Ceia de natal (brazilian christmas turkey) pt 1

8 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1 Turkey with Giblets; About 12-lb.
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to Taste
6 Cloves Garlic; minced
1 teaspoon Prepared Mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
1 cup Olive Oil
½ cup Vinegar
1 Lime ; Juice of
1 Bottle of Champagne
2 cups Water
2 Bay Leaves
2 larges Onions; sliced
½ cup Scallions; (Green Onions), chopped
½ cup Fresh Parsley; chopped
Turkey Giblets
1 large Onion; chopped
2 tablespoons Butter
¼ pounds Raisins
1 can Peaches in Light Syrup; well-drained and chopped
½ pounds Prunes; chopped
Farinha de Mandioca; (Manioc Meal)
Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to Taste
4 Hard-cooked Eggs; chopped
1 tablespoon Scallions; (Green Onion), chopped
1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley; chopped
Additional Butter
8 Bacon strips
1 can Halved Peaches in Light Syrup; well drained
½ pounds Pitted Prunes

Directions

TURKEY AND MARINADE

DRESSING

GARNISH

The Cook & Kitchen Staff are taking you to four different corners of the world this season to serve up a variety of regional holiday specialties.

We're finishing our first Christmas recipe collection with a taste of Brazil, where the holidays are a very festive time of the year.

Today's recipe will be the featured main course in many Brazilian homes over the holidays. Whether served before Christmas Eve Midnight Mass, or on Christmas Day, today's recipe really marks only the beginning of the holidays in Brazil.

After Christmas, Brazilians continue to celebrate the New Year, and then the arrival of the Three Kings on January 6th. The Eve of the Epiphany brings a Portuguese custom whereby children place their shoes outdoors overnight, to be filled with sweets by the passing Magi. The finale to the holidays typically means that street decorations and tree trimmings are removed . . .

Shortly thereafter, the big celebration of summer commences with the extravagant four-day, pre-Lenten celebration known to the world as Carnival!

Rub the turkey inside and out with a paste made with the salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. Place the turkey in a non-reactive pan and pour on olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, champagne, and water. Add bay leaves, onions, scallions, and parsley. Cover loosely with a large piece of plastic and place in the refrigerator for 24 hours, occasionally dousing the turkey with the liquid.

Cook the giblets thoroughly in water with a dash of salt and pepper over medium heat. Remove giblets from the liquid, chop into small pieces, and reserve.

In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chopped onion in butter until golden brown. Add chopped giblets and the raisins, and stir well. Add chopped peaches and prunes and stir again. Add farinha de mandioca, enough to form a wet farofa (blend of manioc meal). Add salt and pepper, chopped eggs, scallions, and parsley. Remove from heat and reserve as stuffing for turkey.

Remove turkey from marinade and rub it well inside and out with butter.

Fill the turkey with the dressing and close the opening with skewers.

Reserve marinade for basting. Place turkey in a roasting pan. Crisscross bacon strips on top of turkey breast for flavor and decoration.

Pour some of the marinade over the turkey. Cover turkey loosely with aluminum foil and roast the turkey in a 325-F degree oven until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh attains 180-F degrees.

continued in part 2

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