Fruity Feather Turkey Recipes

PERFECT CITRUS TURKEY AND GRAVY

Steps:

• Take the turkey out of the refrigerator and leave it to come to room temperature, about 30 minutes prior to preparing and cooking. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, add the 1/2 cup softened butter, lemon zest and chopped chives. Halve the lemons and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon half into the butter. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Prepare the turkey: Remove the inner packet of giblets from the cavity and set aside.
• Run your fingers underneath the skin of the breast to make a little pocket between the skin and the flesh. Using your fingers, scoop up some of the lemon-chive butter and push the butter under the skin, filling up the pockets. Do the same thing on the legs. Once each pocket has been filled, take the rest of the butter and rub it all over the outside of the bird. Sprinkle about a tablespoon and a half of coarse salt on top.
• Insert the halved lemons, orange and grapefruit into the cavity of the turkey. Insert as much of the citrus as you can. Give each piece a little squeeze as you insert them to get the juices distributed. (You may have to leave some out depending on the size of the cavity. Use any extra citrus for garnish later.)
• Remove the giblets from the packet, rinse and pat dry. Place the giblets on the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the turkey on top of the giblets. Tuck the wings under the turkey.
• Place the turkey in a preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes. Then, turn down the heat to 350 degrees F and roast for about another 2 hours, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175 to 180 degrees F. (The general rule is to cook a turkey about 15 minutes per pound.)
• Remove the bird from the pan onto a carving board or platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
• Place the roasting pan over low heat on the stovetop. Add white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the chicken stock. Whisk the cornstarch into it. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter and the Dijon mustard. Whisk well to combine. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until thick and smooth, about 8 minutes.
• Bring your turkey to room temperature to ensure that the bird will cook evenly.
• Stuffing a turkey with fruit keep the bird moist and acts as a secondary cooking agent. As the juice of the fruit steams inside the cavity, it helps cook the bird from the inside. The juices also help to flavor the pan juices used for making the gravy.
• Stuffing butter between the skin and the flesh, keep the meat moist and flavorful. The butter and salt on the outside help create a tasty, crispy skin.
• I like to use the giblets as a platform for the bird. It stops the bottom of the bird from burning and adds flavor to the pan juices.
• A good rule for roasting times is to plan on roasting a turkey for about 15 minutes per pound.
• A meat thermometer is the best tool for figuring out if your turkey is fully cooked.

ROASTED TURKEY BREAST WITH DRIED FRUITS PAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Season the turkey breast on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours on a metal rack in a baking sheet.
• Bring the turkey breast to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the white wine to a boil. Pour over the dried cranberries and apricots in a large heatsafe bowl. Allow to cool and the fruit to absorb some of the liquid, about 1 hour.
• In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When the pan begins to lightly smoke, season the turkey with more kosher salt and pepper. Place the turkey in the pan skin-side down. When it begins to brown, flip the turkey, add the garlic, rosemary and 3 tablespoons of the butter and baste for 1 minute. Transfer to the oven and roast until the internal temperature registers 155 degrees F, 35 to 45 minutes depending on the size of the breast. Set the turkey aside skin-side up to rest for about 1 hour.
• Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the shallots and dried fruit with the wine and cook until the liquid is almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half, 10 to 15 minutes. Finish with the vinegar, sage, lemon zest and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Season with kosher salt and pepper.
• Slice the turkey, arrange on a large serving dish and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with flaky sea salt.

FRUITY FEATHER TURKEY

Steps:

• Unroll fruit flavored snack; remove paper. With kitchen scissors, cut fruit flavored snack into 5x2 1/2-inch rectangle, cutting one side into a scallop shape.
• Gather together side of fruit flavored snack opposite scalloped sides. Separate cookie; place gathered side on 1 cookie half to make tail feathers. Top with remaining cookie half. Press lightly together.
• Shape 2 feet and wattle for the turkey from remaining fruit flavored snack. Insert feet into filling between cookies.
• Use frosting to attach wattle, eyeballs and candy corn for beak on top of cookie.

FRUITED TURKEY

Steps:

• Thoroughly wash and dry watermelon. With a sharp knife, cut a thin slice from bottom of watermelon so it lies flat. , Using a small sharp knife, lightly score a horizontal cutting line around middle of the melon, leaving 4 in. on each side of stem end unscored for the head. Next, score a vertical line over top of melon, connecting both ends of the horizontal line. Using a long knife, cut through melon along the vertical cutting line. (Stop cutting at the horizontal cutting line.) Then, cut through the melon along the horizontal cutting line. Gently pull off cut section. , For turkey's head, cut a 2 in. half-circle at top. Make a scalloped edge, using the rounded edge of a 1-in. circle cutter. With a sharp knife, cut along the scalloped lines; discard scrapes. For eyes, insert a clove into the center of each of two cantaloupe balls. Using toothpicks, attach eyes; add a chili pepper wattle., With a vegetable peeler, cut peel from oranges. (Save oranges for another use). Thread grapes, orange peel and remaining cantaloupe balls onto skewers; add to turkey for feathers.

