Salt & Pepper Turkey

A finishing touch of a lattice of bacon makes this turkey a Christmas dinner centre-stage star

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins - 1 hr
  Cook 3 hrs - 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  644

• Protein

  91g

• Carbs

  9g

• Fat

  25g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  4g

• Salt

  3.59g

Ingredients

• 4½ -5.6kg/10-12lb turkey, thawed if frozen, giblets removed
• 1 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 tbsp Maldon sea salt
• 1 lemon
• a few bay leaves, plus extra sprigs to garnish
• stuffing of your choice
• 50g butter, melted
• 10-12 rashers streaky bacon
• For the gravy
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 600ml turkeys or chicken stock
• 150ml/¼ pint port
• 4 tbsp lingonberries preserve or cranberry sauce
• 2 tsp wholegrain mustard

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/gas 5/ fan 170C.Wash the turkey inside and out and dry well with kitchen paper. Season inside the bird with salt and pepper.
2. Coarsely crush the peppercorns with a pestle and mortar and add the sea salt. Finely grate the lemon rind on top and mix together. Quarter the lemon and put inside the body cavity along with a few bay leaves.
3. If you are stuffing the turkey, stuff the neck end only, pushing it towards the breast. Don't overfill, as the stuffing will expand on cooking. Any leftover stuffing can be shaped into walnut-sized balls and cooked around the turkey for the last half-hour. Secure the neck end flap with a small metal or wooden skewer.
4. Tie the turkey legs together with kitchen string to give it a good shape.Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time at 18 minutes per 450g/1lb.
5. Set the turkey in a large roasting tin. Brush liberally all over with melted butter. Sprinkle the salt and pepper mix evenly over the breast and legs.
6. Cover the turkey loosely with a large square of foil and roast for the calculated cooking time, basting with the pan juices every hour. Half an hour before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil and string.Re-tie the legs with a rasher of bacon and arrange the rest in a lattice over the breast. Place any stuffing balls around the turkey. Spoon or siphon off 6 tbsp of pan juices into a saucepan for the gravy, then return the turkey to the oven.
7. At the end of the cooking time, transfer the turkey to a serving platter. Cover tightly with foil and leave to rest for 15-45 minutes.
8. Meanwhile, make the gravy. Heat the 6 tbsp of pan juices in the saucepan. Whisk in the flour and cook for 3 minutes until golden. Gradually whisk in the turkey or chicken stock and port, cooking until the gravy is no longer lumpy. Stir in the lingonberry preserve (or cranberry sauce) and mustard and simmer for 5 minutes. Then taste the gravy and season if necessary. Skim off the fat from the juices in the roasting tin, then add about 150ml/1?4 pint of the pan juices to the gravy. Heat through then transfer to a warmed gravy boat.
9. Carve the turkey and serve.

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Citrus & Thyme Turkey

Try this traditional based turkey with its easy citrus twist that transforms it into a Christmas Day showstopper

• Cooking Time Prep 4 hrs, 30 mins
  
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  572

• Protein

  75g

• Carbs

  11g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  2g

• Salt

  0.64g

Ingredients

• 4½ -5.6kg/10-12lb turkey, thawed if frozen, giblets removed
• 2x 20g bunches of lemon or regular thyme
• 1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• Lightly spiced Christmas stuffing
• 4 bay leaves
• 4 carrots, halved lengthways and cut into chunks
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 50g butter, softened
• 300ml/½pint red wine
• 1 heaped tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 600ml turkey or chicken stock
• For the vegetables
• 10 small red onions, peeled and quartered lengthways but still attached at the root
• 2 onion squash or 2 small butternut squash (total weight about 500g/1lb 2oz), cut into thin wedges and peeled

