Turkey breast is quite bland, and therefore is an ideal foil for all manner of sauces. Here we have bell peppers and balsamic vinegar, a fine combination, which gains elegance from some pistachio nuts.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 hours
Total Time: 15 hours, 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/3 pounds (600 g) turkey breast, sliced into 1/4 inch (about 1/2 cm) slices
- Two bell peppers, of colors that will combine nicely together, for example red and yellow, stemmed, seeded, and ribbed.
- 2 tablespoons pickled capers, and the vinegar they were pickled in
- 1 tablespoon pine nuts
- 1 tablespoon shelled, unsalted pistachio nuts
- 3 tablespoons simple balsamic vinegar (the more expensive long-aged Aceto Balsamico, for example Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena, would be far too much here)
- 1-2 tablespoons freshly minced parsley
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Blanch the pistachios for a minute, drain them and chill them under running water, then pat them dry and rub off the skins surrounding the nutmeats.
Toast the pine nuts for a minute or two in a non-stick pan, moving them about briskly, and as soon as they become golden turn them out onto a saucer to cool, because if they remain in the pan they will probably scorch.
The turkey slices should be of the same size; trim away any traces of gristle or fat they may have.
Chop the peppers. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet large enough to contain the turkey breasts in a single layer and cook the peppers over a moderate flame for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the peppers are done, remove them from the pan and blend them, or, if you prefer a creamier sauce than that pictured here, put them though a food mill.
Add another couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan drippings and cook the turkey breast slices for 2-3 minutes per side, turning them once. Sprinkle the vinegar over them and season them with salt and pepper.
Remove the slices to a heated serving platter and keep them warm, covering them with a second plate to keep them from drying out. Pour the pepper sauce into the skillet and add to it the capers and the vinegar they pickled in. Simmer for a couple of minutes, check seasoning, and spoon the sauce over the meat. Garnish with the pine nuts, pistachios, and parsley, and serve at once.
The wine? Peppers and vinegar are a difficult combination for reds, but wanting a red I might think of a Pelaverga di Verduno or a Rossese di Dolceacqua, both of which are richly aromatic, display nice fruit, and have light tannins. White will be a safer bet, and I might be tempted by a Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Yield: 4 servings turkey breast with pepper sauce.
Toast the pine nuts for a minute or two in a non-stick pan, moving them about briskly, and as soon as they become golden turn them out onto a saucer to cool, because if they remain in the pan they will probably scorch.
The turkey slices should be of the same size; trim away any traces of gristle or fat they may have.
Chop the peppers. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet large enough to contain the turkey breasts in a single layer and cook the peppers over a moderate flame for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the peppers are done, remove them from the pan and blend them, or, if you prefer a creamier sauce than that pictured here, put them though a food mill.
Add another couple of tablespoons of oil to the pan drippings and cook the turkey breast slices for 2-3 minutes per side, turning them once. Sprinkle the vinegar over them and season them with salt and pepper.
Remove the slices to a heated serving platter and keep them warm, covering them with a second plate to keep them from drying out. Pour the pepper sauce into the skillet and add to it the capers and the vinegar they pickled in. Simmer for a couple of minutes, check seasoning, and spoon the sauce over the meat. Garnish with the pine nuts, pistachios, and parsley, and serve at once.
The wine? Peppers and vinegar are a difficult combination for reds, but wanting a red I might think of a Pelaverga di Verduno or a Rossese di Dolceacqua, both of which are richly aromatic, display nice fruit, and have light tannins. White will be a safer bet, and I might be tempted by a Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Yield: 4 servings turkey breast with pepper sauce.
