Roast Turkey With Wild Rice Stuffing

Total Time: 4 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr 30 mins Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 1/2 cups wild rice
• 3 cups rich chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 12 ounces water chestnuts, sliced
• 1 bunch watercress, leaves & tender stem,chopped,coarsley
• 4 large scallions, and tender green,chopped coarsley
• 3/4 cup almonds, blanched (4 oz)
• 1/2 lb prosciutto, finely chopped
• salt
• pepper, freshly ground
• 16 -18 lbs turkey, gibs reserv
• 1 onion, halved
• 1 celery rib, in 2 inch pieces-i omit
• 3 tablespoons sweet creamy butter
• 3 tablespoons flour, all-purpose

Recipe

• 1 dilute the chicken stock with the water.
• 2 rinse the wild rice in several changes of cold water and drain.
• 3 put the rice in a medium saucepan, add 5 cups of diluted chicken stock and bring to a boil over moderately high heat.
• 4 cover, reduce the heat to low and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the stock absorbed.
• 5 the cooking time may vary from 35-60 minutes.
• 6 if the rice is not done and the stock has boiled away, add another cup of stock; if the rice is done but stock remains, uncover and boil over high heat until evaporated.
• 7 (the rice can be cooked up to 1 day ahead. let cool, then cover and refrigerate.) in a large bowl, toss the cooked rice with the water chestnuts, water cress, scallions, almonds, and proscuitto.
• 8 season with pepper and salt, if needed.
• 9 let the stuffing cool thoroughly.
• 10 in a medium saucepan, cover the turky neck, heart and gizzard with 4 cups of water.
• 11 add the onion, celery and a pinch of salt.
• 12 bring to a boil over high heat.
• 13 reduce the heat to low and simmer for 90 minutes, skimming occasionally.
• 14 strain the broth and set aside; you should have about 3 cups.
• 15 reserve the turkey gizzard and heart.
• 16 meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• 17 spoon the stuffing into the check and neck cavities of the bird.
• 18 fold the neck skin over the stuffing and secure with skewers.
• 19 truss the bird with twine.
• 20 season the turkey liberally with salt and pepper and rub the butter all over.
• 21 wrap any leftover stuffing in a foil packet.
• 22 place the turkey, breast side down, on a foil-lined rack, in a roasting pan and roast for 2 hours.
• 23 turn the turkey breast-side up and roast for about 2 hours longer, basting often with the pan juices.
• 24 ten minutes before the roasting time is up, add the turkey liver to the pan.
• 25 the bird is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the inner thigh registers 170 degrees.
• 26 transfer the turkey to a warm platter, reserving the liver.
• 27 let the bird rest for 30 minutes before carving.
• 28 heat the extra stuffing in the oven for about 25 minutes.
• 29 meanwhile, make the gravy.
• 30 pour all the juices into a large measuring cup.
• 31 spoon about 3 tablespoons of fat from the juices into the pan and set it over two burners.
• 32 stir the flour into the pan and cook over moderate heat for 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits.
• 33 whisk in 1 cup of the reserved turkey broth until smooth.
• 34 whisk in the remaining broth and simmer until thickened.
• 35 degrease the remaining juices in the measuring cup and stir them into the gravy.
• 36 chop the gizzard, heart and liver finely and stir into the gravy.
• 37 season with salt and pepper.
• 38 pour into a warmed gravy boat and serve alongside the carved turkey.