Lemon Turkey With Couscous Stuffing Recipes

LEMON & HERB STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Heat the oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onions for 10 mins with the pan covered. Put the bread and herbs into a food processor and pulse until you have herby breadcrumbs. Stir into the onion pan along with the lemon zest and juice and plenty of seasoning. Set aside 250g to stuff the turkey, then press the remainder into a well buttered baking tin or dish, about 20 x 30cm, or use 2 smaller tins if that's all that you have.
• Wrap half a bacon rasher around each sausage. Score the stuffing into 8 rectangles, then sit a sausage on top of each. Cover with foil and cook for 20 mins. Uncover, then roast for 20 mins more or until the sausages and bacon are golden and the stuffing golden and sizzling.

ROAST TURKEY WITH LEMON & GARLIC

Steps:

• Up to two days ahead, make the salt mix by grinding the salt with the thyme leaves and pepper in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar. Sit the turkey in a roasting tin and gently push your fingers under the skin, starting from the neck, until you can push your whole hand in down the length of the breast. Take care not to tear the skin.
• Season the bird all over with the salt mix, inside and out and under the skin. Leave the turkey in the tin, breast-side up, and put in the fridge for up to two days - the longer you salt it, the more succulent the turkey will be. For the crispest skin, leave the turkey uncovered so it dries out, but loosely cover it if you prefer.
• Tip the butter, vegetable stock powder and lemon zest into a small bowl and mix until completely combined. Cover and chill. Can be made a few days ahead or frozen, wrapped in cling film, for one month.
• Remove the turkey from the fridge an hour or so before you want to cook it. Remove the butter from the fridge to soften. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Work out your cooking time based on 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, plus 45 mins for every kg after that.
• Use your hands to spread the butter under the skin so that it covers the entire breast area and work it into the crevice between the thigh and the main body, then smooth the skin over with your hands. Put the onion, lemon halves, and garlic in the cavity.
• Cover the tin loosely with foil and roast for the calculated cooking time. Around 30 mins before the end of cooking, increase the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, remove the foil, baste the turkey and return to the oven. When the turkey is beautifully brown and cooked through, remove from the oven and leave to rest on a warm platter covered with foil for up to 1 hr. Save the juices from the tin to make gravy.

SAFFRON ROAST TURKEY

Steps:

• Peel the zest from the lemon, then cut into strips, finely chop and set aside. Now cut the lemon in two, squeeze its juice into a bowl with the saffron and mix together. Fry the sliced onions in the oil until soft and starting to colour, then add the coriander, cumin and lemon zest and cook for 1 min more. Remove from the heat, stir in the cranberries, nuts, couscous and chopped parsley, then season well. When cool, beat in the eggs.
• Wash and dry the turkey, removing any feathers with tweezers. Pull out the giblets and neck and discard, or use to make stock for the gravy. Lift up the skin that covers the neck opening, then push some stuffing into the cavity, packing it in well. Secure tightly underneath with a skewer or two cocktail sticks. Shape the rest of the stuffing firmly into balls and chill until ready to bake. Put the onion quarters in the turkey cavity with any leftover stalks from the parsley. Can chill at this stage up to 1 day ahead.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg (20 mins per lb). Put the turkey in a roasting tin. Mix the butter with the saffron mixture and brush generously onto the turkey. Pour 500ml water into the tin, then roast for 1 hr. Brush with the buttery mixture again, then loosely cover with foil and roast until 15 mins before the time is up. Mix the honey into the remaining buttery mix, brush over the turkey and cook uncovered for 15 mins more until golden.
• Pierce the turkey thigh through its thickest part - the juices should run clear. If not, return to the oven for another 20 mins and test again. Leave to rest on a platter, covered with a clean tea towel. Reserve the juices in the roasting tin to make the gravy.
• Meanwhile, twist the sausages in half and snip to separate. Toss with the harissa, oil and onions in another roasting tin, then roast for 1 hr until golden. After 40 mins roasting, add the stuffing balls to the tin.
• To make the gravy, drain the juices from the tin into a jug and skim off the excess oil. Put the roasting tin over heat, pour in the stock and loosen the savoury bits on the base with a wooden spoon. Add any juices from the resting bird to the mixture along with the onions from the sausages, then simmer for about 10 mins. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth and thick. Taste and season, or add a little redcurrant jelly to sweeten, if you like.
• To serve, put the turkey on a platter and surround with the sausages and stuffing balls. Garnish with parsley sprigs and bay.

