Everyone has their favourite turkey and stuffing recipe… sometimes handed down the family over generations. This is a new take on an old favourite, instead of the usual sausage meat and chestnut stuffing it has a modern and lighter couscous one.
Serves
6 people (with leftovers)
Ingredients
- 150g dried couscous
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 150g courgette, coarsely grated
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 50g soft dried apricots, finely chopped or dried cranberries
- 25g toasted flaked almonds
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 thin slices lean bacon, halved
- 5kg whole turkey
- 2 oranges, cut into wedges
- 300ml dry white wine or turkey stock
- bay leaves, to garnish (optional)
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan170°C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to beat the low end of HOT)
- Put the couscous in a bowl and add sufficient boiling water to cover by 1cm. Leave to stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Add the garlic, onion, courgette,sage, apricots or cranberries, almonds and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into small bun tins lined with the bacon.
- Place the orange wedges inside the turkey and place in a roasting tin. Pour in the wine or stock and cover with foil. Roast for 3 1/2 hours, removing the foil for the final 20-30 minutes to brown the skin. Allow to rest, covered with foil, for up to 1 hour before serving.
- Cook the stuffing in the oven during this time for 20-30 minutes.
- Make a gravy in the usual way with any skimmed pan juices. Serve the turkey garnished with bay leaves if liked and with the stuffing, gravy and chosen vegetables.
Get Ahead!
The stuffing can be used to stuff the neck cavity of the turkey if preferred but must be cold before doing so. Check the turkey is cooked sufficiently by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer – the juices that run out should be clear with no traces of pink.
