Turkey Roulade 
with Peach and Sage Gravy

I wanted to create a turkey recipe that was a little different than just the traditional roast. Using peach preserves and fresh sage leaves adds a bold yet approachable flavor.

Turkey Roulade 
with Peach and Sage Gravy
(Makes 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients

• 4 quarts water
• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• ¾ cup kosher salt, plus more for seasoning roulade
• 1 7-pound whole turkey breast, skin on, deboned
• 4 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs (from a loaf of French or Italian bread)
• 8 ounces bacon, chopped and cooked until crisp, fat reserved (or substitute olive oil)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon Emeril’s Original Essence or Creole Seasoning, plus more for seasoning roulade
• ¼ cup olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Peach and Sage Gravy (Click here for recipe.)

Directions

1. Combine water, brown sugar, and salt in 2-gallon or larger stockpot, and whisk until sugar and salt have dissolved. Place turkey breast in stockpot and refrigerate for 8 hours.
2. Remove turkey breast from brine, and pat dry with paper towels. (At this point you can proceed with recipe or refrigerate turkey up to 1 day until ready to cook.)
3. Preheat oven to 350° F.
4. Cut three lengths of kitchen twine to 32 inches, and lay across cutting board. Making sure skin is pulled down to cover as much of breast meat as possible, lay turkey breast, skin side down, on top of strings. Cover turkey with parchment paper or plastic wrap, and pound with heavy mallet or bottom of cast-iron skillet until thickest part of breast is no more than 2 inches thick.
5. In large mixing bowl, use rubber spatula to combine breadcrumbs, bacon, ¼ cup reserved bacon fat, butter, garlic, parsley, and Original Essence or other seasoning.
6. Lightly season turkey breast with Original Essence. Pack stuffing mixture tightly into 1-cup measure, and then empty stuffing onto middle of breast. Repeat two more times. Roll breast up as tightly as you can to form a cylinder, and use twine to tie breast together in three places. Snip off extra length of twine. (You can also tie twine vertically around breast, tucking in flaps at ends, if necessary to keep stuffing inside.) Brush olive oil all over roulade, and season lightly with Original Essence, kosher salt, and pepper.
7. Heat large skillet or ovenproof roasting pan over medium-high heat. When hot, place turkey roulade into pan and sear until golden brown on all sides. Transfer pan to preheated oven and cook uncovered until center reaches an internal temperature of 155° to 160°F when tested with instant-read thermometer, 60 to 90 minutes. Remove turkey from oven and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.
8. Remove strings and slice roulade crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices. Serve with Peach and Sage Gravy.

Peach and Sage Gravy

Definitely allow the sage leaves
 to steep in the hot gravy for a few minutes before serving. It brings 
out the bold flavor of the sage 
without being overpowering.

Peach and Sage Gravy
(Makes about 3 cups)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup finely minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• ½ cup white wine vinegar
• 4 cups turkey stock, chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• ¾ cup peach preserves
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ⅟₃ cup fresh sage leaves

Directions

1. Set 2-quart saucepan over medium heat and add olive oil. Once oil is hot, add shallots and garlic and sauté, stirring often, until shallots are fragrant and lightly caramelized, about 1 minute.
2. Add white wine vinegar and cook until nearly completely reduced, about 1 minute.
3. Add stock and preserves, and raise heat to high. While stock is coming to boil, combine butter and flour in small bowl and, using back of spoon, blend to form smooth paste.
4. Add butter-flour paste to stock and use whisk to stir in, making sure it is well incorporated. Bring gravy to boil, season with salt and pepper, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook until gravy has reduced by one quarter, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove pan from heat and add sage leaves to gravy. Allow flavors to steep for about 3 minutes, and then strain gravy. Serve gravy with slices of turkey roulade (click here for recipe).