ROLLED TURKEY BREAST WITH HERBY LEMON & PINE NUT STUFFING

Steps:

• First prepare the stuffing. Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan, then soften the onion without colouring for 10 mins. Tip into a bowl. Add the pancetta or bacon to the pan, fry for 5 mins until golden, then add the pine nuts, garlic, sage and lemon zest. Fry for 1 min more until fragrant and the pine nuts are starting to brown. Stir in the chopped parsley. Tip into the bowl with the onions, then bind with the crumbs, egg and seasoning.
• Butter and season a sheet of turkey foil or use 2 sheets of foil crimped together to make a sheet about 50 x 60cm. Lay five long pieces of string over the foil like rungs of a ladder, ready to tie the breast together. Arrange the pancetta or bacon in a lattice over the middle of the foil, on top of the string.
• Open out the butterflied breast, skin-side down, and slash each side several times. Cover with cling film and bash with a rolling pin until the meat is about 5cm thick all over. Trim the sides so that you have a roughly rectangular shape (but be careful not to cut the skin). Lift onto the pancetta, then fill any gaps with the trimmings. Season, then press the stuffing along the middle of the joint. Pull up the sides at one end, tucking in the short end, then tie the string tightly so that the stuffing is encased. Repeat with all the strings. Wrap up tightly in the foil, then turn the roll over so that the pancetta is on the top. Can be left in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Sit the joint in a roasting tin and roast for 40 mins per kg or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out very hot and the juices run clear. Unwrap for the last 10 mins of cooking.
• Lift the joint onto a board and leave to rest, covered, for at least 10 mins. For the gravy, heat the tin on the hob, then splash in the wine and any juices. Reduce by half, then add the stock and repeat. Pour in the cream and bubble to a slightly reduced sauce. Season to taste, then stir in the parsley.

LEMON-HERB ROASTED TURKEY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a small bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, lemon zest and minced thyme. Pat turkey dry. Sprinkle salt and pepper over skin of turkey and inside cavity; brush with butter mixture. Place the lemon, onion, garlic and thyme sprigs inside cavity. Tuck wings under turkey; tie drumsticks together., Place flour in oven bag and shake to coat. Place bag in a roasting pan; add turkey to bag, breast side up. Cut six 1/2-in. slits in top of bag; close bag with tie provided., Bake at 350° for 2-1/4 to 2-3/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180°. Remove turkey to a serving platter and keep warm. Let stand for 15 minutes before carving. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy. Freeze option: Freeze cooled turkey and gravy in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a covered skillet, gently stirring and adding a little broth or water if necessary.

MOROCCAN ROASTED TURKEY STUFFED WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Mix the boiling water, salt & couscous in a large bowl. Then stir in the raisins and almonds, cover & let steam for ten minutes. Fluff with fork to separate the grains.
• Stir in the almond meal, butter, cinnamon, sugar & lemon pieces. Taste for seasoning and adjust according to your tastes. Set aside to cool.
• Mix the saffron and Ras el Hanout with olive oil and rub all over the turkey. Stuff the turkey at both ends with the couscous, packing it loosely.
• Sew the openings closed with strong thread. Tie the turkeys feet together and place breast side down in a roasting pan. Add 3-4 Cups water, onion, and salt and 1/2 cup butter to the pan. Cover with foil and cook on 325 for an hour.
• At the end of the first hour of braising, turn the turkey over, then add the honey to the juices in the pan. Continue cooking and basting the turkey until tender (approximately 2 more hours).
• Transfer the turkey to a serving platter and remove the string. Pour the juice from the pan into a medium pot.
• Simmer the juice over medium heat until the liquid in the pot has evaporated and the honey begins to caramelize.
• Then stir in last of the butter into the honey mixture to make a rich, thick sauce. Pour over the turkey and serve immediately.

