In Chile, the most traditional dinner for Christmas Eve is Pavo relleno con ciruelas or oven-roasted turkey stuffed with prunes. I spent all my Christmas at my grandma’s, and she and my mother were usually in charge of the menu, just like the Thanksgiving menu here in the US didn’t change much because everyone expects their all-time favorites.
New Year’s dinner is the occasion for new recipes, but don’t mess with the Christmas Eve dinner.
We invited only eight adults to Thanksgiving dinner, and I didn’t want to end up with tons of turkey leftovers. This was the perfect solution.
In case you are wondering, we don’t have a Thanksgiving day, and it is just crazy how my mother, grandma, and aunt were able to cook the turkey, cookies, fruitcakes, and more, keeping the oven on non-stop during the summer in Chile and without air-conditioned…
Pavo Relleno Stuffed Turkey Breast
A delicious alternative to a traditional turkey.
- Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 10
Ingredients
- 1 boneless turkey breast butterflied (I bought one with bone weighing 3Kg. and asked the butcher to me deboned)
- 1 package of Philadelphia cream cheese at room temperature
- 1 cup of prunes
- 1 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- salt and pepper
For the sauce,
- 1 cup pitted prunes
- 1/2 cup white wine or champagne
- Water 1 cup
- 2 tablespoons butter
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- If the prunes are dry and hard, cover them with boiling water and let them stand for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the pit and chop it small. Save the water for the sauce.
- Mix the cream cheese, chopped prunes, walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
- Place the breast on the counter and open it. If it is thicker in some parts, cover it with plastic wrap and pound it until even thick—season with salt and pepper.
- Spread the plum mixture on top, leaving the edges free.
- Roll starting from one of the shorter sides and squeeze well.
- Tie well.
- Preheat oven to 375F
- Paint the turkey with olive oil and cover it with foil, making a seal around the roasting pan.
- Calculate 20-25 minutes per kilo of turkey (before filling).
- After the first 45 minutes, remove the foil, raise the oven temperature to 425F, and cook for 20-25 minutes more until the turkey reaches an internal temperature of 160F.
- Make the sauce: In a small saucepan, place the water, prunes, wine, salt and butter, and sugar if desired. Cook everything for 15-20 minutes or until the desired texture. Adjust the seasoning and serve hot with turkey breast stuffed.
- Let stand for 20 minutes, cover with aluminum, cut, and serve.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Poultry
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Chilean
Keywords: Chilean turkey, Stuffed turkey breast, Rolled turkey breast
Leave a Reply