Turkey Paillard Recipes

TURKEY PAILLARD SANDWICH

Steps:

• Remove tenderloin from turkey; cut tender in half lengthwise. Cut breast into 3/4-inch-thick medallions. Cut open two sides of a resealable plastic bag. Place 1 medallion in bag; pound to a 1/4-inch thickness with a meat pounder. Transfer to a nonmetal container. Repeat with remaining turkey. Add marinade. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium hot. Brush onion, tomatoes, and bread with oil. Season onion and tomatoes with salt and pepper. Grill onion until browned and soft, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside on a plate. Grill tomatoes without turning until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Grill bread until just toasted, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Remove turkey from marinade; season with salt and pepper. Grill until browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Layer bread with onions, turkey, Parmesan, basil, tomatoes, and watercress; top with remaining bread. Serve.

CHICKEN PAILLARD WITH LEMON-CAPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare chicken breasts: Lay the chicken between two large sheets of plastic wrap. With a meat mallet or heavy sauté pan, pound each breast to a ½-inch thickness. Salt each breast liberally, sprinkling from a height to ensure even distribution, then season with pepper. Flip each breast and season the other side. If using mustard and tarragon, spread about 2 teaspoons of mustard and 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon leaves on one side of each breast.Spread flour onto a dinner plate. Dredge breasts by coating them completely with flour, then shake off any excess. (They should be lightly dusted.) Set aside. Repeat with remaining breasts.
• Pan-fry chicken: Place skillet over high heat. While it's heating, trim, halve, and peel the shallot. When the skillet begins to smoke, add oil. When the oil begins smoking, gently place the chicken breasts in the pan in an even layer, so that they do not overlap. (You may need to work in batches if your skillet is smaller.) Allow them to cook undisturbed until they are nicely browned on the first side, about 3 minutes. Do not move the chicken around while it cooks, or the crust will stick to the pan. Meanwhile, mince the shallot.After the first side is browned, flip the breasts and finish cooking, 2-3 minutes. (Depending on the strength of your range, you may need to turn the heat down so the flour doesn't burn.) When they are just cooked through and have only a little give when pressed with a finger, 6-8 minutes total, transfer them to a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet.
• Lower the heat to medium. Add the minced shallot and stir with a wooden spatula. Add the lemon wheels and a pinch of salt; stir, but do not flip the lemons (they'll caramelize better if left to cook on one side). Scrape up any bits of flour and fat at the bottom of the pan. Once the shallots are caramelized and the lemons have begun to brown, about 2-3 minutes, add the wine and stir. When about half the wine has cooked off, turn the heat to high. Add the butter to the pan one tablespoon at a time, shaking and moving the pan continuously until all the butter has melted and emulsified into the sauce. Add the capers, stir, and remove pan from heat. Transfer chicken to a platter, then spoon the sauce over each breast. Arrange lemon wheels on top and serve immediately.

PAILLARDS OF TURKEY WITH ASPARAGUS, HERB AND CHILI SALAD

Steps:

• Blanch the asparagus in lightly salted, boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain again and pat dry. Toss with remaining salad ingredients and set aside.
• Heat a large, heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Let turkey rest, then slice into 4 pieces. Sprinkle the salt in the skillet. Add the turkey and saute until cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.
• Remove the turkey from the pan and squeeze the juice of the lime over it. Place 1 piece of turkey on each of 4 plates, top with the salad and serve immediately.