Name: Roast turkey with dried fig and cracked wheat stuffing with Pedro Ximénez sauce
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 turkey (about 4kg), at room temperature; ½ lemon; ½ head garlic; 50 gm softened butter; To serve: orange and watercress salad; Dried fig and cracked wheat stuffing; 150 gm flaked almonds; 60 ml olive oil (¼ cup); 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped; 220 ml chicken stock; Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange; 300 gm cracked wheat, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, rinsed, drained; 200 gm whole dried figs, coarsely chopped; ¾ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley; 50 gm butter, coarsely chopped; 1 tsp ground allspice; Pedro Ximénez sauce; 1½ tbsp vegetable oil; 4 turkey wings, coarsely chopped; 1 carrot, coarsely chopped; 1 golden shallot, coarsely chopped; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 50 ml sherry vinegar; 150 ml Pedro Ximénez; 2 thyme sprigs; 1 cinnamon quill; 1 thin slice ginger; 500 ml chicken stock (2 cups)

Roast turkey with dried fig and cracked wheat stuffing with Pedro Ximénez sauce

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for roast turkey with dried fig and cracked wheat stuffing with Pedro Ximénez sauce.

Serves 8

Prep

30M

Cook

2H 30M

Total

“This recipe is a collaboration between myself and Kurt Sampson, the chef at our sister restaurant Pata Negra. I love the combination of cracked wheat, spices and figs in the stuffing. It gives the dish a really fragrant note. Orange rind and parsley add freshness and the Pedro Ximénez sauce brings it all together.”

Ingredients

1 turkey (about 4kg), at room temperature

½ lemon

½ head garlic

50 gm softened butter

To serve: orange and watercress salad

Dried fig and cracked wheat stuffing

150 gm flaked almonds

60 ml olive oil (¼ cup)

1 onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

220 ml chicken stock

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange

300 gm cracked wheat, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, rinsed, drained

200 gm whole dried figs, coarsely chopped

¾ cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

50 gm butter, coarsely chopped

1 tsp ground allspice

Pedro Ximénez sauce

1½ tbsp vegetable oil

4 turkey wings, coarsely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 golden shallot, coarsely chopped

1 garlic clove, crushed

50 ml sherry vinegar

150 ml Pedro Ximénez

2 thyme sprigs

1 cinnamon quill

1 thin slice ginger

500 ml chicken stock (2 cups)

Method

Main

1.For dried fig and cracked wheat stuffing, preheat oven to 180C. Roast almonds on an oven tray, shaking occasionally, until golden (5-7 minutes), set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add onion and garlic, sauté until tender (7-10 minutes). Add stock, orange rind and juice, bring to the boil, add wheat, reduce heat to low, cover, stir occasionally until tender (10-12 minutes). Remove from heat, stand for 2 minutes, add remaining ingredients, fluff with a fork, season to taste, cool completely.

2.Rinse turkey under cold running water, pat dry with absorbent paper, rub inside cavity with lemon and garlic (discard). Spoon stuffing into cavity, truss legs with kitchen twine, tuck wing tips under backbone. Rub butter over skin, season to taste and roast until turkey is cooked through (1¾ hours for cooked breast and just-cooked thighs; 2 hours for well-done breast and thighs), cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest (30 minutes).

3.Meanwhile, for Pedro Ximénez sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add wings, carrot, shallot and garlic, stir occasionally until caramelised (7-10 minutes). Deglaze pan with vinegar, cook until almost evaporated (1-2 minutes), add Pedro Ximénez and reduce by two-thirds (5-10 minutes). Add remaining ingredients and turkey pan juices, simmer until reduced by half (20-30 minutes). Strain, season to taste and serve with turkey, stuffing and orange and watercress salad.

This recipe is from the December 2010 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.
Drink Suggestion: Earthy red tempranillo. Drink suggestion by Max Allen
Notes