The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (161 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
SERVES 4 TO 6
You can substitute three 11-ounce cans tomatillos, drained and rinsed, for the fresh ones in this recipe. Halve large tomatillos (more than 2 inches in diameter) and place them skin side up for broiling in step 2 to ensure even cooking and charring. If you can’t find poblanos, substitute 4 large jalapeño chiles (with seeds and ribs removed). To increase the spiciness of the sauce, reserve some of the chiles’ ribs and seeds and add them to the food processor in step 4. Be sure to cool the chicken filling before filling the tortillas; the hot filling will make the enchiladas soggy.
4 | teaspoons vegetable oil |
1 | onion, chopped medium |
¹⁄ | teaspoon ground cumin |
3 | garlic cloves, minced |
1¹⁄ | cups low-sodium chicken broth |
1 | pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed |
1¹⁄ | pounds tomatillos (16 to 20 medium), husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried |
3 | poblano chiles, halved lengthwise, stemmed, and seeded |
1–2¹⁄ | teaspoons sugar |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | cup chopped fresh cilantro |
8 | ounces pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups) |
12 | (6-inch) corn tortillas |
Vegetable oil spray |
GARNISHES
2 | scallions, sliced thin |
Thinly sliced radishes | |
Sour cream |
1.
Adjust 1 oven rack to middle position and another rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cumin and two-thirds of garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease heat to low and stir in broth. Add chicken, cover, and simmer until it registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large bowl; place in refrigerator to cool, about 20 minutes. Measure out and reserve ¹⁄
4
cup broth and set aside; discard remaining liquid.
2.
Meanwhile, toss tomatillos and poblanos with remaining 2 teaspoons oil. Arrange tomatillos cut side down and poblanos skin side up on aluminum foil–lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil on top rack until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through broiling.
3.
Remove tomatillos and poblanos from oven, let cool slightly, then remove skins from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Discard foil from baking sheet and set baking sheet aside for warming tortillas.
4.
Transfer vegetables, along with any accumulated juices, to food processor. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor and process until sauce is somewhat chunky, about 8 pulses. Season with salt and pepper to taste and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, ¹⁄
2
teaspoon at a time; set aside.
5.
When chicken is cool, use 2 forks to shred into bite-size pieces. Combine chicken with cilantro and 1¹⁄
2
cups pepper Jack; season with salt to taste.
6.
Spread ³⁄
4
cup tomatillo sauce evenly over bottom of 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Place tortillas in single layer on 2 baking sheets. Spray both sides of tortillas lightly with vegetable oil spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable, 2 to 4 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Place warm tortillas on counter and spread ¹⁄
3
cup chicken filling down center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam side down. Pour remaining tomatillo sauce over top of enchiladas and spread into even layer so that it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle with remaining ¹⁄
2
cup pepper Jack and cover tightly with foil.
7.
Bake enchiladas on lower rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with scallions, and serve immediately, passing radishes and sour cream separately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Turkey cutlets offer a quick and satisfying option for a weeknight dinner, but sautéing them just right requires something of a balancing act. Choosing cutlets of even thickness was the first step in ensuring that they cooked uniformly from end to end. We found it wasn’t necessary to flour the cutlets as long as the pan was hot enough, and olive oil was the best medium for sautéing the cutlets, providing pleasant flavor and a relatively high smoke point. Heating the pan properly was essential to a well-browned crust. Finally, we determined it was best to brown the cutlets on one side only; they are simply too thin to brown well on both sides without overcooking.
SERVES 4
One cutlet per person makes a skimpy serving, so we call for a total of six to serve four people. If you prefer, replace the Honey-Mustard Pan Sauce with Warm-Spiced Pan Sauce with Currants and Almonds (recipe follows). The turkey can be prepared without the pan sauce; if not making a pan sauce, let the turkey rest for 5 minutes before serving in step 2.
