Roast Turkey

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For 10-12 servings

  Ingredients:  

1x5kg-butterball turkey

1-medium onion cut in halves

2-celery sticks           

2-medium carrots

4-bay leaves

3-lemons

1-tablespoon fresh rosemary

1-cup dry white wine

½-cup olive or canola oil

  1-tablespoon steak spices

Sea salt and fresh ground pepper  

  For Stuffing:

250gr.minced lean pork

250gr.minced lean veal or beef

½-cup olive or canola oil

½-cup melted butter  

½-cup raisin (sultana)

½-cup pine nuts or chopped pecans

3-medium onions, diced roughly

1-cup celery diced

3-cloves garlic crushed and dice

1-cup fresh flat parsley leaves

1-teaspoon rosemary leaves

3-cups <croutons> or crumbled dry white bread

350gr.chestnuts lightly boiled and peeled

  Sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Preparation method:

Thaw Turkey if frozen, in the Frigidaire, or in cold water

Remove neck and set aside and rinse turkey in and out with plenty of cold water.

Drain and dry turkey with paper towels and rub in and out with lemon and juice tight legs and drumsticks with cotton string.

Place half of the onion, celery, garlic, parsley, lemon juice and rind, in the turkey’s body cavity and also into breast cavity.

In a roasting pan place, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves and the turkey neck and season with salt and pepper.

On top of the vegetables, place turkey on flat Stainless steel rack, breast side up.

Brush bird with oil sprinkle spices, herbs, salt and fresh ground pepper. Roast the turkey for 2 1/2- 3 hours, (depend the weight)  or until legs fall apart basting occasionally with its juices. Wrap drumsticks and legs with foil after one hour to prevent overcooking and dry out.

After one hour and half cover turkey with pan’s cover, or aluminium foil, reduce heat to 180°c or 350°f and continue roasting until turkey is cooked properly.

Stuffing: Par-boil minced meat with 3 tablespoons of water, covered for five minutes. Remove and  rinse lightly, to clean access fat. In a saucepan with butter, fry lightly onions garlic and celery. Add minced meat, spices and herbs and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add pine nuts, raisins, chestnuts, croutons and a cup chicken stock and wine. Stir and transfer into Pyrex dish. Bake for 35 minutes. Serve hot, topped with sliced turkey and gravy.

Turkey gravy: Strain pan drippings into 5 cups.  Boil and remove fat from drippings.

In saucepan heat butter until hot, but not burn. Stir in flour until smooth. Slowly add drippings to flour mixture and stir until smooth. Cook and stir until gravy boils and thickens slightly. Taste and adjust seasonings

Slice turkey and serve with stuffing, gravy, mash potato, buttered peas or steamed broccoli and cranberry sauce as they do North America.