Roast Boneless Turkey Breast with Savoy Cabbage

I love this dual method of cooking cabbage, half sautéed, half roasted. Some of the cabbage becomes tender, and some remains crunchy, a nice combination that makes a fine base for any poultry, from turkey to pheasant.

1 medium head (about 2 pounds) Savoy or green cabbage

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or peanut oil, plus

1 teaspoon for greasing the pan

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

One 3- to 6-pound turkey breast, taken off the bone, or 2 filleted turkey breast halves, rinsed and blotted dry

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

1/2 cup chopped scallion greens for garnish

• Heat the oven to 450 F. Core and shred the cabbage, then roughly chop. Divide in half and chop one half a little more finely.
• Put 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the roughly chopped cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and continue to cook until the cabbage is slightly browned, another 5 minutes or so. Add some salt and pepper, cover, and keep warm.
• While the cabbage is cooking, use the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to lightly grease the bottom of a baking dish slightly larger than the turkey. Cover the bottom of the dish with the finely chopped cabbage. Sprinkle with salt, add the turkey, and sprinkle that with a little more salt. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, until the turkey is almost done; it will be firm to the touch but not rubbery, white or very pale pink inside, and about 155–165 F on an instant-read thermometer.
• Scatter the sautéed cabbage around the turkey and roast for another 5 minutes. Slice the turkey and put it on a platter, surrounded by the cabbage. Sprinkle everything with sesame oil and scallion greens and serve hot or warm.
  Roast Boneless Turkey Breast with Fennel. Roasted fennel’s sweet and rich flavor pairs nicely with poultry: Substitute 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed and sliced, for the cabbage. Omit the garlic and sesame oil and add 1 cup orange juice if you like. Proceed with the recipe, basting the turkey with the orange juice every so often.
  Roast Boneless Turkey Breast with Pearl Onions.
  • Cipollini onions are nice here too if you can find them: Substitute about 11/2 pounds pearl onions, trimmed, for the cabbage. Omit the ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. Add a tablespoon or so chopped fresh rosemary or thyme leaves. Proceed with the recipe, adding the onions and herbs in the last 10 minutes of roasting.
• MAKES: 6 to 12 servings or more
• TIME: About 1 hour