This recipe comes from my Whole Foods Diet Cookbook by Ivy Ingram Larson and Andrew Larson, M.D.
This recipe is the second in the four-recipe series I’ll be posting that lead up to a wonderful Thanksgiving Day dinner. Bon apetito!
ROSEMARY-ORANGE PERFECT ROAST TURKEY
1 (18-22 lb) whole, fresh, free-range, kosher organic turkey
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt, plus more to taste
Ground black pepper, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil cooking spray
1/3 cup chopped fresh rosemary
3 tablespoons grated orange zest
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grass-fed organic butter, melted
1-1/4 cups fresh orange juice, divided
1/8 teaspoon pure lemon extract
3 tablespoons raw honey, divided
1 red onion, cut into eight large chunks
1 fennel bulb, chopped, reserving 1/2 cup chopped fennel fronds
1 orange, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons white whole-wheat flour
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to lowest position. Remove and discard giblets and neck from turkey. Remove and discard any plastic or metal trussing device holding the drumsticks. Rinse turkey with cool water and pat dry. Set the turkey breast-side down; brush with 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Turn the turkey over, breast-side up, and brush with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the turkey on the rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, combine the rosemary, orange zest, lemon zest, butter and 1 teaspoon salt. Starting at the neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumstick by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Rub the rosemary mixture under the loosened skin and inside the cavity.
Combine 1/4 cup orange juice, lemon extract, and 1 tablespoon honey; pour liquid over turkey. Place onion, fennel, fennel fronds, and orange inside body cavity.
Insert meat thermometer into meat part of thigh, making sure not to touch the bone. Roast turkey for approximately 3 hours, or until meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. When the turkey is done, remove from the oven, cover with a foil tent, and allow to stand for about 20 minutes before carving.
To make the sauce, pour reserved pan drippings into a ziplock bag (to be environmentally conscious, I suggest pouring into a bowl). Seal bag; snip off a small corner of the bag. Drain drippings into a medium saucepan, stopping before the fat layer reaches the opening; discard fat. You should have at least 1 cup of drippings (if not, add free-range organic turkey broth to make up the difference). Add remaining 1 cup orange juice, flour, mascarpone cheese, remaining 2 tablespoons honey, and salt to taste. Bring mixture to a boil while whisking ingredients together and stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Serve orange sauce with turkey.
