Stuffed Turkey (Twisted!)

Being a Muslim, I do not celebrate Christmas, but I could not resist the temptation to stuff and roast a turkey.

Pictures of stuffed turkeys are everywhere! They look beautiful, they look irresistible. Something else! It is not easy to find a Hallal fresh Turkey here in Aberdeen! Well you need to order it in advance... and I just was not prepared.

So the Twists: I used a big chicken and for stuffing I used Bulgar (cracked Wheat) and this is the result!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

1big chicken (mine weighed 2.8Kg)

To  marinate the chicken, I used:

2 cloves of garlic

1tsp cumin

1tsp ginger powder

1tsp pomegranate paste (Dibs rumaan, you will find this in any middle-eastern shop/ Asian shops)

1 tsp sumac (This is also a middle eastern ingredient)

¼ cup Olive oil

Salt and pepper to season

Stuffing:

1&1/2 cups Bulgur (cracked wheat, medium)

1 cup beef mince

1 chopped onion

3 tbs parsley

2 chopped cloves of garlic

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp ginger

Method:

1 Make a paste with all the marinade ingredients and rub it all over the chicken. Loosen the skin from the flesh an insert the paste. Leave the chicken in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Prepare the stuffing

In a bowl, put the wheat and add twice the amount of boiled water. Let it soak.

Meanwhile fry the onion in 2 tbs of oil, add the garlic,mince, salt and spices.Fry for 4-5 mins
Fluff the wheat with a fork.

Add the onion mix to the wheat and the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Insert the stuffing under the skin of the chicken, fold the skin and secure with a toothpick.

Put more of the stuffing inside the chicken. Tie together the legs and cook in a very hot oven for 15 mins and then in a low/medium for around 1&1/2 hour or until the liquid comes out clear when pricked with a skewer.

Et voila!

Bon  appetit.

I served mine with roasted vegetables! Yummy!