Recipe: Golden Cider-Roasted Turkey

the appetizer:

Sunday Roasts, A Year's Worth of Mouthwatering Roasts, from Old-Fashioned Pot Roasts to Glorious Turkeys and Legs of Lamb by Betty Rosbottom includes recipes like Brussels Sprouts, Bacon, and Apples; Golden Cider-Roasted Turkey; and Pork Loin with a Blue Cheese Stuffing and Roasted Pears.

Golden Cider-Roasted Turkey

Serves 8

Cost: Moderate
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Start-To-Finish Time: 4 hours, 10 minutes, including resting time for the turkey
Materials: Kitchen twine

As this turkey roasts to a rich golden brown, it fills the kitchen with the enticing aroma of apples and leeks, which roast along with it. Cider, used to baste the bird and also in the scrumptious sauce, adds a fresh, fruity accent to this roasted fowl. The recipe calls for a 14-lb/6.3-kg bird, perfect for serving eight with leftovers.

One 13- to 14-lb/5.9- to 6.3-kg turkey, rinsed and patted dry
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups/160 g chopped leeks, white and light green parts only (3 to 4 leeks)
2 small Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored,
and cut into 1/2-in/12-mm dice
4 fresh sage sprigs, plus extra sprigs for garnish
4 fresh thyme sprigs, plus extra sprigs for garnish
12 tbsp/170 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp dried sage leaves
1 tbsp dried thyme leaves
2-1/2 cups/600 ml fresh apple cider
1-1/4 cups/300 ml dry white wine
2 to 3 tbsp flour

1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F/165 degrees C/gas 3.

2. Season the cavity of the turkey generously with salt and pepper. Combine the leeks and apples in a medium bowl, and place 1 cup/100 g of this mixture in the cavity along with 4 sage and 4 thyme sprigs.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, dried sage, dried thyme, 1-1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper until well blended. Reserve 2 tbsp of this butter for the sauce and set aside. Use 4 tbsp/55 g of the remaining herb butter and rub it over the surface of the turkey. Truss the turkey: Use a long piece of kitchen twine and tie the legs together, slightly overlapping, then bring the string around the sides of the bird, pulling the wings toward the body, and tie the twine to secure (see cooking tip).

4. Place the turkey on a rack set in a large flameproof roasting pan/tray. Spread the remaining leeks and apples on the bottom of the pan. Combine the cider and white wine and reserve 1-1/2 cups/360 ml of this mixture for the sauce; pour 1/3 cup/75 ml of the remaining cider mixture over the turkey.

5. Roast the turkey until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees F / 82 degrees C, basting every 30 minutes with 1/3 cup/75 ml of the cider mixture and 1 tbsp of the herb butter, for about 3 hours and 10 minutes or longer. Watch carefully and if the turkey begins to brown too much, cover it loosely with foil. When done, remove the turkey to a platter and tent it loosely with foil. Let rest for 30 minutes while you prepare the sauce.

6. Drain the liquids from the roasting pan/tray into a bowl, pressing down hard on the roasted leeks and apples to release all the juices; discard the solids. Skim off and discard any fat from the drippings and return the drained juices to the pan. Add the reserved cider mixture and any leftover cider mixture from basting to the pan and place it over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a whisk, scrape up any brown bits on the bottom of pan into the liquids. Cook, whisking often, until the liquids have reduced by about a third, for 5 minutes.

7. Combine the reserved 2 tbsp herb butter and any butter left over from basting with 2 tbsp of flour and blend with a fork to make a paste (if you want the sauce to be thicker, increase the flour to 3 tbsp). Whisk the butter-flour mixture into the pan a little at a time until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon, for 5 to 6 minutes. Season the sauce with salt if needed and transfer it to a serving bowl.

8. To serve, remove and discard the twine and the ingredients from the cavity. Garnish the turkey with bouquets of sage and thyme sprigs. Pass the sauce on the side.

Sides: Sourdough Dressing with Roasted Root Vegetables (page 158 of the book) or Best-Ever Mashed Potatoes Buttermilk-Country Mustard variation (page 138), Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots (page 151), and Cranberry and Dried Cherry Chutney (page 165) would make mouthwatering accompaniments.

Leftover Tip: Use this leftover turkey, with its slight hint of sweetness, for sandwiches made with whole-wheat bread, lots of Dijon mustard, farmhouse cheddar, and a good dollop of cranberry chutney or sauce.

Cooking Tip: The reason a turkey is trussed is to help it keep its shape and ensure that it roasts evenly.

from:
Sunday Roasts
A Year's Worth of Mouthwatering Roasts,
from Old-Fashioned Pot Roasts to Glorious Turkeys and Legs of Lamb
by Betty Rosbottom
Photographs by Susie Cushner
Chronicle Books 2011
Paperback, 180 pages, $24.95
ISBN-10: 0811879682
ISBN-13: 978-0-8118-7968-2
Recipe reprinted by permission.

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