Roast Turkey with Apple-Walnut
Stuffing
Mark Lahm , Henry’s End [44
Henry St. between Cranberry and Middagh streets, (718) 834-1776]
Turkey:
14-pound turkey – rinsed and patted dry
4 ounces melted butter
5 garlic cloves – minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh rosemary – chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage – chopped
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 large carrot – diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1 large onion – diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1 celery rib – diced into 1/4-inch cubes
5 cups chicken or turkey stock
2/3 cup all purpose flour
Apple-walnut stuffing:
4 ounces butter
1 large onion – diced into 1/4-inch cubes
3 celery ribs – diced into 1/4-inch cubes
10 cups day-old French bread – cubed
1 1/2 cups walnuts – toasted in oven then roughly chopped
2 cups Granny Smith apples – peeled, seeded and diced into 1/4-inch
cubes
2 tablespoons fresh parsley – chopped
3 tablespoons fresh sage – chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme – chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Position rack on lower third of oven.
Turkey:
1. Wash and dry turkey carefully.
2. Tie drumsticks together and wings to the body.
3. Combine butter and seasonings and spread over turkey.
4. Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan. Cover the breast
with aluminum foil.
5. Roast, basting every 20-30 minutes (lift foil to baste breast)
for three hours.
6. Remove foil. Add carrots, onions and celery to pan.
7. Roast until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees, about
another 60 to 90 minutes. (Insert thermometer deep into thigh
without touching bone.) Juices should run clear yellow with no
pink tinge.
Stuffing:
While turkey is roasting, prepare the stuffing.
1. Heat the butter. Add onions and celery. Cook until tender
about 12-15 minutes.
2. Mix the vegetables, bread, walnuts, apples, herbs, salt and
pepper in a large mixing bowl. Gradually stir in enough stock
to moisten the stuffing. Do not make it soggy.
3. Spoon stuffing into greased 10-inch by 15-inch pan and cover
with aluminum foil.
When turkey is done:
Remove turkey from oven and let cool for at least 30 minutes
before carving. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees and
place stuffing in oven for 30 minutes.
Gravy:
1. Strain juices into a measuring cup or small bowl, discarding
vegetables. Let stand a few minutes then skim fat into a measuring
cup. You will need approximately 2/3 cup of fat for the gravy.
Add olive oil if you are short.
2. Place roasting pan on the stove and turn burners up to medium
heat.
3. Pour in the fat. Whisk flour into fat and cook until it begins
to bubble.
4. Slowly pour in the stock, whisking and scraping up the browned
bits in the pan.
5. Simmer 10-15 minutes until thickened and no raw flour taste
remains. Strain if the gravy is lumpy.
6. Season gravy with salt and pepper.
7. Keep warm while carving turkey.
Wine suggestions
Vaughan suggests the organic and pesticide-free Lolonis Zinfandel
Mendocino 1999 ($14).
"Although this is a big wine, the tannins are soft and will
not overwhelm the turkey," she says. "The grapes have
some nice acidity that will balance the rich stuffing."
Other choices: Cantina La Vis Pinot Nero 2000 ($12), Olivier
Merlin Bourgogne Rouge 2000 ($15) and Miner Family Viognier 2001
Chardonnay ($21).
