Recipes

Roast Turkey with Savoury Dressing

Ingredients:

6 Servings, 4 cups (1 L)
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 5 minutes for vegetables

The best dressing is made with bread one or two days old. Stuff turkey (or chicken) just before you roast it. This recipe makes enough to stuff a 6-lb (3 kg) chicken; double the recipe for a 12-lb (6 kg) turkey.

Tip:
♦ If you have bread crumbs in the freezer, approximately 4 cups (1 L) fresh crumbs is the equivalent of 6 slices of bread.

Dressing:
6 slices bread (180 g), crusts included (See Tip) 6
2 tbsp soft margarine or butter 25 mL
1 cup chopped mushrooms 250 mL
½ cup each chopped celery and onion 125 mL
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley 50 mL
1 tsp dried tarragon 5 mL
½ tsp paprika 2 mL
Pinch ground nutmeg and freshly ground pepper Pinch

Instructions:

1. Prepare bread crumbs in food processor or by hand. In non-stick skillet, melt margarine over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms, celery, onion and parsley for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened. Cool. Stir in tarragon, paprika, nutmeg and pepper. Stir into bread crumbs.

To Stuff and Roast Poultry
1. Rinse and dry the cavity; stuff loosely with prepared dressing. Close opening by trussing with a large needle and string, or insert skewers and criss-cross the string. Cross legs and tie with string so legs are close to body. Turn wings back, tuck under bird and secure with skewers or string.
2. Place on rack in uncovered roasting pan, breast side up; insert meat thermometer in thigh. Roast in 325º F (160º C) oven until thermometer reaches 185º F (85º C) or juices run clear. If breast starts to brown too much, cover with foil.

Roasting Chart
Since cooking times are approximate, using a meat thermometer is the most accurate way to gauge doneness. Roast until internal temperature of poultry reaches 180º F (85º C). A general rule of thumb when roasting is to allow 18 to 20 minutes per pound (500 g) for both turkey and chicken.

Whole Turkey Total Cooking Time in Hours
10 lb (4.5 kg) 3 to 3½
15 lb (6.75 kg) 4 to 4½
20 lb (9 kg) about 6

Whole Chicken
6 lb (3 kg) 2¼ to 2¾

Notes:

Nutritional Analysis per Serving (2/3 cup (150 mL) dressing): Calories 114, carbohydrate 15g, fiber 1g, protein 3g, total fat 5g, saturated fat 1g, sodium 187mg.

Canada’s Choice per Serving: 1 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat

Recipe reprinted with permission from Canada’s 250 Essential Diabetes Recipes, Sharon Zeiler, Robert Rose Inc., 2011, http://www.robertrose.ca