Turkey Breast with Figs (while fresh figs are still in season!)

Yes, you can still find fresh (not dried) figs in stores such as Whole Foods and at specialty markets, including Madison's at Findlay Market. Fresh figs are a great treat and worth seeking out.
Most people eat them cold/raw, but I love to add them to cooked savory foods. Their sugars become caramelized and the smooth texture of cooked figs is delightful.

For this supper, I sauteed turkey breast cutlets and added leeks and garlic along with the figs. There are just a few ingredients, making this a quick and easy meal.

Recipe: Turkey Breast with Figs, Leeks and Garlic Serves 2 (can be doubled)

Ingredients:
2-3 T canola oil
2 6-to-8-ounce turkey breast pieces (uncooked), salt and pepper on both sides
2 leeks, white and light green parts only, rinsed and thinly chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth or stock
1 1/2 cups fresh figs, cut into half lengthwise (or left whole if they are small)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When pan is hot, add turkey and brown on one side for about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side for the same length of time. (NOTE: The timing will depend on the thickness of your turkey slices. If you have very thin turkey cutlets, cut this time in half.)
2. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in leeks and garlic and stir-fry for just a minute to let the veggies start to cook. Add broth/stock, cover the pan and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add figs, stir well, and cover the pan again. You only need to let the figs heat through and become soft, perhaps another 3 mimutes.
4. Adjust seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if desired, and serve. (Served with Brussels sprouts in the photo.

Turkey cutlets with herbed mushroom sauce

You can't find meat with lower fat content than turkey breast. [For example, 3.5 ounces of beef has between 10 and 18 grams of fat, skinless chicken breast 3-4 grams, and skinless turkey breast 1 gram or less.] I buy breast cutlets, which usually come four to a package, at the supermarket. Each cutlet is only about 4 ounces, but if you're having plenty of veggie and/or starchy sides, one cutlet per person will do.

Here's the recipe I made last night. Turkey cutlets cook very quickly, so be sure not to overcook them so they'll stay tender. I just brown them quickly (60-90 seconds per side), remove to a plate, then add the cutlets and their juices to the sauce when it's complete. You only need to wait another minute or two for the cutlets to be reheated and the dish is ready to eat.

Serve with a side of sauteed veggies or a green salad and starch of your choice. I skipped the starch last night--trying to drop a couple of vacation pounds--but my bigger-appetite husband added a few slices of harvest grain bread with olive oil to his dinner.

If you're drinking wine with dinner, you'll have a lot of good options to go with this meal. An unoaked chardonnay would be nice (we had a lovely one in Boston and I found it recently at the Hyde Park Kroger--Ghost Pines 2006, Sonoma County), as would a French rose or even a California or Oregon pinot noir.

Turkey cutlets with Herbed Mushroom Sauce
(Serves 2-3)

Ingredients:
Four 4-ounce turkey cutlets, patted dry, salt and pepper on both sides
2 T canola oil
Cooking spray
8 ounces “baby bella” or other mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup dry red wine
¼ cup chicken or vegetable broth
¼ cup chopped fresh herbs (whatever you have on hand)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Heat canola oil over medium-high heat in a large, nonstick frying pan. Brown seasoned turkey cutlets on each side—about one minute to 90 seconds per side. Remove to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic and cook for one minute, then add mushrooms. Stir-fry until the mushrooms start to brown, about 3 minutes. Add wine and stock and stir to heat through. Add herbs (I used parsley and basil) and return turkey cutlets to the pan. Cover and cook until the turkey has been heated, about 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.