Recipe: Roast Turkey Cuban Style

This turkey recipe is so easy & so familiar. This is the way my beloved mother prpared it.

---

ROAST TURKEY CUBAN STYLE (PAVO ESTILO CUBANO)
Source: The Columbia Restaurant Spanish Cookbook by Adela Hernandez Gonzmart, Ferdie Pacheco, Pp. 185-186
Servings: 8-10

FOR THE TURKEY:
1 (15 lb) turkey
1 cup sour orange juice (or 1/2 cup lemon juice with 1/2 cup orange juice)
2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground pepper
12 garlic cloves finely chopped
Chicken broth or water for roasting pan.

Pur juice over bird & inside cavity. Rub thoroughly with garlic, salt & pepper inside & outside. This should be done 24 hours before roasting.

FOR THE STUFFING:
3 lbs. ground pork
3 lbs ground beef
6 eggs beaten lightly
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup capers
2 cups dry sherry
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp white pepper
2 cups bread crumbs
1 cup toasted slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 325F.

Combine all stuffing ingredients. Fill turkey cavity loosely with stuffing. Close cavity with trussing skewers or sew with trussing needle & thread. Place turkey, breast side up, in a roasting pan on a rack. Put 1/2 inch water or broth in pan; never let it dry up.

Roast 3 1/2 to 4 hours until roasting thermometer inserted in thigh registers 175; when turkey is golden, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

When done, transfer the turkey to serving platter & allow it to stand 30 minutes. Remove trussing & serve.

To make gravy, pour roasting pan juices into saucepan, boil & correct for seasoning.