Geoff Jansz prepared a family feast of roasted turkey with a fennel and garlic stuffing.

Ingredients

1 x 4kg turkey

Stuffing:

• 3/4 loaf of 3-day-old, stale white bread, crusts removed
• 150g butter, cubed
• 1/2 kg fennel bulbs, washed, fronds removed, diced
• 1/4 cup Italian parsley, washed, roughly chopped
• 1 egg
• juice and zest of 1 orange
• 5 heads roasted garlic (or to your taste)
• 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 6 tablespoons softened butter

Gravy:

• 250ml red wine
• juice of 1/2 orange
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons plain flour

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C.
2. Place the heads of garlic on a baking tray with some olive oil. Roast until golden brown (approx 1 hour). Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Once the garlic is done, turn the oven up to 175°C, ready for the turkey.
3. Tear the bread into medium sized pieces and throw into a food processor. Process until you have breadcrumbs. Repeat until you’ve used the whole loaf.
4. Put the fennel and olive oil into a hot frying pan. Saute until caramelised and the edges are golden brown. Add the orange juice and season to taste. Remove the pan from the heat.
5. Add the butter, orange zest, parsley, egg and fennel to the breadcrumbs. Chop the ends off the roasted garlic heads and squeeze the garlic into the mixture. Mix thoroughly with clean hands.
   
6. Wash and dry the turkey thoroughly, both inside and outside. Remove the neck from the cavity and place in the baking tray. Place the turkey on a clean work surface. With clean hands stuff the turkey, and then tie up the legs with cotton string. (Tip: leftover stuffing can be wrapped in foil and baked in oven for the last 1/2 hour of cooking time.)
7. Drizzle some olive oil into a baking dish, then put the turkey into the dish. Rub the bird with softened butter, season to taste and roast for 2 hours.
8. When the 2 hours is up, serve the turkey with stuffing, roasted vegetables, steamed greens and gravy.

To make the gravy:

1. Remove the turkey and turkey neck from roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat. Spoon off the excess fat. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes (don’t let the flour burn).
2. Splash in the red wine and stir to combine and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock, then the orange juice, stirring constantly. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes or until you have a gravy consistency.
3. Strain and serve in a warmed jug or gravy boat.

Copyright CTC Productions 2003