Roast turkey breast with almond and lemon stuffing
Prep time: 1 hr 10 minsTotal time: 
Roast turkey breast with almond and lemon stuffing
An easier approach to a whole stuffed turkey, this is ready for the table in less than 2 hours. The vivid green stuffing includes herbs and fresh lemon zest
Prep time: 1 hr 10 minsTotal time: 
Franco's
This legendary Italian institution has been a fixture of London’s St James’s area since 1945 – and is one of the capital’s oldest Italian restaurant still in business. Head chef Stefano Turconi curates a popular all-day service with a menu that’s filled with the best Italian produce, from the double espressos with breakfast to the lobster linguine at dinner.
Franco's
This legendary Italian institution has been a fixture of London’s St James’s area since 1945 – and is one of the capital’s oldest Italian restaurant still in business. Head chef Stefano Turconi curates a popular all-day service with a menu that’s filled with the best Italian produce, from the double espressos with breakfast to the lobster linguine at dinner.
Ingredients
For the stuffing
- butter pats (that come with the ready-prepared turkey breast; about 20g)
- 2 slices white bread (about 100g)
- 40g parsley leaves
- 2 garlic cloves
- 100g blanched almonds, toasted
- zest of 1 lemon
For the turkey
- 2 x 470g Sainsbury’s Just Cook Butter-basted Turkey Breast Joints
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 150ml white wine
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 60g unsalted butter
For the gravy
- 1 litre chicken stock
- 200ml white wine
- 120ml port or marsala wine
- 15g plain flour
- 1 sprig thyme
Step by step
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Set one of the turkey butter pats aside for later. Melt the other in a small saucepan or in the microwave. Transfer to a food processor with the other stuffing ingredients and pulse to a crumb. Season and set aside.
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Put the turkey breast joints on a chopping board and use a sharp knife to cut a horizontal pocket in the side of each breast, doing it on the thickest side. Be careful not to cut all the way through. Use a teaspoon to insert all the stuffing, then tie each breast firmly with 4-5 pieces of kitchen string to secure. Season.
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Preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5. Set a deep roasting tin over a medium-high heat and drizzle in the olive oil. Once hot, sear the turkey breast joints on all sides until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Set aside on a plate. Pour 150ml white wine into the same tin to deglaze it, allowing it to mostly bubble off. Remove the tin from the heat, stir in the carrots, thyme and rosemary, then sit the turkey on top.
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Cover with foil and roast for 20 minutes. Add the reserved butter pat to the tin along with the 60g of butter. Allow it to melt, then baste the turkey with the butter. Cover and return to the oven for 25 minutes, or until the centre reads 74°C on a thermometer. Once cooked, lift the turkey onto a board and leave to rest, loosely covered with foil.
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While the turkey rests, pour the chicken stock into a deep, wide pan and bubble until reduced by half. Remove the excess fat from the roasting tin and set it over a low heat with the carrots and herbs still in it. Pour in the white wine and the port or marsala. Bubble until reduced by half, then whisk in the flour. Pour in the reduced chicken stock and add another thyme sprig. Bring to a low boil and reduce to your desired gravy consistency. Strain through a sieve into a serving jug or gravy boat.
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Remove the strings from the roast turkey, slice and serve with the gravy.
