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YUMMY YULE
If you fancy attempting a bit of traditional home cooking this Christmas then take a look at the following couple of tasty treats. We all like to pig out at Christmas but knowing that you’ve prepared your feast yourself should give you an extra bit of satisfaction. So get your aprons at the ready and good luck.
Turkey with All the Trimmings!
Ingredients For the herb butter:
- 250g Pack unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 Sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- Sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped leaves only
- Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5-6kg Medium-sized turkey
- 3 or 4 Good quality, thick sausages, skins removed
For the stuffing:
- 200g White breadcrumbs
- 125g Butter
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- Large sprigs of thyme and rosemary (chopped leaves only)
- 6 Fresh sage leaves
- 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tsp. sea salt Freshly ground black pepper
For the gravy:
- 1 Onion or large shallot, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 125ml Dry white wine
- 1 Sprig fresh thyme
- 1 Bay leaf
- 500ml Chicken stock
- Pan juices from roasting
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepperFor the Bread Sauce:
- 110g Fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 Large onion
- 15-18 cloves
- 1 Bay leaf
- 8 Black peppercorns
- 570ml Milk
- 50g Butter
- 2 Spoons of double cream
- Salt and Pepper
Method:
1. Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves in it.
2. Place the onion – studded with cloves – plus the bay leaf and the peppercorns, in a saucepan together with the milk. Add some salt then bring everything up to boiling point.
3. Take off the heat, cover the pan and leave in a warm place for the milk to infuse for 2 hours or more.
4. When you’re ready to make the sauce, remove the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns and put them on one side.
5. Stir the breadcrumbs into the milk and add 1oz (25g) of the butter. Leave the saucepan on a very low heat, stirring now and then, until the crumbs have swollen and thickened the sauce – this should take about 15 minutes.
Turkey with All the Trimmings!
Ingredients For the herb butter:
- 250g Pack unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 Sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
- Sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped leaves only
- Fresh parsley leaves, chopped
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 5-6kg Medium-sized turkey
- 3 or 4 Good quality, thick sausages, skins removed
For the stuffing:
- 200g White breadcrumbs
- 125g Butter
- 1 Onion, finely chopped
- Large sprigs of thyme and rosemary (chopped leaves only)
- 6 Fresh sage leaves
- 3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tsp. sea salt Freshly ground black pepper
For the gravy:
- 1 Onion or large shallot, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 125ml Dry white wine
- 1 Sprig fresh thyme
- 1 Bay leaf
- 500ml Chicken stock
- Pan juices from roasting
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepperFor the Bread Sauce:
- 110g Fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 Large onion
- 15-18 cloves
- 1 Bay leaf
- 8 Black peppercorns
- 570ml Milk
- 50g Butter
- 2 Spoons of double cream
- Salt and Pepper
Method:
1. Cut the onion in half and stick the cloves in it.
2. Place the onion – studded with cloves – plus the bay leaf and the peppercorns, in a saucepan together with the milk. Add some salt then bring everything up to boiling point.
3. Take off the heat, cover the pan and leave in a warm place for the milk to infuse for 2 hours or more.
4. When you’re ready to make the sauce, remove the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns and put them on one side.
5. Stir the breadcrumbs into the milk and add 1oz (25g) of the butter. Leave the saucepan on a very low heat, stirring now and then, until the crumbs have swollen and thickened the sauce – this should take about 15 minutes.
6. Now replace the clove-studded onion, the bay leaf and the peppercorns and again leave the pan in a warm place until the sauce is needed.
7. Just before serving, remove the onion and spices. Reheat gently then beat in the remaining butter and the cream and taste to check the seasoning. Pour into a warm serving jug.
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- 450g Fresh cranberries - 290ml Water
- 340g Sugar
- 1⁄2 An orange
Method:
1. Put the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the water and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the cranberries and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and strain in the orange or port if used, then return to the heat.
3. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have burst and are tender.
4. Leave to cool.
For the Roasted Turkey Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4
2. Make the herb butter: mix the herbs and butter together to form a paste, season well and chill.
3. Prepare the turkey, to remove legs, cut through the skin and pull the joints firmly away from the body then cut through the ball and socket joints.
4. Cut away the ‘oyster’ on the back of the turkey so the legs and thighs come away cleanly.
5. With a thin, sharp knife, bone both legs and stuff with sausage meat.
6. Wrap tightly in tin foil and chill to set the shape.
7. Prepare the crown, cut off the wing tips and, for easier carving, take out the wishbone and cut away the back bone with poultry shears.
8. Lift up the breast skin with your fingers and separate it from the flesh.
9. Divide the herb butter between the two breast flaps and pull the skin back over.
10. Season well, place in a roasting tin and cover loosely with butter paper or foil.
11. Cook the turkey, put the foil-wrapped legs in a roasting pan and cook at 180C/gas mark 4 for 45 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160C/gas mark 2 and cook for a further 15 minutes then remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes, straining off any juices for the gravy.
12. Cook the crown for 1-11⁄2 hours at 180C/ gas mark 4 until the juices run clear and let the bird rest for 30 minutes before carving.
13. Make the stuffing: melt the butter in a large frying pan and gently saute? the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.
14. Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb the butter.
