THALI CURRY

Outstandingly great way to serve and eat beautiful curry with lots of sharing dishes which makes this a great family social holiday meal, even better you get a whole mini buffet of gorgeous Indian food to enjoy, just pick your favourite five dishes, add pakoras, Indian paratha ghee layered breads and rice.  On this occasion I choose Lamb Madras, Tarka Dhal, Bombay Potato, Sag Aloo, Onion Pakoras, Potato and Pea Samosas, Paratha Bread, Basmati Rice, Onion Mint Salad and mango chutney a glorious feast, as always make plenty so you have days of left overs or freezer stock for next time.  

I always make over double each time and freeze the leftovers, this makes for a really easy takeaway dinner with minimal work for the next Thali dinner, I always make fresh Bombay potatoes, sag aloo potatoes, pakoras, rice and Dhal, but happily freeze raw paratha dough, curry and samosas.  This halves the kitchen work out and in under one hour Ta Da a fabulous Thali Curry.

LAMB MADRAS

LAMB MADRAS

Ingredients 

(serves 4-6)

Best Ever Curry Base Sauce 

2 tbsp ghee 

2 onions chopped

6 cloves garlic grated

2" ginger grated

1/2 red pepper diced

1/4 white cabbage chopped

1 carrot chopped

5 tomatoes chopped

1/2 cup tomato puree 

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1 tsp ground coriander 

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground fenugreek 

1 tsp turmeric 

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp garam masala

1 ltr water

1 kg leg of lamb diced

A one pot cook, heat a large deep saucepan medium hot, add the ghee, onions and garlic, soften for 7 minutes, then add all the other ingredients except the garam masala and 1 ltr of water or stock.  Simmer for 20 minutes, then using a stick blender blitz to a smooth sauce, add the garam masala, that's the base sauce made this is now ready for the lamb, second layer of spices, finish spices and some unattended cooking time.

The Second Layer Curry Spice Mix

If your a preper like me you can do this stage a few days ahead, I will often place the base curry in a glass Pyrex dish, add the meat and second spice layer and leave to marinate in the fridge for a day or two giving me a make ahead dinner ready to go from the fridge to stove with no prep time.

1 tbsp Kashmiri chilli powder

8 fresh green chillies sliced longways

6 cardamom pods bashed

2 " ginger grated

6 cloves garlic grated

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

2 tbsp mango chutney 

1/2 juice lime

Fresh coriander 

2 tbsp ghee

2 tbsp finishing spice powder mix

Finishing Spice Powder Mix

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp turmeric 

1 tbsp ground coriander 

1 tbsp heaped curry powder

1 tsp paprika 

1 tsp garam masala

Once your base sauce is blitzed, add the lamb, second layer spices except the fresh coriander, lime juice and mango chutney, then add the finishing spice powder mix, leave to gently bubble away for around 2 hours until the lamb is tender and will fall apart with a little pressure.  That's it.

TARKA DHAL

TARKA DHAL

One of my favourite dhals, I love the depth of flavour you get from adding the crispy nutty ghee fried garlic and fresh coriander with garam masala tarka at the end of the cooking, it really does make all the difference from a plain dhal to a sumptuous dish.  I like to scoop this dhal up with ghee loaded parathas, they are basically a chapati that has been folded with ghee several times which renders them flaky and buttery just perfect with this rich dhal.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

The Dhal

1 cup of red lentils soaked

6 cups of water

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp coriander stalks finely chopped

The Tarka

8 fat cloves garlic sliced

1 small onion finely diced

1 tbsp ghee

1 small bunch coriander roughly chopped

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp garam masala 

1 red chilli finely diced optional

Sea salt to taste if needed

1.  Drain the lentils and place in a deep saucepan with the water and sea salt, bring to a simmer, pop on a lid and turn down to a low simmer and leave to cook for around 30 minutes, the lentils may need as much as 40 minutes, you are looking for a thick soft texture where all the lentils have cooked down and created a lovely dhal.

2.  In a frying pan heat the ghee and gently fry the garlic until nutty brown, remove from the ghee and leave to one side while you next add the onion and fry until softened, add the garam masala, cumin turmeric mix well add back the garlic along with the chilli if using.

