By which I mean I’m posting it at the last minute, though if you live in the kind of place where you can lay your hands on pork sausage meat at the last minute before Christmas Dinner, that works too!  The great thing about this recipe is that only is it incredibly versatile, given the different kinds of pork sausage you can use, but that it gets stuffed not only in the body cavity, but also under the skin of the breast, thus keeping the turkey white meat VERY moist during the inevitably protracted cooking time.

You will need:

• 1 lb of the pork sausage meat of your choice.  You can either use plain sausage meat, or a lb’s worth of fancy pork sausages, skinned and mulched between your fingers for extra seasonal fun.
• 1 large onion, either finely minced by hand, or whizzed into a juicy pulpy mess in a food processor
• 1- 1/2 cups mushrooms, finely minced
• the turkey liver, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3 slices bread, dried and breadcrumbed, preferably wholemeal.
• A small handful parsley, chopped.
• salt and pepper to season.

(if you’re usuing plain pork sausage meat, you can also add nutmeg, paprika, sage, thyme,or really the spice  and/or herb of your choice)

Simply combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Then, working from the wishbone end of the breast, gently separate the skin from the breast and slide your hand between them.  Then, taking care not to rip the skin, gently push about a quarter to a third of the stuffing between the breast and the skin, to cover the breast. Place the rest of the stuffing either in a loaf tin, or VERY LOOSELY into the body cavity of the bird, making sure that it only fills about half the body cavity.  Then roast either in, or alongside the turkey.

Note 1: Remember that this is a pork stuffing that starts from raw, so if you want to prepare it the day before, do not mix in the egg until right before it goes in the bird, and that it must be well refrigerated, then brought back to room temperature just like the bird.

Note 2: Don’t expect to eat the stuffing you place between the skin and the breast.  It will probably wind up a tad too crispy, and anyway it’s primary purpose is to baste the breast as it roasts.

And a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, from the Fabulous Foodie!