Turkey Breast with Spinach Filling

1 turkey breast weighing 1.5 kg (3 1/4 lbs), boned and skinned
(14 oz) young spinach
2 medium onions
2 garlic cloves
1 bread roll
(2 oz) Parmesan cheese
(2 oz) full fat soft cheese
2 tbsp olive oil
1 egg
2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp slivered almonds
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried oregano
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried thyme
4 tbsp peanut oil
(4 fl oz) 1/2 cup boiling water
(7 oz) button mushrooms
2 shallots
1 bunch parsley
(1 oz) butter
Pinch each salt and freshly ground white pepper
(9 fl oz) 1 cup soured cream
(9 fl oz) 1 cup single cream

Pick over spinach and wash it, then place, with no extra water, in saucepan and cook carefully until tender. Drain in sieve and chop. Peel onions and garlic, then chop both finely. Soak bread roll in cold water. Grate Parmesan and chop soft cheese. Heat oil in pan and sauté onion and garlic gently for 5 minutes without browning. Add spinach and continue to cook, stirring well, until all liquid has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl. Squeeze water out of bread roll and crumble. Combine with cheeses, egg, breadcrumbs, slivered almonds, salt, oregano, pepper and nutmeg, and stir into spinach mixture. Season this filling well.

Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) Gas Mark 6.

Sew up cuts in turkey breast where bones were removed. Cut a deep slit in breast to form a pocket. Fill with spinach mixture and sew up. Rub well with salt, pepper and thyme and put in roasting pan. Heat peanut oil until very hot and pour over turkey. Put in bottom of oven and roast for 1 1/2 hours, pouring hot water frequently into pan and basting turkey with cooking juices. To make the sauce, trim, wipe and slice mushrooms thinly. Peel and chop shallots. Wash, dry and chop parsley. Heat butter in pan, sauté mushrooms for 3 minutes over high heat, then add shallots and parsley and sauté together. Season with salt and pepper and take off heat. Stir in cream and soured cream, then cover and chill. When turkey is cool, wrap in aluminum foil and put in refrigerator for 6 hours. Carve turkey in slices and serve with the cold sauce.

Makes/Serves: Serves 8-10