Best Sharon Lees Tarragon Turkey Recipes

TARRAGON TURKEY

Steps:

• In a very large casserole, roasting pan or plastic tub, combine honey, vinegar, sugar, peppercorns, salt and dried tarragon. Add onion, garlic, lemon and five quarts of water. Submerge rolled turkey breast in mixture, adding 1 to 2 more quarts as needed to cover breast with liquid. Refrigerate overnight, preferably for 24 hours.
• Remove turkey from brine, and place on a rack for 30 minutes to drain and come to room temperature. Meanwhile, heat oven to 400 degrees. In a saucepan combine olive oil and fresh tarragon, and place over medium-low heat until oil begins to sizzle. Remove from heat, and allow to sit for 10 minutes.
• Transfer tarragon from oil to a clean roasting pan. Pat turkey dry with paper towels, and place on top of tarragon. Pour oil over turkey, and rub by hand until meat is completely covered with oil. Roast for two hours. No basting is necessary.
• Remove pan from oven. Transfer turkey to a sheet of foil, and allow it to cool for 20 minutes. Remove, and discard strings, wrap turkey in foil, and refrigerate until chilled, at least one hour. To serve, cut into slices.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY TWO WAYS

Steps:

• The morning before roasting, spatchcock one of the turkeys. Remove the backbone by cutting 1 1/2 inches to the left and right of the backbone (opposite side of breast) from front to back. Remove the backbone and reserve for stock if desired. Place the turkey breast-side up on a large flat surface. Place a clean kitchen towel on top and press down firmly on the breast to flatten. Season both sides of the spatchcocked turkey with 1 tablespoon each of the celery salt, granulated garlic, granulated onion and pepper.
• Season the whole turkey inside and out with 1 tablespoon black pepper and the remaining celery salt, granulated garlic and granulated onion. Allow both turkeys to sit in the refrigerator overnight, uncovered, to dry the skin.
• The next day, allow the turkeys to come to room temperature for 1 1/2 hours.
• Arrange one oven rack in the bottom lowest position of the oven and one in the top third. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Combine the minced parsley, tarragon, oregano, minced thyme, lemon zest and shallots with some salt and pepper in a small bowl. The salt will help to draw the moisture and flavor from the mixture. Add the olive oil to form a paste. Divide the mixture between the turkeys and spread all around both sides of each turkey. Season again with salt and pepper. Halve 3 of the lemons. Stuff the cavity of the whole turkey with the lemon halves and parsley and thyme sprigs.
• Divide the carrots, onions and fennel between 2 roasting pans or baking sheets. Arrange the spatchcocked turkey skin-side up on the vegetables in one pan. Put the whole turkey breast-side up on the vegetables in the second pan. Divide the stock and wine between the 2 pans.
• Put the whole turkey on the bottom oven rack and the spatchcocked turkey on the top rack and roast, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices and adding a little more liquid to the bottom of the pans as needed to prevent burning. Keep an eye on the turkeys: when the spatchcocked turkey is nicely browned, remove the roasting pan and carefully move the top oven rack to the middle position (see Cook's Note). Move the whole turkey to the middle rack and the spatchcocked turkey to the bottom rack and continue to roast until the thickest part of the thighs registers 155 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 hours total (10 minutes per pound) for a 12-pound spatchcocked turkey and 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours total (12 to 15 minutes per pound) for a 12-pound whole turkey. Allow the turkeys to rest for at least 1 hour before serving.

TARRAGON TURKEY MEDALLIONS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside.
• Lightly spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Heat the oil over high heat, swirling to coat the bottom. Cook the turkey in a single layer for 2 minutes. Turn over and cook for 3 minutes, or until no longer pink in the center. Transfer to a serving plate. Set aside.
• Pour the sauce into the skillet. Cook for 15 to 20 seconds, or until the mixture reduces to 2 tablespoons, stirring constantly with a flat spatula. Drizzle over the turkey.
• Substitute a 1-pound pork tenderloin for the turkey. Cook as directed above.
• (Per serving)
• Calories: 149
• Total fat: 3.0g
• Saturated: 0.5g
• Trans: 0.0g
• Polyunsaturated: 0.5g
• Monounsaturated: 2.0g
• Cholesterol: 70mg
• Sodium: 202mg
• Carbohydrates: 1g
• Fiber: 0g
• Sugars: 0g
• Protein: 28g
• Calcium: 15mg
• Potassium: 349mg
• 3 very lean meat

TURKEY TARRAGON

Steps:

• Season turkey with salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon tarragon. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
• Add turkey and cook, turning once, until golden, 4-5 minutes. Remove to plate, leaving drippings in the pan.
• Add shallots to pan drippings and cook, stirring, until softened, about 1 minute.
• Add wine, raise heat to high, and cook, stirring up browned bits from bottom of pan, until reduced by 1/3, about 2 minutes.
• Add cream and remaining tarragon and cook until sauce slightly thickens, about 2 minutes.
• Return turkey and juices to sauce and cook until meat is heated through, about 1 minute.