Most people really enjoy having smoked salmon at Christmas. Here is a quick and simple recipe that can be prepared ahead.
Sage, Onion and Pine Nut Stuffing
1 large onion, peeled and diced
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1 tsp chopped sage
2oz pine nuts, toasted
6oz fresh white breadcrumbs
3oz butter
1 tbsp chopped apricots
1 x 12lb turkey
METHOD :
Melt Butter in pan and cook onions for a few minutes until they soften. Add the herbs, apricots and pine nuts. Mix well. Stir mixture into the white bread crumbs. Mix well. It’s now ready to use and stuff the turkey.
Trimmings :
-
4 streaky bacon rashers
5oz pitted prunes
1 pkt cocktail sausages
Herbs, parsley sage and bay leaves
- Preheat the oven to 190 ° C fan, 170 ° C, gas mark 5.
- Rub the skin of the turkey all over with the butter and season with salt and pepper.
- Stuff the neck cavity of the turkey with the stuffing. Fold the skin back over the stuffing and place under the turkey.
- Turn turkey breast side up and tie the top of the drum sticks with string. Weigh the turkey to calculate required cooking time (approx 20-25 minutes per 1lb and add 20 minutes. Resting time 10 minutes).
When you push a point of a knife into the leg of the turkey and the juices run clear, it’s ready.
Loosely wrap in foil, leaving air to circulate around turkey. Baste. (Spoon over juice every 40 minutes). Unwrap foil for final 40 minutes to one hour. Add trimmings (see my tips) for final 30 minutes. Transfer to warm plate, remove strings, cover with foil leave to rest and garnish with trimmings and herbs.
For the trimmings
Cut bacon into small strips, use to wrap prunes.
Add cocktail sausages and bacon-wrapped prunes to the turkey tin for the final 30 minutes of cooking time.
Gravy know-how
Remove roast from tin. Heat juices in roasting tin over a gentle heat. Slowly stir in 1 tbsp flour. Cook for two minutes. Pour in 3 tbsp of port or red wine, gradually slowly add 1 pint stock and bring to the boil. Simmer, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes until reduced and thickened. Season to taste.
If you have the giblets with your turkey make a giblet stock. I always soak the giblets over night in cold water then drain water. Place giblets in a pan with 6 peppercorns, 1 carrot and chopped onion, 2 bay leaves and thyme. Pour in two pints of water, bring to the boil and simmer for 45 minutes.
