Ingredients
7kg fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
50g butter, melted
Stuffing:
1L chicken stock
60g butter
2 medium onions, halved, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
15 cardamom pods, bruised
3 cups brown basmati rice
2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 tbsp chopped lemon thyme leaves
1/4 cup finely chopped preserved lemon zest (see tip)
3/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
Gravy:
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp chicken gravy granules
1 tbsp finely chopped preserved lemon rind
Method
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To make stuffing, put chicken stock in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Heat the butter in a large, deep non-stick frying pan over low heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for about 15 minutes or until soft and lightly caramelised.
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Add cardamom and rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add hot stock and stir until combined. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook on low, stirring occasionally, for about 25-30 minutes, or until rice is just tender. Remove from heat. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes. Remove lid and allow to cool slightly. Stir through cranberries, lemon thyme, zest and almonds. Season to taste.
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Preheat oven to 180C. Remove giblets and neck from cavity of turkey. Wash inside with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Spoon stuffing in both ends of turkey to fill cavities. Pull excess skin, at neck end, to pull up and over filling. Secure by inserting wooden skewers. Use more skewers to secure skin over filling at other end, then tie legs together with kitchen string. Keep any remaining stuffing covered and refrigerated. Reheat to serve with turkey.
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Put turkey in a deep roasting pan with 2 cups water. Brush turkey with melted butter. Cover entire pan with large pieces of wet baking paper, then foil. Roast for 3 hours. Uncover and then baste with pan juices, being careful not to spoon basting juices over cavity as stuffing will become soggy. Roast for a further 1 hour and 15 minutes, basting a few times, until turkey is cooked through and golden. Stand for 15 minutes. Transfer to a large serving platter and cover with foil to rest while making gravy.
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To make gravy, combine flour and 1/3 cup stock in a large jug until smooth, then stir in rest of stock. Pour turkey pan juices into a large saucepan, then add wine. Bring to the boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Whisk in stock and flour mixture and return to the boil. Add gravy granules and preserved lemon. Gently boil, whisking often, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened to desired consistency. Season to taste. Reheat reserved rice stuffing. Serve turkey with gravy.
TIP: When using preserved lemon, discard flesh and use rind only.
Styling: Rhianne Contreras. Photography: Cath Muscat.
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