The Newsy Neighbour Magazine
December Issue #110
By Kathryn Hartwell
I
love turkey soooo much and that is a very good thing because it is good for
you! We all knew it was a rich source of protein but skinless turkey is also low
in fat. The skin, though, is my favourite part —succulent, juicy, crunchy skin.
And I only eat it twice a year—if I can get to it before my children do!
White turkey meat is lower in kilojoules and has less fat than dark
meat. A typical turkey consists of 70 per cent white meat and 30 per cent dark
meat and is a source of iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorus, vitamin B6 and
niacin, which are both essential for the body's energy production.
Regular turkey consumption can help lower cholesterol levels. The meat
is low-GI and can help keep insulin levels stable. It contains the amino acid
tryptophan, which produces serotonin and plays an important role in
strengthening the immune system. It is also a source of selenium, which is
essential for thyroid hormone metabolism and it also boosts immunity and acts
as an antioxidant.
I was thinking of changing up my stuffing this year
and found this most marvelous recipe I want to share with you. Enjoy your
Christmas turkey—you are going to love this recipe. Gobble-gobble.
HOLIDAY TURKEY WITH RICE STUFFING & GRAVY WITH FRESH HERBS
Please
read entire recipe before shopping or beginning.
12-15
lb fresh organic, or free-range turkey (do not use self-basting turkey)
Stuffing:
1/2
cup wild rice
1
cup long grain brown rice
1
medium onion, chopped
2
cups sliced crimini mushrooms
1
medium green apple, diced about 1/4 inch pieces
4
medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2
cup chopped walnuts
6
dried apricots, coarsely chopped
1/2
cup raisins
1/2
cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2
tbsp fennel seeds
1/2
cup + 1 Tbsp. chicken broth
salt
and black pepper to taste
Optional:
cook liver for 10 minutes with gravy ingredients, remove from heat, chop and
add to stuffing mixture.
Gravy:
6
cups chicken broth
2
large carrots, chopped in large pieces
2
medium onions, cut into large pieces
2
celery sticks, cut into large pieces
neck,
wing tips and giblets from turkey
1/3
cup flour mixed with water
salt
and black pepper
|
Directions:
Stuffing:
Bring 3-1/2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil.
While water is coming to a boil, rinse the wild rice under running water in a
strainer. When water is boiling add both wild and brown rice, cover, turn heat
to low and cook for about 45 minutes, until tender. Do not overcook. You will
most likely have excess water when rice is cooked properly. Put cooked rice in
a strainer and drain out excess water. Set aside in a large enough bowl to mix
everything together.
Heat 1 TBS chicken broth in a large stainless steel
skillet. Sauté onion in broth over medium
heat for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery and continue to sauté for another
2-3 minutes. Mix all the stuffing ingredients together in bowl and season with
salt and pepper.
Always stuff the turkey just before roasting—never
ahead of time—to avoid the growth of harmful bacteria. Have the stuffing hot
and pack it loosely in the body cavity.
Turkey:
Rinse turkey well inside and out. Pat dry. (If you
had to buy a frozen turkey, make sure it is completely thawed.) Preheat your
oven to 350°F (177°C) and put the oven rack on the bottom shelf. Right before
roasting the turkey, stuff it loosely with the stuffing.
Cut about 48 inches of heavy kitchen twine. Truss
the turkey by first binding the legs together with the center of the length of
twine. Run the twine along the sides of the turkey toward the neck tightly
holding the wings to its sides with the twine. Cross the twine around the neck
end of the bird and back to the legs. Loop around legs and tie a knot. Rub the
turkey with a little salt and pepper. Place turkey breast side down on a flat
or V-shaped rack in roasting pan. Make sure you use a rack inside the roasting
pan. Otherwise the skin may stick to the pan and tear. Add a cup of chicken
broth to the bottom of the pan. Roast breast side down, basting about every 30
minutes with the pan juices for about 2-1/2 hours for a 12-15 lb. turkey.
Bring turkey to the top of the stove, turn it to
its back and remove the trussing twine. This will now allow the inside of the
legs to brown along with the rest of the turkey. Baste again, and return to the
oven. But first, check the breast for doneness by inserting an instant reading
thermometer at the thickest part of the breast toward the neck. This will give
you an idea how much longer the turkey will need to cook. It should read about
125°F (52°C) at this point. When the thermometer reads between 165°F and 170°F
(74-77°C) in the thickest part of the thigh the turkey is perfectly done. Check
the stuffing by inserting the thermometer into the center of the cavity. The
stuffing should read 165°F (74°C) to be done. If it has not reached this
temperature, you should remove it from the turkey and finish cooking it in a
baking pan on its own. It's important the stuffing reaches this temperature to
be safe to eat. Check the thighs for doneness. Remove your turkey to a platter,
but don't carve it for at least 20 minutes.
Gravy:
Simmer all the ingredients except oat flour, thyme,
rosemary, salt, and pepper for about 1 hour on medium heat. Strain and discard
solids. Heat 1/4 cup broth in a stainless-steel skillet. Whisk in flour a
little at a time to incorporate. Using a wire whisk, add the rest of the broth
a little at a time on low heat. Keep whisking to avoid lumps until all the
liquid is incorporated.
Add rosemary and cook for another 20 minutes on low
heat, stirring occasionally. Season with chopped thyme, salt, and pepper. Recipe
from whfoods.com
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Kathryn Hartwell
References: whfoods.com, bodyandsoul.com and
medicalnewstoday.com
No comments:
Post a Comment