Turkey with Lemon Parsley Seasoning

30 minutes + 3 hours 45 minutes Serves 8
Feast Christmas Turkey
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Ingredients

  • 125g butter
  • 2 trimmed celery stalks, chopped finely
  • 8 spring onions, chopped finely
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 6 cups coarse fresh, white breadcrumbs
  • 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
  • 1 Tbsp lemon rind, finely grated
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten lightly
  • Size 5 turkey
  • 50g butter, melted
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/4 cup plain flour
  • 3 cups reduced-salt chicken stock
  • 1 Tbsp cranberry jelly
  • 2 tsp fresh mint, finely chopped
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How to Prepare a Chicken or Turkey for Stuffing

Method

1. To make lemon parsley seasoning, melt 125g butter in a large frying pan; cook celery, stirring, until softened. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring, until fragrant. Combine onion mixture in a large bowl with remaining ingredients.

2. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C (160°C fan- forced).

3. Discard neck from turkey. Rinse turkey under cold water; pat dry inside and out with absorbent paper. Fill neck cavity loosely with lemon parsley seasoning; secure skin over opening with toothpicks. Fill large cavity loosely with lemon parsley seasoning; reserve remaining seasoning. Tie legs together with kitchen string; tuck wings under.

4. Place turkey on an oiled wire rack in a large roasting dish.Brush turkey all over with half the butter (25g). Rub a little salt into skin. Pour the water into the dish. Cover dish tightly with greased foil; roast in moderate oven for 2 hours.Uncover turkey; brush with remaining butter (25g). Roast, uncovered, in a moderate oven for a further 1 hour or until golden all over and cooked through, brushing with pan juices every 20 minutes. Remove turkey from dish, cover and stand for 20 minutes to rest.

5. Increase oven temperature to very hot, 240°C (220°C fan forced).

6. Lightly oil a 12 hole mini-muffin pan. Place 1 tablespoon of reserved lemon parsley seasoning in each hole. Bake in very hot oven for 10 minutes or until they are browned and crisp.

7. To make gravy, pour turkey pan juices from dish into a medium jug; reserve 2 tablespoons of fat from the top; discard remaining fat on surface of juices. Heat the fat in same roasting dish, add flour; cook, stirring, until mixture is well browned. Gradually stir in reserved pan juices and stock; bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring, until gravy thickens slightly. Stir in jelly and mint. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain gravy into a jug.

8. Serve turkey with seasoning muffins and gravy.

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