Directions

1. Chop the leafy tops of the thyme but not the hard, woody branch ends (save these for the cavity). Finely grate the orange and lemon zest into a small bowl and mix with the chopped thyme, olive oil and seasoning. Mash the mix into the oil with the back of a metal spoon (or use a pestle and mortar) to release its flavour. Set aside to infuse.
2. Preheat the oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. Wash the turkey inside and out and dry well with kitchen paper. To make carving easier, you can now cut out the wishbone, but it's not essential.
3. Put the reserved third of the stuffing in the neck end of the turkey and push it towards the breast. Don't overfill, as the stuffing will expand during cooking. Secure the neck end flap with a small metal skewer. Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time-allow 18 minutes per 450g/1lb.
4. Season the turkey generously with salt and pepper inside and out. Halve the orange and lemon and put in the cavity (squeezing the fruit as it goes in) with the thyme branches and two of the bay leaves. Tie the turkey legs together to give the bird a good shape.
5. Throw the chopped carrots and onion and remaining bay leaves into a large roasting tin. Sit the turkey on top of the vegetables, smear the butter over the skin and cover with a loose tent of foil. Roast the turkey for the calculated time, basting with the pan juices every hour.
6. Meanwhile, tip the red onions and squash into a shallow roasting tray and toss in half of the thyme oil, making sure you get it right into the cuts in the onions. Set the tray aside.
7. Half an hour before the end of the turkey's cooking time, whip off the foil and leave the bird to brown. After 15 minutes, drizzle the turkey with the remaining thyme oil.
8. To test if the turkey is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of a thigh-the juices should run clear. If they are still pink, cook for a further 20-30 minutes and test again. Remove the turkey from the oven and turn the oven up to fan 180C/conventional 200C/gas 6. Transfer theturkey to a serving platter, cover tightly with foil and leave to rest while you finish off the vegetables and trimmings.
9. Put the red onions and squash in the oven and roast for 30-40 minutes. At the same time, roast the bacon-wrapped sausages (see Lightly spiced Christmas stuffing, right) for 30 minutes. Now make the gravy. Discard any fat from the roasting tin. Stir the wine and redcurrant jelly into the carrots and onion in the tin. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 8-10 minutes to reduce by half. Scrape the sticky bits off the bottom of the tin with a wooden spoon as the gravy boils. Pour in the stock and simmer for 10 minutes until you have a dark, tasty gravy, adding salt and pepper to taste. Strain the gravy into a pan (discard the vegetables), bring back to the boil and serve in a warm jug.

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Classic Roast Turkey With Red Wine Baste

A recipe designed to guarantee your turkey is succulent, full of flavour and takes pride of place on your table

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 3 hrs - 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  476

• Protein

  74g

• Carbs

  0g

• Fat

  19g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  0g

• Salt

  0.69g

Ingredients

• 1 onion, quartered
• fresh bay leaves, to flavour and serve
• 4½ -5.6kg/10-12lb Bronze turkey, giblets removed
• 1 quantity of stuffing
• 85g butter, softened
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 10 rashers streaky bacon
• glass red wine, such as Merlot

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the onion and a large sprig of bay in the cavity between the legs (drumsticks). Now pack half the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it towards the breast. Secure the neck skin in position with skewers and tie the turkey legs together at the top of the drumsticks to give a neat shape. Weigh the turkey and calculate cooking time at 20 mins per kilo, plus 90 mins. (You may need to use your bathroom scales.)
2. Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin, then put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, grate over half the nutmeg and season well. Cover the breast with bacon, pour over the wine, then loosely bring up the foil and seal well to make a parcel.
3. Roast in the oven, then 90 mins before the end of cooking, open the foil, discard the bacon, and drain off excess fat from the tin. Leaving the foil open, return the turkey to the oven to brown, basting with the juices several times. Then 30 mins before the end of cooking, put the sausage skewers (see link, right) and stuffing of your choice around the turkey or cook in a separate lightly oiled tin.
4. To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh-the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 mins more, then test again. Transfer the turkey, stuffings and sausages to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels and allow to rest for up to 30 mins before carving. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat, ensuring that the turkey will be juicy. Garnish with sprigs of bay.

