Time to Table: 1 HOUR PREP, 3-4 HOURS ROASTING, 15 MINUTES STANDING
Makes 10-12 servings
Ingredients:
1 8-12 pound turkey
1 teaspoon crushed dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 medium unpeeled orange, cut into wedges
1 stalk celery, quartered
1 pound carrots or parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2inch pieces (3 cups)
2 large quinces, or firm-ripe pears, peeled, cored and quartered
1/2 cup chicken broth
Glaze juice from 3-5 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates,* or 1 1/3 cups POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
1 12-oz. jar plum jam (1½ cups)
1/2 cup apple cider or juice
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1½ teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
Garnish (optional): 1/3 cup arils from 1 large POM Wonderful Pomegranate
Directions:
1. Rinse bird; pat dry. Sprinkle marjoram and pepper on the skin and inside cavity.
2. Stuff cavity with orange and celery pieces. Pull neck skin to back; fasten with a skewer. Tie drumsticks to tail. Twist wing tips under back.
3. Place turkey breast side up on rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush with oil. Insert meat thermometer in center of one thigh, not touching bone.
4. Roast turkey, uncovered, in 325ºF oven for 2 1/4 hours, basting with pan juices every 30 minutes. While bird roasts, prepare Glaze (see below).
5. Prepare garnish - Score 1 fresh pomegranate and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranate underwater to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1/3 cup arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
6. Add carrots and quince to pan; pour broth over vegetables. Roast for 45 minutes (8-pound bird) to 1 3/4 hours more (12-pound bird), until meat thermometer registers 180ºF, basting occasionally with pan juices.
7. Baste bird with 1/2 cup reserved Glaze during last 15 minutes of roasting.
8. Glaze:
Prepare fresh pomegranate juice.*
In saucepan combine juice, jam, apple cider, soy sauce and lemon peel. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Reserve 1/2 cup of Glaze for basting turkey.
To serve, let turkey stand, covered, 15 minutes before carving.
Stir cornstarch into water; stir into remaining Glaze in saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat and simmer 1 minute. Remove orange and celery from cavity, slice turkey. Arrange on platter with carrots and quince; garnish with reserved arils. Serve with hot thickened Glaze.
*For 1 cup of juice, cut 2-3 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour mixture through a cheesecloth-lined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.