Prep. time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
 

This "Mother Christmas" turkey will delight lovers of tradition and makes a wonderful focal point for a festive meal.

For the best effect, present the whole turkey on a platter, accompanied by sautéed wild mushrooms and a combination of apple wedges, sliced white pudding and onions browned in butter.

Stuffing

1. Peel and finely chop the onions and shallots. Crumble the bread and soak it in the milk.
2. Peel the sausages and cut into rounds. 
3. Heat half the butter in a skillet. Sauté the onion and shallots without browning. Drain and set aside. 
4. In the same skillet, sear the sausage slices. Drain and set aside. 
5. Peel the apples and cut into small pieces. 
6. Drain the bread and add the onion, shallot, apple, sausage, eggs, cognac and seasonings. Mix well. Stuff the turkey and tie up the opening with kitchen string.

Cooking

1. Place the turkey in a roasting pan. Brush with oil and the remaining butter. 
2. Cook in a preheated 180° C (350° F) oven for 30 minutes. Add the bouillon cube dissolved in 250 ml (1 cup) water to the roasting pan. Continue cooking 90 minutes longer, basting the turkey frequently with the pan juices.
3. Near the end of the cooking time, cover the turkey with a sheet of aluminum foil to keep the meat moist and keep it warm until serving time.