Shio Koji Turkey with Mirepoix Miso Sauce, Seared Brussels Sprouts, and Butternut–Sage Latkes

Shio Koji Turkey

Shio koji seasons the meat throughout and encourages browning. A moderate oven gives the breast time to cook through without scorching its koji-coated surface.

Ingredients

• 2 lb boneless turkey breast, skin removed, roughly even in thickness
• 3 tbsp gluten-free shio koji
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Coat the turkey with shio koji, cover, and refrigerate for 6–12 hours.
2. Heat the oven to 350°F. Scrape off excess koji without rinsing, then pat away surface moisture. Rub with olive oil and pepper; do not add salt.
3. Place in a snug roasting pan, tucking a thin end underneath so the breast cooks evenly. Roast until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part reaches 165°F, approximately 50–75 minutes depending on thickness. Begin checking at 40 minutes and tent loosely with foil if the surface darkens too quickly.
4. Transfer to a board and rest for 10–15 minutes. Reserve the pan juices for the sauce.
5. Cut across the grain into thick slices, then into generous bite-size pieces. Spoon over a little warm sauce just before serving.

Notes

• Shio koji varies in saltiness; season the finished sauce only after adding the turkey juices.

Quick Shallot and Mirepoix Miso Sauce

Reduced chicken broth and softened shallots create a light gravy without flour. Miso stirred in off heat supplies body and savory depth without overwhelming the turkey.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tbsp gluten-free Shared Cultures mirepoix miso
• as available reserved turkey roasting juices
• 1 tsp fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Melt the ghee in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.
2. Add the broth and simmer uncovered for 8–12 minutes, reducing to approximately 1 cup with the shallots included.
3. Add the reserved turkey juices, avoiding any scorched residue. Return briefly to a simmer, then remove from the heat.
4. Mix the miso with a few spoonfuls of warm broth until smooth, then stir it into the saucepan. Add the lemon juice and pepper.
5. Taste and adjust with a splash of water if salty or more lemon if flat. Keep warm without boiling; the sauce should remain loose enough to pool around the turkey.

Notes

• If the sauce becomes too concentrated, loosen it with unsalted broth or water rather than adding more miso.

Seared Brussels Sprouts with Lemon and Parsley

Undisturbed contact with a hot skillet builds dark, savory cut faces. A brief covered finish softens the centers while lemon and parsley keep the dish lively.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthwise
• 2 tbsp ghee, divided
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Dry the sprouts thoroughly. Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add half the ghee.
2. Arrange half the sprouts cut-side down in a single layer. Season with half the salt and sear undisturbed for 4–6 minutes, until deeply browned but not blackened.
3. Turn the sprouts, add 1 tablespoon water, and cover for 2–3 minutes. Uncover and cook until the water evaporates and the centers are just tender.
4. Transfer to a warm bowl and repeat with the remaining ghee, sprouts, salt, and water.
5. Toss both batches with lemon juice, parsley, and pepper. Taste for salt and serve promptly.

Notes

• Use two skillets to cook the full quantity at once; crowding one pan will steam the sprouts instead of searing them.

Butternut Squash and Sage Latkes

Coarsely grated squash forms sweet, lacy edges, while egg and a little cassava flour hold the centers together. Squeezing out moisture and keeping the patties thin makes them crisp rather than cakey.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb peeled, seeded butternut squash, preferably the firm neck portion
• 1 small yellow onion
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup cassava flour
• 1 tbsp finely sliced fresh sage
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup ghee, for shallow frying; replenish as needed

Instructions

1. Coarsely grate the squash and onion. Toss with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let stand in a colander for 10 minutes.
2. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and squeeze very firmly in batches until little liquid comes out.
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Stir in the cassava flour, sage, pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, then fold in the squeezed vegetables.
4. Heat a wide heavy skillet over medium heat with enough ghee to form a shallow layer, approximately 1/8 inch deep. The fat should shimmer; a strand of squash should sizzle immediately.
5. Scoop about 1/3 cup mixture per latke into the pan and flatten to 1/4–1/3 inch thick. Keep the edges irregular and leave space between patties.
6. Fry for 4–5 minutes per side, until deeply golden, crisp at the edges, and tender through the center. Adjust the heat down if they darken before the squash softens, and replenish ghee between batches.
7. Transfer to a wire rack. Make approximately 12 latkes and serve three per person.

Notes

• Fry one test latke first. If it falls apart despite thorough squeezing, mix another tablespoon of cassava flour into the remaining batter.
• The squash browns readily; aim for deep golden brown rather than blackened edges.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The turkey roasts while the vegetables are prepared. Latkes can wait briefly on a rack, leaving the final minutes for crisp sprouts, warm sauce, and carving.

Instructions

1. The night before or morning of serving, coat the turkey with shio koji and refrigerate.
2. About 90 minutes before dinner, heat the oven and put the turkey in to roast. Trim the sprouts, slice the shallots, chop the herbs, and grate and squeeze the latke vegetables.
3. While the turkey roasts, prepare the sauce through the broth-reduction stage and fry the latkes in batches. Keep finished latkes on a rack over a sheet pan, uncovered.
4. When the turkey reaches 165°F, remove it to rest and lower the oven to 225°F. Place the latkes in the oven to stay warm while you sear the sprouts.
5. Finish the sauce with turkey juices, miso, and lemon. Cut the rested turkey, finish the sprouts with lemon and parsley, and plate immediately.

Notes

• If the latkes finish well before the turkey, leave them on their rack at room temperature for up to 30 minutes, then re-crisp at 400°F for 5–8 minutes while the turkey rests.

Plating

Keeping the sauce under and around the turkey protects the latkes' crisp edges. Separate clusters show off the sprouts' browned faces and the squash's orange centers.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly torn

Instructions

1. Arrange three latkes along one side of each warm plate, overlapping only slightly.
2. Mound the Brussels sprouts beside them with some browned cut faces turned upward.
3. Spoon a small pool of sauce onto the remaining space and add the turkey pieces. Spoon a little more sauce over the meat without flooding the latkes.
4. Scatter the parsley over the turkey and sprouts and serve immediately.

Leftover Path

Moist reheating protects lean turkey, while dry oven heat restores the latkes and sprouts. Storing the crisp components away from sauce prevents sogginess.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate within 2 hours, storing turkey with its sauce and keeping the sprouts and latkes in separate containers. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat turkey and sauce gently in a covered saucepan with a splash of water or broth until the turkey reaches 165°F.
3. Reheat latkes on a rack in a 400°F oven for 8–12 minutes, until hot and crisp. Warm the sprouts on a separate tray for 8–10 minutes, until hot throughout.
4. For a second meal, serve crisped latkes topped with chopped warm turkey, a little sauce, and fresh parsley, with the sprouts alongside.