Guajolote con Picadillo

[kirra]

Guajolote con Picadillo
Turkey with Spiced Ground Pork Stuffing

Long before the arrival of the Spanish, wild turkeys populated Mexico, and the Aztecs domesticated them. Picadillo is also used to fill tacos, tamales, and quesadillas and to stuff chiles.

Ingredients:

1 12–15-lb. turkey
1 tbsp. canola oil
2 lbs. ground pork
3 medium tomatoes, cored and diced
1 small white onion, peeled and chopped
1⁄2 cup large pitted green Spanish or Italian olives, quartered
2 tbsp. chopped candied citron
2 tbsp. granulated chicken bouillon
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup blanched almonds, split
3 bay leaves
Pinch dried thyme leaves
Pinch dried marjoram leaves
1 1⁄2 cups dry white wine
1 1⁄2 cups fresh orange juice
1 tbsp. coarse salt

Preparation:

Set oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°. Rinse turkey, pat dry with paper towels, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add pork, tomatoes, and onions and cook, breaking up meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Add olives, citron, and bouillon, season to taste with pepper, and mix well. Add almonds, bay leaves, thyme, and marjoram and continue cooking until liquid evaporates and meat begins to fry, about 10 minutes.

Spoon warm stuffing into turkey cavity (you may have a little left over), then tie turkey legs together with kitchen twine. Transfer turkey to a large roasting pan. Pour wine and orange juice over turkey and season with salt. Roast turkey in oven, basting every 30 minutes, until skin is deep golden brown and internal temperature of stuffing reaches 160º, 3 1⁄2–4 hours. Loosely cover turkey with foil if skin starts to darken too much.

Transfer turkey to a platter, discarding pan juices, loosely cover with foil, and set aside to let rest for 15 minutes. Discard twine, then transfer stuffing to a serving dish, discarding bay leaves, and carve turkey.