3.  Add the tarka to the dal and stir in along with the fresh coriander and serve with some parathas for dipping scooping and stuffing.

BOMBAY ALOO

BOMBAY POTATO ALOO

2 tbsp ghee

3 King Edward potatoes cubed

1 tbs ghee

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

30 ml water

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp curry powder

FINAL TOUCH

chopped coriander

1/2 tsp garam masala

In a pan melt the ghee and toss the potatoes, stir cooking for approx 7 minutes, add all the spices and stir well, when the spices start to stick on the pan add the water, place on a lid and turn down the heat, simmer for 15 minutes, after 10 minutes add the cook on for the last 5 minutes.  Add the coriander and garam masala, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed to taste.

SAG ALOO

SAG ALOO

2 tbsp ghee

3 King Edward potatoes cubed

1 tbs ghee

1 tsp mild curry powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

150ml water

Salt & pepper to taste

1 tsp curry powder

FINAL TOUCH

1 cup fresh spinach

chopped coriander

1/2 tsp garam masala

In a pan melt the ghee and toss the potatoes, stir cooking for approx 7 minutes, add all the spices and stir well, when the spices start to stick on the pan add the water, place on a lid and turn down the heat, simmer for 15 minutes, after 10 minutes add the cook on for the last 5 minutes.  Add the coriander and garam masala, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed to taste.

PARATHAS

Parathas

Ingredients

(makes 8)

250g chapati flour

1/2 tsp sea salt

150g melted ghee

130ml water

1.  Place the chapati flour, sea salt and melted ghee in a bowl, using your fingers in a bird like pecking action peck the ghee in to the flour, just a French way or rubbing in but less rub equals more lift in the puff of the pastry/bread.

2.  Add some of the water and a little more if needed until you have a soft not sticky dough, knead for a couple of minutes and then cover and leave for 10-15 minutes.

3.  Divide the dough in to 8 balls and then roll out to a nice thin circle, brush with melted ghee and fold in half, brush with melted ghee again and fold in half again, you now have a triangle, brush this with ghee and fold in half again then tuck the sides under and form back in to a rough ball, roll out to a 5-6 inch circle.

4.  Heat a skillet to a high hot heat and brush the paratha with butter and place in the pan, cook for a couple of minutes, brush the top of the paratha with melted ghee and turn over cook for a further 1-2 minutes, wrap in a warm tea towel until needed.

PAKORAS

ONION PAKORAS 

1 large Spanish onion

1 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp white pepper

2 fresh chillies chopped

1 hand full fresh coriander chopped

1 cup chic pea flour

100ml water

400ml nut oil to cook with

If you have time sprinkle the sea salt over the sliced onions a hour ahead of time, this releases liquid from the onions and makes a better more flavoured pakora batter.

Place all the nut oil in a pan and bring up to a medium hot heat, 170-180 C, meanwhile in a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients except the water and coat the onions with the chic pea flour, add most of the water and stir to combine, you want a thick batter consistency, add a little more water if needed.

Scoop up a large golf ball size and shape in to a firm ball using two spoons, gently place the pakora in the oil and fry for around 2 minutes on each side, turning only once.  Remove and place on kitchen paper to drain, repeat with the rest of the mixture, you can cook more than one at at time, just don't overload the pan or the temperature will lower and the pakoras will soak up oil and be greasy.

PEA POTATO SAMOSA

Watch out these are so delicious a thin buttery flaky pastry like you've never had before stuffed full with a gorgeous pea and potato spiced curry will have you sneaking three or four more on your plate!  The pea and potato curry is outstanding in its own merit as a great main meal or side.

SAMOSAS 

150g plain flour

40g ghee

1 tsp sea salt

60ml water

Pea and Potato Curry

Stage One 

Mustard Oil Fried Potatoes

1 tbsp ghee

50ml mustard oil

1 large potato diced

1 tsp turmeric powder

Stage Two The Sauce

2 tbsp ghee

1 small onion finely diced

4 cloves garlic finely diced

1 cup petit pois peas

1 tsp cumin seeds ground

1 tsp kashmiri powder

1 tsp ground coriander seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

2 red chillies finely chopped

1/4 tsp asafoetida

1/2 juice lime

2 large tomatoes skinned chopped

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbsp chopped coriander

The Frying

2 ltrs ground nut or olive oil

Paper roll for draining

1.  First bring a pan of seasoned water to a boil and add the diced potato, par boil for approx 8-10 minutes until tender, drain and reserve to one side.  I like to drain the water back into another pan so that I can use the same hot water to heat the peas, a little help for the environment.  I like to make the next two methods at at the same time. 

