Turkey saltimbocca

serves / 6 prep / 25 minutes cook / 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 x 1.5kg turkey breast fillet Freshly ground black pepper 16 fresh sage leaves

12 large, thin, round slices mild pancetta

125ml (½ cup) light olive oil 4 french shallots, thinly sliced Pinch of salt flakes

150ml dry white wine 185ml (¾ cup) chicken stock ¼ lemon

60g unsalted butter, chilled and diced

1. Trim the turkey breast and cut it into 12 equal-sized pieces. Cover each piece with plastic wrap and flatten it by pounding with a meat mallet or rolling pin.

2. Season each piece with pepper only (no salt at this point), and then place a sage leaf on top of each one. Reserve the remaining four leaves for the sauce. Wrap a slice of pancetta around each piece of turkey, covering the sage and holding it in place.

3. Preheat the oven to 160C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Add four pieces of saltimbocca to the pan, placing them sage side down. Cook for 4 minutes before turning them over and cooking for a further 4 minutes. Transfer to the prepared tray.

5. Cook the remaining turkey pieces, four at a time – you don’t need to clean the pan between each batch. Transfer the tray and turkey pieces into the warm oven, then turn the oven off.

6. To make the sauce, heat the remaining oil in the pan over low heat. Add the shallots, a few grinds of pepper and a pinch of salt and gently saute the shallots for 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and deglaze the pan with the wine, scraping the base of the pan to incorporate any bits stuck on the bottom. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, then add the stock and again reduce this by half.

7. Squeeze in a few drops of lemon juice and add the remaining sage leaves. Bring to the boil, then whisk in the butter, a cube at a time, until you have a smooth and shiny sauce.

8. Arrange the turkey pieces on a platter or divide among individual plates and serve with the sauce.

This is an edited extract from Chefs Host Christmas Too by Darren Purchese, published by Hardie Grant Books, $29.99 and is available where all good books are sold. Photographer: © Ari Hatzis