Roasted Turkey with a Lebanese Twist
Description
Happy thanksgiving to all my readers in North America
Ingredients
- 1 4 kg. / 9 lb. whole fresh or frozen turkey, giblets and neck removed
- Salt to rub the inside and outside of the turkey
- 11/2 teaspoons of 7 spice
- ¼ cup canola oil to rub the turkey
- 5 bay leaves to put in the cavity of the turkey and in the tray
- 5 cardamom pods
For the rice:
- 2 cups medium grain rice I used jasmine rice
- 3 cups water to cook the rice
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon 7 spice
- 500 g. /1 lb. 2 oz. ground beef or lamb
- ½ cup black or golden raisins optional
- 1/3 cup blanched almonds
- 1/3 cup ghee or canola oil
- 3 cups water to cook the chicken
- ½ teaspoon tomato paste + 3 tablespoons canola oil to brown the bird later
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225 °C / 450°F.
- Rinse the turkey and pat dry using a paper towel.
- Rub the inside and outside of the turkey with salt and seven spice. Then rub inside and outside with the canola oil.
- Place 2 bay leaves in the cavity of the turkey.
- Tie the legs of the turkey with kitchen strings.
- Place the turkey on its back in a baking tray.
- Add 3 cups of water, cardamom pods and bay leavesto the turkey tray. Cook until the water in the tray starts boiling.
- Loosely cover the tray with heavy duty aluminum foil. Make sure the top of the bird does not come in contact with the foil.
- Reduce the heat to 180°C/350°F and cook for 4 hours, rotating the pan and adding more hot water if the tray dries out.
- Mix the tomato paste with the three tablespoons of canola oil and brush the cooked turkey. Roast the turkey for about 10- 15 minutes. Do not cover at this stage.
- While the Bird is roasting in the oven, prepare the rice:
- Soak the rice in warm water. Rinse and drain.
- In a heavy based saucepan, toast the almond in ghee or canola oil until lightly browned. Set aside.
- Add the ground meat to the saucepan and cook for a few minutes until well browned.
- Add the rice, salt, cinnamon powder, raisins (if used) and seven spice. Stir well.
- Pour the 3 cups of water. Once it starts boiling, reduce heat to very low, cover the pot and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Transfer the turkey to a serving plate and stuff some rice inside its cavity. Arrange the rest of the rice around the turkey. Sprrinkle the toasted almonds on top of the rice!
- Serve it with your favorite gravy or extract 1 cup of the oven turkey broth and place in a pot. Add 1 tablespoon flour to it and whisk thoroughly over medium heat until the sauce thickens, season with salt and a dash of freshly grated white pepper. Serve the sauce on the side. Happy eating!
Notes
If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!! Hashtag, #Hadia’s lebanese Cuisine
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!