This is another recipe from the same show that debuted on Discovery Health last evening, therefore I have not tried it yet.

I do eat turkey breast often, and the only changes that I would make in this recipe would be to omit the salt and olive oil and add a small amount of NSA chicken or beef broth. I would also leave the skin off to reduce the fat content, although the dish would likely be juicier if you left it on.

This is a very simple recipe, a good one to start with if you do not cook often.

From Discovery Health’s “A Lyon in the Kitchen”, hosted by Nathan Lyon.

Spiced Roast Turkey Breast

Ingredients
1 turkey breast, rib attached, skin on*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large garlic clove
1 teaspoon each: cumin, coriander, fennel seed
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
Italian flat-leaf parsley

Set oven to 350 degrees F.

On a medium-sized sauté pan over very low heat, add cumin, coriander, and fennel seed. Stir occasionally to prevent them from burning. Once the oils become fragrant, remove the spices to cool.

Grind toasted spices in a spice grinder or mortar pestle with black pepper and salt, then transfer them to a small bowl. Chop the garlic, add a pinch of salt and rub a chefs knife with pressure across the garlic until it forms a paste. Combine together the spices, garlic paste, and 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.

Coat the turkey breast thoroughly with the spice rub, and allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes, or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.

In large sauté pan over medium high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil and sear the turkey, skin side down for just a few seconds, then immediately transfer the pan to the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and set aside to rest at least 5 minutes, skin side up, and covered with foil prior to slicing at an angle, against the grain. Serve on a bed of maple root vegetables, drizzle with oil, and garnish with parsley.

*An average sized turkey breast is between 4 and 4.5 pounds. If that is too large, simply ask your butcher to cut the breast in half or in thirds. Otherwise the remainder of the recipe is the same, simply use less of the rub, and then store the remaining amount in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. However the total cooking time must be reduced accordingly. The turkey is properly cooked when the juices run clear from the thickest part of the breast when pierced with a knife.