Lemon roast turkey with hazelnut & fig stuffing

The Lebanese Recipes Kitchen (The home of delicious Lebanese Recipes and Middle Eastern food recipes) invites you to try Lemon roast turkey with hazelnut & fig stuffing Recipe. Enjoy tasty Christmas main Dishes and learn how to make wonderful Lemon roast turkey with hazelnut & fig stuffing!! Merry Christmas & happy new year.

Surprise your guests with a new take on the Christmas favourite - a filling of crunchy roasted hazelnuts and flavoursome dried figs.

Preparation Time 40 minutes
Cooking Time 210 minutes 

Ingredients (serves 10)

6kg (size 60) fresh or thawed frozen turkey
1 lemon, cut into 5mm-thick slices
100g butter, melted
3 large sprigs fresh rosemary
Cranberry & Rosemary Chutney (see related recipe), to serve

Hazelnut & fig stuffing
50g butter
1 brown onion, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tbs olive oil
280g (4 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old Italian-style bread)
90g (1/3 cup) coarsely chopped dried figs
1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
45g (1/4 cup) coarsely chopped dry-roasted hazelnuts
1 tbs finely grated lemon rind 

Method

1.To make the hazelnut & fig stuffing, melt the butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a large heatproof bowl. Heat the oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are light golden. Transfer to the bowl. Add the fig, parsley, hazelnuts and lemon rind and stir to combine.

2. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place an oven shelf in the lowest position and remove the other shelves except for the top shelf.

3. Remove excess fat, giblets and neck from the turkey cavity. Wipe inside and out with paper towel. Loosely fill with stuffing. Use unwaxed white kitchen string to tie the legs together. Run your fingers under the skin of the breast to loosen and create a large pocket. Arrange the lemon slices, in a single layer, inside the pocket. Tuck the wings under.

4. Add 250ml (1 cup) of water to a large roasting pan. Place the turkey, breast-side up, on a wire rack in the pan. Brush with butter. Tuck the rosemary sprigs under the string. Cover with non-stick baking paper, then cover the pan with foil. Roast, basting with remaining butter, every 30 minutes, for 2 1/2 hours.

5. Remove baking paper and foil. Roast for a further 45 minutes or until golden and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Transfer to a carving tray and cover loosely with foil. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest before carving. Serve with the chutney.

Notes
Time plan tip: Prepare to the end of step 1 up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Continue from step 2, 3 1/2 hours ahead.
How to make fresh breadcrumbs: Remove the crusts from about 5 large slices pane di casa (Italian crusty bread). Coarsely tear the bread. Place in the bowl of a food processor and process until coarsely chopped.

Source
Good Taste - December 2007, Page 39
Recipe by Gemma Purcell 

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