Cathal Armstong's Thanksgiving Recipe
Wild, Farm-Raised Turkey and Stuffing
From Chef Cathal Armstrong, Restaurant Eve, 110 S. Pitt Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
For the turkey:
15 lb. turkey (purchased from a local farmers' market)
1 package of bacon (not smoked, must be pork)
Roll of aluminum foil
For the stuffing:
1 pint chicken broth
1/2 Lb. diced bacon
1 Large yellow onion, diced
1 Large Idaho potato, diced
1 Diced sourdough bread loaf
4 Tblsp. parsley, fresh and chopped
2 Tblsp. rosemary, fresh and chopped
2 Tblsp. thyme, fresh and chopped
3 Tblsp. sage, fresh and chopped
5 eggs
salt and pepper
Pan Gravy
Method:
In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the stuffing thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff the turkey with the stuffing. Tie the legs together tightly. Cover this area ONLY with foil.
Place the turkey on a baking rack set inside a baking sheet, or place turkey on a traditional turkey baking pan with a raised rack. This will steam the bird and keep it moist.
Cover the breast of the turkey with strips of bacon, followed by a layer of foil to cover this area ONLY. Pour 1 pint of chicken stock into the baking sheet or pan. Place into the oven at 350°. See "Tips" for the cooking time. One hour from finish cooking time, remove the foil from stuffing section and the breast section along with the bacon. Turn up the temperature to 400°.
Tips:
15 minutes of oven bake time per pound plus 15 minutes, 300° to begin
Do not use a meat thermometer
Try for fresh chicken broth
Save the turkey bones to make soup, post-Thanksgiving
WWW.Farmland.org - use this website to find local farmers markets
Always drink wine while making turkey.