2.  Mix the salt in with the flour, rub in the ghee and then add the water and bring the dough together, knead for a 5 minutes and leave to rest for 1 hour if you can.

3.  Heat a large skillet with the ghee and mustard oil when medium hot add the potatoes and fry until slightly crispy and lightly golden all over add the turmeric and stir through, remove the potatoes from the pan and reserve to one side.  Keep the pan for the sauce, do not wash up!

4.  In the same pan heat the ghee and then gently soften the onions and garlic in the ghee for 5 minutes or so, then add the spices, the cumin, kashmiri, coriander, asafoetida and turmeric and fry for a couple of minutes.

5.  Then add the tomatoes, peas, sea salt and lime juice and cook for a further 10 minutes add the potatoes back in along with the the garam masala, taste and adjust the season if needed, leave to one side to cool while you make the pastry.

6.  Heat the oil to 180 degrees C 356F

7.  Now to make the samosas, divide the dough in to half and then each half in to 4, roll in to balls and roll out each ball in to a circle.  Cut the circles in half.  Brush some water around the edge of the half circle and taking the corner of the straight edge of the pastry fold it over to the centre of the curved side.  

This will now look almost like a diamond shape.  Press the two edges together and you will now find you have a pocket that you can stuff with the pea and potato curry!

To seal the samosas fold over the top flap of the pastry on top of the pocket and seal the edges.  If you find it difficult stuffing then you can place the filling on the half circle of pastry and fold the pastry over the filling and seal that way.

8.  Fry for around 3-5 minutes until light and golden in colour and enjoy these are just delicious.

MINT ONION SALAD

Simply slice mild red onions and toss with dried mint.

Perfect Rice

2 cups of basmati rice

4 cups of water for the rice

Rinse the rice in a sieve and place in your pan along with the water, pop on a lid and bring to a simmer, turn down the heat to a low simmer, under no circumstances take the lid off or stir the rice!  Simmer for 6 minutes and then with out touching the lid ! take the rice off the heat and leave to one side, the rice will be ready in another 5 minutes but will be good to stand and stay hot for at least 10 minutes.  That’s it perfect fluffy rice every time!  

ULTIMATE BEEF WELLINGTON

This is the easiest and most perfect every time Beef Wellington recipe, the success is simply in the method and it is all in the 20’s!  This I learnt from a cooking lesson with my fabulous son Oscar with John Torode at Hampton Court Palace, Henry VIII’s home.  I made my own puff pastry but this is optional, recipe below!  But store brought is excellent puff pastry and the whole point of entertaining is to also enjoy hosting your party too.

The Key To Success is all in The 20’s ...

220 C / 428 F for 20 minutes, 200 C / 392 F for 20 minutes & 20 minutes resting

Ingredients 

(serves 6-8)

The Rough Puff Pastry

330g self raising flour

130g suet

150g water

1 pinch Himalayan sea salt 

200g butter

The Wellington 

1kg centre cut fillet steak

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

200g chestnut mushrooms finely chopped

1 small onion finely chopped

1 clove garlic finely chopped

1 pinch Himalayan sea salt 

1 pinch black pepper 

6 slices Parma ham optional 

1 beaten egg for wash

Mushroom Pate

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion finely chopped

1 garlic finely chopped

500g mushrooms finely chopped

First make the rough puff pastry, place all the ingredients except the butter in a bowl and bring together to a rough ball, roll out to a 1/2 " thick rectangle, slice the butter into 12 slices, place 3 butter slices on the top first half of the rolled out pastry and fold up the bottom half covering the butter, turn the folded pastry 90 degrees and roll out to rectangle again, repeat 3 more times, wrap in parchment paper or cloth and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes while you make the mushroom pate.

