Make an impressive turkey centrepiece for Christmas day. Sticky green figs and glazed bacon are the perfect match for a succulent and tender bird.
Main INGREDIENTS
- Meat
Ingredients
Method
Ingredients
FOR THE TURKEY
- 3-4kg turkey, defrosted thoroughly and rinsed
- 2-3 red onions, halved
- 1 head of garlic, halved
- 20g mixed fresh sage and thyme
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
- 4 Tbsp (60ml) olive oil
- 2-3 cups chicken broth
- 250g streaky bacon
FOR THE GREEN FIG GLAZE
- 1 cup (250ml) chicken stock
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup prosecco vinegar/white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (125ml) preserved green fig syrup
- 4 green figs, finely chopped
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Method
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1To roast the turkey: Stuff the turkey with halved red onions, garlic cloves and herbs. Using food-safe string, truss the turkey well to keep the wings and legs secure. Season thoroughly with the salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Place in the Le Creuset 31cm Signature Oval Casserole in Cerise, close the lid and roast for 1 ½ - 2 hours, adding chicken stock to the bottom of the casserole to prevent the turkey from drying out. After an hour, remove the lid completely and begin to baste the turkey with the green fig glaze.
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2While you are doing this, heat a large pan over a medium heat with 2 tsp of olive oil. Fry the bacon until cooked and just browning. For the last 15 – 20 minutes of cooking, arrange the bacon on top of the turkey in layered rows. Generously continue to coat with the glaze and turn up the heat to 210C until slightly caramelised. Allow the turkey to rest for 15 minutes or so before serving.
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3To make the glaze: Place the stock, white wine, Dijon mustard, lemon, and vinegar in a casserole. Reduce liquid to half and then add the chopped figs and fig syrup. Reduce by half again until syrupy and glossy, and season to taste.
Cook’s Tip
A guide to roasting the turkey is to work on 30 minutes per kilogram. Start by roasting at 210°C for the first 15 minutes and then turn down the temperature to 180C for the remainder of the cook time.