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Herb-Buttered Turkey Roasties & Cranberry Sauce Gravy

The potatoes and turkey crown cook together and there's no need to baste - and it's delicious. Easy and stress free

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 2 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  837

• Protein

  91g

• Carbs

  49g

• Fat

  30g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  1.24g

Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 handfuls parsley leaves, finely chopped
• 100g butter, softened
• 3kg turkey crown
• 1½ kg new potatoes, halved if large, quartered if huge
• For the sauce
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 3 tbsp chunky cranberry sauce
• splash port
• 600ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp soy sauce (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Tip the garlic, parsley and butter together in a bowl, season generously with black pepper and a pinch of salt, then beat with a wooden spoon or squish through your fingers until everything is combined. The butter can be prepared up to a day ahead and chilled or made two weeks ahead and frozen. Soften before using.
2. Place the turkey crown on a board with the thick part of the breast facing away from you. Use your hands to make two pockets between the skin and the meat, then smear the flavoured butter beneath the skin and all over the breast and work it down so that the breast is completely covered. 3 Tip the new potatoes into a large roasting tray. Sit the turkey on top, skin side up, then roast for 30 mins. Remove from the oven, sit the turkey on a board and give the potatoes a good shake. Then place the turkey back in the tin, spoon over some of the buttery juices and continue to cook for another 40-50 mins until the turkey is dark golden. Transfer the turkey to a board to rest, loosely covered in foil, then continue to cook the potatoes for 20 mins to brown. Use a slotted spoon to scoop the potatoes into a serving dish, reserving the buttery juices in the pan. Put the potatoes to one side and keep warm.
3. To make the cranberry gravy, place the roasting pan on a lowish heat and stir in the flour. Let everything sizzle and brown, then add the cranberry sauce and a splash of port. Sizzle everything for a few mins until really sticky, then stir in the stock, bring to the boil and cook until thick or to your liking, seasoning to taste. If the gravy is on the pale side or a bit too sweet, stir in a splash of soy sauce.

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Saffron Roast Turkey

Classic roast turkey not your thing? Add a bit of spice and some special sausages and make a meal to remember

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 10

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  932

• Protein

  79g

• Carbs

  35g

• Fat

  54g

• Saturates

  17g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  19g

• Salt

  2.6g

Ingredients

• For the turkey and stuffing
• 1 lemon
• good pinch saffron strands
• 3 large onions, 2 thinly sliced, 1 quartered
• 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds, lightly crushed
• 2 tsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
• 140g dried cranberries
• 100g pistachios, roughly chopped
• 100g couscous soaked in 300ml cold water
• 2 x 20g packs flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus generous sprigs to garnish
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 4½ -6kg/10-12lb turkey, giblets removed
• 50g butter, melted
• 1 tbsp honey
• bay leaves, to garnish
• For the harissa sausages and gravy
• 2 x 450g packs good-quality pork sausage
• 2 tbsp harissa paste (Belazu is good)
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 red onions, cut into wedges
• 600ml turkey or chicken stock
• redcurrant jelly, to taste (optional)