TURKEY WITH FRUIT AND NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Rinse turkey with cool water and dry with paper towels. Let stand for 2 hours at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees with rack in lower third. Combine melted butter and white wine in a large bowl. Fold a large piece of cheesecloth into quarters and cut into a 17-inch, four-layer square. Immerse cheesecloth in butter and wine; let soak.
• Add vegetables to a large, heavy roasting pan. Place a roasting rack over vegetables. Position turkey, breast-side up, on rack. If turkey comes with a pop-up timer, remove it; an instant-read thermometer is a more accurate indication of doneness. Fold wing tips under turkey. Season cavity with salt and pepper. Fill cavities loosely with as much stuffing as they will hold comfortably; do not pack tightly. (Cook remaining stuffing in a buttered baking dish at 375 degrees.) Truss turkey with kitchen string. Fold neck flap under and secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey with softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Lift cheesecloth out of liquid and squeeze it slightly, leaving it very damp. Spread it evenly over breast and about halfway down sides of turkey; it can cover some of the leg area. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Cook for 30 minutes. Using a pastry brush, baste cheesecloth and exposed parts of turkey with butter and wine. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.and continue to cook for 2 more hours, basting every 30 minutes and watching pan juices; if vegetables begin to darken, add a little chicken stock or water.
• After these 2 1/2 hours of cooking, carefully remove and discard cheesecloth. Turn roasting pan so breast is facing back of oven. Baste turkey with pan juices. If there are not enough juices, continue to use butter and wine. The skin gets fragile as it browns, so baste carefully. Cook 30 to 60 more minutes, basting after 30 minutes.
• After these three hours of cooking, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. Do not poke into a bone. The temperature should reach 180 degrees.(stuffing should be between 140 degrees.and 160 degrees. and the turkey should be golden brown. The breast does not need to be checked for temperature. If legs are not yet fully cooked, baste turkey, return to oven, and cook another 20 to 30 minutes.
• When fully cooked, transfer turkey to a serving platter and let rest for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make gravy. Strain pan juices into a fat separator, discarding vegetables. Let stand until fat rises to the surface, about 10 minutes, then skim it off. In a small jar, shake to combine, giblet stock and flour. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat. Add giblet stock mixture. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pan. Bring back to a boil, and cook until liquid has thickened slightly. Add defatted pan juices and cook over medium-high heat until thickened to desired consistency. You will have about 2 cups of gravy. Season with salt and pepper. Strain into a gravy boat. Serve with turkey.

FRUITY TUTTI TURKEY BRINE

Steps:

• Stir the vegetable broth, candied ginger, dried cherries, dried pears, dried apples, brown sugar, kosher salt, black peppercorns, allspice berries, 3 cinnamon sticks, and 5 sage leaves together in a large stockpot until the brown sugar and salt dissolve completely; bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Remove the brine from heat, add the ice water, and stir to melt ice and chill the brine; refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. Place the still-frozen turkey into the brine and refrigerate for 3 days. On the second day of brining, turn the turkey over in the brine.
• On serving day (the third day of brining), preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the brine and place into a roasting pan. Discard the brine.
• Place the onion, red apple, 1 sprig of rosemary, 2 more cinnamon sticks, and 1 sage leaf into a 5-cup microwave-safe measuring cup and fill the cup with enough water to cover. Place into microwave oven and cook on high power until hot, about 5 minutes. Pour the contents of the cup into the cavity of the turkey. Rub the skin of the turkey with the vegetable oil.
• Roast in the preheated oven until the turkey is golden brown and the juices run clear, 4 to 4 1/2 hours. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh should read 165 degrees F (75 degrees C).

TURKEY WITH FESTIVE FRUIT STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute celery and onions in 1/2 cup butter until tender. Transfer to a large bowl; stir in the stuffing cubes, apples, walnuts, raisins and cranberries. Stir in the egg substitute, salt, pepper and enough broth to reach desired moistness. , Just before baking, loosely stuff turkey with stuffing. Skewer turkey openings; tie drumsticks together. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Melt remaining butter; brush over turkey. , Bake, uncovered, at 325° for 3-3/4 to 4-1/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 165° when inserted in center of stuffing and the thigh reaches at least 170°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. (Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly.), Cover turkey and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving turkey. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.