3 chicken livers or an equal amount of turkey liver (about 1/4 pound)
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 slices good-quality one or two day old white bread
crusts trimmed
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 500F.
Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets; save the liver to make the stuffing.
Loosely pack the turkey cavity with the stuffing, then tie the legs together to close the vent.
Put the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan.
Add 1/2 cup of water to the bottom of the pan along with the turkey neck, gizzard, and any other trimmings.
Put in the oven, legs first.
Roast for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown, then turn the heat down to 350F.
Continue to roast, checking every 30 minutes or so; if the top threatens to brown too much, lay a piece of aluminum foil directly onto it.
If the bottom dries out, add water, about 1/2 cup at a time.
The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh measures 165F.
If, when the turkey is nearly done, the top is not browned enough, turn the heat back up to 425F for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.
Remove the turkey from the oven.
Take the bird off the rack and make Sherry Reduction Gravy (page 126) while the bird rests (let it sit for about 20 minutes before carving).
Chop together (by hand or in a small food processor) the butter, livers, and parsley; season to taste.
Spread half of the mixture on 4 of the bread slices; use the remaining bread to make 4 sandwiches.
Spread the remaining mixture on the outside of the sandwiches.
Cut each of the sandwiches into 6 pieces.
Stuff the turkey and roast as described in the preceding recipe.
For safety, the USDA recommends roasting white-meat poultry to 170F, at which point it will be unpalatably dry (especially when you consider that the internal temperature typically rises at least five degrees during the resting period).
Should you choose to do this, I strongly recommend that you serve the turkey with plenty of gravy.
I stop the cooking at a lower temperature and have never regretted it.