This is roughly how your rough puff pastry will look inside, all the layers of butter are what will melt and make your rough puff, puff up and become light, melt in the mouth pastry.

The Mushroom Pate

Heat a skillet medium hot, add the butter and olive oil, add the onions and garlic and soften for five minutes, add the mushrooms and cook for a further five minutes, remove from the pan and leave to one side to cool.

To Sear The Wellington 

 Place the same skillet back on the heat, turn up to hot, sear the whole fillet steak until browned all over, remove from the heat and leave to cool.

The Wellington 

Pre heat your oven 220 C degrees

Roll out your pastry to a large thin rectangle, that will cover the beef fillet when wrapped up, you do not want any excessive overlapping, maybe a centimetre or so as to much overlapping will cook soggy, trim off as much excess as you dare.  If using the Parma ham lay a blanket over the pastry then  spread the mushroom pate on the pastry up to a inch or so away from the edges of the pastry, place the fillet of seared beef in the centre of the pastry and bring the left and right side up and over the fillet to cover, now hug the ends of the pastry parcel around the end of the beef fillet, trim off as much excess pastry as you dare, turn the parcel over so that the Wellington is now sitting seam side down and using your hands hug/tuck the minimal excess pastry back under the Wellington parcel.  

The Key To Success is all in The 2's ...

220 C 20 minutes, 200 C 20 minutes, 20 minutes resting ...

Place your beef Wellington parcel on a baking sheet, egg wash generously all over and place in your pre heated hot oven, once in do not touch or open that door!  After a further 20 minutes turn the temperature down to 200 degrees C and quickly turn the Wellington 180 degrees in the oven, next as soon as your 20 minute timer alerts you take your Beef Wellington out of the oven and leave to rest on the side for 20 minutes, this gives you time to fuss with any side dishes you want to serve with this dish.  Resting is as important as cooking.

 That's it, you Beef Wellington is now ready to carve and serve perfectly rare medium and juicy to serve to your family and guests.  It really is a beautifully simple dish when you have the perfect cooking method, a party show stopper still served in the old classic original restaurants in the city of London where even the queen eats among many, this unassuming restaurant is down a back street behind a old theatre and it’s decor is still sumptuous deep velvet upholstery. 

CHRISTMAS GIFT PIES THAT FRIENDS AND FAMILY WILL LOVE

What’s more lovely than arriving at friends and families homes over the festive season with a sumptuous gift of home made pork pies or slow cooked steak and ale mini pies.  These are now expected of my family and friends and it is such a pleasure to make them knowing what joy they will bring long after we have gone home showing our gratitude with the love of good food.

All wrapped up in recyclable paper with natural twine and a bay leaves and rosemary sprigs bouquet from the garden.  All these extra little touches cost nothing and go a long way to show your love.

This pie is made using a old French raised pie tin, such a show stopper, nothing different to any pork pie, just the fluted tin which adds such elegance and presentation which is perfect as a gift.

These are my Piece de resistance at any party fabulous one bite slow braised chuck steak and ale pies encased in a light crumbly suet crust pastry awith a steak gravy chewy crust where the gravy bursts out while baking adding another level of flavour, there is never any of these little pies left over!

The Pork Pie

This is a all at once cook, I start with the jelly first as it needs a couple of hours to render down while I make and cook the pork pie.  I think of pork pies as a two day tease, this is because the pork pie needs to rest over night before pouring in the jelly and setting again overnight in the fridge ready for the excitement of sharing, giving and eating with everyone on day two or three.

Ingredients 

(serves 6-8)

Hot Water Crust Pastry

600g strong plain flour

2 beaten eggs

7g Himalayan sea salt 

5g white pepper

1 tsp fresh chopped thyme

110g lard

110g butter

240ml water

The Pork Pie

800g pork shoulder diced

200g belly pork minced

200g bacon minced

10 sage leaves finely chopped

4 sprigs thyme chopped

1/2 tsp mace

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1 tsp black pepper

The Jelly

1 pork hock or 2 trotters

1 ltr water

1 onion skin on halved

1 carrot rough chopped

1/2 stick celery 

1 garlic clove bashed

8 peppercorns 

1 bay leaf

1 tsp mustard powder

1 pinch celery salt

2 leaves gelatine (optional) 

First get the jelly underway in a pressure cooker for 1 1/2 hrs or casserole dish for 3-4 hrs place all the ingredients in your pan, bring to a simmer and place on the lid.  Once cooked remove the trotters or pork hock, the latter makes a wonderful dinner with some buttery vinegar mashed potatoes and pease pudding or stuffed in a suet bacon and onion pudding roll, a memory straight from junior school dinners!