Directions

1. Peel the zest from the lemon, then cut into strips, finely chop and set aside. Now cut the lemon in two, squeeze its juice into a bowl with the saffron and mix together. Fry the sliced onions in the oil until soft and starting to colour, then add the coriander, cumin and lemon zest and cook for 1 min more. Remove from the heat, stir in the cranberries, nuts, couscous and chopped parsley, then season well. When cool, beat in the eggs.
2. Wash and dry the turkey, removing any feathers with tweezers. Pull out the giblets and neck and discard, or use to make stock for the gravy. Lift up the skin that covers the neck opening, then push some stuffing into the cavity, packing it in well. Secure tightly underneath with a skewer or two cocktail sticks. Shape the rest of the stuffing firmly into balls and chill until ready to bake. Put the onion quarters in the turkey cavity with any leftover stalks from the parsley. Can chill at this stage up to 1 day ahead.
3. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Weigh the stuffed turkey and calculate the cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg (20 mins per lb). Put the turkey in a roasting tin. Mix the butter with the saffron mixture and brush generously onto the turkey. Pour 500ml water into the tin, then roast for 1 hr. Brush with the buttery mixture again, then loosely cover with foil and roast until 15 mins before the time is up. Mix the honey into the remaining buttery mix, brush over the turkey and cook uncovered for 15 mins more until golden.
4. Pierce the turkey thigh through its thickest part-the juices should run clear. If not, return to the oven for another 20 mins and test again. Leave to rest on a platter, covered with a clean tea towel. Reserve the juices in the roasting tin to make the gravy.
5. Meanwhile, twist the sausages in half and snip to separate. Toss with the harissa, oil and onions in another roasting tin, then roast for 1 hr until golden. After 40 mins roasting, add the stuffing balls to the tin.
6. To make the gravy, drain the juices from the tin into a jug and skim off the excess oil. Put the roasting tin over heat, pour in the stock and loosen the savoury bits on the base with a wooden spoon. Add any juices from the resting bird to the mixture along with the onions from the sausages, then simmer for about 10 mins. Blitz with a hand blender until smooth and thick. Taste and season, or add a little redcurrant jelly to sweeten, if you like.
7. To serve, put the turkey on a platter and surround with the sausages and stuffing balls. Garnish with parsley sprigs and bay.

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Bay & Orange Roast Turkey

Brushing the turkey with a last-minute sticky glaze means your bird will be golden and looking its best when you bring it to the table

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  730

• Protein

  85g

• Carbs

  25g

• Fat

  33g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  2g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  2.07g

Ingredients

• 4½ kg-6kg turkey
• 200g butter, softened
• 4 oranges, 2 zested and juiced
• 450g stuffing (see 'Goes well with')
• bunch bay leaves
• 250g shallots, unpeeled and thickly sliced
• 850ml chicken stock
• 50g golden caster sugar
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp Marmite

Directions

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Remove giblets, then wash and dry the turkey, removing any remaining feathers. Mix half the butter with the orange zest and plenty of seasoning. Lift up the skin at the neck end of the turkey and use your fingers to ease the skin away from the breasts. Gently smear some of the zesty butter over the breasts and under the skin. Pack the stuffing into the neck opening and secure the skin closed with skewers or cocktail sticks. Weigh the turkey at this point and write it down so you can work out your timings, then rub the rest of the zesty butter all over.
2. Stuff the 2 whole oranges into the cavity with some bay leaves. Pile the sliced shallots and a few more bay leaves into a large roasting tin and sit the turkey on top. Pour 500ml of the stock around, cover with foil to make a tent over the turkey, then roast for 20 mins per 450g/1lb.
3. Meanwhile, bubble the remaining butter, orange juice and sugar together until syrupy. With 30 mins cooking time to go, remove the foil, brush the turkey liberally with the syrup, then return to the oven to brown at 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush once or twice more while roasting. To test that the turkey is ready, pierce the thigh in its thickest part and make sure the juices run clear. Lift the turkey out, brush again with syrup and leave to rest, covered loosely with foil, for 20 mins or so while you make the gravy and finish cooking the veg.
4. Pour the tin juices into a jug (keeping shallots and bay in the tin), then put the roasting tin over a flame. Stir in the flour, then gradually stir in the remaining stock Marmite and reserved turkey juices-skimmed of any fat. Bubble until a nice consistency, then strain into a saucepan, squishing the shallots with a masher to squeeze out all the flavour. Keep the gravy warm while you carve the turkey to serve.

