding cream cheese and grated Gruyere cheese.

Sprinkle both sides of turkey breasts with salt and pepper to taste and spread spinach and cheese mixture evenly on top to within ½-inch of the edges. Beginning with a long side roll the turkey up carefully, tucking in the ends. Tie roll up at 2-inch intervals with kitchen strings.

Heat skillet up again until hot; add 1 tbsp of oil and butter and brown turkey roll over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Transfer roll to a large flameproof casserole.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Add onion and carrot to skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Add wine and deglaze the pan, scraping down brown bits from bottom and sides of pan. Add stock and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Pour sauce over turkey roll.

Braise turkey roll, covered, in oven for 35 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degrees F. Remove casserole from oven and transfer roll to a serving platter, remove string and keep warm.

Strain cooking liquid and return it to the casserole placed over medium heat. Cook and reduce liquid until it is scarcely 3 cups. Pour it into a bowl and keep warm.

Melt butter in casserole and add flour. Cook roux over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Whisk in cooking liquid gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice and adjust seasoning. Pour sauce into gravy boat.

Slice turkey roll into ½-inch slices and serve with sauce.