Baked Turkey with Watercress Sauce (Irish)

"Easter Sunday and Christmas Day are the two best days for eating," wrote the Kilkenny diarist Amhlaoibh Ó Súilleabháin. But that was almost two hundred years ago, and chances are that the Christmas feasting he had in mind didn't involve turkey. The bird has been known in Ireland at least since the mid-eighteenth century (Theodora FitzGibbon found a recipe in a manuscript from 1746, by one Sara Powers, for boneless whole turkey seasoned with nutmeg, mace, and cinnamon, then boiled in white wine and lemon-water), but didn't become associated with the holidays until the early twentieth century. Once it did take hold, it was usually cooked not at home but in the local baker's oven. Esther Barron of Barron's bakery in Cappoquin, County Waterford, recalls that when she was a young girl, "A stream of people would start coming in at 9 A.M. on Christmas morning with their turkeys, each with a name-tag on its leg." Everybody has his or her own favourite stuffed roast turkey recipe, but this one is a little different: It is Myrtle Allen's delicious way of treating a "summer turkey" or smaller bird.

1 (10-12 lbs) turkey (5-6 kg)
sea salt
black pepper, freshly ground
5 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. Canola or sunflower oil
6 medium onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bunches watercress, trimmed and chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup heavy cream (240 mL)

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C/170°C fan, Gas Mark 5).

Season the turkey all over, inside and out, with salt and pepper.

Melt 4 Tbsp. of the butter with the oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-bottomed roasting pan large enough to hold the turkey. Put the turkey into the pan, breast side down, and cook for 4-6 minutes to brown it.

Remove the turkey from the pan, and add the onions and garlic. Place the pan over 2 burners on the stovetop and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return the turkey to the roasting pan breast side up and bake for 2½-3 hours or until done.

If the bottom of the pan starts to dry out during cooking, add a little water to prevent the onions from burning. To test for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; the temperature should be 175°F (80°C). Alternately, pierce the same place with a skewer; if the juices run clear, the turkey is cooked.

Remove the turkey from the pan and set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.

When ready to serve the turkey, pour the pan juices through a sieve into a small bowl, pressing through a little of the onion.

Melt the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter in the roasting pan over medium heat, then add watercress and parsley, stir well, and cook for about 1 minute. Add the pan juices and cream, stir well, and cook for about 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carve the turkey and serve with sauce on the side.

Makes 8-12 servings.