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Herbed Roast Turkey

Contributed by: NAPSA

Holiday Turkey With A Heart-Healthy Twist

(NAPSA) - Herbed Roast Turkey is a heart-healthy take on the traditional holiday main dish. Instead of a butter baste, this recipe calls for olive oil, which reduces the saturated fat while providing a rich flavor during roasting. A savory rub of fresh sage, rosemary and thyme leaves infuses the meat with flavor, while olive oil seals in the natural juices to ensure tender results.

Herbed Roast Turkey
For families that prefer other meats, the herb rub can also be used on roasted pork or grilled chicken and adapted to suit smaller cuts of meat.

Prep Time: 32 minutes - Cook Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes - Total Time: 5 hours, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 16-to-18-lb. turkey, thawed, if frozen
  • 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
  • 2 ribs celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 4 to 5 stems each of fresh sage, rosemary and thyme, if desired
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh sage leaves
  • 1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves
  • 3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/3 cup plus 1/2 cup olive oil
  • Additional stems rosemary, thyme and sage

Directions:

Heat oven to 325 F.

Remove giblets and neck from turkey; discard or save for broth, if desired. Rinse cavity of turkey and pat dry. Sprinkle inside of turkey with salt and pepper. Place onion, celery, carrot and, if desired, 1 to 2 stems each of sage, rosemary and thyme inside turkey. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan; set aside.

In food processor or blender, chop garlic until fine. Add herbs; pulse until coarsely chopped. Add salt and pepper. With machine running, add 1/3 cup olive oil; process until well blended.

Carefully separate (but do not remove) the skin from meat on breast of turkey. Rub 2 tablespoons olive oil mixture between meat and skin. Replace skin. If desired, add 1 cup water or broth to pan under rack. Roast turkey 1 hour.

Meanwhile, blend remaining 1/2 cup olive oil into remaining herb mixture. If desired, bundle remaining fresh herb stems together to form "basting brush." After 1 hour of roasting, baste turkey with part of herb mixture.

Continue roasting 21/2 to 31/4 hours or until internal temperature of thickest part of thigh is 170 F and juices run clear, basting every 1 hour. If necessary, cover breast of turkey with foil to prevent overbrowning during roasting. Cover loosely; let stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Total roasting time will be about 12 to 20 minutes per pound, depending on size of turkey. Check turkey wrapper for additional timing information.

For more recipes, as well as additional information about olive oil, visit www.aboutoliveoil.org.

Serving Size: Makes 16 - 20 Servings


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