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Roast Turkey With Chestnut Stuffing

The classic Christmas turkey with a flavour-packed sausage-based stuffing - you'll have plenty left to serve on the side too

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 4 hrs
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8, with leftovers

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  871

• Protein

  86g

• Carbs

  24g

• Fat

  46g

• Saturates

  17g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  3.01g

Ingredients

• For the stuffing
• 150ml Madeira or white wine
• 20g pack dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 onions, halved and sliced
• 25g butter, plus extra
• 15g pack thyme, use the leaves and reserve the stalks
• 2 x 454g packs Cumberland sausages, skins removed
• 200g pack whole cooked chestnuts (I used Merchant Gourmet)
• zest 1 lemon (halve and reserve the rest to use for the turkey)
• 15g pack flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 85g fresh breadcrumbs
• 10 rashers streaky bacon
• For the turkey
• 1 onion, quartered
• 4½ -5.6kg/10-12lb bronze turkey, giblets removed (to use in stock)
• 85g soft butter
• 1 whole nutmeg
• 10 rashers streaky bacon
• 125ml glass Madeira or white wine
• watercress sprigs, to garnish

Directions

1. First make the stuffing. Pour the Madeira or wine into a bowl, then crumble in the mushrooms. Fry the onions in the butter for 10 mins, until golden. Cool, then mix with the thyme leaves, the mushrooms and their soaking liquid, and all remaining ingredients, apart from 8 of the chestnuts and the bacon. Season well.
2. Set aside half of the stuffing. Line a greased 500g loaf tin with bacon. Pack the rest of the stuffing into the tin, then bring the rashers round over the top and secure in place with cocktail sticks. Use the reserved chestnuts to fill the spaces where the bacon meets. Chill until ready to cook. This will keep in the fridge uncooked for 2 days or can be frozen for up to a month.
3. Prepare the turkey. The night before, put the onion quarters, reserved lemon halves and thyme sprigs in the cavity between the legs. Pack the reserved stuffing into the neck end. Secure the neck skin with skewers and tie the legs together. Weigh the turkey. Calculate the cooking time at 40 mins per kilo, plus 20 mins.
4. Put a large sheet of extra-wide foil in a large roasting tin and put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, then grate over half of the nutmeg and season well. Cover with bacon, then pour over the glass of Madeira or wine. Seal the foil well to make a parcel. Chill overnight.
5. On the day, take the turkey out of the fridge 1 hr before roasting. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Put the turkey in the oven; then, 90 mins before the end of cooking, remove foil and bacon, and drain off the juices from the tin to use in the gravy. To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh-the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for 15 mins more, then test again.
6. Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels, and allow to rest for at least 30 mins before carving. Meanwhile, cook the stuffing loaf for 30 mins and reheat the bacon. Garnish with watercress and serve the stuffing loaf separately.

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Herb-Roast Turkey

Whether you're cooking your first or your fifteenth Christmas dinner, this herb-scented turkey is foolproof and has loads of flavour

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 3 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 8 - 0

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  687

• Protein

  89g

• Carbs

  14g

• Fat

  28g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  8g

• Salt

  1.94g

Ingredients

• 5kg turkey, giblets removed and kept
• 250g stuffing of your choice
• 3 onions, cut into thick rounds with the skins left on
• generous handful thyme and bay leaves, plus more herbs to put around the bird, to serve
• 50g butter, softened
• 300ml dry white wine
• 1 ½ tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp dried green peppercorns, crushed
• 1 tbsp finely chopped thyme leaves
• For the gravy
• 300ml medium white wine
• 600ml good stock
• 2 tsp redcurrant jelly