EASY BEGINNER'S TURKEY WITH STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Rinse turkey, remove giblets and place in a shallow roasting pan.
• Prepare stuffing according to package directions. Mix in water.
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and slowly cook and stir the celery and onion until tender.
• Mix celery, onion, and toasted bread pieces into the stuffing, and season with salt and pepper. Loosely scoop stuffing into the turkey body cavity and neck cavity. Rub the exterior of the turkey with vegetable oil.
• Loosely cover turkey with aluminum foil, and roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the thickest part of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C) and the interior of the stuffing reaches 165 degrees F (70 degrees C). Remove foil during the last half hour of cooking to brown the bird.

LEMON TURKEY WITH COUSCOUS STUFFING

Steps:

• Carefully loosen turkey skin, leaving it attached at the back. Combine the oil, lemon juice, garlic, lemon peel, salt and pepper; spread under turkey skin. Place turkey to one side in a shallow roasting pan coated with nonstick cooking spray.
• For stuffing, in a bowl, pour boiling water over couscous. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Add the remaining ingredients; toss to combine. Spoon stuffing into other side of pan, shaping into a 8-in. x 5-in. x 2-in. mound. Cover pan and bake at 325 degrees F for 45 minutes.
• Uncover turkey; leave stuffing covered. Bake 40-50 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer reads 170 degrees F. Cover turkey with foil and let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with stuffing.

STUFFED TURKEY WITH LEMON, OREGANO, AND RED ONIONS

Steps:

• Make lemon butter and roast turkey:
• Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in lowest position.
• Stir together all butter ingredients with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Rinse turkey inside and out, then pat dry. Put turkey on rack in roasting pan. Sprinkle turkey cavities with 1/2 teaspoon salt (total).
• Starting at large cavity, gently slide your fingers between skin and flesh of breast and legs to loosen skin, being careful not to tear skin. Using a tablespoon measure, slide 2 tablespoons butter under skin of each breast half and 1 tablespoon on each drumstick (6 tablespoons total), pushing butter out of spoon with a finger on outside of skin.
• Melt remaining lemon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Toss onion wedges with 2 tablespoons melted lemon butter.
• Spoon stuffing into large cavity of turkey. Fold neck skin under body, then tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and tuck wings under body. Brush turkey all over with half of remaining melted lemon butter and sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Roast until skin is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Rotate pan 180 degrees. Brush remaining melted lemon butter over turkey and roast 30 minutes more. Baste turkey and scatter onion wedges around it, then roast, basting turkey and rotating turkey 180 degrees every 30 minutes (if pan becomes completely dry, add 1/2 cup water; if skin becomes too dark, loosely cover turkey with foil) until an instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thighs (test both; close to but not touching bone) registers 170°F and stuffing registers at least 165°F, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours more (total roasting time: 3 to 3 1/2 hours). Transfer turkey and onions to a platter, reserving juices in pan. Let turkey stand, uncovered, 30 minutes (temperature of thigh meat will rise to 175°F).
• Make gravy while turkey stands:
• Straddle roasting pan across 2 burners, then add 1 cup turkey stock and deglaze pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into 2-quart measuring cup and skim off and reserve fat. (If using a fat separator, strain pan juices through sieve into separator and let stand until fat rises to top, 1 to 2 minutes. Carefully pour pan juices from separator into measuring cup, reserving fat.)
• Stir together flour and 6 tablespoons reserved fat (if you don't have enough fat, add butter) in a heavy medium saucepan, then cook roux over medium heat, whisking, until pale golden, about 3 minutes. Add pan juices and remaining 3 cups stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then bring to a boil, whisking. Stir in any turkey juices from platter and briskly simmer, whisking occasionally, until gravy is thickened to desired consistency, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.