British Turkey with smokey bacon and
mushrooms
Serves 10-12 Preparation time 15-20
minutes Cooking time about 3 hours 40 minutes Calories per portion for
the stuffing 116-97 Fat content per portion for the stuffing 4.4 - 3.7g
Calories for turkey per 100g/4oz portion 196 Fat content per 100g/4oz
portion 7.6g
FOR THE STUFFING 1 tbsp oil 6
smoked bacon rashers, chopped 1 small onion, peeled and chopped 2
celery sticks, trimmed and chopped 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed 75g/3oz
wild mushrooms, lightly rinsed and chopped 75g/3oz chestnuts, peeled and
roughly chopped 175g/6oz fresh white breadcrumbs 2 tbsp grated orange
rind 1 tbsp juniper berries, roughly chopped 2 tbsp freshly chopped
parsley Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large egg 2 tbsp
orange juice
FOR THE TURKEY
5.5kg/12lb oven ready turkey, thoroughly
thawed if frozen 1 onion peeled and cut into wedges 1 tbsp juniper
berries small bunch fresh parsley
TO SERVE
5-6 small oranges 1 tbsp oil
175g/6oz wild, chestnut and button mushrooms, lightly rinsed and chopped 1
tbsp roughly chopped parsley
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to
190ºC/375ºF/Gas Mark 5, 10 minutes before cooking. Lightly rinse the
turkey and pat dry. Heat the oil in a pan and gently sauté the bacon,
onion, celery and garlic for 5 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the
mushrooms and sauté for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and
stir in the remaining ingredients, mixing to a soft consistency with the egg
and the orange juice. 2. Use to stuff the neck cavity only, securing the
flap over the stuffing with either a skewer or with a trussing needle and fine
twine. Any extra stuffing can be rolled into balls and cooked round the turkey
for the last 20 minutes of cooking time. 3. Place the onion, juniper
berries and parsley in the turkey body cavity. Now weigh the turkey and
calculate the cooking time. Place upside down in the roasting tin and cook in
the oven for the calculated cooking time. (Allowing 15 minutes per 450g/1lb if
cooking uncovered and 18 minutes per 450g/1lb if lightly covering with foil).
Turn the right way up 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time and remove
foil if using. (Try and avoid opening the oven door too often while
cooking). 4. Test if cooked by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with
a long clean skewer or knitting needle. If the juices run clear, it is ready,
if a little pink then return to the oven and cook a little longer. 5. Once
cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, place on a serving platter, cover with
tinfoil and a clean towel and leave for at least 15-20 minutes. This will make
the turkey easier to carve. Garnish with orange cups and serve. 6.
Meanwhile, cut the oranges in half and scoop out the flesh and pith, leave
upside down on kitchen paper to allow the oranges to dry out a little. Heat the
oil and sauté the mushrooms for 5 minutes or until cooked, season to
taste and stir in the parsley. Spoon into the hollowed out oranges and serve
around the cooked turkey.
(from our good friends at
www.britishturkey.co.uk)
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