Moroccan-Spiced Turkey
By Darcie Ellyne, MS RDN CDE IFNCP (GI Nutritionist, Certified Diabetes Educator, Integrative & Functional Nutrition Certified Practitioner)
This is a delicious and flavorful dish adapted from a recipe for cornish game hens. It works just as well with turkey, and it is a new way to prepare this Thanksgiving staple. Top it off with our decadent Orange-Honey Sauce.
Ingredients
4 tablespoon cumin seeds
4 tablespoon coriander seeds
8 teaspoons cardamom seeds (from about 1-1/2 tablespoons cardamom pods)
8 teaspoons fennel seeds
4 teaspoon whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces
4 bay leaves
1 cup orange juice
8 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 turkey, rinsed, patted dry
4 pounds carrots, peeled, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Finely grind the first 7 ingredients in spice grinder or coffee grinder. Transfer to small bowl.
Whisk in orange juice, oil and garlic. (Spice mixture can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
Rub spice mixture all over turkey; place in large roasting pan.
Sprinkle turkey inside and out with salt and pepper.
Tie legs together to hold shape.
Arrange carrots in pan around turkey.
Sprinkle carrots with salt and pepper.
Roast 1 hour.
Add stock to roasting pan.
Roast turkey until juices run clear when thickest part of thigh is pierced and carrots are tender, basting occasionally with pan juices, until done.
Spoon warm Orange-Honey Sauce over and serve.