Now to check if your pork jelly will set without the need for gelatine, which it should once cooled, place a saucer in the freezer for at least 30 minutes, take a tablespoon on the jelly stock and place on the cold saucer on your work top, leave for two minutes and assess the thickness of the set cooled jelly.  If too running then add the gelatine leaves by soaking in water to soften for 5 minutes and then stirring in off the heat.  Leave your jelly to one side while you bake the pork pie.

Next make the pork pie filling mix all the ingredients together and reserve to one side to infuse their flavours while you make the hot water crust pastry.

To make the hot water crust is really simple place the lard, butter and water in a saucepan and melt without allowing a simmer, in a large mixing bowl place the flour, salt and ribbon through the beaten eggs, make a well in the centre and pour in the hot lard and butter mix, using a spoon gently bring together until just combined, using your hand knead the mix for a minute until a smooth ish ball is formed.  Take 2/3 of the dough and place in your tin pressing the sides up and forming the base, place in your pork pie meat, lay your pastry lid on the top and crimp the edges, I like to take my left hand ready to pinch the pastry from the underneath of the tin lip and pastry, while my right hand will push the top pie crust pastry in to the two pinch fingers, this gives a great crust finish.  Make a hole in the centre of the pie and decorate with leaves.

Place the pork pie in a pre heated oven 200 C for half an hour, then lower the heat to 160 C for one hour, remove the pork pie from the oven and remove the french tin, glaze the sides with egg wash and place back in the oven to cook for a further 10-15 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool, fill your pie with your homemade jelly using a funnel or a bladder syringe, then allow the jelly to set in the pie in the fridge overnight, then your good to go, enjoy this glorious pork pie it is a outstanding pie.

Best Ever Steak Pies

Ingredients 

(makes 36)

FOR THE BEST EVER SUET CRUST PASTRY

(This also makes 2 pie top crusts)

330g supreme self raising flour

100g cold butter grated

130g atora suet

Water as needed (150ml+)

1 tsp salt and white pepper 

2 eggs beaten for egg wash

Nan's Braised Steak

2 kg chuck or rump steak 2" square chunks

 1 onion finely chopped

1 stick celery fine chopped

1 carrots finely chopped

2 clove garlic chopped

1 glug of ooil

knob of butter

1 ltr rich beef stock

(homemade recipe below)

3 cans of Guinness 

2 tbsp mustard powder

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp curry powder

1 bay leaf 

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp butter

Pre heat your oven to 160 C, in a large casserole dish add the olive oil and butter, on a medium heat add the onions and soften for ten minutes, then add the garlic, carrot and celery and soften for a further five minutes, crank up the heat and add the diced rump steak and let the steak catch a little browning off ever so slightly and catching the bottom of the pan creating more flavour, add the Guinness, stock, mustard, cayenne, curry powder and bay leaf, top up with water if needed to cover the meat by a inch, pop on a lid and place in the oven to slowly cook for 3-4 hrs, when your rump steak will fall apart when gently squeezed it's done.  Remove from the oven add the salt, pepper and butter.  Leave to cool before filling your pies.

The pastry will need to rest in the fridge for at half an hour before rolling.  Place all the ingredients except the water in a large bowl and very gently mix so that the ingredients are incorporated evenly, you do not want to over work the mix as this will make it tough in texture and this pastry is the best ever because it is light and crispy with a flakey texture finished off with a hint of almost dumpling flathat soaks up the gorgeous braise stake gravy.  Add the water probably 150ml ish and gently bring the pastry mix together to form a ball, wrap in baking paper and rest in the fridge for half an hour.

