ROAST TURKEY WITH BACON, APRICOT AND CRANBERRY STUFFING

SERVES 8

Method Stuffing

Heat a generous splash of olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the bacon until crisp. Remove and drain on kitchen paper and cut into thin slices when cool. Add the onion, garlic and celery and sauté for about ten minutes until soft and golden brown. Take the pan off the heat, add the breadcrumbs and stir together, transfer to a large bowl and allow to thoroughly cool. When cool, add the pork mince, thyme, dried fruits, lemon zest, nutmeg, egg and lots of salt and pepper, and mix everything well.

Turkey

1. Allow the turkey to come up to room temperature for a couple of hours. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 230C. Give your turkey a good wipe, inside and out, and season the cavity well.

2. Place the turkey on a board, with the neck end towards you. Find the edge of the skin that’s covering the turkey’s breasts and carefully peel it back. Gently ease your fingers under the skin, teasing it away from the meat. You should be able to pull all the skin away from the meat, keeping it attached at the sides. Carefully spoon your prepared stuffing between the skin and the breast, tucking the flap of skin underneath to stop anything seeping out. Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time allow twenty minutes per every five hundred grams.

3. Place the lemon halves, one onion, half the thyme and one piece of rosemary inside the turkey cavity. Dab the butter all over the turkey, especially over the breasts, season generously and cover with the streaky bacon. Place the turkey on a large roasting tray, and add the chopped carrots, onions, and remaining herbs, cover with tinfoil and place in the preheated oven.

Ingredients

TURKEY

• 4-4.5kg gold standard turkey • 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon

• 150g butter • 3 onions, peeled

• 2 large carrots, peeled

4. Cook for twenty minutes, then turn the heat down to 180C and roast for the allotted time, or until the juices run clear from the thigh when pierced with it a small, sharp knife. Remove the tinfoil for the last forty minutes to allow the turkey to brown.

• 1 large lemon, halved

• A small bunch of thyme

• 3 large pieces of rosemary

• 2 bay leaves

• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

STUFFING

• 400g quality minced pork

• 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon

5. Carefully lift the turkey out of the tray and rest, somewhere warm, loosely covered in foil and a couple of folded tea towels, for about an hour.

GRAVY

• 1 large onion, peeled and finely diced

• 2 sticks celery, washed and finely diced

• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed

• 100g dried apricots

• 50g dried cranberries

• 1 large free-range egg

• 2 tsp fresh thyme

• 1 handful of fresh breadcrumbs

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 pinch nutmeg

• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

GRAVY

Very carefully skim the surface fat from the roasting tray and add port. Place on a medium heat and sift in the flour. Stir well and slowly pour in the stock. When the gravy starts to thicken, reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes, stirring regularly. Strain it into a pan ready to reheat.

• 2 heaped tbsp plain flour

• 1 litre chicken stock

• A good splash of port

• Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper

Carve your turkey at the table, serve with all the trimmings, the gravy and enjoy.

Cranberry Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 500g cranberries • 250g caster sugar

• 100ml water • 100ml port

• Juice and zest of 2 oranges

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 clean, sterilised jam jars

METHOD

1. After washing, place the cranberries in a large, heavy-bottomed pan with the caster sugar, water, orange and the cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer.

2. After ten minutes, when the cranberries begin to soften and start to burst open, carefully mash with the back of a fork to let out all the pectin. Add the port, stir and cook for further ten minutes or until the sauce has reduced by a third.

3. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little. Remove the cinnamon stick. Carefully ladle into warm, dry, sterilised jars and seal.

Perfect Roast Potatoes

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg potatoes, peeled and halved

• 2 tbsp flour or fine cornmeal

• 6-8 tbsp beef dripping or duck fat

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 220C. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Cook for five minutes, then remove from the heat. Drain the potatoes well, then return to the pan and shake in order

Maple And Bacon Brussels Sprouts

INGREDIENTS

• 4 rashers streaky bacon, cut into 2cm pieces

• 450g Brussels sprouts, cut in half

• 3 tbsp maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 1/2 tsp pepper

• Olive oil, for frying

METHOD to rough up the edges a little. Sprinkle with some salt and freshly ground pepper and the flour or cornmeal.

1. In a large pan, add a splash of olive oil and fry bacon until it begins to crisp.

Using a slotted spoon remove the bacon from the pan.

2. Remove the bacon fat from the pan and add some more olive oil. Place Brussels sprouts cut side down and allow to cook for 4-5 minutes or until the sprouts begin to char. Once browned, flip the sprouts over and stir until they start to get tender, about 3-4 minutes.

3. Return the bacon along with the maple syrup, salt and pepper. Stir until sprouts are coated.

2. Place the dripping or duck fat in a large roasting tray and heat in the oven until it is hot (about five minutes). Remove the tray from the oven and very carefully add the potatoes, stirring with a wooden spoon to make sure they are totally covered with the fat. Roast the potatoes for 50-60 minutes, give them a stir and cook for another 15-20 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain and serve.

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