FOOD | FESTIVE FARE
G A RL I C & H E RB T U RK E Y
C RO W N W I T H C O N F I T L E G S
Preparing the confit legs ahead of
time makes for quicker cooking on
the day, and means you get both
dark and white meat without the
stress of roasting a whole bird.
Serves 6 plus leftovers
confit legs only
Takes 5 hrs plus cooling
Cost per serve £4.75
freeze
1.5-1.9kg small turkey crown,
defrosted
2 large onions, thickly sliced
50g salted butter, softened
15g fresh parsley, finely chopped,
plus extra to serve (optional)
10g fresh sage, leaves picked and
finely chopped, plus extra to serve
(optional)
10g fresh thyme, leaves picked and
chopped, plus extra to serve
(optional)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
For the confit turkey legs
2 turkey drumsticks
2 bay leaves
10g fresh thyme
3-4 x 320g jars goose fat
3 garlic cloves, bashed
1 Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180˚C,
fan 160˚C. To make the confit turkey
legs, season the drumsticks, rubbing
into the skin, and put in a very deep
roasting tin where they fit snugly,
with at least 5cm between the top of
the legs and the top of the tin. Add
the herbs, 3 jars of goose fat and the
garlic. Bake for 10 mins to melt the
fat, then check that the drumsticks
are submerged, adding another jar
of fat if needed. Cover with foil,
reduce the oven to gas 1, 140˚C,
fan 120˚C and roast for 2½-3hrs
until the meat is pulling away from
the bones and very tender. Leave to
cool to room temperature.
2 For the crown, preheat the oven
to gas 5, 190˚C, fan 170˚C. Calculate
the cooking time with the pack
instructions. Pat the turkey dry with
kitchen paper and put in a roasting
tin on top of the onions.
3 Mash the butter with the herbs
and garlic; season. Make a pocket
between the turkey skin and meat
and press half the butter into the
pocket, massaging it into the meat.
Use all but 2 tbsp of the remaining
butter to rub over the outside of the
skin in a thin layer. Cover loosely with
foil and roast for the allotted time.
4 When the turkey has 30 mins left,
remove the foil and brush the skin
with the remaining butter. Cook
uncovered for the final 30 mins,
increasing the oven to gas 7, 220˚C,
fan 200˚C for the last 10 mins until
golden and cooked through. The
centre of the turkey should register
70˚C on a meat thermometer
and the juices should run clear
when a skewer is inserted into the
thickest part. Cover loosely in foil
for 30-45 mins to rest.
5 Meanwhile, reduce the oven to
gas 5, 190˚C, fan 170˚C. Remove the
confit turkey from the fat. Discard
the skin and bones and shred the
meat into large chunks. Transfer to
a baking dish, cover with foil and
roast for 25-30 mins or until piping
hot. Strain off the remaining fat,
then season well. Serve with the
crown (discard the onions) garnished
with extra herbs, if you like.
Each serving contains
Energy
2790kJ
665kcal
33%
Fat
Saturates
32g 11g
46% 56%
Sugars
Salt
3g
3%
0.9g
14%
of the reference intake. See page 127.
Carbohydrate 5g Protein 89g Fibre 1g
COOK’S TIP
PA RM E S A N , N D U JA &
S O U RD O U G H S T U F F I N G
Serves 6
Takes 1 hr
Cost per serve 86p
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
100g sourdough, blitzed into
breadcrumbs
25g Parmesan, finely grated
100g nduja, finely chopped
1 large egg, beaten
5g fresh thyme, leaves picked
1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and
finely chopped
50g dried apricots, finely chopped
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Heat 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan over
a medium heat and fry the onion for
10 mins until lightly golden. Add the
garlic, fry for 1 min, then tip into a
bowl and leave to cool for 5 mins.
2 Add the breadcrumbs, Parmesan,
nduja, egg, herbs, apricots and
nutmeg to the onions; season. Mix
well until the mixture is combined
and sticks together. Shape into
12 ping-pong-sized balls and
transfer to the fridge for 10 mins.
3 Preheat the oven to gas 5, 190˚C,
fan 170˚C. Put the stuffing balls on
a nonstick baking sheet and brush
with 1 tbsp oil. Roast for 20 mins
until piping hot, and golden and
crisp on the outside. When cooked,
a metal skewer inserted into the
centre will feel hot to the touch
when removed. Transfer to a
serving dish, leaving any excess
oil on the tray.
Each serving contains
Spoon remaining goose
fat into a container,
leaving the turkey juices
below behind; discard
the herbs and garlic.
Cover and chill for up to
1 week, or freeze for
1 month; defrost in the
fridge overnight.
Energy
974kJ
234kcal
12%
Fat
Saturates
16g 6g
23% 29%
Sugars
Salt
5g
6%
0.9g
16%
of the reference intake. See page 127.
Carbohydrate 15g Protein 6g Fibre 2g
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