A Christmas tradition says you must have a turkey on your table. Here’s how to make it.
It’s an integral part of the festive table — a bronze skinned bird, just roasted, with butter and herbs and delicious trimmings. Thanksgiving apart, Christmas also marks turkey time on the culinary calendar as a part of the fare.
There’s a lot of fun you can have while preparing it too — a classic roast turkey has vegetables and cranberry but the stuffing is where cooks can display a great deal of creativity.
Says executive chef Christopher Stephens (in pic) of hotel Leela Kempinski, Mumbai. “This stuffing can be made before hand. Some of the ingredients one can use are chestnuts, dried fruits, and garlic. In the Middle East you would also have turkey stuffed with dates and raisins, whereas the typical English turkey will have dried apricots and fruits stuffing, so it depends on your preference.”
Chef Dhaval Ajmera of the ITC Grand Central has his own choices. “I’d vote for dried mix herbs, pistachios, walnuts, spices and sage,” he says.
Cooking the bird takes about 25 minutes. “One turkey is approx 2-3 kgs, which means you should ideally roast it for 95 mins at 190 degrees Celsius,” advises Stephens, adding, “in order to avoid it becoming brown, cover it with a tin aluminium foil so that there is a layer between the heat and the turkey. This is a guaranteed method to avoid any turkey mishaps!”
Chef Stephens shows you how to make your own dish at home…
Turkey trot
Ingredients:
Whole fresh turkey —approx. 3-4 kgs
To roast the turkey rub the skin with a little Dijon mustard and olive oil after stuffing and lay fresh rashers of bacon across the cavity for further flavour.
For stuffing:
Fresh white and brown bread cut into small cubes — 500g
Melted butter — 50g
Minced red onion — 50g
Finely chopped fresh/ frozen chestnuts — 100g
Finely chopped dried apricots — 50g
Small diced apples — 50g
Fresh thyme — 4 sprigs
Chopped parsley —1tbsp
Sea salt and freshly ground balck pepper — to taste
Soft butter — 50g
Make stuffing:
Melt the butter add, onions and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the chestnuts. Cook for another 3 minutes then add apples, apricots, thyme, parsley and bread pieces. Mix well and remove from the heat. Mix in the soft butter to bind.
Vegetables you’ll need:
Brussels sprouts sauteed in butter with little caraway seeds
Honey glazed baked Sweet potato or roasted new potatoes
Green asparagus/ peas
Roasted pumpkin
For the roast turkey gravy:
Roughly chopped carrots-onions celery
White flour
Fresh rosemary
Chicken stock
Tomato paste
White wine (optional)
Turkey giblets
Method
Remove the finished roast turkey and empty off the excess fat.
Add a little chicken stock to lift of the tasty sediment in the pan.
Reduce slightly then add the vegetables and sweat for 4-5 minutes.
Add the turkey giblets and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the tomato paste, white wine and cook for another 3 minutes. Now add flour, mix well then add the remaining chicken stock. Simmer gently and strain before serving. Season to taste with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}