What do you think? Too sweet?

[Parrothead]

Pomegranate glazed turkey with apple-almond stuffing, mashed potatoes, a sweet potato dish (I'm not preparing either potato dish so I don't know what is in them. Probably very traditional though.), green beans with ginger butter, cinnamon glazed carrots, whole cranberry sauce with orange zest.

 

I'm thinking about adding a garlic sauce tossed broccoli as a savory to counter-act some of the sweet.

 

Should I ditch something? Add something else? The turkey is pretty much set in stone. I'm taking my contribution to a dinner so I'm really hoping for quick and easy.

[Miss Peregrine]

Sounds good to me!

The turkey sounds fantastic. Recipe?

[Parrothead]

Sounds good to me!

The turkey sounds fantastic. Recipe?

Sure.

 

Pomegranate glazed turkey with apple-almond stuffing

by Kimberly Mayone

(found in the Nov/Dec edition of Fresh by Hannaford supermarket

1 14-16 pound turkey, thawed, giblets and neck rmoved, rinsed well and patted dry

4 cups water

4 cups country-style cubed stuffing mix

1 1/2 cups sliced almonds

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin oive oil

3 celery ribs, finely chopped

1 sweet onion, finely chopped

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

2 tsp poultry seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1 Tbsp cranberry mustard (this is a spicy brown mustard with a bit of cranberry flavor. If I were not able to find one in the store I'd mix mustard and jellies cranberry sauce together)

1 1/2 cups low-sodium trukey broth or chicken broth

2 eggs

 

Glaze

2/3 cup pomegranate juice

1/4 cup cranberry mustard

2 cups jellied cranberry sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 sprigs fresh thyme

 

 

 

• Preheat oven to 400*F. Place turkey breast side up on roasting rack in the roasting pan. Add water to pan. spray a 9x5 inch loaf pan with vegetable cooking spray.

• Prepare stuffing. Place stuffing mix in a large bowl. In large nonstick skillet over medium heat, toast almonds until fragrant and lightly golden, about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add to the stuffing mix

• In the same skillet heat oil, add celery and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Add apples, poultry seasoning, salt, pepper and cranberries. Cook an additional 5 minutes then add to the stuffing bowl. Toss well to combine

• In medium bowl whisk mustard, broth, and eggs together. Pour over stuffing and toss. let stuffing sit for 5 minutes and toss again.

• Fill the turkey cavity with stuffing, leaving a small amount of room for the stuffing to expand. Transfer extra stuffing to the loaf pan and distribute in an even layer. Cover pan with foil, set aside.

• Tuck turkey winds under the bird and tie drumsticks together with cooking twine. Spray outside of the bird with live oil or vegetable cooking spray. Place turkey in oven and reduce temperature to 325*F. Roast for 2 1/2 hours.

• While bird is roasting make the glaze. In a medium saucepan, combine pomegranate juice, mustard, cranberry sauce, sugar and pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and whisk until smooth, about 3 minutes. Cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and add sprigs of thyme. Set aside.

• After turkey has roasted for 2 1/2 hours, baste with the coking juices. Place the pan of extra stuffing in the oven. Bake both for 15 minutes, then remove foil from the stuffing pan. Generously baste turkey with prepared glaze. Set aside remaining glaze.

• Bake another 15 minutes, then check the internal temperature of the stuffing in the turkey. It should be 160*F when tested with an instant-read thermometer. If the stuffing is not the proper temperature, continue checking at 10-minute intervals. The extra stuffing is done when it has firmed up and is lightly toasted on top, about 40-50 minutes total.

• Remove turkey from oven. Loosely wrap it in foil and let it rest fo 20 minutes. Reheat glaze over medium heat until warmed, about 4 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs and discard Transfer glaze to a small pitcher. Transfer stuffing from the turkey to a serving bowl.

• If desired, pour the pan juices into a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and reduce the volume by 1/3 to 1/2. Strain into a gravy boat.

• To serve, place the whole turkey on a platter and surround with kale leaves and large pieces of pomegranate or pomegranate seeds if desired. Carve the turkey at the table. Alternately, carve the turkey in the kitchen and arrange the sliced meat on a serving platter surrounded with the kale leaves and pomegranate pieces.

 

[Tap]

Sounds good as long as the apples aren't of a sweet variety.

 

Turkey is a strong enough flavor that I don't think the glaze will over power it and make it seem 'sweet'.

 

If the dressing is made with sweet apples (ie red delicious) it may get a bit mushy or overly sweet. If made with a tart, sweet-tart apple or mix (ie braeburn, granny smith) then it should be fine.

 

 

Personally, unless I loved the apple dressing, I think I would consider changing the apples out.

 

It does sound like you are getting close to being overly sweet with things there like the sweet potatoes, carrots and cranberry sauce being served w/ the glazed meat and stuffing. I would add something smoky in there to help balance the sweet. Maybe some bacon in the green beans? If you have access to a smoker, lightly smoke the turkey before you cook it (maybe possible on a bbq grill w/ wood chips too).

 

I would make the broccoli just to offer the savory balance for those who don't like a lot of sweet foods.

[lisabelle]

I like the idea of changing the green beans out to something more savory. Can't go wrong with bacon!

 

If the ginger green beans are a particular favorite, I'd consider roasting the carrots with kosher salt and pepper.

[AuntieM]

I like the idea of changing the green beans out to something more savory. Can't go wrong with bacon!

 

If the ginger green beans are a particular favorite, I'd consider roasting the carrots with kosher salt and pepper.

This is what I was going to say. As good as the Ginger butter beans sound (recipe?), I would be looking for something more savory to put on my plate. I need some garlic and onions in those beans, and maybe some tasso, ham bits or bacon. JMO.

 

BTW it all sounds delicious!