Turkey Breast Ballotine with Sage Butter Pan Sauce

Serves 6-8

Season the skin with salt and then Lay on a cutting board 1 Turkey Breast (5-6#), skin side down on a cutting board and slice from the longest end to end going half way down the meat. be sure not to go the whole way- we are trying to open-up the breast and increase the surface area so that it can be rolled over itself. Put a piece of plastic wrap over the cut side of the breast, and, with a meat pounder or a heavy can of tomatoes, begin to flatten the meat. Start at the thickest part and work your way out, like you’re delicately hammering a nail, one hit at a time. Once you have an even thickness all the way across, about 1/2 inch, remove the plastic and season with salt.

In a pan, sautée:
1 bunch of chard or spinach with
1 clove garlic and
1 minced, or thinly sliced shallot
Once that’s cooled, add and combine:
1/2 pt crème fraîche
Zest of 1 orange
Minced rind of 1/4 preserved lemon, pith removed (zest of 1/2 a fresh lemon if you don’t have preserved)
Salt, to taste

Evenly distribute this mixture across the flattened turkey breast, being sure to keep a clean border of about 1/2 inch around the edge of the turkey
Slowly begin to roll the long side until the whole breast is a log shape.

Then, take your twine, and tie it up at even intervals. This is a great video for tying porchetta, and the method is the same for tying ballotine.

Now, place your tied-up ballotine into a large skillet into a 375 degree F pre-heated oven until it’s fully cooked, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. The juices should run clear and if you use. a thermometer, it should be at 160 when you pull it,.
You should have a gorgeous crispy and golden brown crust.
Let it rest on a rack in a warm place and get to your sauce, which you’ll be making on the same pan

To make the pan sauce (and this is the same method for making any pan sauce), put your pan over medium high heat and have ready by your side 1 glass of white wine, chicken stock or water, cold butter, and any herbs that you want- for this dish, we want sage.
- Place 2 Tbs butter in the pan and swirl it around- you want to be sure not to burn the brown bits that have accumulated there during the cooking
- Add a sprig of sage (5-6 leaves) and put them directly in the butter and enjoy the perfume of the two mingling and dancing in your pan
- Once the butter slows its bubbling and begins to brown, and before the brown bits on the bottom of the pan turn too dark,
- Add the wine and and hastily scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Once the wine starts to get really big bubbles and seems like it' has evaporated by half,
- Add your chicken stock or water and continue to simmer until the sauce begins to thicken and reduce by at least a third
- Add a few Tbs of cold butter and whisk or stir it continuously while it melts- this should thicken the sauce more and also give it a luxurious sheen and richness.
_ As always, taste it, and once you feel happy with it, it’s ready to be spooned over your Ballotine.

To serve:
Slice your Ballotine into the desired thickness, pour your lavish sauce over the top, and enjoy!