Cut 1/3 off your pastry ball, this is for the pie lids, roll out the larger piece of pastry on a lightly floured work top to as thin as you dare, using a standard scone cutter cut 36 circles, roll out the remaining pastry using a half size smaller cutter again cut 36 lids.  Taking your trays line each mini pie hole, brush all the pastry edges with egg wash, fill with a couple of teaspoons of your cold braised steak and press on the pastry lid.  Egg wash the tops of the pies and bake in the oven for 40 minutes, once cooked leave to cool in the tins for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool or enjoy hot and fresh.

These pies are great at parties, friends and family gatherings served cold made the day before from the fridge or fresh and warm on the day these are a crowd pleaser.

PIT BEEF STEAK GARLIC BUTTER WILD MUSHROOMS AND SPRING GREENS WITH A MUSTARD VINEGAR SAUCE

A real easy super flavoursome twist on pit beef, individual pit steaks charred and cooked juicy rare served with gorgeous garlic nutty butter mushrooms and new potatoes, for us these were fresh out of the ground from our West Dorset holiday home, Oh my Gosh these are the best potatoes EVER!  Served with wild cep and pink oyster mushrooms in a apple cider vinegar mustard sauce and garlic butter spring greens this was a awesome feast.

Ingredients 

(serves 2)

2 10 Oz ribeye steaks

4 cep mushrooms sliced

8 pink oyster mushrooms torn

30 ml olive oil

75g butter

4 cloves garlic sliced

1 shallot finely diced

1 head of spring greens

1 tsp apple cider vinegar or other flavour

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

200 ml double cream

100 ml white wine OR chicken broth

White pepper

Himalayan sea salt

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 

500g new potatoes

Cook these at the same time as the steaks.  Bring a pan of water to a simmer, add the new potatoes and cook for around 10 minutes until fork tender, lift out the potatoes reserving the hot water in the pan on a low heat, toss the potatoes in some sea salt and butter.  Just before serving add the spring greens to the hot water and simmer for two minutes, drain, toss in some butter, season with salt and pepper and serve with the below.

Heat cast iron skillet medium hot add a third of the butter, the shallots and garlic, gently pan fry for five minutes until softened.  Remove from the pan and reserve to one side.  Crank up the heat to high add the olive oil and the steaks sear each side of the steaks for around two minutes making sure you really colour both sides, take the pan off the heat and add another third of the butter, spoon the melted butter several times over the steaks, turn the steaks over and repeat.  There is enough heat in the skillet to finish cooking the steaks to medium rare while also resting them.  

Take half the softened garlic and shallots add to a saucepan, add the wine if using and reduce by half, if using the chicken stock just add and bring to a simmer, add the mustard, cream, apple cider vinegar, taste and season with salt and pepper.  Keep warm on a low heat.

Move the steaks to warm serving plates to finish resting, return the skillet to a medium heat, add the remaining butter and mushrooms, cook for two minutes, add the remaining softened garlic and shallots.

To serve place the steaks on your plates spoon over the mushrooms and remain pan juices, place the spring greens and new potatoes on your plates and then spoon over the warm creamy mustard sauce and enjoy.

HOW TO COOK THE PERFECT JUICY TURKEY

FOOL PROOF EASY NO STRESS

Best Ever Thanksgiving or Christmas Turkey 

This is a easy no stress guaranteed perfect Christmas turkey, juicy moist full of flavour and truly no stress needed!  After all the stress we put on ourselves to please the people we love (or not!) the most.  In all of my cooking career private and professional, hint private more stressful!, method and knowledge giving me more experience is the key to success time and time again.  This method once nailed is your forever key to successfully repeating that show stopping Christmas Dinner, however Christmas is about family and no matter how your Christmas dinner turns out, someone with great love for you, or you yourself cooked their heart out for the family Christmas dinner remember it is a beautiful dinner made with love. 

TO COOK THE PERFECT TURKEY

To Brine or Not to Brine?

I personally love a brined bird.  Place your bird in a deep container that will fit in your fridge, fill and cover with your cold brine and leave for 24 hours.  Drain and rinse before cooking, that’s it.

