Ingredients serve 10-12 persons.

1 whole turkey approx. 6 kg

10 slices steaky bacon,

1 small onion , sliced

1 stick celery, sliced

few sprigs fresh thyme

600 melted butter

1 small carrot

1tbsp butter and oil

1 onion , finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme

2 Maltese sausages (casting removed)

300gr minced pork

1 beaten egg

4 tablespoon fresh breadcrumbs

1Apple grated

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chestnuts

2 tbsp chopped pistachoes

3 tablespoons dried cramberries

zest of an orange

fresh black pepper to season

for the gravy

2 shallots finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

50gr butter

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

150ml port

300ml cream

250ml stock

Method

To make the stuffing heat the butter and oil and soften together the onion garlic and thyme for 4 minutes . In a medium bowl . Place the sausage meat filling pork and cooked onion mixture and mix well . Add the remaining ingredients , season and black pepper and mix .

For the turkey, remove any giblets or inners . Stuff with the pepper stuffing mixture and close up the extra skin using tooth picks . In a large baking tray place the sliced carrots , onion , celery and thyme sprigs and lay over the turkey . Season the turkey all over with the melted butter . Cover the turkey breasts breasts completely with the whole turkey with foil . pour 1 small cup of water into the tray . cook at 160/c for 2hours covered with foil basting with the pan juices for 30 minutes then for approximately .another 21/2 hours uncovered .

For the creamy port , sauté the shallots and garlic with the butter for 3/4 minutes till soft . Add in the thyme . Dijon and salt and pepper to season . Splash in the port to evaporate then add in the cream , stock and pan juices from the turkey . Bring to the boil then lower the heat for 10-15 minutes to evaporate and thicken . Discard the thyme sprigs and serve in gravy boat .

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