Roast Turkey With Cranberry-Apricot Stuffing

Roast Turkey With Cranberry-Apricot Stuffing

14 pounds Honeysuckle White Whole Turkey, thawed
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
6 cups bread, torn into large pieces (day-old, baguette preferred)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups chicken broth, boiling
1/2 cup cranberries, dried and chopped
3/4 cup apricots, dried and chopped
3 tablespoons rosemary, fresh and minced
3 tablespoons thyme, fresh and minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Place bread in a large bowl and set aside. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until translucent. Add the broth and pour the mixture over the bread. Stir to make sure all bread chunks become soaked. Let stand for 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Squeeze the bread with your hands to make a thick paste. Add the dried fruit, herbs, salt and pepper, and continue to work the mixture with your hands until well blended.

Preheat oven to 325 F. Remove the neck and giblets from the turkey and set aside for gravy (see giblet gravy recipe). Rub the turkey inside and out with the salt and pepper mix.

Fill the body and neck cavities loosely with the stuffing. Fasten the flaps with turkey skewers. Tie the legs together at the bottom using kitchen thread.

Place the turkey, breast side up, in a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 12 to 15 minutes per pound, basting it often with pan drippings.

When the breast is golden, cover the turkey loosely with aluminum foil. Continue to cook, basting the legs, until a thermometer registers 175 F. to 180 F. in the thickest part of the thigh, (near the body but not touching the bone). Remove and let stand for 20 minutes, loosely covered with the foil before carving. Makes 7 servings.

~*From Lanie's Kitchen*~