15. Season and cook over a medium heat for about seven minutes until the crumbs start to brown and crisp.
16. Take off the heat, mix in the parsley and serve warm.
17. Make the gravy: saute? the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine, add the thyme and bay leaf and boil until reduced right down.
18. Add the stock and boil until reduced by half then add the cream and boil for a further 5 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
19. Remove from heat, cool for 10 minutes and then strain.
20. Add the turkey pan juices, boil for 2 minutes, season with salt and strain.
Christmas Stollen
Ingredients
- 500g All purpose flour
- 175g Sugar
- 120ml Lukewarm milk - 33gYeast
- 150g Soft Butter
- 1 Large egg
- 1⁄2 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 Teaspoon pinch of ground cinnamon
- Grated peel of 1⁄2 lemon
- Grated peel of 1⁄2 orange
- 90g sliced almonds
- 25g Lemon peel
- 25g Orange peel
- 110g Raisins
For the Coating:
- 6 Tbsp. milk (room temperature)
- 8 Tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup of powered sugar
Cooking method:
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a whole in the centre.
2. Into the center, add 40g of the sugar and 30ml of the milk.
3. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and dust the yeast with a little flour. Let the yeast develop for 15-20 minutes in a warm place.
4. Add the butter, egg, salt, remaining sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, grated lemon peel, slivered almonds, candied lemon,
orange peels and raisins.
5. Add only enough of the remaining milk to make the dough workable add more if the dough is too hard.
6. Knead thoroughly and cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rise overnight.
7. Knead again for 10 minutes then shape the dough into a loaf and put it on a large buttered baking sheet.
8. Brush the loaf with some milk and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes. The stollen must turn a golden brown.
7. Just before serving, remove the onion and spices. Reheat gently then beat in the remaining butter and the cream and taste to check the seasoning. Pour into a warm serving jug.
For the Cranberry Sauce:
- 450g Fresh cranberries - 290ml Water
- 340g Sugar
- 1⁄2 An orange
Method:
1. Put the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the water and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
2. Add the cranberries and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and strain in the orange or port if used, then return to the heat.
3. Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cranberries have burst and are tender.
4. Leave to cool.
For the Roasted Turkey Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4
2. Make the herb butter: mix the herbs and butter together to form a paste, season well and chill.
3. Prepare the turkey, to remove legs, cut through the skin and pull the joints firmly away from the body then cut through the ball and socket joints.
4. Cut away the ‘oyster’ on the back of the turkey so the legs and thighs come away cleanly.
5. With a thin, sharp knife, bone both legs and stuff with sausage meat.
6. Wrap tightly in tin foil and chill to set the shape.
7. Prepare the crown, cut off the wing tips and, for easier carving, take out the wishbone and cut away the back bone with poultry shears.
8. Lift up the breast skin with your fingers and separate it from the flesh.
9. Divide the herb butter between the two breast flaps and pull the skin back over.
10. Season well, place in a roasting tin and cover loosely with butter paper or foil.
11. Cook the turkey, put the foil-wrapped legs in a roasting pan and cook at 180C/gas mark 4 for 45 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 160C/gas mark 2 and cook for a further 15 minutes then remove the foil and cook for a further 30 minutes, straining off any juices for the gravy.
12. Cook the crown for 1-11⁄2 hours at 180C/ gas mark 4 until the juices run clear and let the bird rest for 30 minutes before carving.
13. Make the stuffing: melt the butter in a large frying pan and gently saute? the onion and garlic for 5 minutes until soft.
14. Stir in the herbs for one minute then add breadcrumbs to absorb the butter.
15. Season and cook over a medium heat for about seven minutes until the crumbs start to brown and crisp.
16. Take off the heat, mix in the parsley and serve warm.
17. Make the gravy: saute? the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine, add the thyme and bay leaf and boil until reduced right down.
18. Add the stock and boil until reduced by half then add the cream and boil for a further 5 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper.
19. Remove from heat, cool for 10 minutes and then strain.
20. Add the turkey pan juices, boil for 2 minutes, season with salt and strain.
Christmas Stollen
Ingredients
- 500g All purpose flour
- 175g Sugar
- 120ml Lukewarm milk - 33gYeast
- 150g Soft Butter
- 1 Large egg
- 1⁄2 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1⁄2 Teaspoon pinch of ground cinnamon
- Grated peel of 1⁄2 lemon
- Grated peel of 1⁄2 orange
- 90g sliced almonds
- 25g Lemon peel
- 25g Orange peel
- 110g Raisins
For the Coating:
- 6 Tbsp. milk (room temperature)
- 8 Tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup of powered sugar
Cooking method:
1. Sift the flour into a bowl and make a whole in the centre.
2. Into the center, add 40g of the sugar and 30ml of the milk.
3. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk and dust the yeast with a little flour. Let the yeast develop for 15-20 minutes in a warm place.
4. Add the butter, egg, salt, remaining sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, grated lemon peel, slivered almonds, candied lemon,
orange peels and raisins.
5. Add only enough of the remaining milk to make the dough workable add more if the dough is too hard.
6. Knead thoroughly and cover the dough with a damp towel and let it rise overnight.
7. Knead again for 10 minutes then shape the dough into a loaf and put it on a large buttered baking sheet.
8. Brush the loaf with some milk and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for approximately 50 minutes. The stollen must turn a golden brown.
