Nothing beats turkey to celebrate this Thanksgiving. Here’s Pete Evans recipe.
Roast Turkey For Thanksgiving
INGREDIENTS
3.5 kg turkey
good-quality fat, melted
2 carrots, sliced lengthways
1 onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
5 fresh bay leaves
1.25 litres (5 cups) chicken stock
2 tablespoons tapioca flour, mixed with 3 tablespoons water
Marinade
2 large handfuls of mint leaves
2 large handfuls of curly parsley leaves
2 large handfuls of coriander leaves
4 garlic cloves, peeled
240 ml lemon juice
250 ml (1 cup) white wine
200 g good-quality fat, melted
2 teaspoons ground cumin
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Stuffing
2 tablespoons good-quality fat, melted
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic confit cloves
3 slices of bacon, diced
4 tablespoons chopped curly parsley
3 tablespoons dukkah
450 g pork mince
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
METHOD
1. To make the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Put the turkey in a large shallow dish, pat dry with paper towel and pour over the marinade. Massage the marinade all over the turkey and inside the cavity, cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 24 hours. Every few hours massage the marinade into the bird.
3. The next day, remove the turkey from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature (this will take about 1 hour). Preheat the oven to 240°C.
4. To make the stuffing, heat the fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Crush the garlic confit and add to the pan, along with the bacon. Cook until just starting to colour, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined.
5. Fill the turkey cavity with the stuffing, cross the legs over and tie with kitchen string. Place in a large roasting tin and pour in the marinade. Rub with some melted fat and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the carrot, onion, garlic and bay leaves, cover with foil and place in the oven. Reduce the temperature to 180°C and roast, pouring the pan juices over the turkey a few times, for about 2 hours.
7. To brown the skin, remove the foil in the final 40 minutes. The turkey is cooked once the juices run clear when the inside of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Cooking time may vary – it should take about 40 minutes per kilogram. Transfer the turkey to a large serving platter, cover with foil and rest for 20 minutes.
8. To make the gravy, place the chicken stock in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface of the juices in the roasting tin with the vegetables and discard. Pour the tapioca mixture and stock into the roasting tin and mix well. Bring to the boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens. Strain into a gravy jug or bowl.
9. Carve the turkey and serve with the gravy.
