Eight-treasure turkey with Mandarin pancakes

SERVES 8 PREP AND COOK TIME 4 HOURS (+ SOAKING, MARINATING OVERNIGHT AND COOLING TIME)

4.5kg whole turkey

¼ cup (60ml) dark soy sauce 1 tablespoon five-spice powder 1 tablespoon sesame oil, plus 1 tablespoon, extra, to brush over turkey

1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (see Adam’s tip)

16 (230g) Mandarin pancakes (see Adam’s tip)

¼ cup (70g) hoisin sauce

2 (260g) Lebanese cucumbers, cut into 7cm batons

2 large spring onions, cut into

7cm matchsticks

EIGHT-TREASURE STUFFING

2 cups (430g) glutinous rice (see Adam’s tip)

2 tablespoons dried shrimp (see Adam’s tip)

5 dried shiitake mushrooms

2 cups (500ml) hot water

1 cup (250ml) water or chicken stock, approximately

1½ tablespoons vegetable oil 3 teaspoons grated ginger

130g pork mince

3 (90g) lap cheong Chinese sausages (see Adam’s tip) ⅓ cup (40g) dried cranberries 2 tablespoons drained, chopped canned water chestnuts (see Adam’s tip) 1½ tablespoons ginkgo nuts (see

Adam’s tip)

40g prosciutto, finely chopped ½ teaspoon salt

1½ tablespoons soy sauce 1½ tablespoons Shaoxing wine

1. To prepare the turkey, combine the dark soy sauce, five-spice powder, sesame oil and Shaoxing wine, and rub all over the skin and inside the cavity of the bird. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

2. EIGHT-TREASURE STUFFING Place rice in a large bowl, add plenty of cold water and soak overnight. Next day, soak the dried shrimp and shiitake mushrooms in the hot water until softened; drain, reserving the liquid, and finely slice the mushrooms. Combine the reserved liquid, topping it up with the water or chicken stock to make 3 cups (750ml). Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the ginger, then the pork mince. Fry until the pork is lightly browned, then add the soaked shrimp, sliced shiitake mushrooms, lap cheong, cranberries, water chestnuts, ginkgo nuts and prosciutto, and continue to fry for a further 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and stir to combine. Add the 3 cups (750ml) combined reserved liquid and chicken stock, salt, soy sauce and Shaoxing wine. Stir well, then simmer covered for 20 minutes. Set mixture aside to cool to room temperature.

3. Stuff the neck and main cavity of the turkey with the cooled rice stuffing; secure neck skin underneath with toothpicks and tie the legs of the turkey together.

4. Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fanforced). Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan; add 1 cup (250ml) water to pan. Brush turkey with extra sesame oil; cover with foil. Roast for 2¼ hours, then remove the foil and brush lightly again with sesame oil. Increase the heat of the oven to 190°C (170°C fan-forced) and roast for a further 45 minutes or until the turkey is a deep mahogany colour and just cooked through. Rest for 30 minutes in a warm place; reserve the cooking juices.

5. Warm the Mandarin pancakes according to the packet directions. Dilute hoisin sauce with a little of the turkey juices and serve the turkey with Mandarin pancakes, cucumber, spring onion and hoisin sauce. Serve the rest of the turkey with the juices separately.