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Red-roasted free-range turkey with Turkish pepperoni

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for red roasted free-range turkey with Turkish pepperoni.
Red roasted free-range turkey with Turkish pepperoni

Red roasted free-range turkey with Turkish pepperoni

Sharyn Cairns
6
45M
1H 30M
2H 15M

“Turkey is an often-neglected meat with wonderful deep flavour,” says Biron. “Its reputation has been largely besmirched by dodgy over-sized Christmas offerings. For this recipe I recommend you use free-range thigh meat; it’s available throughout the year from good poultry suppliers.” You’ll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Ingredients

Spice mix
Turkish pepperoni

Method

Main

1.For spice mix, dry-roast spices until fragrant (20 seconds), coarsely crush in a mortar and pestle and set aside.
2.Place turkey in a non-reactive container. Combine salt and sugar in a bowl with half the spice mix, rub all over turkey, cover and refrigerate until lightly cured (18 hours).
3.Rinse turkey under cold running water, pat dry with absorbent paper, cover with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature.
4.For Turkish pepperoni, preheat oven to 200C. Place capsicum in a roasting pan and roast, turning occasionally, until golden (20-30 minutes), then transfer to a bowl to cool (10-15 minutes). When cool enough to handle, peel (discard seeds and skins), cut into strips and transfer to a bowl. Meanwhile, heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, cook until tender (5 minutes), add garlic and remaining spice mix, stir until just golden (2-3 minutes), add roast capsicum, stir until soft (5-6 minutes), then add molasses and keep warm. Just before serving, add peach, herbs and pomegranate seeds and toss to combine.
5.Reduce oven to 170C. Rub turkey with olive oil, place on an oiled wire rack over a roasting pan and roast until turkey is just cooked and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a skewer (40-45 minutes). Cover with foil and rest for 15 minutes, then slice turkey across the grain and serve with Turkish pepperoni and yoghurt.

You’ll need to order large free-range turkey thighs ahead; they’re available from Pooginagoric Free-range Turkeys and specialist poultry suppliers. Isot pepper, also known as urfa biber, is a dried Turkish pepper; it’s available from Turkish food shops.

This recipe is from the March 2012 issue of

.

Drink Suggestion: Pinot noir Drink suggestion by George Biron

Notes

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