Thanksgiving Recipe 5: the Turkey and the gravy

Maple Glazed Turkey with Mushroom Gravy
If you like a crisp skin on your turkey this glaze is very good indeed.
8 servings with leftovers

1 (14lb) turkey at room temperature 1 hour; neck and giblets removed (reserve if desired)
2 to 2 1/2 c. water, divided
1 1/2 tsp. black peppercorns
2/3 c. maple syrup (grade B)
1/2 c. malt vinegar

Equipment: kitchen string, 17x14-inch flameproof roasting pan with a flat rack, fat separator (optional)

Make turkey: preheat oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the lowest position. Rinse turkey inside and out, then pat dry. Put turkey on rack in pan and sprinkle cavities and skin with 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Fold neck skin under body, then tie drumsticks together with kitchen string and tuck wings under body. Add 1 cup water to pan and roast, without basting, 1 hour (if you have purchased a self-basting turkey, omit water).
Prepare glaze: place peppercorns in a small sealable bag and crack them with a rolling pin or small heavy skillet. Transfer to a small saucepan and add maple syrup. Cook over medium-low heat until just heated through. Remove from heat and let syrup steep until ready to glaze turkey.
Glaze turkey: After turkey has roasted 1 hour, rotate pan and add 1 cup water. Roast, without basting, 45 minutes more. Just before 45 minutes is up, pour syrup through a small fine-mesh sieve into a small bowl; discard peppercorns. Brush all over turkey and continue to roast (if bottom of pan is dry, add remaining 1/2 cup water) until instant-read thermometer inserted into fleshy part of thighs (test both, close to to but not touching bone) registers 170 degrees (approximately 2 hours total roasting time for 14 lb turkey - see roasting guide on packaging for other weights). Carefully tilt the turkey so the juices from inside large cavity run into the roasting pan, then transfer the turkey to a platter and let it stand 30-45 minutes (temperature of thigh meat will rise to 175.)

Mushroom Gravy
Sage gives this gravy a more traditional Thanksgiving flavor, but you can also try rosemary, tarragon, thyme or parsley.
Reserved fat and pan juices from roasting above (see step 1 below)
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 T. chopped fresh sage
1/4 tsp salt
1 8 oz. package sliced mushrooms (I like baby bellas)
1/4 c. Madeira or dry sherry
3 c. low-sodium chicken stock
1 1/2 T. all-purpose flour, or cornflour, or arrowroot
2 T. water
2 T. butter
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Step 1: Straddle the roasting pan across two burners, then add the malt vinegar and deglaze the pan by boiling over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, say 2 minutes. Strain the liquid through a cleaned fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or separator and let it stand until fat rises to top. Skim or pour off the fat and reserve it and the pan juices separately.
Step 2: Heat 3 T. reserved fat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 1 minute. Add sage, salt and mushrooms; saute 11 minutes or until mushrooms are browned. Add wine or sherry; cook 30 seconds or until liquid almost evaporates. Stir in chicken stock and pan juices. Boil, cooking until reduced to 2 cups. remove from heat.
Step 3: Combine flour and water in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Add thickener to pan stirring to avoid lumps, and return to boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until desired thickness, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in butter, I T. at a time until melted. Stir in pepper and taste.