Stuffed Turkey Breast with Basil Sauce
Author: Randazzo
Recipe type: Turkey
Serves: 10 main dish
Ingredients
- 1 (2 lb.) skinless boneless turkey breast half
- 1 lg. bunch fresh basil
- ¼ lb. thinly sliced cooked ham
- ¼ lb. thinly sliced Jarlsberg cheese
- 1 tbsp. olive or salad oil
- ½ tsp. dried basil leaves
- ½ tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
- Salt
- 1 c. mayonnaise or whipped salad dressing
- 2 tsp. white vinegar
- ½ tsp. sugar
Instructions
- About 2 hours before serving or early in the day, cut turkey breast horizontally almost, but not all the way through. Spread breast open to make a butterflied breast. With a meat mallet or dull edge of French knife, pound butterflied breast between 2 sheets of plastic wrap into a rectangle about 12 inches by 10 inches.
- Chop enough basil to equal ¼ cup and set aside. Arrange the basil leaves to cover entire turkey breast. Top the basil with the sliced ham and then the sliced cheese. Starting from the long side, roll turkey, jelly roll fashion, to enclose the stuffing completely.
- Tie the turkey breast roll securely with string at 1 ½ inch intervals; place on rack in a small roasting pan.
- In a cup, mix olive or salad oil, dried basil leaves, pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt; brush over turkey breast roll. Insert meat thermometer into center of roll. Roast turkey breast roll in 325°F oven 1 ¼ to 1 ½ hours, brushing occasionally with any pan drippings, until the thermometer reaches 170°F.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise or whipped salad dressing, vinegar, sugar, reserved chopped basil, and ½ teaspoon salt. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- When the turkey is done, remove to cutting board and discard the string. Slice turkey roll crosswise into ½ inch thick slices. Arrange the slices on a platter. Garnish with the remaining basil leaves. Serve warm or cover and refrigerate to serve cold later. Serve with basil sauce.
