Recipe: Turkey Breast Served with Chestnut Stuffing

Serving Turkey and Trimmings For Less Than Six People: A Major Feast for a Modest Crowd
From the American Institute for Cancer Research

Thanksgiving dinner traditionally means a groaning board surrounded by a flock of family and friends. These days, though, with many families too far flung to come together, and single-person households more common than ever, Thanksgiving sometimes needs to be a meal for two to six.

When you want the pomp and pleasure of a traditional feast and the feasters are few in number, roasting a whole turkey breast can be preferable to cooking a small bird. A breast is easier to handle, and you can still present it in golden glory, just as you would the usual bird. And, in keeping with tradition, you will definitely have that sine qua non of Thanksgiving -- leftovers.

A breast means lots of white meat. It need not mean sawdust-dry, cardboard-tasting meat. The best way to avoid this is to start with a fresh turkey breast. The freezing process dehydrates a turkey. The defrosting process dries it out even more. Skip these problems by selecting a fresh whole turkey breast from the refrigerated meat case at the supermarket, or ask your butcher to provide one.

While talking about juicy results, I defiantly confess that I have never in my life basted a turkey. Since people rave about how succulent my turkey is, I decided long ago that this procedure is not worth the bother. However, like my mother, I am a staunch advocate of the "begin breast down" school. You do not have to agree, but it works for me.

Turkey Breast Served with Chestnut Stuffing

5 pound turkey breast
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 3/4 cups chicken broth
4 cups Chestnut Stuffing (recipe below)
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Rinse the breast and pat it dry.

Rub the breast lightly with the oil, or use cooking spray.

Set the breast on a rack in a roasting pan, skin side down. Pour the broth into the bottom of the pan. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the breast over and cook 30 minutes. Turn the breast upside down again and roast another 30 minutes. To brown the breast, set it skin side up for 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer reads 170 F. when inserted in the thick part away from the bone.

Let the roasted breast sit 20 minutes. Transfer the turkey to a warmed serving platter and carve. Serve with chestnut stuffing.

Each of the six servings contains 399 calories and 7 grams of fat.

Chestnut Stuffing (Makes 7-8 cups)

4 cups herb-seasoned stuffing
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium leek, white part only, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
2 cups cooked chestnuts, coarsely chopped (These are sold vacuum packed in jars & plastic pouches, as well as canned)
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 cups chicken stock or canned broth
Freshly ground pepper Place the stuffing in a large bowl. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the celery, leek, onion, and shallot until they soften, about 5 minutes.

Add the sauteed vegetables to the dry stuffing. Add the chestnuts and poultry seasoning. Pour in the broth and mix to combine all the ingredients. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Press the stuffing lightly into a greased oven-proof dish and bake at 350 F, covered, for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer for fluffy, crusty dressing.

Each 3/4 cup serving of stuffing contains 201 calories and 5 grams of fat.