Chef Martin Anderson
It's all about the stuffing!
One of the most important parts of the annual Christmas food fest is of course the stuffing.
Many a debate has been held about whose mother , granny or aunty makes the best stuffing. Well my grandmother made the best !!
Seriously though it's hard to beat making your own stuffing. Forget about those boxes of dried breadcrumbs that you just add water to. Forget about the bags on the shelves, though they may be used as a base for a good stuffing, sometimes they are made with added fats and Oils and not even real butter, butter , butter , butter .... it's a key ingredient and must be used in real stuffing , if you like sausage meat then use that as part of the recipe I have for you below .
Many recipes tell you not to stuff the centre of the turkey as the stuffing may not get to the correct temperature and may be raw and cause food poisoning.
The traditional way to stuff a turkey is in the neck cavity pulling the extra skin over and sewing it with a needle and twine , many Turkeys now do not have enough skin to do this so
I do suggest making the stuffing separate and roasting it in a loaf tin, this may be done Christmas Eve and then simply sliced and reheated .
For the potatoes I use rooster potatoes the larger for the mash and the smaller for roasties , you can buy frozen roast potatoes if you wish and they are available ready basted in goose fat but it's always nice to cook your own , it's good fun making sure they are cooked at the same time as the turkey !!
Next week I'll cover the mashed potatoes , vegetables and give you a simple baked Alaska recipe
Remember print out this article and keep it safe, I'll only post these recipes once more before Christmas on my Facebook page .
Herb and apple stuffing.
This is suitable for, chicken, turkey, pork and also as a side dish.
You will need .
2 lb of breadcrumbs ( you may use gluten free bread to make the crumbs if you are coeliac .
If using sausage meat use 1/4 lb for this recipe and less breadcrumbs .
1 medium onion chopped.
1 egg , beaten
¼ pint of chicken stock, use 1 stock cube for the ¼ pint of water !!!
Chopped herbs of your choice, sage, tarragon, chervil, parsley or coriander.
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped.
1 apple grated.
200g of real butter .
Method.
In a large pot heat the butter add the onions, celery and herbs, cook until softened, remove from the heat, and add the bread crumbs ( add the sausage meat at this stage too if using it )
Allow to cool slightly and get your washed hands into the pot and mix well .
Add the stock, egg, apple and seasoning and mix well again .
Place into an oven proof dish or well buttered loaf tin , make sure it's big enough , cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15minutes to Crispin up.
Allow to cool and refrigerate .
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Baby roast potatoes
You will need.
Peeled potatoes rooster potatoes ( make sure they are all the same size , I don't like potatoes that are cut in half try and get them evenly rounded.
rapeseed oil or duck fat for cooking .
Sea salt & coarse black pepper
Ground Paprika .
Method.
Well your oven temperature will be at least 170c sure the turkey or joint of meat is in there !!
Season your potatoes and toss in the paprika .
Heat a little oil or duck fat in a wok or pan, add the potatoes , colour slightly, place in a roasting tray and roast until the potatoes are cooked.
Serve straight away and never cover them with tinfoil they will sweat and lose their crispness .
Cranberry sauce .
Ok there are loads of jars of cranberry sauce available but for me homemade is the best. Cranberries need sugar , a dash of wine or even leftover mulled wine . You can make cranberry sauce at least 2 weeks in advance and store in an airtight container in the fridge , so tasty on turkey & hams sandwiches
You will need
Fresh or frozen cranberries
Sugar
Cinnamon , stick or ground cinnamon but if using the stick be careful they tend to break up.
Dash of Red wine or mulled wine .
Water , just enough to wet the pot .
Method
Wash and pick through the cranberries checking for any foreign objects , if using frozen this will be done already .
Place into a deep pot and add a dash of water , heat and simmer until the cranberries begin to pop open , add the sugar , wine and cinnamon , allow to cook until all the berries have burst open at this stage the sauce will have changed colour .
Taste and if it's too bitter add a wee bit more sugar .
Allow to cool in the pot and then transfer into an airtight container and keep in the fridge .