Holiday Turkey with Wild Mushroom, Herb, and Bread Stuffing

Preparation

1. In a medium, heat-resistant bowl, mix the dehydrated mushrooms with some boiling water. Rehydrate for about 10-12 minutes. Drain and finely chop the mushrooms. Keep the water to add to the turkey’s cooking liquid.
2. Heat some vegetable oil in a pan and sauté the onion and garlic. Add the button mushrooms and rehydrated wild mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes. Transfer the ingredients to a large bowl and let cool. Add the herbs, bread, Belsoy cream, eggs, and cider vinegar. Season the stuffing and mix well.
3. Generously salt the turkey, inside and out; also season with pepper if desired. Spoon the stuffing mixture into the turkey.
4. Using a needle or paper clip, truss the stuffed turkey. Starting at the neck area, pass the needle through both the skin and meat on both sides to make sure it won’t loosen and open while cooking. Tie knots at both ends of the string to hold it together once you have sewn up the opening.
5. Place the trussed turkey into a roasting dish, with the sewn side facing down. Preheat a convection oven to 180° C (350° F). Add the thyme, bay leaves, and a head of garlic (split into cloves) to the roaster. Cook for 1 hour.
6. After the first hour, add the poultry broth to the roaster, lower the oven temperature to 150° C (300° F), and continue cooking for 2 hours. Next, bring the oven temperature down to 110° C (225° F) and continue cooking for 3 more hours. Plan for about 15 to 20 minutes cooking time per 454 g (1 lb). For an 8 kg turkey, that should be about 6 hours. Frequently baste the bird with a baster or ladle throughout the cooking time.
7. Using two large spatulas, remove the turkey from the roaster and place it on a serving platter. Cover the turkey with a piece of greased aluminium foil. Let the turkey rest for 30 to 45 minutes after taking it out of the oven.

*Recipe courtesy of Ann-Rika Martin