Pavo relleno - Mexican stuffed roast turkey
Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 50 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Ant Duncan
Pavo relleno - Mexican stuffed roast turkey
'In Mexico, a turkey is called a guajolote or pavo; they are native to Mexico and were only brought to Europe after the Spanish arrived in the 16th century,' says chef Adriana Cavita. 'Traditionally we would stuff it with tomato and acitrón, which is a candied sweet (a bit like Spanish membrillo) made from the biznaga cactus. The cactus is now endangered and prohibited to eat, so I use a mixture of dried fruit here instead.'
Serves: 8-10
Prep time: 50 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (150g cooked turkey plus stuffing)
Calories
919Kcal
Fat
50gr
Saturates
17gr
Carbs
36gr
Sugars
29gr
Fibre
4gr
Protein
70gr
Salt
1.3gr
Adriana Cavita
Adriana Cavita grew up in a small village near Mexico City. She was inspired to cook by her grandma, who owned a street food business selling quesadillas, tacos and tamales. Having worked at some of the world's top restaurants, she now has her own in London called Cavita
See more of Adriana Cavita’s recipes
Adriana Cavita
Adriana Cavita grew up in a small village near Mexico City. She was inspired to cook by her grandma, who owned a street food business selling quesadillas, tacos and tamales. Having worked at some of the world's top restaurants, she now has her own in London called Cavita
See more of Adriana Cavita’s recipes
Ingredients
For the turkey
- a 5-6kg whole turkey
- 1 eating apple, scored around the centre
- 75g soft butter
- 400ml orange juice
- 100ml white wine
For the filling
- 50ml olive oil
- 50g butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 250g beef mince
- 250g pork mince
- 75g raisins
- 100g prunes, quartered
- 75g pitted green olives, halved
- 75g almonds, chopped
- 75g pecans, chopped
- 2 eating apples, peeled and diced
- 1 roasted red pepper, drained and sliced
- 3 tbsp sherry
- ¼ tsp ground clove
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 500g passata
- ½ x 30g pack parsley, finely chopped
- 50g pine nuts
For the gravy (optional - not gluten free)
- 40g plain flour
- 200ml white wine
- 400ml chicken or turkey stock
Step by step
Get ahead
Make the filling the day before; cool, cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before stuffing the turkey.
- Remove the turkey from the fridge 2 hours before cooking. Prepare all your ingredients before starting to cook the filling. When everything is ready, heat the olive oil and butter in a large pan. Add the onion and garlic and gently fry until softened. Increase the heat and fry the beef and pork mince, stirring frequently to break up the meat, until browned.
- Reduce to a medium heat and add the remaining filling ingredients, except for the parsley and pine nuts. Mix well, stir in some seasoning and simmer for 20-25 minutes to thicken. Check the seasoning to taste, stir in the parsley and pine nuts and set aside to cool completely before using to stuff the turkey.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Season the turkey inside and out with salt and black pepper. Place the stuffing in the cavity of the turkey (it’s okay to do this because the stuffing is already cooked; raw stuffing should never be placed in the body cavity) and under the neck flap (don’t overfill) and secure with cocktail sticks. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and place the scored apple between the legs. Working with one wing at a time, lift up that side of the turkey and then fold and tuck the wing underneath the turkey’s back; repeat on the other side, to avoid burning the wing tips.
- Sit the turkey in a deep roasting tin and spread the butter all over the skin. Add the orange juice and white wine to the tin.
- Place the turkey in the oven then reduce the temperature to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Roast for 2-2½ hours, basting every 30 minutes, until the juices run clear when you insert a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh.
- Transfer the turkey to a carving dish, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes before carving.
- If you want to make a gravy, strain the roasting tin juices into a jug. Allow the fat to separate and ladle off the top layer of fat as best you can. Add 40g of the fat to a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring, to cook out, then gradually stir in the wine, followed by the roasting tin juices and finally the stock. Bring up to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes until thickened to your desired consistency. Season to taste.
