Roasted turkey with garlic and apples

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 kg.) turkey
• 2 heads of garlic
• 1 onion, cut into 6 pieces
• 2 apples, cut into quarters
• 1 bunch of sage
• 1 fennel bulb, cut into 6 pieces
• 1 small carrot, cut into large slices
• 480 g butter
• 8 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 4 bay leaves
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation:

1. Prepare the turkey: One hour before cooking, let the defrosted turkey stand at room temperature. Then remove the neck and giblets, reserving them for the gravy. Pat the turkey dry inside and out with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the turkey with 1 head of garlic, quartered, 1/2 onion, apple slices, and 1/2 bunch of sage. Place the turkey breast-side up in a baking dish, arranging the remaining vegetables and herbs around it.
2. Melt 12 oz (360 g) of butter in a saucepan, add 3 tablespoons of finely chopped sage, and season with salt and pepper. Fill a syringe with the mixture and inject half of it into the breast and thighs, then rub the turkey with the remaining mixture.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Place the turkey in the bottom of the oven and roast for about 3 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F (75°C). Turn off the oven and leave the turkey in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Then transfer the turkey to a platter and let it rest for 20-30 minutes.
4. While the turkey is roasting, prepare the broth: Melt the remaining 120g of butter in a saucepan. Add the neck and giblets, season with salt and pepper, and sauté over medium heat until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Peel the garlic and crush the cloves with the back of a knife. Add to the giblets and sauté for another 2 minutes. Pour in the broth and bay leaves, cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook over medium-low heat for about 2 hours. Then remove the bay leaves, neck, and giblets.
5. Prepare the sauce: Place the roasted vegetables and fruit in a blender, add the turkey juice and fat, add the flour, and puree until smooth. Pour the puree into the broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide the turkey into portions and garnish with the remaining sage; serve with the gravy.
   
   Classic Turkey Gravy Recipe