Cajun spatchcock turkey with goat's cheese stuffing & lemon-leaf meatballs

A complete Christmas feast that can be cooked on the braai: succulent roast turkey served with zesty lemon-leaf meatballs and tangy tzatziki dip

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients:

1  turkey, about 4kg, defrosted (about 2 days in the fridge)

2 x 100g garlic and spring onion goat’s cheese logs, frozen for 30 minutes and thinly sliced

Olive oil

Cajun spice mix

Lemon-leaf meatballs:

180g (1 cups) stale white breadcrumbs, not dried

250ml (1 cup) milk

500g pork or lamb mince

Salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1-2 red chillies, seeded and finely sliced

Handful fresh coriander, finely chopped

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

20 lemon leaves

story_article_left1

Method:

1) To spatchcock the turkey, place it breast-side-down on a large board and use poultry scissors to cut down each side of the backbone. Turn it over and press down firmly to flatten.

2) To stuff the turkey, gently loosen the skin on the breast and neck, without breaking the skin, and over the drumsticks. Ease slices of cold goat’s cheese under the skin. Rub the bird all over with olive oil and cajun spice.

3) If cooking in a gas braai, place turkey skin-side-up on a baking tray, place in the braai, close the lid and cook without turning, basting with the pan juices every 15 minutes. If cooking in a kettle braai, prepare an indirect fire, place a drip tray in the centre and place the turkey on the grid. Cook with the lid on, basting every 15 minutes. Either method will take about 2 hours. Pierce a thigh joint with a fork — if the juices run clear the bird is ready. Cover with foil and rest for 10 minutes before carving.

4) Combine all the ingredients for the meatballs except the lemon leaves. Mix well, adding more breadcrumbs if mixture is too sloppy. Wet your hands and roll mixture into 20 balls. Wrap each meatball in a lemon leaf, securing with a toothpick.

5) About 20 minutes before the turkey is ready, place the meatballs around the turkey and roast till the lemon leaves are a little charred.

8) Carve the turkey and serve with the meatballs and a tzatziki dip.