Turkey with Currant Stuffing

1 12-pound turkey, giblets removed and reserved
1 large orange, halved
salt and pepper
Whole Wheat and Currant Stuffing
2 eggs
2/3 cup broth
6 tablespoons butter, softened
6 tablepoons butter, melted

6 tablespoons flour
3 cups Giblet Broth, or stock
1 tablespoon butter
1 hard boiled egg, finely chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°F.  Butter 8 cup casserole.  Rinse turkey; pat dry.
Place in roasting pan.  Squeeze juice from orange over turkey and into
cavity.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spoon 4 cups stuffing into cavity.
Mix 2 eggs and 2/3 cup stock into remaining stuffing.   Transfer stuffing
to casserole dish; cover and refrigerate.  Rub 6 tablespoons softened
butter over turkey.

Roast turkey 45 minutes.  Reduce oven temp to 350F.  Roast turkey until
meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh registers 175F,
basting turkey occasionally with melted butter, about 1 hour 15 minutes
(uncover stffing in dish and place in oven final 45 minutes).

Transfer turkey to platter, tent with foil.  Remove stuffing from oven.

Pour turkey pan juices into bowl.  Degrease pan juices, reserving 6
tablespoons fat.  Pour fat back into roasting pan.  Place pan over medium
heat.  Add flour to pan and stir 3 minutes.  Stir degreased pan juices
and 3 cups Giblet Broth into pan and bring to boil, scraping up any
browned bits and stirring constantly.  Simmer until gravy thickens,
stirring frequently.  Pour into medium saucepan.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add
reserved liver and saute until cooked through.  Chop liver.  Mix liver
and chopped heart, gizzard and egg into gravy.  Bring to simmer, then
pour into sauceboat.

Serve turkey with Whole Wheat and Currant Stuffing and gravy.


Giblet Broth

8 cups water
1 1/2 pounds turkey necks
Neck, hart and gizzard from turkey
1 1-inch thick onion slice
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 teaspoon thyme

Combine water, turkey necks, heart and gizzard, onion, celery and thyme
in large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours.
Strain, reserving heart and gizzard.  Return broth to saucepan and boil
until liquid is reduced to 3 cups.  Chop heart and gizzard and reserve
for gravy.


Whole Wheat and Currant Stuffing

1 3/4 pounds whole wheat bread, broken into large pieces
2 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
3 cups hot water
1 cup butter
3/4 cup chopped green onions
2 teaspoons thyme
1 cup dried currants
1 cup lightly toasted unsalted sunflower seeds
nutmeg
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350F.  Make bread crumbs out of bread pieces in food
processor.  Spread crumbs out on 2 heavy large cookie sheets.  Bake
until dry, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.  Dump into large
bowl.

Place mushrooms in small bowl.  Add 3 cups hot water, let soak 30
minutes.  Drain mushrooms; reserve 1 cup soaking liquid.  Cut off
mushroom stems and discard.  Cut caps into 1/4 inch thick slices.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.  Add shallots and saute
5 minutes.  Add remaining 1/2 cup butter and thyme and stir until
butter melts.

Mix mushrooms, currants and unflower seeds into breadcrumbs.  Add
butter mixture and stir until well mixed.  Stir in 1 cup reserved
mushroom soaking liquid.  Season to taste with nutmeg, salt and
pepper.