Pavo Relleno a la Catalana

Pavo relleno a la catalana is Catalonia’s stuffed Christmas turkey, a whole bird filled with fresh botifarra and pork, then sweetened in the Catalan roast manner with prunes, apple, raisins, dried apricots and pine nuts. Vi ranci, the region’s aged fortified wine, gives the filling its deep, nutty edge. This is a feast bird for a full table, generous without being showy.

The roast is decided by two temperatures. Start at 220°C until the skin takes colour, then lower the oven to 165°C so the stuffing reaches a safe 74°C without punishing the breast. Baste at measured intervals, not every ten minutes. The oven doesn’t improve because you keep opening it. A thermometer, not the clock, tells you when the bird is ready.

If you can’t find botifarra fresca, use a plain, unsmoked fresh pork sausage without fennel; the seasoning will be less distinctly Catalan, but the filling will still work. Dry oloroso can stand in for vi ranci, and chopped blanched almonds can replace costly pine nuts, though their bite is firmer. My Margin says only this: relleno frío y sin apretar, cold stuffing, never packed tight. Siempre sale, si lo sigues.