TURKEY
6 | (4-ounce) turkey cutlets, trimmed |
2 | tablespoons olive oil |
HONEY-MUSTARD PAN SAUCE
1 | shallot, minced |
1 | cup dry white wine |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
2 | teaspoons honey |
3 | tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled |
1 | tablespoon Dijon mustard |
1 | tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon |
Salt and pepper |
1. FOR THE TURKEY:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Pat turkey dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
2.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Place half of cutlets in skillet and cook until light golden brown on first side, 2 to 2¹⁄
2
minutes. Flip cutlets and continue to cook until second side is opaque, about 1 minute; transfer to large ovensafe platter. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining cutlets; transfer to platter. Tent loosely with aluminum foil and transfer to oven to keep warm while preparing sauce.
3. FOR THE PAN SAUCE:
Add shallot to oil left in skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in wine, broth, and honey, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to boil and cook until liquid is reduced to ¹⁄
3
cup, about 10 minutes, adding any accumulated turkey juices after about 8 minutes. Off heat, whisk in butter and mustard until butter is melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over turkey and serve immediately.
MAKES ABOUT
²⁄
3
CUP, ENOUGH FOR 6 CUTLETS
We prefer a fruity red wine, such as Zinfandel, in this recipe.
2 | teaspoons brown sugar |
¹⁄ | teaspoon cayenne pepper |
Pinch ground cloves | |
Pinch ground allspice | |
1 | tablespoon olive oil |
2 | cinnamon sticks |
1 | shallot, minced |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
2 | teaspoons grated fresh ginger |
1 | cup red wine |
¹⁄ | cup low-sodium chicken broth |
3 | tablespoons dried currants |
3 | tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces and chilled |
2 | tablespoons chopped fresh parsley |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | cup sliced almonds, toasted |
Mix brown sugar, cayenne, cloves, and allspice in bowl; set aside. Add oil, spice mixture, and cinnamon sticks to now-empty skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shallot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 1 minute. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine, broth, and currants, scraping up any browned bits. Bring to boil and cook until liquid is reduced to ¹⁄
3
cup, about 10 minutes, adding any accumulated turkey juices after about 8 minutes. Off heat, discard cinnamon sticks, then whisk in butter until melted and sauce is slightly thickened. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon sauce over turkey, sprinkle with almonds, and serve immediately.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Achieving crisp skin without drying out the delicate white meat is easier said than done when roasting a whole turkey breast. Brining was a good first step, flavoring the mild breast meat and helping it hold moisture. Loosening the skin and rubbing the meat underneath with softened butter promoted even browning and crispier skin. But the real challenge was determining the best roasting technique. After testing a range of oven temperatures, we determined that a dual-temperature approach was necessary: starting the turkey breast in a 425-degree oven jump-started the browning process, while reducing the heat to 325 degrees for the remainder of the time allowed the meat to gently finish cooking.
See “PREPARING A TURKEY BREAST FOR ROASTING” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 8 TO 10
Many supermarkets are now selling “hotel-style” turkey breasts. Try to avoid these if you can, as they still have the wings and rib cage attached. If this is the only type of breast you can find, you will need to remove the wings and cut away the rib cage with kitchen shears before proceeding with the recipe. If using a self-basting turkey or kosher turkey, do not brine in step 1.
¹⁄ | cup salt |
1 | (6- to 7-pound) whole bone-in turkey breast, trimmed |
4 | tablespoons unsalted butter, softened |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1.
Dissolve salt in 1 gallon cold water in large container. Submerge turkey in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours.
2.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Set V-rack inside roasting pan and spray with vegetable oil spray. Combine butter and pepper in bowl.
3.
Remove turkey from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, gently loosen center portion of skin covering each side of breast; place butter mixture under skin, directly on meat in center of each side of breast. Gently press on skin to distribute butter mixture over meat. Place turkey skin side up on prepared V-rack and add 1 cup water to pan.
4.
Roast turkey for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees and continue to roast until turkey registers 160 degrees, about 1 hour longer. Transfer turkey to carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Carve turkey and serve.
Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme, and 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest to butter mixture.
Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary, 1 teaspoon grated orange zest, and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon red pepper flakes to butter mixture.
Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder, ³⁄
4
teaspoon cocoa, and ¹⁄
2
teaspoon cayenne pepper to butter mixture.