cityfitness

Rosemary and basil roast turkey

by Star Pooley, 12 December 2011

This recipe keeps your turkey moist and full of flavour. You can also use this recipe for chicken. Ready in 4 hours 25 minutes

Serves: 16

Prep: 25 minutes | Cook: 4 hours

Combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, basil, Italian herb seasoning, black pepper and salt. Set aside.
Wash the turkey, inside and out and pat dry. Remove any excess fat deposits. Loosen the skin from the breast. This is done by slowly working your fingers between the breast and the skin. Work it loose to the end of the drumstick being careful not to tear the skin.
Using your hand, spread a generous amount of the rosemary mixture under the breast skin and down the thigh and leg. Rub the remainder of the rosemary mixture over the outside of the breast. Use cocktail sticks to seal skin over any exposed breast meat.
Place the turkey on a rack in a roasting tin. Add just enough water to cover the bottom of the pan. Roast according to the weight of your turkey. Roast in a preheated 180 C oven. When finished, a meat thermometer inserted in the thigh should read 82 C and the juices should run clear when pierced with a fork.

Stuffing your turkey
You can stuff the turkey using this recipe for

Serves: 14

Prep: 15 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes

If you are cooking the stuffing, butter a 23x33cm baking dish and preheat oven to 190 degrees C.
Rinse, pat dry and quarter mushrooms. In large frying pan, heat the butter and add mushrooms, onion and celery; sauté 5 minutes and remove from heat. Stir in the mixed herbs, salt and pepper.
In large mixing bowl, combine breadcrumbs with stock and eggs, then add mushroom mixture, apples and parsley; mix well. You can use the mixture to stuff the bird (s) at this point or transfer the mixture to the baking dish.
Cover and bake for about 45 minutes. Remove cover and bake 15 minutes longer to brown the top.