Thursday on DelmarvaLife, Chef and Owner of the Bartlett Pear Inn in Easton, Jordan Lloyd, showed us how to make Rock Salt & 5 Spice Roasted Turkey Breasts, Sweet Potatoes & Kale with a Cranberry–Pecan Marmalade. Here is the recipe:
Rock Salt & 5 Spice Roasted Turkey Breasts, Sweet Potatoes & Kale, Cranberry–Pecan Marmalade
Rock Salt & 5 Spice Roasted Turkey Breasts
2 lb Turkey Breast, whole & boneless
½ Cup Rock Salt
1 Tablespoon Night Kitchen Silk Road Spice Mix (aka Chinese 5 Spice)
2 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1 Recipe Brine Solution
Rinse & pat dry your turkey breast from the store packaging. Brine the turkey breast for 8 hours in the brine solution in the refrigerator. Once brined, pat dry and set on a baking pan lined with a baking rack.
Mix the rock salt, spice mix and garlic together in a bowl. Lay this mixture directly on top of the turkey breast. Roast the breast in the oven at 400 degrees for roughly 35 – 55 minutes or until the center reaches 150 degrees and the juices run clear when the skin is poked with a knife or thermometer gauge. Allow the turkey breast to rest for 10 minutes out of the oven. Wipe all of the excess salt crust off and slice across the breast. Present on a bed of roasted vegetables or straight on the desired platter. Orange slices can be a nice garnish, cut ½ way through and twisted.
Brine Solution
Water 3/4 Gallon
Salt 1 Cup
*at this point, one could add any variation and quantity of ingredients to fit their preference: citrus peel, bay leaf, peppercorns, fresh and dried herbs, fresh or dried garlic, chili flakes, soy sauce, fennel seeds, coriander, spices, etc.
Bring all of the ingredients to a boil and chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Sweet Potatoes & Kale
Rinse, wash and dry all sweet potatoes and kales. Cut the sweet potatoes the size of a large die or 1” by 1”. Discard the large stems of the kale and cut the leaves into 1” – 3” wide strips. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes and kale with enough olive oil to just coat everything and salt to your desired preference. Minced garlic and shallots or onions are a nice touch. Lay the kales and potatoes on a baking pan and roast in a 375 degree oven until potatoes are fork tender. If your kales are smaller and more delicate, wait until the potatoes are ½ way cooked before adding the kales to the mix. The potatoes will need to cook for 40 – 50 minutes approximately. Display on serving platter and enjoy!
Cranberry-Pecan Marmalade
Cranberries 1 Bag/1lb
Orange Juice ½ Cup
1 Orange, segments only, sliced
1 Cup Pecans, toasted
¼ Cup Flat Leaf Parsley, chopped rough
Starting in a cold pan, add the cranberries and orange juice together, Cook at a medium heat until the cranberries are just cooked and the juice has absorbed into the berries, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool slightly. Gingerly, using the tines of a large fork, mix in orange segments, toasted pecans and parsley leaves. Enjoy!
Toasting Nuts – 350 degree oven for 6 – 8 minutes.
