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1
Heat the oven to 500 degrees.
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2
Make the stuffing: chop together (by hand or in a small food processor) the butter, liver and parsley; stir in the shallots and season to taste with salt and pepper.
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3
Spread half the mixture on 4 of the bread slices; top each with another slice of bread, then spread the remaining mixture on the outsides of the sandwiches.
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4
Cut each sandwich into 6 pieces.
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5
Rinse the turkey and remove the giblets.
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6
Sprinkle the bird with salt and pepper to taste.
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7
Loosely pack the turkey cavity with the stuffing, and then tie the legs together to enclose the vent.
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8
Place the turkey on a rack in a large roasting pan.
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9
Add 1/2 cup water to the bottom of the pan, along with the turkey neck, gizzard and any other trimmings.
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10
Place in the oven, legs first.
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11
Roast 20 to 30 minutes, or until the top begins to brown, then turn the heat down to 350 degrees.
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12
If the bottom dries out, add water to coat the bottom of the pan.
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13
Continue to roast, checking every 30 minutes or so; if the top browns too quickly, lay a piece of aluminum foil on it.
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14
The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees.
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15
If, when the turkey is nearly done, the top is not browned enough, turn the heat back up to 425 degrees for the last 20 to 30 minutes of cooking.
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16
Remove the turkey from the oven.
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17
Take it off the rack, and make sherry reduction gravy, below, while the bird rests for about 20 minutes before carving.
