Ingredients
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4 – 6 kg turkey
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2 litres wine
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3 oranges orange juice
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2 lemons Lemon Juice
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Yellow mustard
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sage
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rosemary
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Parsley
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mixed herbs
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Salt and Black Pepper
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Onionsliced
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Garliccrushed
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For orange sauce:
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1 tablespoon Sugar
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1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
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½ teaspoon all purpose flour
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2 oranges orange juice
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½ lemon Lemon Juice
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50 ml Gran Marnier
Directions
Turkey might not be a Brazilian creation, for it is a non-native bird. Nevertheless, the tradition of serving a highly seasoned turkey as the main dish for Christmas celebrations runs deep in Brazilian culture, thanks to influence from the American thanksgiving celebration.
It is very common to stuff the inside of the turkey with crunchy farofas (toasted cassava mix) and serve with brightly colored tropical fruits, adding an experience for all the senses.
How to Make Peru Natalino:
- Marinate the turkey with all the condiments the night before.
- When it is ready to cook, drain, remove the solids from the marinade to prevent them from burning when cooking and reserve the marinade.
- If you want, you can fill the turkey with farofa prepared with turkey liver and heart. Sew the turkey up or use toothpicks to close the opening.
- Tie the turkey legs together and tuck the wing tips under the body. It is easier, however, to serve farofa separately.
- Brush the turkey with the butter, cover with aluminum foil and roast in a hot oven. A large turkey takes around 45 minutes per kg to cook.
- When cooked, remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle the marinade over and allow the skin to brown.
- Garnish with canned or fresh fruit. Bring the whole turkey to the table to carve.
How to Make the Orange Sauce:
- In a small saucepan, caramelize the sugar with the vinegar.
- Dissolve the flour in the orange and lemon juice.
- Put the dissolved flour in the caramelized sugar and cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.
- Add the Grand Marnier and allow to boil again. If you like, add a few slices of peeled orange.
