Turkey with pomegranate molasses and a honey cranberry sauce, for slightly different Christmas celebration or a great meal for 2.
This Christmas is undoubtedly going to be different. Even if we have to say goodbye to the huge family gatherings this year (as a Greek I can tell you this hurts, a lot!), I find some solace in the opportunity to do things a little differently.
New for me is definitely the cranberry sauce. It’s the first year I managed to get my hands on some fresh berries and I went for a honey cranberry sauce. It’s sharpness cuts through very nicely with my roast turkey leg. Obviously, small groups don’t need a huge bird. If you are planning for two, a leg of turkey can do very nicely and perhaps a crown if you fancy the breast more and cater for a family where leftover turkey is welcome.
Turkey or even chicken, kota, is quite the classic. We do have an amazing mince meat stuffing that finds its way on Christmas tables year after year. I decided to take a slightly different take on my turkey this year and have it with sumac and pomegranate molasses. You might have noticed there is quite the theme recently with pomegranate molasses. One can’t but love a good thing. Their sharp, uplifting flavour matches the festive bird pretty nicely.
As for sumac, you might have seen it again in my homemade gyros spice mix. Sumac is a dried, wine coloured ground spice with a distinct lemon like flavour. When cooking poultry, It is the ideal substitute for citrus but still add a special note. Sumac is another Persian cuisine gem, as are pomegranate molasses; if you haven’t used it yet, give it a go. It can find its way on top of many different dishes even salads.
Roast turkey leg with pomegranate molasses & a honey cranberry sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 turkey leg (approx 1-1 1/2 kg)
- 70 ml olive oil
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
- 4 tbspn pomegranate molasses
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
Honey cranberry sauce
- 300 gr fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses or balsamic vinegar
- 1 orange for its juice and finely grated zest 0.5 orange plus extra zest to serve
- 4 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp golden caster sugar plus extra to taste
Instructions
- Bring you turkey to room temperature. Pat the turkey leg dry with paper towels make sure it is as dry as possible so it browns nicely.
- You can rest it on a roasting tin whilst you prepare the pomegranate glaze.
- In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, pomegranate molasses, mustard and sage.
- Brush half over the turkey leg with the glaze and season with salt and pepper.
- Roast the leg covered with foil. Roasting time will depend on its weight, normally it needs 1-11/2 hours at 200C/ gas mark 6.
- As it is roasting, keep on checking every 15 minutes and brush over it a bit more of the pomegranate
- Once ready, let it rest for 15-20 minutes
- For the cranberry sauce, simply place all the ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. It will be ready in more or less 10 minutes, the cranberries will have burst and thickened.
I hope you enjoy this festive bird and have a wonderful Christmas.
from London with love,
Eugenia
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