SALTED ROAST TURKEY with HERB and SHALLOT GRAVY
Adapted via Bon Appétit
Serves: 8 to 12 (with leftovers)

Ingredients
For Golden Turkey Stock:
♦ 4 1/2 pounds turkey wings, cut in half
♦ 1 large onion, chopped
♦  1 large carrot, chopped
♦ 1 large celery stalk, chopped
♦ 6 fresh Italian parsley sprigs
♦ 1 bay leaf
♦ 1/2 tsp dried thyme
♦ 1/4 tsp whole black peppercorns

For herbed salt:
♦ 1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
♦ 1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
♦ 1 1/2 tsp dried rubbed sage
♦ 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
♦ 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
♦ 3 small bay leaves, coarsely torn
♦ 1 tsp finely grated lemon peel

For turkey:
♦ 1 14- to 16-pound turkey (neck, heart, and gizzard reserved)
♦ 1 large onion, chopped
♦ 1 large celery stalk, chopped
♦ 1 whole lemon, chopped with peel
♦ 3 sprigs fresh rosemary, broken into pieces
♦ 3 sprigs fresh sage, broken into pieces
♦ 3 sprigs fresh thyme, broken into pieces
♦ 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
♦ 2 cups (or more) Golden Turkey Stock

For gravy:
♦ 3 1/2 cups (about) Golden Turkey Stock
♦ 2 large shallots, minced
♦ 1/2 cup all purpose flour
♦ 1/2 cup dry white wine
♦ 3 tsp (each) chopped fresh rosemary, marjoram, and thyme

Directions:
Make the stock: Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange wings in large roasting pan. Roast until deep brown, turning once, about 2 hours total.

Transfer wings to large bowl. Spoon 3 tablespoons turkey fat from roasting pan into large pot (reserve roasting pan). Add onion, carrot, and celery to pot. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables are golden, about 20 minutes. Add turkey wings to pot. Add 2 cups water to roasting pan; place over 2 burners and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Add liquid to pot. Add remaining ingredients and enough cold water to cover wings by 1 inch.

Bring water to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer uncovered until stock is very flavorful and reduced to 7 1/2 to 8 cups, about 2 1/2 hours. Strain stock into large bowl. Cool 1 hour, then chill until cold, about 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled. (Can also be made and frozen 2 weeks ahead.) Spoon off fat from surface before using.

Make the herbed salt: Rub first 6 ingredients in small bowl to crush herbs finely. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover; store at room temperature. Stir in peel before using.

Season the turkey: Rinse turkey inside and out (do not pat dry). Pull any fat pads from main cavity and neck cavity of turkey; wrap, chill, and reserve fat for roasting. Place turkey in roasting bag; sprinkle inside and out with herbed salt. Close bag. Place on baking sheet; refrigerate 18 to 24 hours.

Roast the turkey: Set rack at lowest position in oven and preheat to 325°F. Rinse turkey inside and out; pat very dry. Stir chopped onion and next 5 ingredients in small bowl. Divide onion mixture between main and neck cavities. Fold neck skin under and secure with skewer. Tuck wing tips under. Tie legs together loosely. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan, breast-side up. Spread butter all over 1 side of turkey, and flip over so the turkey is breast down – spread with remaining butter. Place reserved fat pads and reserved neck, heart, and gizzard in pan; pour in 2 cups Golden Turkey Stock.

Roast turkey 45 minutes. Remove from oven and tent with foil – roast for an additional hour. Remove from the oven, and flip the turkey so it is breast-side up. Replace the aluminum tent, and roast for an additional 30 to 45 minutes; be sure to add stock or water to the pan if it gets too dry. Remove the foil tent, and continue to roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°F to 170°F, basting (if desired); re-tent loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. Transfer turkey to platter; tent very loosely with foil and let rest for about 45 minutes. Reserve roasting pan with juices for gravy.

For the gravy: Remove turkey neck, heart, and gizzard from roasting pan. Pull meat off neck; chop neck meat, heart, and gizzard and reserve for gravy, if desired. Pour pan juices into 8-cup measuring cup. Spoon off fat from surface, reserving 1/2 cup fat. Add enough turkey stock to degreased pan juices to measure 5 1/2 cups total.

Place roasting pan over 2 burners on medium heat. Add 1/2 cup reserved fat and shallots; sauté for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the flour. Cook until roux is light brown, whisking constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisk in wine, stock mixture, and fresh herbs. Bring to boil, whisking to blend. Boil until gravy coats spoon, about 3 minutes. Add neck, heart, and gizzard, if desired. Season with salt and pepper.

To read more about this cake and my musical pairing, click HERE.