A Mediterranean Twist: Olive Oil Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving turkey with olive oil recipe

Do you know what was on the menu at the first Thanksgiving Day? To thank the Native American Indians of Massachusetts for their help and hospitality, the English Pilgrims prepared a feast that included corn porridge, bread, venison and wildfowl, like turkey. But, unlike today, the turkey was not the centrepiece of the meal.

What hasn’t changed is the essence of Thanksgiving. It is an opportunity to get together with family and friends under the same roof, give thanks and enjoy a delicious turkey dinner. This Turkey Day, why not make the traditional turkey with a dash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain?

How to make Thanksgiving turkey step by step:

For the stuffing:

1. Cut the bread into small cubes, dice the onion and celery and chop the parsley.
2. Bake the bread in the oven for several minutes until golden.
3. Heat the Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain in a pan and sauté the onion and celery until soft.
4. Mix the onion and celery with the remaining ingredients in a large bowl.

For the turkey:

1. Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC).
2. Mix the Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain with the garlic, rosemary, basil, oregano, parsley, onion powder, thyme, red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Wash the turkey inside and out. Leave it to dry.
4. Remove any large fat deposits and gently loosen the skin from the breast without tearing it, working your fingers into the area between the breast and skin.
5. Place the stuffing inside the turkey cavity.
6. Spread the Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Spain and herb mixture over the outside of the turkey and between the breast and skin.
7. Place the turkey in a roasting pan with a rack and put it in the oven. Add about half a cup of water to the bottom of the pan and leave the turkey to roast for three to four hours.

Now the turkey is ready to eat! How do you usually prepare your Thanksgiving bird?