One-pan roast turkey cushion with trimmings

One-pan roast turkey cushion with trimmings

This is your all-in-one Christmas lunch for a group of six to eight people.

One-pan roast turkey cushion with trimmings

Find out how to make your own magnificent turkey cushion stuffed with a lentil and sausage stuffing, then roasted on a bed of root vegetables until caramelised.

Check out more Christmas dinner ideas in our roast turkey recipes collection.

  • Serves icon Serves 6-8
  • Time icon Hands-on time 40 min, oven time 1 hour 45 min

This is your all-in-one Christmas lunch for a group of six to eight people.

Find out how to make your own magnificent turkey cushion stuffed with a lentil and sausage stuffing, then roasted on a bed of root vegetables until caramelised.

Check out more Christmas dinner ideas in our roast turkey recipes collection.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories
849kcals
Fat
33.2g (8.5g saturated)
Protein
68.5g
Carbohydrates
63.8g (17.3g sugars)
Fibre
10.5g
Salt
2.6g

For 8

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg whole free-range turkey breast
  • 16 rashers smoked streaky bacon, stretched on a chopping board with the back of large knife
  • Good quality shop-bought turkey gravy and cranberry sauce

For the stuffing

  • 100g cooked puy lentils
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 40g pine nuts, roughly chopped
  • 40g unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • 40g dried raisins
  • 40g dried cranberries
  • 300g British free-range pork sausagemeat
  • 6 cardamom pods, seeds removed and finely crushed
  • Finely grated zest 1 orange
  • Finely grated zest 1 lemon
  • Large bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 75g dried breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

For the tray-roast vegetables

  • 1.5kg baby new potatoes, halved if large
  • 450g baby parsnips, trimmed, halved if large
  • Olive oil for drizzling
  • 450g baby carrots, trimmed
  • 100g prepared kale (see tip)
  • 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses

You’ll also need…

  • Large deep roasting tin; kitchen string; metal skewer or, ideally, digital probe thermometer
Sticky screen? No thanks! Tap to prevent your screen from going off while cooking.

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/gas 5. Put all the ingredients for the stuffing in a large bowl, season with salt and black pepper, then mix well using your hands.
  2. Lay the turkey breast on a board, skin-side down, pointing towards you. Cut vertically down the middle, two thirds of the way through. Use your hands to open the meat out slightly then, at the bottom of your cut, slice horizontally into each half to make a pocket on each side, being careful not to cut all the way through. Open out the meat, then use your hands to press the stuffing into the centre of the joint. Fold the meat back over the stuffing to encase, then shape the joint into as much of a round as you can. Tie a loop of string completely around the joint quite tightly, then do this another 2-3 times, neatly spacing the string to form a cushion-shaped parcel. Flip the parcel over, drape the bacon over the top and sides to cover (see Make Ahead), then put in the roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, for the vegetables, toss the potatoes and parsnips with a good drizzle of oil and season. After 30 minutes in the oven, cover the turkey parcel with a double layer of foil and tip the potatoes/parsnips into the roasting tin around the joint.
  4. After 30 minutes more, add the carrots to the roasting tin, toss all the vegetables in the cooking juices and oil in the tray, then roast for another 30 minutes. After this time, check the turkey by pushing a metal skewer into the centre of the turkey parcel. Keep it there for 3 seconds, then remove and test on the inside of your wrist – when the meat is cooked the skewer should feel hot. (Or better, use a digital probe thermometer – if it reads 72°C the turkey is ready.) Transfer from the tin to a board and leave to rest covered with foil.
  5. Toss the kale (see tip) in a splash of hot water with a sprinkle of salt. Add to the root veg in the roasting tin, tossing everything well. Drizzle over the pomegranate molasses, then return the tin to the oven for a final 15 minutes until the kale begins to crisp and the root veg are tender and caramelised. Carve the turkey into wedges, teasing out the string as you do so, and serve with the veg with gravy and cranberry sauce.

Nutrition

For 8

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
849kcals
Fat
33.2g (8.5g saturated)
Protein
68.5g
Carbohydrates
63.8g (17.3g sugars)
Fibre
10.5g
Salt
2.6g

delicious. tips

  1. If you can find kalettes (also known as flower sprouts), use them instead of the kale. They’re a sweeter, nutty tasting cross between kale and brussels sprouts.

  2. On Christmas Eve, stuff and prep the turkey cushion, then keep covered in the fridge. Prepare the vegetables, toss in oil, season with salt and pepper and keep in separate covered bowls or food bags in the fridge.

Buy ingredients online

Subscribe

Fancy getting a copy in print?

Subscribe to our magazine

Rate & review

Rate

Reviews

Share a tip

Or, how about...?

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Christmas turkey recipes

Christmas turkey with juniper and rye stuffing

The stuffing in this Christmas turkey recipe has a Scandinavian...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

Christmas turkey recipes

Classic roast turkey with pancetta

Searching for the best turkey recipe? This is it. A...

Save recipe icon Save recipe icon Save recipe

December seasonal recipes

Turkey cushion with fruity sausagemeat stuffing

On a budget? With a few simple techniques, this turkey...

Subscribe to our magazine

Food stories, skills and tested recipes, straight to your door... Enjoy 5 issues for just £5 with our special introductory offer.

Subscribe

Unleash your inner chef

Looking for inspiration? Receive the latest recipes with our newsletter

We treat your data with care. See our privacy policy. By signing up, you are agreeing to delicious.’ terms and conditions. Unsubscribe at any time.