A HARVEST BANQUET

AN HERB- ROASTED TURKEY

YOU CAN’T USE TOO MANY FRESH HERBS when seasoning and garnishing roast turkey. I like to stuff handfuls of fresh herb sprigs under the skin and inside the breast and neck ­cavities along with slices of apple, orange, and onion. Some of my­ ­favorites include Mexican mint marigold, oregano, thyme, sage, pineapple sage, lemon verbena, and rosemary, alone or in combination.

Here are some other winning combinations.

• Traditional: sage, Italian parsley, thyme, marjoram, oregano, chives, rosemary, and bay.

• Southwestern: oregano (try Mexican oregano), Mexican mint marigold, hoja santa, thyme, marjoram, and bay. Place a few whole dried red New Mexico chiles inside the cavities.

• Citrus-scented: lemon verbena, lemon balm, lemongrass, and lemon thyme, with a few sprigs of rosemary or pineapple sage.

The recipe given below will serve twelve hungry people with plenty of leftovers.

Step 1:

MAKE THE BROTH

Several hours or the day before roasting a turkey, simmer the giblets and neck to make a flavorful broth to moisten the cornbread dressing and baste the turkey. You may substitute canned or frozen chicken or vegetable broth.

Giblet Broth

Turkey giblets and neck
1 onion, quartered
3 celery tops
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole allspice
1 bay leaf
Several sprigs fresh thyme
4 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

Rinse the giblets and neck and place them in a saucepan with the seasonings and stock. Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then simmer, partly covered, for 50 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth. Shred the meat from the cooled neck and chop the giblets; reserve for your favorite gravy or another use. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 2:

PREPARE THE TURKEY

I use lots of herbs and other ingredients to flavor a turkey inside and out; then I make a cornbread dressing such as the one on page 30 to cook separately and serve as a side dish. Follow this roast turkey recipe but stuff it with the cornbread stuffing if you prefer.

Herb-Roasted Turkey with Apples and Oranges

Serves 12

1 twelve-pound turkey, fresh or frozen, thawed in the refrigerator
4 to 6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
4 small oranges, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
1 green apple, sliced
3 generous handfuls of fresh herbs such as Mexican mint marigold, oregano, thyme, sage, pineapple sage, lemon verbena, and rosemary
1 red onion, peeled and cut into thin wedges
1/2 pound pearl onions
2 white onions, peeled and cut into thin wedges
2 cups or more giblet or other flavorful broth

Rinse the turkey and pat dry. With your fingers, gently separate the skin from the breast. Rub butter under the skin, inside the breast and neck cavities, and on the skin. Combine the salt and spices. Sprinkle some of the mixture into the cavities, reserving the rest.

Stuff as many of the orange, lemon, and apple slices, herbs, red onion, and pearl onions as will fit into the cavities and under the skin. Sprinkle the skin with the reserved spice mixture. Tie the legs of the turkey and place it, breast side up, on a rack in a large, foil-lined roasting pan; surround it with the remaining orange slices, white onion wedges, pearl onions, and giblet broth.

Step 3:

ROAST THE TURKEY

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Plan on 4 hours of roasting time for a 12-pound turkey but double-check doneness with a meat thermometer. As the pop-up thermometers provided in some turkeys are not always accurate, insert your own meat thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh or breast, not touching bone.

Cover the turkey loosely with foil and place it in the oven. Immediately reduce the heat to 325°F. After 1 hour, baste the turkey with the pan juices. Continue roasting, basting every 30 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Remove the foil for the final 20 minutes of roasting and raise the temperature to 350°F; baste frequently. The turkey is done when a thermometer inserted in the thigh reads 175°F, in the breast, 160°F; the juices should run clear. Remove the turkey from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Place the turkey on a platter and garnish it generously with fresh herbs, blossoms of mint marigold, pineapple sage and other salvias, and crab apples, cranberries, kumquats, small clusters of grapes, and slices of lemon or orange.