Focus on food: November 14, 2006
Thanksgiving Turkey
The following archive recipe is from the Thanksgiving Feast Cooking Class with Brooke Dojny. This Roasted Turkey Dinner recipe serves 10, with plenty of leftovers central to the your Thanksgiving Feast. If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at 508-636-3348 and ask for Dave, Mike, or Andy. Our Meat Department will be happy to answer any of your questions. Click here for other Thanksgiving Recipes...
Ingredients:
• 1-15-pound fresh turkey
• 2 to 3 cups Fruit and Nut Stuffing
• 8 cups New England Bread Stuffing
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• Giblet Gravy
Directions:
1. Remove the bag of giblets and the neck. Wipe the turkey inside and out with a damp paper towel. Pull off and discard any large pieces of fat round the body cavity.
2. First stuff the neck cavity with the Fruit and Nut Stuffing, and close the vent by using a metal skewer to secure the skin to the body. Then stuff the body cavity, tucking the legs back under the precut band of skin or metal lock to secure them. Tuck the wing tips back under the shoulders of the bird.
3. Put any leftover stuffing in two baking dishes, sprinkle with a little chicken broth, cover with foil, and refrigerate. Bake during the last 45 minutes of the turkey’s roasting time. 
4. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush with 2 tablespoons of the butter.
5. Turn the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Place the turkey in the oven with the legs facing toward the back. Roast for approximately 4 1/2 hours, calculating about 17 minutes per pound, basting with more melted butter and the pan drippings every 20 to 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should register 180 to 185 degrees in the thigh of the bird, and the stuffing should register 165 degrees.
6. Remove the bird to a board or platter and let it rest for 20 or 30 minutes before carving. Remove the stuffing and pass it in a bowl.
Happy Holidays from your friends here at Lees Market!
New England Sage Stuffing
Ingredients:
•10 cups lightly packed bread cubes (from 1 pound loaf of bread)
•or 9 cups cubed unseasoned stuffing mix
•8 tablespoons butter
•2 large onions, chopped
•2 celery ribs, chopped
•2 teaspoons “poultry seasoning” such as Bell’s
•1/2 cup chopped parsley
•4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
•3/4 teaspoon salt
•3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•3/4 to 1 cup chicken or turkey broth
•1 egg, beaten
Method of Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the bread cubes out onto a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven, stirring once or twice, until firm to the touch, 8 to 10 minutes. (If you are using packaged dried bread cubes, omit this step.)
2. In a large skillet, heat the butter. Add the onion and celery and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle on the poultry seasoning, add the parsley and fresh sage, and toss to combine. Season with the salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and the onion mixture, tossing gently to mix. Add 3/4 cup of broth, along with the egg, and mix lightly but thoroughly again. Add the remaining broth if you want a more moist stuffing.(Can be made a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Giblet Gravy
Ingredients:
•Turkey giblets, including the neck, but with liver reserved
•1 small onion
•1 celery rib
•1 branch fresh sage
•4 black peppercorns
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•6 tablespoons butter
•6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
•5 to 6 cups turkey giblet broth or canned chicken broth
•1/3 cup dry sherry
•Juices from roasting pan and carving board
•Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method of Preparation:
1. To make the broth, place all giblets except the liver in a medium saucepan, cover with 6 cups of cold water, and add the onion, celery, sage, peppercorns, and salt. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam the rises to the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours, until the gizzard is tender. Rinse the liver, add it to the broth, and simmer for another 5 minutes until it is just cooked through.
2. Strain, reserving the broth and discarding the vegetables, peppercorns, and turkey neck. Trim the gizzard and finely chop all the giblets. (This step can be done a day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
3. Make the gravy. After the turkey has moved to the carving board, remove the rack from the roasting pan. Pour all the drippings into a large glass measuring cup and let it settle for 5 minutes. Spoon off the fat from the top and discard. Save the dark juices to add to the gravy.
4. Place the roasting pan over two stove burners over medium heat. Melt the butter in the pan. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes until lightly browned. Gradually whisk in the broth and sherry and bring to a simmer. Cook and stir the gravy for about 5 minutes until smooth and lightly thickened. Add the reserved turkey juices, including any that have accumulated on the carving board, and seasonto taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chopped giblets.
Cranberry-Kumquat Relish
Ingredients:
•1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
•10 large fresh kumquats, quartered
•1 cup granulated sugar
•3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
•3 tablespoons minced mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
Method of Preparation:
1. Place the cranberries, kumquats, and sugar in a food processor. Pulse the machine until the mixture is chopped medium-fine, but not pureed. Do not overprocess.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir in the horseradish. Let the relish stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
3. Up to 30 minutes before serving, stir the chopped mint into the relish, garnish with a mint sprig, and serve.