Dahlia Meal Options Recipe

Prepare and season

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat the turkey breast dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, softened butter, minced garlic, chopped thyme, salt, and pepper to make a paste. Rub the paste evenly over the turkey breast.

Roast

Place the turkey breast on a rack in a roasting pan, skin-side up (if skin present). Roast in the preheated oven until internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) when inserted into the thickest part, about 55–70 minutes for a 2 lb breast. Baste once halfway through with pan juices if desired.

Rest and slice

Remove the turkey from the oven and tent loosely with foil. Let rest 15–20 minutes (internal temp will rise to ~165°F). Transfer to a cutting board and slice against the grain. Reserve pan drippings for gravy.

Cook sausage and aromatics

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes. Add diced onion and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped sage and parsley and cook 1 minute more.

Combine and moisten

Place cubed bread in a large bowl. Add the cooked sausage mixture, beaten egg, 1.5 cups stock, salt, and pepper. Toss gently to combine; the bread should be moist but not soggy. If too dry, add up to 1/4 cup more stock.

Bake stuffing

Transfer stuffing to a buttered 8x8-inch baking dish (or equivalent). Cover with foil and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10–15 minutes more until top is golden and crisp. Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Rinse cranberries and drain. In a food processor pulse the cranberries with sugar until coarsely chopped (or finely, to preference). Add orange zest and orange juice and pulse until combined; stir in optional orange liqueur or water if desired. Taste and adjust sugar. Chill for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld.

Blanch green beans

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add trimmed green beans and blanch 3–4 minutes until bright green and just tender. Prepare an ice bath and transfer beans to ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Finish with almonds

In a skillet over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Add sliced almonds and toast, stirring, until light golden, about 2–3 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add blanched green beans, toss to coat, season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Cook 1–2 minutes until heated through. Serve immediately.

Make roux

Pour reserved pan drippings into a measuring cup and skim off excess fat if more than 1/2 cup remains; you want roughly 1/2 cup fat + drippings. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tbs butter. Whisk in 2 tbs flour and cook, stirring, until the mixture is a light golden roux, about 1–2 minutes.

Finish gravy

Slowly whisk in 2 cups stock and the pan drippings. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened, 4–6 minutes. Stir in thyme, and season with salt and pepper to taste. If too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional stock. Keep warm until serving.