Turkey Stuffed with Chestnuts - (Dinde Aux Marrons)

Yield > 1
Keys : Turkey Poultry Nuts Seafood French France European
Mediterranean French
Ingredients :
10 lb Ready-to-cook turkey
2 lb Chestnuts
2 cup Consomme
1 cup Water
2 lb Sausage meat
1 lb Lean ground pork
1 tbl Salt
1/4 tsp Pepper
1/8 cup Brandy
4 slc Salt pork (thin slices)
Method :
• With a sharp knife, cut an incision through the shell of
each chestnut. Place chestnuts on cookie sheet and bake at
450 degrees for 10 minutes. Shell chestnuts.
• In large saucepan, combine chestnuts, consomme, and
water. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Drain
and let cool.
• In mixing bowl, combine chestnuts, sausage meat,
ground pork, salt, pepper, and brandy. Mix thoroughly.
• Stuff bird with chestnut mixture. Sew up the opening.
Cover breast of turkey with slices of salt pork. Cover with
buttered wax paper. Place on rack in roasting pan. Pour 3
tablespoons water in pan. Roast at 450 degrees for 15
minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees and
continue roasting for 1 hour. Remove wax paper. Continue
roasting for 30 minutes. Remove salt pork and continue
roasting for 2 1/2 hours, or until well done, turning bird in
order to brown all sides, and basting occasionally with fat from
the pan. For the last half-hour, let bird stand breast-side up.
• For gravy: Pour off excess fat from cooking liquid in pan.
Add 1/4 cup boiling water and bringing to boil, scrape bottom
of pan until all brown crust is entirely dissolved. Do not
thicken. Correct seasoning.
• Comments: It is true that there is no Thanksgiving in
France, but there also, turkeys are the victims of a "sacrificial
rite." Everybody who can afford it has turkey for the two
"reveillons." "Reveillon de Noel" and "Reveillon du Jour de l'An"
are the dinner-suppers served at midnight the 24th and the
31st of December.
• In both celebrations, "Dinde aux marrons" (turkey stuffed
with chestnuts) is the highlight of the dinner - and justly so,
Because even people who don't as a rule care much for turkey
love it that way.
• Served with "Braised Celery" (recipe included in this
database) and accompanied by a great Bordeaux, it is truly
magnificent.
• Suggested Wine: A great Bordeaux or a great French
Burgundy.