The recipe of the month – Lemon-Garlic Roast Turkey & White-Wine Gravy – has a zesty lemon-garlic rub that gives turkey amazing flavor. Instead of using a conventional supermarket turkey that’s been “enhanced” with added sodium solution, this recipe brines a natural or organic turkey to keep the meat extra juicy without a lot of extra sodium. Plus, try the bonus dessert: Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake. Ingredients 10 Garlic Cloves, Divided 1/2 cup Lemon Juice 1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce 1/2 cup Kosher Salt 1 12-pound Turkey, Natural or Organic 1/4 cup Lemon Zest, Freshly Grated 1/4 cup Oregano Leaves, Fresh, Packed 2 tablespoons Canola Oil 1/2 teaspoon Pepper, Freshly Ground 3 tablespoons All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup Dry White Wine or Dry Vermouth 14 ounces Chicken Broth, Canned, Reduced Sodium Crush six (6) cloves of garlic and add to a very large stockpot (or clean bucket). Stir in lemon juice, Worcestershire, salt and four quarts cold water. Remove giblets from turkey (if included) and trim excess skin. Submerge the turkey in the brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. If the turkey is not fully submerged, turn it every eight (8) hours. Remove the turkey from the brine, rinse well and pat dry. Discard the brine. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the remaining four cloves of garlic, lemon zest, oregano, oil, pepper and two (2) tablespoons water in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a paste. Or in place of a food processor, chop garlic, lemon zest and oregano on a cutting board until finely minced, then place in a small bowl and stir in oil, pepper and water. Loosen the skin over the breast and thigh meat. Rub the paste all over the turkey, under the skin onto the breast meat and leg meat and a little inside the cavity. Tuck the wing tips under the turkey. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Place the turkey breast-side down in a roasting rack set in a large roasting pan. Roast the turkey for one (1) hour. Turn it breast-side up on the rack, add one (1) cup of water to the pan. Continue roasting one (1) hour more. Baste the turkey with pan drippings, tent with foil and continue roasting, basting every 15 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone registers 165°F, 30 to 45 minutes more. Transfer the turkey to a large cutting board; let rest for 20 minutes before removing the string and carving. Meanwhile, pour any pan juices and fat into a large glass measuring cup and place in the freezer until the fat rises to the top – about 10 minutes. (Alternatively, pour the pan juices and fat into a fat separator then pour the defatted juices into a large measuring cup.) Whisk flour with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl. Set the roasting pan over two burners on medium heat. Add wine or vermouth; bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Continue cooking until reduced, about three (3) minutes. Remove the pan juices from the freezer, skim off the fat with a spoon and discard. Add the defatted juices and broth to the roasting pan; return to a simmer, whisking often. Cook for one (1) minute, then whisk in the flour mixture and simmer until thickened, one to two (1-2) minutes. Pour the gravy through a fine-mesh sieve and serve with the turkey. Shopping tip: Look for turkey labeled “natural” or “organic” in natural-foods stores or well-stocked supermarkets. Turkeys labeled “heritage” are also typically “natural.” If you can’t find one, don’t overlook this recipe. It works with conventional turkey, too; just skip the brining (Steps 1-2) and start with Step 3. Bonus Dessert: Glazed Chocolate-Pumpkin Bundt Cake You don't have to have pumpkin pie to still enjoy pumpkin and spice in a Thanksgiving dessert. This tender, moist cake uses pureed pumpkin to replace much of the fat and is delicately seasoned with classic Thanksgiving flavors. Cake Ingredients 1 cup All-Purpose Flour 3/4 cup Pastry Flour, Whole Wheat 1 cup Granulated Sugar 3/4 cup Cocoa Powder, Unsweetened (not Dutch-process) 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder 1-1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice 1/4 teaspoon Salt 1 cup Buttermilk, Nonfat 15 ounce Pumpkin Puree, Canned, Unsweetened 3/4 cup Brown Sugar, Dark, Packed 1 Egg, Large, at room temperature 1 Egg White (from a large egg), at room temperature 1/4 cup Canola Oil 1/4 cup Corn Syrup, Light 1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract Glaze & Garnish Ingredients 1/2 cup Confectioner’s Sugar, Packed 1 tablespoon Nonfat Buttermilk 2 tablespoons Mini Chocolate Chips or Toasted Chopped Nuts (see Tip) Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 12-cup Bundt pan with cooking spray. Whisk all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, granulated sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt in a medium bowl. Blend one (1) cup buttermilk, pumpkin puree and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed. Beat in whole egg and egg white. Stir in oil, corn syrup and vanilla. Gradually add the dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, one to 1-1/4 hours. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and let cool completely on the rack, about two (2) hours. Glaze and Garnish: Combine confectioner’s sugar and one (1) tablespoon buttermilk in a small bowl, stirring until completely smooth. Place the cake on a serving plate and drizzle the glaze over the top; garnish with chocolate chips (or chopped nuts) while the glaze is still moist. Tips: To warm an egg to room temperature, either set it out on the counter for 15 minutes or submerge it (in the shell) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot) water for 5 minutes. To toast chopped nuts and seeds, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
