Christmas Turkey

Ingredients
3-4Kg Turkey (oven ready with giblets)
4 Shallots
4 Cloves
25g Butter (diced)
40ml Water
80ml White Wine
1 Bay Leaf
Salt and Pepper
Herb Sprigs
15g Cranberries
15g Chopped Walnuts
1 Orange (juiced and zested)
1 lemon (juiced and zested)
1 Egg Yolk

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Zester
1 Large Roasting Dish
1 Sauce Pan
Tin Foil
1 Skewer
1 Mixing Bowl

The Good Bit

1. Pre heat your oven to 190c 375f gas 5. Start by removing the giblets from the turkey, then spike each of the shallots with a clove, now season the cavity of your bird with salt and pepper, then drop in the spiked shallots and half of the butter cubes, rub the rest of the butter over the skin of the bird.
2. Now chop the giblets into small chunks and place in the roasting tin along with the water, white wine and the bay leaf, cover with tin foil and cook for 15 minutes per every 1/2Kg then remove the tin foil and cook for a further 30 minutes. Prick deeply with a skewer to make sure the juices are clear (not pink with blood) Set aside and keep warm reserving the juice.
3. In your sauce pan drop in the berries, walnuts, orange and lemon juice and zest and enough of the reserved turkey juices to make up to 150ml and simmer gently. Whisk the egg yolk and mix with 1 tablespoon of your cranberry sauce, then remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the egg mixture.
4. Garnish the turkey with sprigs, serve a shallot to each person and hand out the sauce separately.
   

Serves 4

Duck with Orange and Cranberries

Ingredients
4 Barbary Duck Breasts (with skin on)
2 Oranges peeled, pith and core remove, segmented)
125g Cranberries
50g Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Honey
Salt and pepper

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board
1 Griddle Pan
1 Small Pan

The Good Bit

1. Score the duck breast on the skin skin side with a sharp knife (just through the skin to release the fat) Now cook in a hot griddle pan, skin side for 6-10 minutes then the other side for 4-6 minutes
2. Place the cranberries, oranges, and sugar in a pan and heat until the berries soften, then season, then add the honey.
3. Remove the duck from the griddle and slice then serve with the orange and cranberry sauce.
   

Serves 4

Melon with Mulled Wine

Ingredients
1/2 Honeydew Melon (de seeded and sliced into 4 long strips)
1 Glass Mulled Wine (still warm)
Handful of Red Berries (such as the Christmas favourite cranberry)
4 Fresh Mint Sprigs to Garnish

Equipment
1 SHARP Knife
1 Chopping Board

The Good Bit

1. This is so simple but so tasty, star your Christmas dinner off with this and you'll be onto a winner straight away!! With your knife carefully and with 1 cut about 4-5mm away from the skin remove the melon flesh.
2. With the flesh that is remaining cutting from 1 end and leaving about 1cm at the other end uncut, make 4-5 cuts, now you should be able to fan out the melon onto your serving plate.
3. If the mulled wine is not already warm, warm it a little then pour directly onto the the melon, sprinkle with a few cranberries and serve garnished with a sprig of mint.
   

Serves 4

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients
250g Cranberries (fresh are better but frozen will do)
150ml Water (you can replace all or 50% with orange juice and the zest of 1 orange for an orangey sauce)
175g Sugar
1-2 Tablespoons Port (optional but devilishly good)

Equipment
1 Large Pan
1 Wooden Spoon
1 Zester (if making the orangey version)

The Good Bit

1. Heat the water in the pan and add the sugar and bring to the boil (do the same if you are using orange juice) stir occasionally and boil for about 5 minutes.
2. Add the cranberries cover and gently simmer until all the berries have popped, once you are happy they look like they have all popped, remove the lid and simmer for a further 5 minutes to thicken.
3. Add the port if you are using and serve (the orange version with a touch of port goes very well with the Christmas turkey or a duck that is cooked and still pink inside, you can also serve with lamb)

Serves 6