Phil Vickery's perfect roast turkey
Phil Vickery is in the kitchen with a foolproof way of cooking the Christmas Turkey, gravy and trimmings!
Serves: 8-10 adultsPreparation time: 25 minutesCooking time: 2½ hours, approx
Ingredients
1 x 5 kg just under 12lb, Bronze turkey, with giblets and the wish bone removed.2 large carrots, peeled2 large onion, peeled6 sticks of celery1 leek2 bay leaves½ bottle dry white wine2 pints cold water2 chicken stock cubessalt and freshly ground black pepper55g melted butter2 tbsp roughly cornflour4-6 tbsp cold water
Pre heat the oven to 200°C gas 6.
Method
First job is to remove the giblets from the bird, and if you are using a frozen bird then make sure that it is fully defrosted.
Season the bird well inside and out well with salt and pepper and pack the stuffing into the body cavity. (see stuffing recipe)
Tie the legs and the Parsons nose together with a piece of string and secure well, so the stuffing is held inside the bird.
Chop all the vegetables into large chunks or leave whole and place in the bottom of a large baking tray with the bay leaves, then place the turkey on top. The tray should be large enough so the bird has at least 2 inches gap around.
Pour in the white wine, cold water and chicken stock cube, and place the whole tray on to the stove.
Bring to the boil and cover tightly with two layers of foil and pop into a preheated oven. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Place the tray in the oven and cook the bird for about 2 hours, approximately. To check if the bird is cooked, remove from the oven carefully as there will be a lot of stock, wine and turkey juices.
Remove the foil and insert a knife where the thigh attaches itself to the body of the bird, the juices should run clear. If not, then cover again with foil and cook for a further 20 minutes.
When the bird is cooked, remove from the oven and spoon out the lovely juices.
Turn the oven up to 230 degrees C, Gas 8, brush with the melted butter and cook until browned, about 15 minutes. When nicely browned, remove from the oven and wrap the turkey in double layer of foil and keep warm, it will keep perfectly wrapped for 1 hour.
Re-boil the stock and juices, you may need to add a little more water in a saucepan and skim well.
Mix the cornflour and water together and thicken the bubbling stock, don’t go mad.
To serve: Carve the bird the flesh will be soft and juicy, and serve the gravy and stuffing separately.
Christmas cake stuffing
Serves: enough for a 5kg birdPreparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
2 tbsp vegetable oil2 small onions, peeled and finely chopped1 tsp allspice2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped500g good quality sausage meat200g Christmas cake, no icing or marzipan, crumbledabout 6 tbsp natural dried breadcrumbs1 whole medium egg150g dried cranberriesSalt and freshly milled black pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions, allspice and garlic and cook for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the sausage meat and stir well.
Just break down the sausage meat but do not actually cook it through.
Then cool slightly, add enough bread crumbs to stiffen up the mixture, but remember that they will continue to thicken as they reconstitute themselves so take care not to add too many.
Stir in the whole egg and cranberries and beat the whole mixture well.
Finally add the Christmas pudding and some salt and pepper.
Stuff the bird when required.
Fruity fragrant (non-meat) stuffing
Serves: 6-8 personsPreparation time: 20 minutesCooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
6 tbsp oil, any will do½ tsp ground cardamom½ tsp ground allspice½ tsp smoked paprika2 red onions finely chopped3 cloves garlic, finely chopped2 tbsp finely chopped ginger100g dried apricots, finely chopped100g dried cranberries, finely chopped100g chopped dried cherries, finely chopped2 x 250g microwaveable coconut rice, re heated50g chopped honey roasted cashews, roughly chopped100g chopped pistachios, roughly chopped6 tbsp chopped parsley1 egg, beaten (optional)salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a pan and add the spices, quickly fry then add the onions, garlic and ginger cook for 10 minutes to soften nicely.
Spoon into a bowl, then add the fruit, warmed rice and nuts and really mix well.
Season well with salt and pepper.
Finally the egg to bind and the parsley and sage. Again mix well.
Stuff the bird, or spoon into a lightly greased baking dish and bake separately.
Roast potatoes
Serves: 6-8 personsPreparation time: 15 minutesCooking time: 1 hour, approx
Ingredients
1 kg peeled potatoes, Desiree, King Edwards, Maris Piper are all good roasters.200g good beef dripping, duck, goose fat or lardsalt and freshly milled black pepper
Method
Pre heat the oven to 200 Degrees C, Gas 7.
Place a pan of cold water on the stove and bring to the boil.
Pop in the potatoes cut into large 1/4 ‘s, add a little salt.
Bring back to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the outsides start to fall away, carefully drain.
Place the dripping in a baking tray, pop into the hot oven and heat for 10 minutes, or until just smoking.
When drained, remove the tray from the oven carefully add the potatoes to the hot fat, season well with salt and pepper and pop into the oven, cook for 35-40 minutes.
When the bottoms are very crisp and golden, turn over and return to the oven, cook for a further 35-40 minutes, until both sides are crisp and golden.
The inside will be soft and powdery with 2 crunchy edges, perfect!
Serve piping hot.
Brussel sprouts with spices and creme fraiche
Even the kids will try this, iit must be the slightly sweeter angle, they really are tasty, but you must drain the sprouts well!
Serves: 6-8Preparation time: 20 minutesCooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
700g sprouts, tightly closed and brilliant green, trimmed200g crème fraiche2 level tsp Madras curry paste1 tbsp mango chutney4 small shallots, peeled and chopped finely1 tbsp vegetable oil4 tbsp chopped fresh coriandersalt and freshly milled black pepper
Method
Cook the sprouts in plenty of boiling water, until soft in the centre, about 10 minutes. They need to be slightly over cooked I think.
Or place into a medium sized bowl, add salt, pepper and 200mls water. Cover with cling film, make a couple of small holes and microwave for 5 minutes. Check and see if cooked, if not re cover and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Cool under cold water then drain really well. This can be done a few hours before.
Then you come to serve, there is only one way to warm them up, pop them in the microwave.
Warm the oil and add the shallot and cook for 1 minute to soften, then add the curry paste cook for a further 1 minute, then cool.
To serve, warm the sprouts, tip off any water, then stir in the curry and shallots, crème fraiche, chutney and finally chopped coriander.
Serve
With thanks to Aldi for our Free Range, Rumburgh Farm Bronze Turkey