The Turkey

Ingredients

• Carrots
• Celery
• Garlic
• 4 Large Potatoes
• 2 Large Onions
• Clementine
• Streaky Bacon
• Sage, Rosemary & Thyme

Method

• If you have stuffed the turkey you will need to remember to weigh it again and calculate the cooking time (about 20 minutes per 500g/1lb).
• Cook your bird from room temperature, not straight from the fridge.
• Cover with tinfoil.
• Preheat your oven to maximum and as soon as you put your turkey in, turn it down to 180°C (350°F, Gas 4).
• Baste your turkey regularly; this will keep the meat succulent.
• I like to add sage, rosemary & thyme and a halved clementine inside the cavity of my turkey.
• Always use the giblets in your gravy.
• Cover the breast of your bird with smoked streaky bacon and butter; this will keep it from drying out.
• I like to sit my turkey on some roughly cut vegetables, just to keep it raised from the bottom of the roasting tin and allow the hot air to circulate and cook the bird evenly.
• Remove the tinfoil for the last 50 minutes, basting regularly still.

The Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• Juice of 2 clementines
• 400g cranberries
• 200g light muscovado sugar
• 100ml port

Method

• Add all the ingredients into a saucepan and cook on a medium heat until sticky and delicious. Store in sterilised jars in the fridge or give away as Christmas gifts!

The Gravy

Ingredients

• 1kg Chicken thighs or wings (or a mixture of both)
• Olive oil
• 4 large carrots
• 2 sticks of celery
• 3/4 bay leaves
• 1 sprig of rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon fresh sage
• 3 white onions, halved
• 2 Maris Piper potatoes, quartered
• 1 tablespoon of your cranberry sauce
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• Ground black pepper
• 3 pints of chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons cornflour

Method

• Set the stock and cornflour aside.
• Add the remaining ingredients into a roasting tin and cover with olive oil.
• Roast until golden and the meat is easy to pinch away from the bone (approximately 75 minutes at 180°C / 350°F / Gas 4).
• Remove from the oven, shred the meat into the roasting tin, and use a fork or masher to crush all the vegetables.
• Place over a flame or on the hob.
• Add 4 tablespoons of the cornflour and mix well, cooking the flour out.
• Add in the stock slowly, stirring well and crushing all the flavor out of the vegetables and chicken.
• Cook until thickened and dark brown in colour.
• Check seasoning and strain through a colander, then again through a sieve for a refined finish.

The Stuffing

Ingredients

• 750g pork mince
• 25g sage, chopped
• 100g dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 75g chestnuts, roughly chopped
• 2 apples, grated
• 2 onions, grated
• Salt and black pepper

Method

• In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients.
• Use to stuff the neck of the turkey, or place in an ovenproof dish, cover, and bake at Gas 4 (180°C) for 1 hour until golden.

Perfect Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2kg Red skin potatoes
• 2 bulbs of garlic (halved)
• 1 bunch of fresh rosemary
• 1 bunch of fresh thyme
• 500g goose fat
• Maldon sea salt
• Black pepper

Method

• Preheat the oven to 190°C / 375°F / Gas 5.
• Peel the potatoes, cutting any larger ones so they’re all the same size.
• Wash the potatoes in cold water to get rid of extra starch, place in a large saucepan of water, season well with sea salt, and bring to the boil.
• Add your goose fat into a large roasting tray (the biggest you have to ensure heat circulation) and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Parboil the potatoes for 10 minutes until the outside is soft and the inside has a little firmness remaining. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 5 minutes.
• Give the colander a shake to fluff up the potatoes so they look ‘snowy’—this helps them crisp up.
• Carefully remove your hot roasting tray, add half the herbs and a halved bulb of garlic, and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Remove the herbs and garlic so they don’t burn and taste acrid!
• Tip the potatoes into the flavoured hot fat, turning gently with tongs to coat. Season well with sea salt and black pepper.
• Roast for 45 minutes, turn each potato, add the remaining herbs and garlic, and roast for a further 10–20 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain excess fat on kitchen paper.

Pomegranate and Balsamic Braised Red Cabbage

Ingredients

• ½ Red cabbage, shredded
• 75ml Balsamic vinegar (the best you have!)
• 250ml Pomegranate juice
• 1 Pomegranate
• 1 Star anise
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil

Method

• Shred the cabbage and add to a large pan with a little olive oil.
• Stir over a medium heat until coated and starting to soften.
• Add in 250ml pomegranate juice and the star anise, cooking until softened.
• Stir in 75ml balsamic vinegar (adjust to taste) and cook down until golden and sticky.
• Sprinkle with pomegranate pearls and serve.

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