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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