Recipe: Crystal Cruises’ Maple Cider-Brined Turkey & Orange Sage Stuffing and Disney Cruise Line’s Cranberry No-jito & Aquincum Cocktails

You may just be one of those last-minute planners who is just right now frantically searching the internet for Thanksgiving recipe ideas. No worries, we’ve got you covered. If you really want to impress your guests with your cooking skills, try this Maple Cider-Brined Turkey with Orange Sage Stuffing from Crystal Cruises. It’s unique, tasty and sure to be a big hit at the Thanksgiving dinner table. Pair it with an alcoholic Cranberry No-jito or for the crew who doesn’t want to partake in an alcoholic drink, try the Aquincum, both drink recipes from Disney Cruise Line, giving you an option for everyone. 

Maple Cider-Brined Turkey & Orange Sage Stuffing – Crystal Cruises

Ingredients for Maple Cider-Brined Turkey Brine

• 2 quarts apple cider
• ½ cup kosher salt
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp whole allspice berries
• ¾ tsp whole black peppercorns
• ½ tsp whole cloves
• 6 (2-inch) strips orange rind
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 2 bay leaves
• 1-gallon cold water 

Ingredients for Turkey

• 1 (12-pound) fresh or frozen turkey, thawed
• 3 tbsp butter, softened
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 apple, cut into wedges
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1 sage sprig
• ½ orange, cut into wedges
• ½ onion, cut into wedges
• Cooking spray 

Ingredients for the Gravy 

• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• ½ cup apple cider
• ¼ cup bourbon
• 1 ¼ cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar '

Ingredients for the Gravy 

• To prepare brine, combine first 9 ingredients in a large stockpot over high heat; cook 6 minutes or until salt dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; add 1 gallon cold water. Cool to room temperature.
• To prepare turkey, remove giblets and neck from turkey; reserve neck. Trim excess fat; add turkey to brine. Refrigerate 18 to 24 hours, turning occasionally.
• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Remove turkey from brine; discard brine. Pat turkey dry. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Combine 3 tablespoons butter and next 3 ingredients (through ½ teaspoon pepper) in a small bowl; rub butter mixture under loosened skin and over breast and drumsticks. Lift wing tips up and over back; tuck under turkey. Place apple and next 5 ingredients (through onion) in the body cavity. Secure legs with kitchen twine. Place turkey on the rack of a roasting pan coated with cooking spray. Place neck in bottom of roasting pan; place rack with turkey in pan.
• Bake at 375° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cover turkey loosely with foil; bake an additional 45 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°. Remove from oven; place turkey on a cutting board. Let stand, covered, for 20 minutes; discard neck and skin.
• To prepare gravy, place a zip-top plastic bag inside a 2-cup glass measure. Pour pan drippings into bag; let stand 10 minutes (fat will rise to the top). Seal bag; carefully snip off one bottom corner of bag. Drain drippings into a small bowl, stopping before fat layer reaches opening; discard fat.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add thyme and shallot; sauté 2 minutes. Add ½ cup cider and bourbon; boil 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Combine ¼ cup broth and flour, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture, remaining 1 cup broth, and drippings to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until thickened. Stir in parsley and vinegar. 

Orange Sage Stuffing 

Ingredients

• ½ cup onion yellow, finely chopped
• ½ cup butter, unsalted, melted
• 2 leafs herb, sage, fresh finely chopped
• 1 orange zest & juice
• ½ loaf white toast, crust removed diced 2 cm
• 1 tbsp. orange liqueur
• ½ cup chicken stock
• ½ cup cream, heavy
• 2 each egg yolk
• 2 each egg white
• 1 pinch nutmeg, freshly ground to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste (white, freshly ground)
• 1 orange segment 

Instructions 

• Sauté onion in butter over medium heat until translucent.
• Add orange zest and sage and sauté for another minute.
• Warm-up toast cubes in a hot oven (place on a pan sheet).
• In a deep bowl mix the butter mixture and the toast and toss.
• Add cream, chicken stock, and egg yolk, season to taste with salt, pepper, and nutmeg
• Whip the egg white till foamy and white.
• Fold in the egg white and the orange segments to the bread mixture.
• Fill the mixture in a buttered fireproof dish, and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes by 190°C.
• Keep it covered for the first 28 minutes, remove cover (aluminum foil).

Cranberry No-jito & Aquincum – Disney Cruise Line

No-jito (Nonalcoholic) 

Ingredients 

•  2 oz. cranberry juice
• 3 lime wedges
• 6 mint leaves
• ½ oz. agave nectar
• 2 oz. Sprite
• Garnish: lime wheel 

Instructions 

• Take lime wedges, mint leaves and agave  nectar and muddle in a glass.
• Add crushed ice, cranberry juice and Sprite, and shake.
• Pour contents into a tall glass.
• Garnish with lime wheel. 

Aquincum

Ingredients 

• 2 oz. 901 Silver Tequila
• 1 oz. Grand Marnier
• 1 oz. fresh lime juice
• 3 oz. agave nectar
• 1 pinch paprika

Instructions

• Take 901 Silver Tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, paprika and add crushed ice.
• Shake ingredients together.
• Pour contents into amartini glass.
• Garnish with a paprika rim.

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