Makes enough for a 6 kg (13 lb) turkey
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 13–16 minutes, plus turkey cooking time
75 g (3 oz) sugar
150 ml (¼ pint) water
grated rind and juice of 1 orange
250 g (8 oz) fresh or frozen cranberries, defrosted if frozen
375 g (12 oz) mixed long-grain and wild rice
75 g (3 oz) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
pinch of ground cloves
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil for 2–3 minutes. Add the orange rind and juice and the cranberries and stir with a wooden spoon, taking care not to crush the fruit. Simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce is translucent. Set aside.
Meanwhile cook the rice in a large pan of boiling salted water for 10–12 minutes until just tender. Drain, rinse under cold water and drain again.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and fry the onion over a moderate heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from the heat.
Stir the rice, herbs, spices and cranberry and orange mixture into the onions. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool before packing loosely into the neck of the turkey (see page 18). Alternatively, cook in the oven for the last 30 minutes of the turkey’s cooking time, either separately in an ovenproof dish or shaped into small balls and placed in the tin around the turkey.
For blueberry & orange stuffing, omit the cranberries and instead add 250 g (8 oz) blueberries to the dissolved sugar with the orange rind and juice, then continue with the recipe as above. Defrost first if using frozen blueberries.