Time: 4 to 4-1/2 hours, plus overnight marinating (1 hour for preparing and inserting seasonings, overnight marinating, 3 to 3-1/2 hours for roasting) Yield: 10 to 12 servings
8 cloves garlic, peeled
Salt
8 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
8 sprigs thyme
2 sprigs oregano
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
One 20-pound Kosher or other turkey, trimmed of excess fat and rinsed, neck and giblets reserved
6 limes, halved
2 tablespoons adobo
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped ham
2 Scotch Bonnet peppers, seeded and finely chopped
8 sweet small peppers (known as cachuca or ajicitos dulces) or 1 large Cubanelle pepper, seeded and cut into 1/3 inch dice
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped manzanilla olives with pimento
20 capers, finely chopped
1 bottle dry red wine
1 teaspoon ground achiote
6 ounces tomato paste
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups chicken stock or canned broth
Half a red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
Half a red bell pepper, thinly sliced.
1. The day before cooking: Using a large mortar and pestle or a small food processor, puree the garlic, a pinch of salt, 5 sprigs of the parsley, 5 sprigs of the thyme, and the oregano. Add the lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar, and 2 teaspoons of water. Set aside.
2. With a long paring knife, make 1/2-inch to 1-1/2 inch deep holes about 1/2 inch apart all over the turkey, including the breast, thighs, legs, and wings. Rub the limes all over the turkey, squeezing out the juice and massaging it into the meat. Discard excess liquid.
3. Sprinkle the turkey on all sides with adobo, and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Strain the garlic-herb puree, reserving the juices. Place the puree in a mixing bowl, and add the chopped ham, Scotch Bonnet peppers, sweet peppers, chopped red onion, olives, and capers. Mix well. To protect hands from being burned while handling the hot pepper mixture, wear thin latex or rubber gloves. Press large pinches of this mixture into the holes in the turkey, widening
each hole with your finger. If any mixture remains when the holes are filled, place it in the cavity, adding the reserved neck and giblets. Place the turkey in a deep non-reactive pot, and pour the reserved juice from the garlic puree on top, massaging it in well. Pour the wine over the turkey, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
4. To cook the turkey: Set oven rack low to accommodate the height of the turkey. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Reserve 3 cups of the wine that the turkey was in, discarding the rest. Add achiote, tomato paste, remaining 1 tablespoon vinegar,olive oil, and chicken broth. Place turkey in a roasting pan along with the sliced onion, sliced red bell pepper, and remaining 3 sprigs parsley and 3 sprigs thyme. Pour half the wine mixture over the turkey, reserving the remainder for basting.
5. Begin roasting the turkey breast side up, turning it over (breast side down) after 30 minutes. Baste the turkey every 15 minutes throughout roasting. Continue to turn the turkey every about 30 minutes, ending with the breast side up, until temperature in the thickest part of the breast registers 160 degrees, and the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees. Total cooking time will be 3 to 3-1/2 hours. Allow the turkey to rest, covered with foil, for 20 minutes before presentation and carving.
