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ROASTED TURKEY & AROMATIC RICE WITH SPICES, NUTS AND RAISINS; TURKEY & RICE, LEBANON

Long Grain Rice

Long Grain Rice

Lamb, Onion

Lamb, Onion

Nuts, Raisins

Nuts, Raisins

Turkey

Turkey

Ingredients

Organic Turkey – 14 pounds

Ground Lamb – 1 pound

Long Grain Rice – 2 cups

Water – 4 cups

White Onion – 1/2 medium size

Roasted Whole Chestnuts – 1/2 cups

Halved Walnuts – 1/2 cups

Whole Almonds – 1/2 cup

Pistachios – 1/2 cup

Pine Nuts – 1/4 cup

Golden Raisins – 1/4 cup

Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons

Sea Salt – 2 tablespoons

Spices

Ground Allspice – 1/2 teaspoon

Ground Nutmeg – 1/2 teaspoon

Ground Cinnamon – 1/2 teaspoon

Ground Cloves – 1/2 teaspoon

Ground Black Pepper – 1/2 teaspoon

Ground Coriander Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Roasted Turkey & Rice – The Christmas Season in Lebanon is filled with holiday decorations, family gatherings, Christmas Concerts, religious celebrations and Christmas Feasts.  The Lebanese families gather together drinking Arabic coffee, sharing stories and preparing an abundance of wonderful dishes.  During our visit to Lebanon, we are invited to our friend’s family home in Beirut to celebrate Christmas.  The festive table contains a variety of Lebanese and French specialties, including the roasted turkey stuffed with rice, traditional Lebanese salads, fresh oysters and the Bûche de Noël. Our Roasted Turkey & Rice recipe recreates the flavors and aromas of the Lebanese Christmas Feast.  In our recipe, the organic turkey is oven-roasted without the stuffing, delivering juicy and moist meat.  The long grain rice is cooked separately in a large casserole with ground lamb, spices, variety of nuts and golden raisins.  The Spices are an important ingredient in the Lebanese cuisine, hence each family seems to have its own unique spice mix.  Our spice mix includes allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper and coriander.  Our rice is flavored with a variety of nuts, including whole chestnuts (Golden Plate Organic Grilled & Peeled Chestnuts), a healthy and delicious ingredient.  Our Roasted Turkey & Rice with Nuts are a marriage made in heaven.

Spices

Spices

Rice with Nuts

Rice with Nuts

Roasted Turkey

Roasted Turkey

Turkey & Rice

Turkey & Rice

Preparation Method

Step 1 – Spread olive oil, salt and black pepper on the skin and inside the cavity of the turkey.  Put a halved lemon in the turkey’s cavity, place turkey in the roasting dish, cover with foil and roast it in the oven at 350 Fahrenheit for 3 ½ hours or slightly longer as needed, with the last ½ hour on low broil without the foil cover.  

Step 2 – Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes, then drain it.  In a large casserole, sauté the chopped onion with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Add the ground lamb and spices; sauté until browned.  Add the rice and water; bring to boil, then cover and cook for 20 minutes on low heat.      

Step 3 – In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté almonds until lightly golden, then add the other nuts and raisins, and sauté for a few minutes.  Spread the toasted nuts and raisins on the cooked rice and serve the dish in the casserole.  Serve the rice with natural turkey juices for extra flavor.       

Step 4 – Remove the turkey from the oven, let it rest for 10 minutes and serve it.      

Step 5 – Enjoy a Christmas Feast a la Lebanaise!