Roast Turkey With Chestnut Stuffing Recipes

TURKEY WITH CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, bring 2 qts. of water to a boil. Cut an "X" in each chestnut; drop into boiling water. Return to a boil; cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat; peel outer shell and inner skin. Coarsely chop chestnuts; set aside., In a small skillet, saute celery and onions in butter until tender. Transfer to a large bowl; add sausage, stuffing and chestnuts. Add broth and water; toss to mix., Loosely stuff turkey just before roasting. Skewer openings; tie drumsticks together. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Brush with oil. Roast, uncovered, at 325° for 4-1/4 to 4-3/4 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for turkey and 165° for stuffing, basting occasionally. Cover loosely with foil if turkey browns too quickly., Cover and let stand for 20 minutes before removing the stuffing and carving the turkey. If desired, thicken pan drippings for gravy.

ROAST TURKEY WITH CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• First make the stuffing. Pour the madeira or wine into a bowl, then crumble in the mushrooms. Fry the onions in the butter for 10 mins, until golden. Cool, then mix with the thyme leaves, the mushrooms and their soaking liquid, and all remaining ingredients, apart from 8 of the chestnuts and the bacon. Season well.
• Set aside half of the stuffing. Line a greased 500g loaf tin with bacon. Pack the rest of the stuffing into the tin, then bring the rashers round over the top and secure in place with cocktail sticks. Use the reserved chestnuts to fill the spaces where the bacon meets. Chill until ready to cook. This will keep in the fridge uncooked for 2 days or can be frozen for up to a month.
• Prepare the turkey. The night before, put the onion quarters, reserved lemon halves and thyme sprigs in the cavity between the legs. Pack the reserved stuffing into the neck end. Secure the neck skin with skewers and tie the legs together. Weigh the turkey. Calculate the cooking time at 40 mins per kilo, plus 20 mins.
• Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin and put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, then grate over half of the nutmeg and season well. Cover with bacon, then pour over the glass of madeira or wine. Seal the foil well to make a parcel. Chill overnight.
• On the day, take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hr before roasting. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the turkey in the oven; then, 90 mins before the end of cooking, remove foil and bacon, and drain off the juices from the tin to use in the gravy. To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 mins more, then test again.
• Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels, and allow to rest for at least 30 mins before carving. Meanwhile, cook the stuffing loaf for 30 mins and reheat the bacon. Garnish with watercress and serve the stuffing loaf separately.

HERB-ROASTED TURKEY WITH CHESTNUT-AND-SAUSAGE STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425, with rack in lower third. Rinse turkey inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack set in a large roasting pan.
• Blend 4 tablespoons butter with 2 teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Loosen skin of turkey at body-cavity end with your fingers; spread mixture under skin all over (reach as far back as possible).
• Gently push 3 parsley sprigs under skin on each side of turkey breast (use a table knife to push them as far as possible, keeping leaves flat). Loosen neck skin; slide a parsley sprig on each side of top of breast. Repeat with sage leaves, placing 4 leaves on each side of breast and 2 leaves on each side of top of breast.
• Rub turkey with remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt; season with pepper. Loosely stuff body cavity with 4 3/4 cups stuffing, andneck cavity with 1/4 cup. Tie drumsticks together loosely with kitchen twine. Fold neck skin under body, and secure with toothpicks. Tuck wing tips under wings.
• Roast turkey 30 minutes. Baste turkey; reduce oven temperature to 350. Continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of the thigh (avoiding bone) registers 180, and stuffing registers 165, 2 to 3 hours. (If skin darkens too quickly during roasting, tent with foil.)
• Let turkey rest 20 minutes before carving. Leave juices in roasting pan to make gravy.

