Roast turkey Moroccan style

As turkey is a traditional dish at Christmas time, The View from Fez offers a Moroccan version flavoured with nuts and spices, and with a honey glaze.


Turkey is also a favourite bird in Morocco, for high days and holidays. This recipe will serve 8-10 people.

Ingredients:
5kg turkey, including giblets
175g blanched almonds, finely chopped
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
2 tbsp ground cinnamon
2 teasp ground ginger
1 teasp ground cloves
5 whole cloves
1 onion, peeled
25g butter
500ml chicken stock
125ml honey
2 cinnamon sticks
salt and pepper

Set the oven to 180 degrees C. Spread the almonds and sesame seeds on a baking tray and brown in the oven, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes. Set aside.

Mix the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, ginger and ground cloves and season with salt and pepper. Rub this spice mixture all over the skin of the turkey and inside the cavity. Stick the whole cloves into the onion, put this inside the bird and sew up the opening.

Put the turkey on a rack in a roasting tin and spread the butter over the skin. Cut the giblets into pieces and arrange them and the cinnamon sticks in the tin around the bird.

Stir half of the stock into the honey. Pour the mixture over the turkey and roast for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn the bird to brown on all sides, and baste frequently with the honey and stock mixture. When the turkey begins to brown, add the rest of the stock. Cook until the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced.

Around 30 minutes before the turkey is to be served, remove it from the roasting tin and set aside. Strain off the juices into a pan and skim off the fat. You should have around 250ml of sauce to be used as a glaze. If necessary, reduce the mixture over high heat. Stir in the almond and sesame mixture.

Return the turkey to the tin, spread with the glaze and continue to cook, basting frequently, until the skin is crisp and a rich golden brown.

Remove from the oven, spoon over any remaining glaze, and leave it to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Bon appetit!