Pair turkey cutlets with roasted fennel and a rich pomegranate pan sauce for a simple yet elegant dish. Garnish with jewel-like fresh pomegranate seeds if available — they are in season from September through January. For a complete meal, nutty-tasting bulgur is delicious with this dish.
INGREDIENTS:
4 medium fennel bulbs, cored and thickly sliced
5 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, plus 1 sprig
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
4 turkey cutlets, 1/4 inch thick (1 pound)
1 cup pomegranate juice
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth, or water
1 teaspoon cornstarch
METHOD:
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss fennel, 3 teaspoons oil, chopped thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon of each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring twice, until tender and golden, about 25 minutes.
While the fennel is roasting, sprinkle both sides of the turkey with the remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook until browned, 1 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Add pomegranate juice and thyme sprig to the pan; bring to a boil. Bring to a boil, stirring often, until the mixture is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 6 to 10 minutes. Discard the thyme.
Whisk together chicken broth (or water) and cornstarch; add to the reduced pomegranate juice and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 15 seconds. Reduce heat to medium, return the turkey and any accumulated juices to the pan, turning to coat with sauce, and cook for 1 minute.
To serve, top roasted fennel with turkey cutlet and sauce.
YIELD: 4 servings
SOURCE: Recipe from Eating Well, November/December 2007
