Christmas Turkey

One of the series of recipes from my old blog.

Recipe:
Ingredients:
The bird:
1 turkey (12 pound, free range - lean, less fat, supposedly taste better but how would I know better?)
Seasonings for the bird:
Butter
Salt
Pepper
Thyme, Sage and Rosemary (fresh or dried)
Grated Lemon and clementine zest
1 lemon juice
3-4 carrots, 3 big onions, lemon skin (whole) and 1 clementine
The stuffing:
Turkey stock - boil and simmer gizzards + neck in 1L water for about 1 hour
Cooked gizzards chopped
Bacon 10 strips
Ham 3-4 pieces
Fresh button mushrooms (as much as my husband let me, he hates mushrooms)
Croutons (2 bags)
Mixed nuts and fruits, including cranberries, finely chopped (ready mix found in supermarkets)
2 large yellow onions diced
Gravy:
Half of the turkey stock as above
Turkey drippings
Butter 125g
Flour 3-4 teaspoons

Preparations:
1) Season the bird with butter, salt, pepper, herbs and grated lemon and clementine zests. Rub the inside cavity with lemon juice and salt. Stuff in one peeled clementine. Poke the sides of the bird esp under the wings to let out the fat and juices when baking.
2) Be sure to separate the skin under the breast gently with a blunt knife and spread butter and herbs underneath the skin, end product is juicy and tender succulent breast.
3) To prepare the stuffing ( some do it the day before, I do it on the same day...lazy la so much effort spread two days somemore)
a) Pan fry bacon until crisps. Remove bacon, and while the oil is still hot in the pan, add butter. Keep on low heat. Slice bacon and set aside.
b) Add in chopped onions and fry till brown.
c) Stir in gizzards, sliced bacon, ham and mushroom and fry till soft. Add in the mix nuts and fruits
d) Add the turkey stock, and bring to boil. Salt and pepper to taste.
e) Add croutons and cook till all ingredients well blended and slightly mushy. Crack in two eggs to hold the stuffing together. Remove from heat immediately.
4) Lay the stuffing in the front and back cavities. Pack loosely. Secure the skin with a skewer, so stuffings won't fall out. Wrap the drums and wings with aluminium foil to keep in the moisture. You could wrap any remaining stuffing in an aluminium foil and bake later for about 15 mins at 170 degrees.
5) Lace the pan with aluminium foil. Lay down carrots, onions cut in halves and lemon skin over the pan.
6) Put the bird breast down on top of (5).
7) Put in a preheated oven at 220 degree celcius for 1/2 hour, then bring to 170. Cook around 30 mins per Kg of the bird + 90 mins. During the last half hour, after ensuring the bird is cooked well (poke with fork or skewer), take the turkey out and glaze with honey. Lay the bird on a metal griller above the pan. Be sure to remove the aluminium foil wrapped around the drums and wings. Turn turkey breast up and bake for another 20-30 mins until the skin is crisp and golden brown. Take the bird out and let it cool.
8) Gravy gravy gravy (now who needs gravy granules anyway???)
a) Remove any excess oil from the drippings (excellent for roast potatoes and parsnips!).
b) Crush the carrots and onion in the drippings to pulps, remove lemon skin (err...don't think that's edible).
c) In a pot melt around 200g of butter under slow heat and fold in 3-4 teaspoon of plain flour. Stir well.
d) Add the half of turkey stock, stir constantly to avoid any clumps. And then add the drippings. (don't need anymore seasonings, as the drippings are tasty enough as it is).

Viola.... turkey + stuffing (actually very yummy) and gravy. And an amazed hubby...he still couldn't believe a 'cina' girl can cook turkey. LOL...
Try this recipe out..it's not authentic kuai lou turkey though....blended to my Chinese taste buds.