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Wash and dry the turkey, removing any feathers. Lift up the skin that covers the neck opening, then push the stuffing up and under the skin, securing it tightly underneath with a skewer or 2 cocktail sticks. Weigh stuffed turkey, then calculate cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg (20 mins per lb). Put a few pieces of onion and a few herbs into the cavity, then tie the legs together with string.
2. Put the remaining onions in a single layer in the tin, then add a good bed of herbs. Add the neck and all of the other giblets, except for the liver, to the tin, then sit the turkey on top of the herby onions. Coat the breast all over with butter. Pour the wine into the tin, cover with foil, then roast according to your timings. Keep checking the tin-if it looks a little dry, add a splash of water. While the bird cooks, mix the salt, crushed green peppercorns and thyme leaves.
3. Thirty mins before the end of cooking, remove the foil. Brush the turkey again with butter, then scatter over and press in the salt, pepper and thyme mix. Roast for the remaining cooking time, uncovered, until golden. To be reassured that the turkey is ready, pierce thigh through its thickest part; the juices should run clear. If not, give it 15 mins more and test again. Remove the turkey from the tin and leave to rest without covering (this will keep skin crisp). The turkey will stay hot for up to an hour, so there's no need to panic.
4. Now make the gravy. Drain the fat and juices from the tin into a jug, keeping the onions but discarding the neck and giblets. Place the tin on the hob, then pour in the wine, scraping up the flavour-filled crusty bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce until the wine has almost all disappeared. Spoon the fat from the juices and discard, then add the juices, onions and stock to the tin. Boil down for about 5 mins until reduced and a little syrupy, stir in redcurrant jelly, then season. Strain into a jug; any resting juices should go in now, too. Lift the turkey onto a platter with the Bacon-wrapped sausages (see recipe below), dotting herb sprigs around to decorate. Serve with cranberry and bread sauces.

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Roast Turkey & Cranberry Wellington

A festive twist on the classic British dish of beef Wellington, rich with chestnuts and stuffing

• Cooking Time Prep 1 hr, 40 mins
  Cook 2 hrs
• Skill Level For the keen cook
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  -

• Protein

  -

• Carbs

  -

• Fat

  -

• Saturates

  -

• Fibre

  -

• Sugar

  -

• Salt

  -

Ingredients

• 1x2-2½ kg/4lb 8oz-5lb 8oz turkey breast, skin removed
• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil, plus extra for greasing
• 16-20 thin rashers rindless streaky bacon
• 450g puff pastry, home-made or bought
• flour, for dusting
• 1 egg, beaten
• For the stuffing
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• knob of butter
• 350g turkey trimmings (from breast)
• 225g pork sausages, skinned
• 2 eggs
• 150g dried cranberries, chopped
• 150g unsweetened chestnut purée
• 100g fresh white breadcrumbs
• For the sauce
• 25g butter, plus extra for the shallots
• 50g shallots or onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 400ml red wine (about ½ bottle)
• 300ml water or chicken stock made with 1/8 stock cube
• 1 heaped tsp plain flour

