1 Turkey (12 lb)
1/2 c Unsalted butter; softened
———————————-STUFFING———————————- 4 Onions; coarsely chopped
5 Celery stalks
– coarsely chopped 1 lb Chorizo (Spanish sausage)
– broken up 6 c Day-old corn bread, crumbled
3 c Day-old white bread, cubed
2 c Frozen corn kernels; thawed
2 tb Chopped fresh cilantro
-=OR=- Dried cilantro 2 tb Chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper; to taste ———————————–GRAVY———————————– 3 c Chicken stock; as needed
1 c White or rose wine
Wash turkey under hot water. Pat exterior and cavities completely dry with paper towels. Smear turkey with 4 Tbsp butter. Saute onions and celery in the remaining butter over medium heat until translucent. Remove with slotted spoon to a very large bowl. Saute the chorizo in the same pan until lightly brown. Remove to same bowl and add remaining stuffing ingredients. Toss to combine completely. (If mixture seems dry, add chicken stock or apple juice. ) Salt and pepper the turkey’s cavity and loosely stuff the cavity and the neck with the bread-chorizo mixture, leaving some room for expansion during cooking. (Extra stuffing can be refrigerated in a covered casserole and baked @ 375 degrees for 40 minutes. )Sew up and truss the turkey. Return to rack in roasting pan and turn turkey on its left side. Add 1 cup stock and wine gravy to pan. Place in preheated 400 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn turkey onto its right side and continue roasting another 20 minutes. Lower oven to 325 degrees. Turn turkey breast-side-down and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Baste every 15 minutes or so, adding stock as needed. Turn turkey breast-side-up and continue basting every 15-20 minutes. (For a 12 lb turkey, cooking time will be from 15 to 20
minutes per pound; the internal temperature should reach 180 degrees. The juices in the thigh should run clear when pierced with a fork. )Remove to a heated platter to rest. Skim off as much fat as possible from the pan drippings. Transfer pan drippings, including brown bits, to a saute pan. Reduce to a gravy over high heat. Carve turkey. Serve gravy and dressing on the side. Total cooking time: 3 – 4 1/2 hours.