SIMPLE BRINE LIQUID

8 ltrs (2 gallons) boiling water

 1/2 - 1 cup Himalayan sea salt 

10 black peppercorns 

1 bay leaf

2 kg ice

Add the salt and all the other ingredients to the boiling water, stir to combine, once the salt has dissolved take off the heat, add the ice and leaf to cook completely.  Chill, once cold submerge the turkey in the brine, use a weight if needed to keep the turkey submerged.  Maximum of 24 hours.

Feeding a Crowd

Easy carving tip, take the whole breast off the bone in one piece, then carve, this is a much quicker and less stressful way to serve up to lots of people or for serving buffet family style.

To Start...

To start you need a beautiful slow raised old fashioned breed turkey, this year I ordered a Organic COPAS Hen turkey, a bronze free range out door living, rain forest diet feed, loved turkey that was raised to full maturity and game hung (with innards) for two weeks.  This turkey was magnificent, the size and shape of the bird echoed it's rooting lifestyle.

I follow the simple minutes per pound cooking rule, which for a turkey is 15 minutes per lb as a guide line but I do use a thermometer to test the temperature of the bird and I remove the turkey from the oven as soon as the centre reaches 64 / 65 degrees C, 148 / 149 F.  Then the most important part is to rest the turkey for at least 1 hour covered in foil and a towel for insulation keeping the bird warm.  This cooking method has always given me the most juicy moist succulent roasted turkey ever.  As soon as my turkey reaches 64 degrees out she comes and this ensures the turkey stops cooking at 65 degrees.

Preparing The Turkey 

Herby butter stuffing.  This is to go under the skin of the turkey, with the back of a dessert spoon facing up, slide the spoon between the skin and the breast meat gently all over creating a pocket between the breast and skin, stuff lots of seasoned butter in to the pockets you’ve made this gives extra moisture to the meat while cooking.  Rub a generous amount of the herb butter all over the turkey skin too.  Place the turkey on top of a mirapaw, french for mixed vegetables that will add a abundance of flavour to your gravy along with the giblets, I always order 15 sets extra of giblets from my butcher as a few people don’t want them so I will use them to make great stock for the rest of the year too.

Turkey Mirapaw Roasting Base To Go Under The Turkey 

3 carrots diced

2 sticks celery diced

2 leeks diced 

2 onions diced

6 cloves garlic bashed

TO ME THIS IS TURKEY COOKING LAW 

This method results in a perfect cooked turkey every time.

15 minutes per lb 

I DO NOT COOK PAST 64 C / 149 F

Probe temp max 64 degrees C / 149 F in the thickest part of the breast

(however environmental health would advise cooking until 70 C / 161.6 F)

OVEN  TEMPERATURE

Pre-heat to 220 degrees

Place your Turkey un-covered on top of the mirapaw and one set of giblets into the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 170 degrees / 338 F.  Cook for 30 minutes, by then your turkey skin will be browned all over, baste the turkey all over several time with the juices from the bottom of the roasting pan, then cover well with tin foil and leave to cook.  Half way through the cooking time baste again.  

Some recipes reverse the cooking temperature method by cooking at 170 degrees C then for the last 30 minutes cranking the heat up to 220 degrees to brown off the bird.  I don’t do this as I feel it toughens the meat, the turkey has cooked and relaxed nice and slow in the oven, then by increasing the heat it’s like if you sat your bottom on a hot grill, tense!

Once cooked I then give my turkey a extra baste and sometimes using my Cajun injector, inject the cooking juices into the breasts.  Now wrap up the turkey in generous amounts of foil and cover with a couple of tea towels and leave to rest for at least 60 minutes.  This now gives you at least one hour to make your gravy, cook your roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips, pigs in blankets, sprouts and stuffing then your ready to serve enjoying the day too.

THE MOST AWESOME GRAVY ON THE DAY

Drain off the cooking juices from the rested turkey pan into a jug and now we can finish off the gravy.  

