Just because a Thanksgiving dinner is small doesn't mean it can't be festive.
If you’re having only a couple of people over, a stuffed boneless turkey breast feels special, keeps with the turkey tradition, and cooks quickly. The stuffing of dates, dried apricots and toasted hazelnuts makes a harmonious combo with the turkey, while a few strips of bacon adds some much-needed fat and flavor to the lean white meat. Instead of a gravy, a simple Marsala wine reduction is easy and quite delicious.
The Thanksgiving side dishes are also a twist on traditional elements: mashed potatoes get an earthy flavor boost from celery root; green beans are tossed with toasted hazelnuts instead of the usual almonds (which also picks up on the hazelnuts in the stuffed turkey); and the uncooked cranberry relish’s fresh tang comes from rice vinegar. For dessert, return to a true classic, with the ultimate apple pie.
Menu Timeline
Two Days Ahead:
- Make the soup and store it in refrigerator; be sure to wrap and refrigerate the reserved bacon for garnish.
One Day Ahead:
- Assemble and bake the apple pie, store at room temperature overnight.
- Make the cranberry relish and refrigerate.
- Toast the hazelnuts for both the stuffing and the green beans; store in an airtight container.
- Make the dried-fruit stuffing for the turkey breast; cover and refrigerate.
Thanksgiving morning:
- Stuff and tie the turkey breast and return to the refrigerator.
Two hours ahead:
- Remove turkey breast from refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Make the potato-celery root purée and keep warm in a wide, shallow stainless bowl over a pot of water.
- Prep the green beans and shallots and place them in a baking dish.
90 minutes ahead:
- Remove the cranberry sauce from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
- Sear the turkey breast and begin roasting it.
- Prepare the topping for the green beans and shallots and set aside.
30 minutes ahead:
- Remove turkey breast from the oven; raise oven temperature to 450°F.
- Roast the green beans and shallots.
- While turkey breast is resting, make marsala glaze
- Reheat the soup
Just before serving:
- Toss the green beans with their topping.
- Slice the turkey breast.
Shopping List
Fresh Produce
- 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 lb. Cortland apples (about 4 medium)
- 1-1/2 lb. Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
- 1 medium orange
- 1 lemon
- 1 medium butternut squash (about 2-1/2 lb.)
- 1-1/4 lb. celery root
- 1 lb. green beans
- 1 lb. Yukon Gold Potatoes
- 6 medium shallots
- 1 small onion
- 1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 1 bulb garlic
Meat, Eggs & Dairy:
- 1 boneless, skinless or skin-on turkey breast half (1-3/4 to 2 lb.)
- 1-1/4 lb. unsalted butter
- 10 slices bacon (about 1 lb.)
- 1 large egg
Other Groceries:
- 4 cups homemade or low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup pitted, dried dates
- 1/3 cup dried apricots
- 3/4 cup hazelnuts
- 12 oz. (3 cups) fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1-1/2 cups sweet Marsala wine
- White pepper
Pantry Staples:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 4-1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 3 Tbs. cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- Table salt
- Black peppercorns
