• Staff Favorite

Ingredients

STUFFING

1. 3 cups (21 ounces) long-grain Asian sweet rice or sticky rice
2. 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
3. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4. 8 scallions, coarsely chopped
5. 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
6. 2 garlic cloves, minced
7. 4 Chinese sausages, sliced 1/2 inch thick, or 1/4 pound honey-cured ham, diced
8. 3 tablespoons dry white wine
9. 3 cups turkey stock
10. 3 tablespoons soy sauce
11. Salt and freshly ground pepper
12. 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

TURKEY AND GRAVY

1. One 12-pound turkey
2. Salt and freshly ground pepper
3. Vegetable oil
4. 5 1/2 cups turkey stock
5. 1/2 cup dry white wine
6. 1 small onion, quartered
7. 1 celery rib, quartered, plus 2 cups celery leaves
8. 10 large garlic cloves, 4 peeled and 6 thinly sliced
9. 4 teaspoons soy sauce
10. 2 tablespoons Asian oyster sauce
11. 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12. 1/4 teaspoon Sriracha chile sauce or other hot sauce

Directions

1. MAKE THE STUFFING: In a large bowl, soak the rice overnight in water to cover by 2 inches; drain.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Put the almonds in a pie plate and bake until browned, about 8 minutes. Let cool. Turn the oven down to 325°.
3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the scallions, ginger and garlic and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the sausages and cook for 1 minute, then stir in the rice. Add the wine and simmer for 1 minute. Stir in the stock, soy sauce and a large pinch of salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Stir well, then stir in the almonds and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the rice on a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature.
4. PREPARE THE TURKEY AND GRAVY: Season the turkey inside and out with salt and pepper. Fill the cavity with 5 cups of the rice stuffing and secure the skin with toothpicks. Put 1 cup of the stuffing in the neck cavity and secure with toothpicks. Put the remaining stuffing in an oiled glass baking dish and cover with foil.
5. Set the turkey in a large roasting pan and rub the skin all over with vegetable oil. Pour 2 cups of the stock and the wine into the roasting pan. Add the onion, celery rib and 4 whole garlic cloves. Roast the turkey for 1 3/4 hours. Add 1 cup of the stock to the pan and cover the turkey loosely with foil. Continue roasting for about 2 1/2 hours longer, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the inner thigh registers 160°.
6. Remove the turkey from the oven and discard the foil. Increase the oven temperature to 400°. Brush the turkey with 1 tablespoon each of the soy and oyster sauces and roast for 10 minutes, or until glazed. Transfer the turkey to a carving board and let rest for at least 30 minutes. Bake the reserved rice stuffing for 20 minutes.
7. Strain the pan juices into a bowl. Using a ladle, skim the fat from the pan juices; return 2 tablespoons of the fat to the roasting pan. Set the pan over low heat, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the remaining 2 1/2 cups of stock until smooth, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the strained pan juices and bring the gravy to a boil, whisking constantly. Simmer the gravy over low heat for 10 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the 6 sliced garlic cloves and cook over low heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the celery leaves and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Pour in the gravy from the roasting pan and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the chile sauce and the remaining 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce and 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Scoop the rice stuffing from the cavities into the dish with the rest. Carve the turkey at the table and pass the stuffing and celery leaf gravy alongside.