1 knob of butter

1 dash of olive oil 

1 onion chopped

2 carrots chopped

2 sticks celery chopped

Turkey giblets

2 bay leaves

10 black peppercorns

200ml dry white wine

1 ltrs water

In a large pan melt the butter and olive oil together, soften the onion, carrot and celery then add the giblets, bay and peppercorns and cook for 10 minutes then add the wine and reduce by half.  Add 1 litre of water and simmer until the stock has reduced by half.  You should be left with approx 600ml. Strain, add a knob of butter taste for seasoning and season with sea salt and white pepper.  If you want a thicker gravy add a table spoon of flour after you have softened the vegetables and cook in for five minutes before adding the wine and other ingredients.

I ALWAYS MAKE MY GET AHEAD GRAVY THE DAY BEFORE

This is something you can do the day before and keep in the fridge ready to go on the day.

STAGE ONE

12 chicken wings

2 carrots rough chopped

1 onion quartered 

3 sprigs thyme

1 bulb garlic halved

Glug olive oil

2 ltrs water

STAGE TWO giblets

25g butter

50ml olive oil

1 onion chopped

1 leek chopped

2 carrots chopped

2 ribs celery 

4 cloves garlic

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

10 black peppercorns

500ml dry white wine

2 ltrs water

Stage One:  Pre heat your oven to 200 degrees C 392 F, place all the ingredients in a deep roasting tin and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until the skin on the wings is crispy.  Add 2 ltrs of water to the roasting tin and cook for a further 10 minutes so that the water can de-glaze all the lovely caramelised bits on the bottom of the roasting tin and infuse from the roasted chicken skin.  Remove the tin from the oven and then using a potato masher crush all the wings, garlic, onions and carrots in to the stock creating the most wonderful flavours.

Drain in to a large bowl through a sieve and push all that wonderful liquid through the sieve.  That is your fabulous base gravy made for the big day, just add this to your roasted turkey pan cooking juices on the day and following the gravy making tips above.

Stage Two:  In a deep casserole dish heat the olive oil and butter, soften the onion, leeks, carrots celery and garlic for 20 minutes, add the giblets, bay, thyme and peppercorns, cook for a a further 30 minutes, add the wine and bubble away reducing by half, then add the water, bring to a only just simmer and cook for a couple of hours.  Strain and add to stage one stock and your ready for the big day.

On the day pour off all the resting juices from the turkey, leave to settle for five minutes or if using a fat separator gravy jug take out some of the turkey fat, add to a pan with a generous spoon of flour, this is a roux to thicken your gravy, cook on a medium heat for five minutes then start to add the get ahead gravy stock a ladle at a time whisking smooth each time then when you have a smooth liquid add the rest of the gravy stock, bring to a simmer and season to taste with sea salt and white pepper.

JALAPEÑOS POPPERS

CHRISTMAS BUFFET 

These are my top top favourite buffet party food, I just love them, crisp fresh hot jalapeños stuffed with a cool sharp cream cheese and coated in light crispy fresh fried panko breadcrumbs these go down too well.  A huge hit in my family home these are always asked for at any of our family gatherings.

Prep time 15 minutes / Cooking time 5 minutes per batch / 4 batches

Ingredients 

(makes 20)

10 green or red whole fresh jalapeños

2 tubs Philadelphia cream cheese

1 box panko breadcrumbs

3 eggs beaten

300g plain flour

1 tsp Himalayan sea salt 

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 ltr vegetable oil for frying

First set up your dipping station, three bowls one for the eggs, one for the panko and one for the flour, salt and pepper.  Halve the jalapenos, scoop out the seeds and place in a large bowl, add the cream cheese to the seeds and mix well.  Using a teaspoon fill each half jalapeño with the cream cheese mix. 

Now your ready to coat the poppers, keeping one hand for wet and one hand for dry, dip the poppers in the egg mix first then in to the seasoned flour, back in to the egg mix and finally into the panko breadcrumbs, place on a plate while you finish the rest.  If you are having trouble with the second coating of egg and panko breadcrumbs coating staying on the popper, place the poppers in the fridge after the first coating of egg and flour, once chilled they accept the second coating easier.  The first time I made these thats what happened, but not anymore.

Heat your oil to 180 degrees C, fry the jalapeños in batches of five so as not to over load the fryer, this will zap the heat from the oil and the poppers will absorb more of the oil giving them a greasy not crunch crisp flavour.

Drain on paper roll for a couple of minutes then serve warm, these are just perfect all on their own.