Roast Turkey With Dried Apples and Corn Bread Stuffing

· Turkey, 10 to 12 pounds
· Salt and freshly ground black pepper
· 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
· 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
· 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
· 6 parsley stems
· 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
· 1 bay leaf

· Stuffing
· 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
· 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
· 4 celery ribs, finely diced
· 1 cup dried apples, coarsely chopped
· 1/4 cup fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley
· 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
· 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
· 1 recipe corn bread, air-dried 2 days (see below)
· 1 tablespoon flour
· 1 teaspoon cornstarch

· Corn bread
· 1½ cups all-purpose flour
· 1½ cups cornmeal
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1/3 cup corn oil
· 1 cup light sour cream
· 1 cup 2 percent milk
· 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Remove the giblets from the inside of the turkey. Wash the turkey and pat dry, then rub inside and out with 2 teaspoons salt.

2. Place the turkey neck, gizzard, heart, broth, onion, carrot, parsley stems, thyme, and bay leaf in a saucepan, and simmer over low heat until the broth reduces by three quarters, approximately 1½ hours. Strain.

3. To make the stuffing: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1/2 cup butter and cook the onions, celery, and apples, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and add the parsley, thyme, sage, corn bread, and approximately 1½ cups stock until the stuffing is light and fluffy. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Fill the breast and neck cavity loosely with stuffing. Truss the turkey. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush turkey lightly with 1 tablespoon, reserving the remaining butter. Cook the turkey in the middle of the oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325° F. Drape a double layer of cheesecloth over the turkey and brush evenly with the reserved melted butter. Continue to roast until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced with a skewer, or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 175° F.

5. Let the turkey rest for 20 minutes. Remove the cheesecloth. Remove the turkey from the pan. To make the gravy, pour the drippings from the bottom of the pan into a separator cup. Once separated, pour all of the drippings and 2 tablespoons of the fat back into the pan. Discard remainder. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup stock and add to the heated roasting pan, whisking constantly. Set the roasting pan on an oven burner, add the remaining stock, and continue to stir until thickened, 2 minutes. Simmer 1 minute more before removing from heat.

6. Remove the stuffing from the cavity. Carve the turkey and place on a platter with the stuffing. Serve the gravy separately.

Corn bread (for stuffing)
1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. In a bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the oil, sour cream, milk, and egg. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until mixed together. Pour into a buttered 9-by-9-inch pan and bake until a skewer comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.

2. Cut the corn bread into 1-inch pieces and spread out on a baking sheet. Dry, uncovered, at room temperature for 2 days.

Nutrients per serving (includes turkey and stuffing) calories 655, protein 49g, carbohydrates 38g, fiber 2g, fat 33g (saturated fat 12g), cholesterol 224mg, sodium 906mg

Serves 14