ROAST TURKEY WITH CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Mix the chestnut puree with the veal demi-glace. When smooth season with salt and pepper and add the softened butter.
• Place 3 tablespoons clarified butter into a frying pan and add diced onion. Saute lightly. Cut bacon into fine strips and add to the onions. Fry together for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and place into a bowl with the chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper and add the ground pork. Combine ingredients with an egg and mix well.
• Place the onion into some of the clarified butter in a saucepan and allow to fry. Add the chopped turkey neck and brown. Add the water, bay leaves and thyme. Simmer the stock uncovered for 1 hour. After this time add 1/4 cup port and simmer for 5 minutes. To make the gravy, remove fat from baking pan and deglaze with the turkey stock. Serve gravy separately in a sauceboat.
• For the turkey: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Paint grill rack with clarified butter. Place the chestnut dressing in the neck opening, pressing it in firmly. Place the pork dressing in the rear end. Truss the turkey. Lightly flour breast. Place the turkey on its side on a grill rack in a baking dish and bake for l hour. Turn the turkey onto the other side and roast for 1 hour. Turn the bird breast side uppermost and paint with clarified butter and season with salt and white pepper. Roast for a further 2 1/2 hours basting every 30 minutes with clarified butter.
• Recommended drink: Good dry red wine, Claret style

ROAST TURKEY WITH PECAN, SAUSAGE & CHESTNUT STUFFING & ROAST SHALLOTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Rinse the turkey inside and out, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Weigh it to calculate the cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for each 1kg over that weight. Finely grate 1 tsp zest from the lemon and set aside for the stuffing. Cut the lemon into 4-6 wedges and tuck into the turkey cavity with the shallots and herb sprigs. Rub the turkey all over with the butter, then season with salt and pepper. Put the onion wedges in the middle of a large roasting tin and sit the turkey on top. Cover with a loose tent of foil, then roast following your calculated time.
• Make the stuffing. Chop just over half the pecans and reserve the remaining. Line the base of a baking tray or sheet (big enough to take 16 stuffing balls) with baking parchment. Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan, tip in the shallots and garlic, and fry for a few mins until softened. Stir in the chestnuts and chopped pecans, then tip into a large bowl and cool. Squeeze the sausages from their casings and add to the bowl with the nut mixture. Add the remaining stuffing ingredients, including the reserved lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Shape the stuffing mixture into 16 balls. Break the remaining pecans into big pieces and press a piece into top of each ball. Arrange balls on the prepared tray, cover with buttered baking parchment and chill until ready to cook. Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled.
• Make the glaze. Mix the honey, mustard, remaining 1 tbsp butter and soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside. Thirty mins before the end of the cooking time, remove the turkey and increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the foil, then return the bird to the oven for a further 10 mins. Remove again, brush the turkey with the glaze, then roast for another 20 mins until golden. If you are roasting potatoes, put them in now. To test if the turkey is cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer - the juices should run clear, not pink. If they are pink, continue to roast, checking at 10 min intervals.
• Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a warm serving platter and rest, covered loosely with foil so it doesn't stick to the glaze, for up to 1 hr before carving. Meanwhile, cook the stuffing balls and shallots. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake stuffing balls in the oven for 25-30 mins, removing the paper for the last 5 mins if they need browning.
• Make the shallots. Put the shallots in a small roasting tin, toss in the oil, scatter over a few thyme and sage sprigs, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 mins, turning half way, until shallots are nicely caramelised.
• Make the gravy. Pour off any excess fat from the roasting tin but leave the juices and onions. Sprinkle in the flour, set tin over a medium heat and cook, stirring for a couple of mins to cook the flour, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom of the tin. Gradually pour in the stock, along with any resting juices from the turkey, and continue to stir until slightly thickened. Simmer gently for about 10-15 mins or until reduced to your liking. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Strain gravy into a pan, warm through, pour into a jug and serve with the turkey. Serve the turkey surrounded with stuffing balls, roasted shallots, and thyme and sage sprigs.

ROASTED FREE-RANGE TURKEY WITH PEAR AND CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375 degrees. To make the stuffing, in a large skillet, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add celery and onions; cook, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons thyme, and sage, parsley, chestnuts, and bread. Add stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until bread becomes moist. Stir in pears; remove from heat.
• Place remaining 1 stick butter, remaining 2 tablespoons thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt in food processor. Pulse until well combined; set aside.
• Wash turkey, and pat dry. Place, breast side up, on a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan. Season turkey cavity with remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Fill cavity loosely with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Fold neck flap over; secure with skewers. Rub thyme-butter mixture all over turkey.
• Roast for 2 1/2 hours, basting often. Continue baking 30 to 45 minutes more, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees. If turkey becomes too brown, tent it with aluminum foil. Let cool for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.