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1 Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2 With a pair of poultry shears, cut though the ribs on either side of the turkey backbone and remove the backbone. Turn the turkey breast-side up, place the palm of your hand over the breastbone, and press hard to flatten it.

3 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the turkey from the pan. Add the shallot and garlic and sauté until fragrant and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Return the turkey to the pan with the broth, wine, herbs, and bay leaf. Sprinkle the turkey generously with paprika. Cover the pan and bake for 1½ hours.

4 Add the vegetables to the pan. Replace the cover and cook for about 45 minutes longer, until the vegetables are tender and a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 170° to 175°F.

5 Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes. Carve the turkey into slices and transfer to a platter. Spoon the vegetables into a serving bowl. Serve hot.

Braised Turkey on a Bed of Kale

Serves 4

Braising is an excellent way to coax the most flavor from turkey, particularly for parts that tend to dry out when roasting. The kale takes on delicious flavor from the turkey-braising liquid. The presentation of this dish is lovely; serve with a crusty French bread for sopping up the gravy.

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 turkey drumsticks

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, diced

1 cup chicken broth (page 127)

½ cup dry white or red wine

1½ cups diced tomatoes with juice, or 1 (15-ounce) can

2 teaspoons mixed Italian herbs

4 garlic cloves, minced

12 cups lightly packed chopped kale (remove and discard tough stems)

1 Preheat the oven to 300°F.

2 Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the drumsticks in a single layer and brown on all sides, seasoning with salt and pepper as they cook, about 5 minutes per side. You may have to do this in batches. Transfer the turkey to a plate.

3 Add the onion to the pan and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Pour the broth and wine into the pan, scraping up the browned bits. Bring to a boil, stirring. Add the tomatoes with their juice, herbs, and garlic. Return the turkey to the pan and cover.

4 Bake for 1½ to 2 hours, until the drumsticks are very tender (a fork inserted into the meaty part will meet with little resistance on its way in or out).

5 Remove the turkey from the pan and keep warm. Skim the fat from the cooking liquid, then bring to a boil. Add the kale, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 4 to 6 minutes.

6 To serve, make a bed of the kale, vegetables, and cooking juices in individual shallow bowls. Place a drumstick on top of each and serve hot.

Roasted And Braised Duck With Sauerkraut and Root Vegetables

Serves 4

This recipe solves two problems: keeping the duck meat moist while still producing crisp skin and imbuing the vegetables with flavor — great flavor, in fact. If you think root vegetables are delicious, then try them roasted in duck fat (heavenly!).

1 whole duck (4–5 pounds)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

3–4 cups peeled and cubed mixed root vegetables (carrots, celery root, golden beets, parsnips, rutabagas, salsify, and/or turnips)

4 shallots, peeled and halved

1 quart sauerkraut (2 pounds), homemade (page 84) or store-bought (choose the refrigerated type, not the canned type), drained

½ cup dry white wine

2 bay leaves

1 Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2 To prepare the duck, remove the giblets and neck from the body cavity and set aside (reserve the liver for another use). Discard any fat that can be readily removed. Wash the duck, pat dry, and place in a large roasting pan. Prick the duck all over with a fork (very important) to help release the fat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3 Roast for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the potatoes and vegetables