I'm cooking a small turkey breast for christmas- help!

[Beaverhausen]

I've never done that but we have vegetarians coming who are doing the tofurkey and a few meat eaters who will have turkey.

I'm just going to get a breast and cook that. But I've never done it. Any tips?

[HEAVYHEART]

1. Here

Here's one recipe I found on Food Network.


Herb Roasted Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy
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Although sage is the herb most used with turkey, I love the flavor and aroma of fresh bay (laurel) leaves. Fresh bay leaves are now widely available in supermarkets. Since the leaves are a bit woody, and no fun to eat, I baste my turkey with bay-infused butter and roast the breasts right on top of the leaves, which perfumes the meat.


1 small (golf-ball sized) onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 lemon, scrubbed clean
12 fresh sage leaves
Large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley (about 1/2 cup, from 12 stems)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling pan
1 teaspoon salt, plus more as needed
6 fresh bay leaves
4 tablespoons butter
2 boneless turkey breast halves, skin on (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds each)
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup apple or regular brandy (recommended: Calvados)
2 to 3 cups apple cider
Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Oil a roasting pan and set it aside.
Put the onion into the bowl of a mini food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the zest from the lemon in thin strips, being careful not to cut into the bitter white pith. Add the lemon zest to the food processor and reserve the whole lemon for another use. Chop the onion and lemon zest until fine. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt and pulse until it forms a coarse paste.

Put 2 of the bay leaves and the butter into a small pan and heat over medium-low heat until the butter is bubbling. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Put the turkey breasts on a work surface. Carefully run your fingers between the skin and the flesh from 1 end, being careful not to pull it completely off, creating a pocket. Season the turkey breasts generously with salt and pepper. Stuff half of the herb paste under the skin of each breast, and spread it evenly under the skin. Transfer the breasts to the roasting pan, and slide 2 bay leaves underneath each one. (The heat of the pan will release the bay leaf oils and flavor the breast.) Using a pastry brush, baste the breasts with half of the bay butter. Place the turkey in the oven and immediately decrease the temperature to 400 degrees F. After 20 minutes, baste the turkey breasts with the remaining butter, and roast for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until cooked through, and a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the breast registers 170 degrees F.

Remove from the oven, transfer to a platter, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving while you make the gravy.

Put the roasting pan over the burner on medium heat. Sprinkle the flour over the pan juices, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. Add the apple brandy, and scrape the pan to lift the bits that are stuck to the bottom. Cook for a minute to burn off the alcohol, then, while stirring, pour in the apple cider. Bring to a simmer, and stir until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the turkey breast on the diagonal, and serve with warm gravy.

[HEAVYHEART]

2. Another

I found another recipe.


Roast Breast Of Turkey With Apple Cider
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Makes 4 servings

1 turkey breast, boneless with skin on, about 4 pounds
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup honey
3 cups fresh apple cider, divided
2 cups poultry stock
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or substitute olive oil)
2 large Granny Smith or good cooking apples, quartered, core removed, peeled and sliced thin
1/4 cup snipped fresh chives
Preheat the oven to 450 F. Place the turkey breast on a roasting rack in an ovenproof skillet. Season well with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the honey and 1 cup of the cider. Brush the honey-cider mixture over the turkey breast. Place the skillet on the lower rack of the oven and cook for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 and continue to cook, basting the turkey breast with the honey-cider mixture every 15 minutes. Cook until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast reads 170 degrees, about an additional 1-hour for a 4-pound breast. Remove the skillet and allow the turkey to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.

While the turkey is cooking, combine the stock and the remaining 2 cups of cider in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over high heat and cook until reduced to coat the back of a spoon, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook again until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve the sauce.

When the turkey is done, heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the butter and the sliced apples, cooking until the apples are golden about 8 minutes. Add the sauce to the apples and reduce to coat the apples. If the sauce becomes too thick, add a little water or white wine. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half of the chives. Remove from the heat.

Slice the breasts against the grain, perpendicular to the length of the breast. Lay the slices on the serving platter. Spoon a little sauce over the turkey and sprinkle with the remaining chives. Serve the remaining sauce in a sauce boat.

Cook's note: If you prefer a paler, softer skin on the turkey, tent the skillet with aluminum foil, dull side out, when the oven is turned down to 375. Continue to baste, but replace the foil tightly after each basting.

[demnan]

3. Here's an easy one

Get a Shady Brooks Farm fresh turkey with a pop up thingy. Lightly pat turkey with light cooking oil and shake on McCormick's Herb poultry seasoning. Put a foil tent on breast.

Preheat oven to 425o. Please turkey in when oven is hot. After 30 mintues remove foil and reduce oven temperature to 375o.

Cook until the pop up thing pops up and remove from oven. Cover turkey with a new piece of foil while you make the gravy.

Now for the gravy:

Remove the bird from the roasting pan when the pan has cooled somewhat, add a can of chicken broth and bring up stuff from the bottom of the pan. Add two tablespoons flour and slowly stir this in while cold. Put in a sauce pan and heat on the stove, cooking the flour. Taste for seasoning (I usually add none).

I know it's not as elegant as the preceeding recipes but it's good and damned easy.