Directions

1. Trim the turkey breast. Its natural shape does not suit the rolled and wrapped Wellington. The thicker neck end can first be trimmed to establish a more cylindrical shape. Trimmings from 2kg/4lb 8oz breasts and upwards, will be enough for the 350g/12oz needed for stuffing. Once trimmed, tie the breast with a 2cm/1in gap between each loop of string, to give a rounded shape.
2. Heat 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large frying pan or roasting tray. Season the turkey before pan frying until golden brown all over. Remove from the pan and cool. The breast can now be refrigerated to firm up before removing the string.
3. Make the stuffing: cook the onions in a knob of butter for a few minutes until softened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Roughly chop the turkey trimmings before blitzing in a food processor until smooth. Add sausages and continue to blitz for 30-40 seconds until mixed in. Season and add the eggs. These can be blitzed into the meat for a further minute until the texture thickens.
4. Spoon the stuffing into a large bowl. Mix in the onions and remaining stuffing ingredients along with extra seasoning, if desired. The stuffing can now be chilled while the bacon and pastry are prepared.
5. The streaky bacon needs to be rolled thinner. This extends the length of the rashers helping them to wrap around the turkey and stuffing. The easiest method to follow is to lay 3-5 rashers between two sheets of cling film and press with a rolling pin as if rolling pastry. The rashers will easily thin and extend this way. Peel away the top layer of film and remove the rashers and put on a tray. Repeat until all rashers are pressed. Chill until needed.
6. Roll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle approximately 45 x 35cm/18 x 14in. The rashers of bacon can be laid on top of the pastry, leaving a 3-4cm/1½in border all round. Slightly overlap the rashers as they are laid on the pastry (you'll need about 14-15 rashers).
7. Spread the cranberry stuffing over the bacon, first mixing it well if it is chilled and set. Keep back a few heaped tablespoons. Remove the string from the turkey and lay the breast lengthwise and presentation side down on top of the stuffing. The reserved stuffing can now be spread along the centre top of the turkey. Lift 4-5 rashers at a time and press them against the breast. Continue until all the rashers on both sides have been lifted and pressed. The remaining rashers can now be laid lengthwise along the top, covering the stuffing that was spread there.
8. Bring one long side of the pastry up and over the turkey. Brush the other long side with beaten egg, along the 3-4cm/1½in border, then seal. Brush both ends with beaten egg and fold up to seal in all the ingredients. Turn the Wellington so that the presentation side is up and put on a lightly oiled baking tray, or one covered with greased parchment. Chill.
9. To cook the Wellington: preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/170C in a fan assisted convection oven and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes maximum. After 45 minutes, brush the Wellington with egg to help colour the pastry. For the most golden of finishes, brush again before the last 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and rest for 15-20 minutes before lifting carefully on to a carving board with two large fish slices.
10. While the Wellington is baking the sauce can be made: melt a knob of butter in a pan, once bubbling add the shallots or onions and cook on a medium high heat until a rich deep golden colour. Add the honey and continue to cook for a few minutes until bubbling and almost caramelising. At this point add the red wine vinegar and red wine. Bring to the boil and reduce by half. Add the water or stock and return to simmer. Mix the flour with 25g/1oz butter. Whisk into the sauce a little at a time until completely whisked in. Return the sauce to the boil before reducing to a simmer and cooking for a few minutes. Strain through a sieve and season. Slice the Wellington and serve with Noisette potatoes and buttered Brussels sprouts.

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Cider Roast Turkey

Succulent, cider-roasted turkey, with tender glazed apples and pear makes the ultimate centrepiece for your Christmas table

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 4 hrs
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 8

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  704

• Protein

  82g

• Carbs

  21g

• Fat

  32g

• Saturates

  11g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  7g

• Salt

  1.77g

Ingredients

• For the turkey
• 4½ -6kg/10-13lb turkey, giblets removed and kept
• 450g stuffing
• 2 leeks, trimmed and halved
• 2 carrots, halved
• 50g butter, softened
• 300ml dry cider
• For the gravy
• 300ml dry cider
• 600ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp quince or redcurrant jelly

Directions

1. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Wash and dry the turkey, removing any feathers. Pull out the giblets and the neck, then set aside. Lift up the skin that covers the neck opening, then stuff the stuffing up and under the skin, securing it tightly underneath with a skewer or two cocktail sticks. Weigh the stuffed turkey, then calculate the cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg (20 mins per lb).
2. Put the leeks and carrots along the bottom of a roasting tin in a single layer-this will make a trivet for the turkey to sit on and add flavour to the gravy. Add the neck to the tin. Sit the turkey on top and coat the breast all over with butter. Pour in the cider, cover with foil, then roast according to your timings. Keep checking the tin-if the vegetables look like they're burning, add a splash of water or cider. At 30 mins before the end of cooking, remove the foil and season generously.
3. To test that the turkey is ready, pierce the thigh through its thickest part; the juices should run clear. Take the turkey out and leave to rest, covered with a clean tea towel. Can leave to rest for up to 1 hr. Now make the gravy. Drain the fat and juices from the tin into a jug, discarding the veg and the neck. Place the tin over a flame, then pour in the cider, scraping up the flavour-filled crusty bits with a wooden spoon. Reduce the cider by half, then strain into a saucepan (this will save you hob space later).

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