The turkey holds a special place on the Christmas table and has been considered for many years as the quintessential festive dish during the holiday season. It is said that it came to European countries from Mexico in 1824 and gradually began to establish itself as the star of the Christmas meal at the family table, replacing other bird options chosen on that day, such as chickens, geese, and ducks. Additionally, nowadays turkey is chosen because it is quite tasty, while at the same time it is a healthy dietary option with few calories and high nutritional value.

Below we present to you 3 recipes of the beloved Christmas dish, for you to choose your favorite and enjoy it with your friends or family.

Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing

• Preparation time: 1 hour
• Cooking time: approximately 3.5 hours
• Serves 10 to 12 people

Ingredients:

• 1 turkey, approximately 3.5 kg
• 1/2 kg chestnuts (boiled and peeled)
• 1/2 kg minced meat
• 1/2 cup of rice
• 1 cup of butter or oil
• 2 cups of white wine
• 100 grams pine nuts
• 200 grams golden raisins
• salt and white pepper

Instructions:

• Wash the turkey and after removing its innards, pat it dry with kitchen paper. Then rub it with plenty of lemon juice and coarse salt
• Place it in a large baking tray and pour over half the oil or melted butter and half the wine. Cover it with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 150 to 170 degrees Celsius for about 3 hours
• During baking, occasionally open the oven and baste the turkey with the juices in the tray.
• After three hours, uncover it, slightly increase the oven temperature, and leave it until it is well browned.

Stuffing Preparation

• First, scald the turkey's innards in hot water
• Heat the remaining oil or butter in a pot and sauté the minced meat
• Add the turkey's innards to the pot, stir for a few minutes, and deglaze with the remaining wine. Then simmer until the liquids are absorbed
• Add a little hot water and the rice, stir and let it simmer for another 20 minutes
• Finally, add the chestnuts, pine nuts, and raisins, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for another 10 minutes approximately

Serving

Serve the turkey whole or sliced, with the stuffing placed around it separately

#Tip

For greater ease and to make the turkey even juicier, use a syringe to inject the juices from the tray into the thighs and other soft parts at intervals during baking.

Turkey with walnut and apple stuffing

• Preparation time: approximately 30 minutes
• Cooking time: approximately 2 hours
• Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1 x turkey 2.5 kg
• 4 walnuts (the kernels)
• 2-3 medium potatoes
• 4 apples
• 1 lemon
• 2-3 pieces of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup of grated kefalotyri cheese
• 5 tablespoons of butter
• 2 tablespoons of pine nuts

Instructions:

• Wash and remove the giblets from the turkey, making a small opening in the belly
• Peel and slice the apples, lemon, and potatoes
• Mix them with the walnuts, cinnamon, pine nuts, and cheese
• Stuff the turkey with the above ingredients, sew it up at the opening, and place it in the baking tray, seasoning with salt and pepper and spreading with butter
• Cover it with aluminum foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for approximately 2 hours
• After two hours, uncover it, slightly increase the oven temperature to 200°C for another 30 minutes until it browns well.
• Serve the turkey with sautéed apple slices, parsley leaves, and a few pine nuts.

Turkey breast roll with apples, prunes, quinoa, and rosemary sauce

• Preparation time: approximately 30 minutes
• Cooking time: approximately 90 minutes 
• Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2½ kg turkey breast, lightly pounded
• 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 8 small onions, halved
• 435 ml chicken broth
• 1 tart apple, peeled and finely chopped
• 50 grams chopped pistachios
• 110 grams dried prunes, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• 150 grams cooked white quinoa

Instructions:

• After preheating the oven to 200°C, heat the olive oil in a large pan and sauté the chopped onion and tart apple for 5-7 minutes until softened. Then set them aside to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the pistachios, prunes (pitted), and parsley. Also, add the cooked quinoa and the sautéed onion-apple mixture.
• On a work surface, place the turkey fillet skin-side down and, starting from the large side, place the stuffing in the center, rolling carefully and tightly. Once done, tie with kitchen twine.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil in a roasting pan over medium heat, add the roll and turn it 1-2 times until browned (7-10 minutes).
• Once browned, place it in a baking dish and put it initially in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Then add 250 ml water, lemon juice, and bake for another 40 minutes, until the meat is tender and juicy.

Sauce Preparation:

• For the sauce, place 60 ml olive oil, the 8 small onions, and the rosemary sprigs in a saucepan, sautéing for 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken broth and simmer until the onions are softened.
• Mix the cornstarch, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of water in another bowl and add the mixture to the sauce, simmering for another 10 minutes.

Serving:

Serve by removing the twine from the roll and, once slightly cooled, slice it and drizzle with the sauce. Optionally, you can accompany it with steamed vegetables of your choice.