Yotam Ottolenghi's roast turkey with ancho chilli gravy, lemony beans, sweet-and-sour carrots

Name: Yotam Ottolenghi's roast turkey with ancho chilli gravy, lemony beans, sweet-and-sour carrots recipe
Yield: 7
Ingredients: 40g ancho chillies, stems removed (available from herbies.com.au); 2 red chillies, roughly chopped; 3 onions, peeled, 1 roughly chopped, 2 quartered; 10 garlic cloves, peeled; 30.00 ml ground cinnamon; 30.00 ml ground cumin; 45g tomato paste; 240.00ml olive oil; 6-7kg whole turkey; 500g green beans, trimmed, halved; 500g runner beans, trimmed, halved on the diagonal; 12 garlic cloves, peeled; 1 green chilli, skin pierced a few times; 2 onions, peeled, finely chopped; 250ml mixed vegetables; 2 tsp lemon zest, plus 45ml juice; 10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped; 10g dill leaves, roughly chopped; 10g parsley leaves, roughly chopped; 35g preserved lemon skin, julienned; 50g sultanas; 45ml apple cider vinegar; 20.00 ml maple syrup; 1kg leafy bunched carrots; 45ml olive oil; 25g unsalted butter; 50g blanched almonds, roughly chopped; 1 tsp caraway seeds, toasted, crushed; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted, crushed

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by Yotam Ottolenghi

Dec 01, 2021

Yotam Ottolenghi has the ultimate spread for the season’s entertaining – all you need to add is a side of Christmas cheer.

40g ancho chillies, stems removed (available from herbies.com.au)
2 red chillies, roughly chopped
3 onions, peeled, 1 roughly chopped, 2 quartered
10 garlic cloves, peeled
1 1/2 tbs ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tbs ground cumin
45g tomato paste
120ml olive oil
6-7kg whole turkey

Lemony beans

500g green beans, trimmed, halved
500g runner beans, trimmed, halved on the diagonal
12 garlic cloves, peeled
1 green chilli, skin pierced a few times
120ml olive oil
2 onions, peeled, finely chopped
1 cup (250ml) vegetable or chicken stock
2 tsp lemon zest, plus 45ml juice
10g tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
10g dill leaves, roughly chopped
10g parsley leaves, roughly chopped
35g preserved lemon skin, julienned

Sweet-and-sour carrots

50g sultanas
45ml apple cider vinegar
1 tbs maple syrup
1kg leafy bunched carrots
45ml olive oil
25g unsalted butter
50g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds, toasted, crushed
1/2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted, crushed

Method

1.

For the turkey, preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Put anchos in a medium heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Weigh down with a saucer and soak for 20 minutes. Discard soaking liquid, remove seeds and roughly chop flesh. Put in a food processor with red chillies, chopped onion, garlic, spices, tomato paste, half the oil and 1 tsp salt, and whiz until smooth. Transfer to a clean bowl and stir in remaining oil.
2.

Put turkey giblets in a large, 38cm x 32cm baking tray with a lip. Add onion quarters and 2 cups (500ml) water, and top with a large roasting rack. Pat turkey dry and season with 2 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper; season the inside, too.
3.

Rub half the spice mix over the turkey, including the cavity and between the breast and skin. Put turkey on rack over baking tray, roast for 1 hour, then rotate and baste. Repeat every 20 minutes or so, for 2 hours 20 minutes, or until the juices run clear, (around 74°C on a thermometer).
4.

If the skin gets too dark around the 90-minute mark, loosely cover with foil.
5.

Meanwhile, for the beans, put a large saucepan with lid over high heat. Once it’s smoking, add one-quarter of all the beans and cook, tossing, for about 5 minutes, until charred in places. Transfer to a tray and repeat, in batches, with the remaining beans. Add garlic and chilli to the pan and cook in the same way for about 5 minutes, until charred all over, then add to the beans. Leave the pan to cool slightly.
6.

Put 90ml oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until soft and golden. Add charred beans, garlic, chilli, stock, 1 1/2 tsp salt and a grind of pepper. Bring to a simmer, lower heat to medium-low, cover and cook for about 20 minutes until beans are very soft, then stir in lemon zest and juice. In a bowl, combine herbs, preserved lemon, remaining oil, 1/4 tsp salt and plenty of pepper. Set aside.
7.

Remove turkey from oven and rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Once rested, set on a platter and keep warm. Discard giblets from tray, add remaining spice paste, 400ml water and 1/2 tsp salt. Scrape up any stuck-on, flavoursome bits. Return to oven for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and slightly thickened. Keep warm.
8.

For the carrots, preheat oven to 240°C (220°C fan-forced). Put sultanas, vinegar and maple syrup in a medium heatproof bowl and leave to plump up for about 20 minutes. Peel carrots and trim the tops to leave 2-3cm of green stem attached.
9.

Pick and set aside roughly 2 tbs of leaves. Spread carrots on a large oven tray lined with baking paper, and toss with 1 1/2 tbs oil, 3/4 tsp salt and a good grind of pepper.
10.

Roast for 25-30 minutes, turning once halfway, until carrots are cooked and have taken on some colour. Put remaining 1 1/2 tbs oil, butter and almonds in a small frypan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until nicely browned, then pour into the sultana bowl. Add 1/4 tsp salt and reserved carrot leaves and mix. Set aside.
11.

Arrange carrots on a platter, sprinkle over toasted spices and pour over sultana and almond dressing. Serve beans warm or at room temperature with herb mix stirred in just before serving. Spoon gravy into a jug and serve alongside turkey.