Gay Cook's Seasonal Recipes Roast Turkey with Fruit Stuffing & Gravy Makes 8 to 10 servings; allow 1 lb (500 g) uncooked turkey per person. Preparation: 15 minutes for the turkey plus 20 to 25 minutes for the stuffing. Roasting: 12 minutes per lb or 24 minutes per kg, plus 45 minutes for resting. Christmas or Thanksgiving wouldn’t be complete for our family without the aroma of the turkey roasting to fill the house. Traditionally, gravy is made with flour as shown in this recipe but, over time, habits change and the rich-tasting pan juice sauce as given in the roast chicken recipe is just as delicious over mashed potatoes. Turkeys are available year-round, fresh or frozen, but fresh, farm-raised, grain-fed turkeys are superior as they are more flavorful and moist, with less fat. 1 14– to 16–lb (7– to 8–kg) turkey 1 recipe Fruit Stuffing 4 tbsp (50 ml) melted butter metal skewer cotton kitchen string 1 recipe Gravy To prepare the turkey, wash out the cavity and dry it well with a paper towel. Lightly press the stuffing into the neck cavity. Pull the loose skin over the stuffing and secure it with a metal skewer. Lightly press the stuffing into the body cavity and close the opening with a metal skewer or sew with a large needle and kitchen string. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with salt and lightly brush with melted butter. Tie the legs together with string or secure them by tucking them under the band of skin at the opening. Fold the wing tips under the breast. Place the turkey in the roasting pan breast side up. Use the neck and giblets (freeze the liver for another use) for the gravy’s stock. To roast: Preheat the oven to 325° F (160° C) And calculate the roasting time by the turkey’s weight multiplied by 12 minutes per lb or 24 minutes per kg. Roast the turkey in the oven and baste it at least 3 times by spooning the pan juices over the turkey. If the turkey is browning too much, tent it loosely with foil to prevent further browning. To test for doneness, cut the string tying the legs together; when the turkey is done, the legs will move easily in the socket and the juices will run clear when the meat is pressed on the underside. If you are using a meat thermometer, insert it in the stuffing, where it should read 170° F (77° C), then insert it in the inner thigh, avoiding the bone, where it should register 180° F (83° C). When it has cooked, remove the turkey to a heated platter, loosely tent it with foil and allow it to rest for 45 minutes so the juices can settle. You can use a spoon to remove the stuffing before you carve the turkey. Or you can carve the turkey and spoon out the stuffing for each person. To carve: Remove the skewer. Using a sharp carving knife, cut the skin between the legs and breast and cut through the socket (hip joint) to separate the legs from the breasts. Cut the legs in half at the middle joint. Slice off the dark meat from the thighs and the drumsticks. Cut the wings off at the joint next to the breast. Carve the breast meat in slices about ¼ inch (.5 cm) thick on the diagonal, starting on the outside and working in to the breast bone. Place the meat on a warm platter with the stuffing. Serve with the hot gravy. Gravy 3 tbsp (45 mL) fat from the roasting pan 5 tbsp (65 mL) all-purpose flour 3 cups (750 mL) stock, red or white wine, or water from cooked vegetables. Place the roasting pan on the stove and lift the pan so the juices gather at the opposite end. Spoon off the fat, leaving about 3 tbsp (45 mL). Set the pan over medium heat. Use a metal lifter to scrape up the brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Stir in the flour until the flour is combined with the fat and allow the mixture to cook to a dark golden brown. Whisk in the stock, wine or vegetable water until blended and leave to cook 5 minutes to combine the flavors. Sieve the gravy into a saucepan. Skim off any fat. Season with salt. Serve warm. To make stock, place the giblets and neck in a saucepan with a sliced onion. Cover with 4 cups (1 L) water and simmer gently for 2 hours. Drain. Reserve for the gravy. Fruit Stuffing Makes 6 cups (1.5 l) Preparation: 20 minutes Cooking: 5 minutes The stuffing is best made the day ahead and chilled before the turkey is roasted. ¼ cup (50 mL) butter or rendered chicken fat 2 cups (500 mL) finely chopped onion 1-½ cups (375 mL) finely chopped celery 6 or 8 sage, leaves minced, or 2 tbsp (25 mL) dried 6 slices whole wheat, white or rye bread, to make 3 cups (750 mL) soft bread crumbs or bread cubes 3 cored and chopped apples 2 cups (500 mL) coarsely chopped dried apricots or cranberries 2 tsp (10 mL) salt and generous sprinkling of pepper, or to taste 2 tsp (10 mL) brown sugar, or to taste Melt the butter or fat in a large skillet and sauté the onions, celery and sage on medium-low heat, covered, until tender but not brown about 5 or 6 minutes. Remove from the heat. Place the bread crumbs and fruit in a large mixing bowl and toss in the onion mixture. If the stuffing seems dry, add 1 or 2 tsp (5 or 10 mL) water until the consistency is moist but not soggy. Toss in the salt, pepper and sugar. Chill if not using immediately. To make soft bread crumbs, partially freeze the bread slices, cut off the crusts, place the slices in a food processor and pulse on and off until coarse crumbs form. If you do not have a processor, remove crusts and cut the slices into ½ inch (1 cm) cubes. Shortbread Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies or 1 8-inch (20 cm) circle Preparation: 10 minutes Baking: 25 minutes for cookies, 50 minutes for circle In Scotland years ago, I learned how to make traditional rich, tender, buttery shortbread by hand, baked in rounds and cut into wedges. On this side of the water we like convenience, so I succumb to using a mixer, which is great but not quite the real thing. The rice flour or cornstarch is added to shortbread for crispness. Shortbread is famous for its buttery taste, so never try to make it with margarine or try to dress it up with vanilla, eggs, nuts or chocolate chips. If you wish, you can replace half the flour with whole wheat flour. 1 cup (250 mL) unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup (125 mL) berry sugar (finer than granulated sugar) ½ cup (125 mL) cornstarch or rice flour 1-½ cups (375 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour Pinch of salt By electric mixer: Beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Blend the cornstarch, flour and salt and add to the butter mixture in thirds, beating briefly after each addition, just until the dough forms. Remove the dough, form into a disk, cover and chill for 30 minutes. By hand: On a work surface, mound the flour and stir in the cornstarch or rice flour and salt. Make a well in the center, add the butter and sugar and begin to work them together, adding a little flour at a time until all the flour is used. Use the heel of your hand to knead briefly until the dough is pliable. Cover the dough and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 325° F (160°C). Cookies: Roll the dough to ½ inch (1 cm) thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes, place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and prick the shapes twice with a fork. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden. Rounds: Press dough into an 8-inch (20 cm) round ¾-inch-thick (2 cm) circle on an ungreased baking sheet. Flute the edges by pressing your thumb between the thumb and first finger of the opposite hand. Use a knife to score the outline of 16 wedges in the surface of the shortbread. Prick the surface 8 to 10 times with a fork and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until light golden. Cool before removing from the baking sheet and then cut into wedges. These recipes and more can be found in Mrs. Cook’s Kitchen Basics & Beyond by Gay Cook – Chair of Ottawa’s Biggest Bake Sale 2006 Back to top