Roast turkey with Mum’s Cranberry Stuffing

Turkey & Cranberry Stuffing

Ingredients:

  • 1 sprig fresh sage, leaves picked off the stem
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  • 12 thin slices streaky bacon or pancetta (take 6 pieces of the bacon and finely cut into pieces and reserve. The other 6 cut in half and reserve).
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  • 1 tsp Low FODMAP Garlic Replacer
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  • 1 tsp Low FODMAP Onion Replacer
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  • 2 cups chopped green spring onions (green part only)
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  • 2 celery sticks, trimmed and finely chopped
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  • 1 cup GF breadcrumbs (homemade if possible!)
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  • 1/2 cup Cranberry Jam
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  • 300g minced pork
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  • 1 lemon
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  • 1 pinch of grated nutmeg
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  • 1 large egg
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  • 12 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus an extra 2
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  • 4-4.5 kg turkey at room temperature
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  • 4 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
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  • 1 large orange
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  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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  • 2 tablespoons GF flour
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  • 2 litres stock (chicken or vegetable - Massel is my preference when in a rush or if I have time I make a homemade stock)

    • Method:

    • Preheat oven to 250C.
    • Heat a saucepan and add a splash of olive oil.
    • Add the sage leaves.
    • Add the chopped celery to the pan with 1 tsp FODMAP friendly garlic and 2 tsp FODMAP friendly onion oil.
    • Add 6 x chopped bacon strips.
    • Fry everything gently until soft and golden brown then add the green spring onions and cook until wilted - do not allow to go brown.
    • Take the pan off the heat and add the breadcrumbs. 
    • Whilst cooling, stir in the Cranberry Jam
    • Once cooled, add the pork, lemon zest, nutmeg, egg, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste), mix well.
    • Take the remaining strips of bacon (halves), and roll around a rosemary sprig. Repeat with the other pieces of bacon until you have 12 little rolls.  Drizzle over 1 tsp FODMAP friendly garlic oil.
    • With a thin knife stab the thighs and drumsticks of the turkey in 6 places (on each side of the bird).
    • Push a little pancetta/rosemary roll into each hole until it just peeps out. This will give your turkey thighs a wonderful flavour whilst keeping it moist.
    • Make sure to give your turkey a good wipe over with paper towel, inside and out, and place on a board, neck facing you.
    • Locate the edge of the skin that's covering the turkey's breasts and gently peel it back. Work your fingers and then your hand under the skin, freeing it from the meat. (If careful you should be able to pull all the skin away from the meat, keeping it attached at the sides). No holes please!!
    • Lift the loose skin at the neck end and spoon the stuffing between the skin and the breast, tucking the flap of skin underneath to stop anything leaking out.
    • Place the whole orange in the microwave, and heat for 30 seconds. Stuff it into the cavity.
    • Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time (20 minutes per 500g)
    • Place the turkey on a large roasting tray, rub with olive oil and season well
      Surround with the chopped carrots, drizzle with a little EVO, onion and garlic oil
    • Cover with tin foil and place in the preheated oven. Immediately set the temperature to 180°C and roast for your calculated time, or until the juices run clear from the thigh if you pierce it with a knife or a skewer. Remove the tin foil for the last 45 minutes to brown the bird
    • Once cooked, carefully lift the turkey out of the tray and rest on a board covered loosely with foil for at least 1 hour, preferably 2 hours for bigger birds
    • After 1-2 hours, skim the surface fat from the roasting tray and add the GF flour and stock. Place the tray on the hob and bring to the boil on a high heat. When the gravy starts to thicken pour into a serving jug
    • Serve your turkey with gravy, Cranberry Jam and all the trimmings