Create the perfect festive feast this Christmas with Chef Stephen Jeffers recipes and tips...
Roasted Turkey
Serves 12
5kg turkey
50g soften butter
1 tsp sea-salt
1 tsp white pepper
2 unwaxed lemons
1 bunch of thyme
1 bunch of rosemary
1 large garlic (cut in half)
2 onions
4 carrots
Method:
1. Set your oven 220c, firstly chop your turkey neck & wings Place plenty of oil into a roasting tray and cook neck & wings until golden (20 minutes).
2. Meanwhile baste and season the turkey with soften butter, fill the cavity inside with thyme & rosemary herbs and the halved lemons & garlic.
3. Now cover the roasted turkey pieces with chopped onions, carrots forming a trivet.
4. Place the turkey on the trivet and reduce oven temperature heat to 180c, cover the turkey with foil.
5. Roast the turkey for 3 hours, uncover the turkey for the last 30mins.
6. Rest the turkey well covered before carving.
Glazed Christmas Ham with Cider, Maple & Mustard.
2kg ham (soaked overnight in cold water refrigerated)
2 litres of cider
1 litre apple juice
Water to top up with
Cinnamon stick x 1
Star anise x 2
Cloves x 6
300g soft brown sugar
The Glaze.
4 tbsp whole grain mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp cider vinegar
Method:
1. After you have soaked your ham overnight, drain.
2. Now place the ham in a deep pot and cook the ham in cider, apple juice, spices and sugar (add water if necessary). This should take 1 hr 15 minutes (de-scum as you go).
3. Remove the ham from the liquid and reduce the liquid until thick glaze.
4. Dry ham well before glazing.
Glaze Method:
1. Simply place glaze ingredients, mustard, maple syrup & cider vinegar into a bowl and mix well, add some of the liquid from the ham.
2. Set your oven 200c and brush the ham with the glaze, cook for 20-30 minutes glazing twice.
3. Rest before carving.
Sage, Chestnut & Sourdough Stuffing.
Serves 8
200g cooked chestnuts(chopped)
50g dried apricots (chopped)
1 onion (finely chopped)
sage leaves (finely chopped)
200g sourdough bread crumbs
250g sausage meat
2 tbsp butter
3 tsp all spice
Method:
1. Firstly melt butter in a pot and add the onion and cook until soft.
2. Now gently cook the pork sausage meat for 5-7 minutes, followed by adding in chopped chestnuts, finely cut sage & allspice, finally add the apricots, bread crumbs & season.
3. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until sausage meat is cooked out.
4. Roll the stuffing in tin foil or place into a foil tray before reheating in the oven 170c for 30 minutes.
Mulled Christmas Red Cabbage.
Serves 8 - 10
1 red cabbage (finely shredded)
2 red onion (finely sliced)
1 tbsp ginger powder
500ml mulled wine
150g soft brown sugar
60g caster sugar
2 orange (zest & juiced)
2 apples (grated)
2 pears (grated)
200g fresh or frozen cranberries
Method:
1. Place a pot onto a medium heat, add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, now soften the red onion in ginger powder for a few minutes.
2. Now add the red cabbage, cranberries and glaze well.
3. Add both sugars and mulled wine and bring to high heat, followed by the orange peel.
4. Simmer covered with a round of grease proof paper and a lid for a 1/2 hour.
5. Now uncover, add the orange juice, grated apple and pears and simmer at medium high heat for another 30 minutes until required consistency and serve warm.
