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Scandinavian roast turkey with prune & juniper stuffing & caramelised apples
Ingredients 5-5½ kg/11-12lb turkey 2 onions 1 orange 25g softened butter 2 carrots, cut into big chunks flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to garnish
For the stuffing 100g butter, plus extra for the tray and paper 2 tsp juniper berries 3 medium onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 225g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped 225g soft pitted prunes, chopped 25g pack parsley, chopped 2 eggs, beaten For the gravy 300ml red wine 1 heaped tbsp lingonberry jam or redcurrant jelly 600ml turkey or chicken stock For the apple wedges 25g butter 50g whole almonds 2 eating apples, cored and each cut into 8 wedges Ingredients 5-5½ kg/11-12lb turkey 2 onions 1 orange 25g softened butter 2 carrots, cut into big chunks flat-leaf parsley sprigs, to garnish For the stuffing 100g butter, plus extra for the tray and paper 2 tsp juniper berries 3 medium onions, chopped 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 225g fresh white breadcrumbs 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped 225g soft pitted prunes, chopped 25g pack parsley, chopped 2 eggs, beaten For the gravy 300ml red wine 1 heaped tbsp lingonberry jam or redcurrant jelly 600ml turkey or chicken stock For the apple wedges 25g butter 50g whole almonds 2 eating apples, cored and each cut into 8 wedges Method Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Rinse the turkey inside and out, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Weigh the turkey to calculate the cooking time, allowing 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, then 45 mins for each 1kg over that weight. Cut 1 onion into quarters and the other into 6 wedges. Finely grate 1⁄2 tsp orange zest from the orange and set aside for the stuffing. Quarter the orange and tuck it with the onion quarters into the turkey cavity. Rub the turkey all over with the butter, then season with salt and pepper. Put the onion wedges and carrot chunks in the middle of a large roasting tin and sit the turkey on top. Cover with a loose tent of foil, then roast following your calculated time. Make the stuffing. Butter a 28 x 18 x 3cm deep baking tray and crush the juniper berries using a pestle and mortar. Melt the butter in a large frying pan, tip in the onions, garlic and celery, and fry for about 12-15 mins until softened and just starting to turn golden. Stir in the crushed juniper berries, then remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the breadcrumbs, apples, prunes, most of the parsley (reserve a small handful, to garnish), the reserved orange zest and the beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the stuffing loosely into the baking tray, pat it down gently (don’t pack it down) then lay a piece of buttered baking parchment on top. Set aside. Can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Thirty mins before the end of the cooking time, remove the turkey and increase oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Remove the foil, baste the turkey, then return to the oven for a further 30 mins until golden. If you are roasting potatoes put them in now. To test if turkey is cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer – the juices should run clear, not pink. If they are pink, continue to roast, checking at 10 min intervals. Remove the turkey from the oven, transfer to a warm serving platter and rest, covered loosely with foil, for up to 1 hr before carving. Meanwhile, cook the stuffing, and make apple wedges and gravy. Increase oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Bake the stuffing for 30 mins, then remove paper and bake for a further 10 mins to brown the top. Make the gravy, pour off any excess fat from the roasting tin, leave the juices and onions, and discard the carrot. Stir the wine and lingonberry jam or redcurrant jelly into the tin, scraping up any sticky bits from the bottom. Set the tin over a high heat and bring to the boil, then boil rapidly for 8-10 mins until reduced by half. Pour in the stock along with any resting juices from the turkey, and simmer for 10-15 mins or until reduced to your liking (this makes a slightly thinner gravy). Season, if needed. Make the apple wedges. Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan. Tip in the almonds and apples, and fry over a medium heat for about 5-8 mins, moving them around often, until the almonds are toasted and the apples golden and softened, but still holding their shape. Don’t worry if the butter starts to turn a nutty brown, it just adds to the flavour. To serve, strain the gravy into a pan, warm through, then pour into a jug. Scatter the stuffing with the reserved parsley and cut into squares or wedges. Garnish the turkey with the apples, nuts and flat-leaf parsley sprigs, and serve everything together. Squid & pinto bean stew with garlic toasts
Ingredients 175g dried pinto beans, soaked overnight 2 large onions, 1 halved, 1 finely chopped 4 carrots, peeled, 1 left whole, 3 cut into rounds 4 sticks of celery, 2 halved, 2 diced 1 bay leaf 2 tbsp olive oil, plus 2 tsp 4 garlic cloves, 3 finely chopped, 1 left whole 800g prepared squid and tentacles, cleaned and the body cut into thick rings, the wings halved, tentacles left whole 1 tbsp tomato purée 1 thyme sprig 680g jar passata 500g pot fresh chicken stock 2 thick slices of brown bread, cut into quarters diagonally ¼ tsp smoked sweet paprika wilted greens, to serve (optional)
Method Drain the pinto beans, rinse in water and put in a large saucepan. Add the halved onion, whole carrot and halved celery sticks, then cover with water and add the bay leaf. Bring to the boil, skim off any scum, turn down the heat and simmer until totally tender, for around 1 hr. When done, drain, discarding the bay leaf and cooked veg. Put the beans to one side until ready to use. Meanwhile, heat a flameproof casserole dish with 2 tbsp oil. Toss in the remaining onion, carrot, celery and the chopped garlic. Fry gently for 15 mins until the vegetables are tender. Stir through the squid, tomato purée and thyme sprig. Cook for a min or two, then pour over the passata and chicken stock. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat, pop on the lid and simmer for 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Take off the lid and cook down for 30 mins. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Stir in the beans. Cook until the squid is totally tender and the sauce has thickened. Put the bread on a baking sheet. Mix the remaining oil with paprika and seasoning, then drizzle over the bread and put it in the oven, cooking for a few mins each side until golden and crisp. Rub the oil side with the whole garlic clove. Scatter parsley over the stew and serve with the garlic toasts and some wilted greens, if you like.
Creamy parsnip & mustard gratin mergin
Ingredients 800g parsnips, peeled 400ml milk 200ml double cream 200ml vegetable stock 4 tsp wholegrain mustard 4 tbsp grated Twineham Grange cheese (see Know-how, below) whole nutmeg, for grating
Method Slice enough parsnips thinly lengthways to cover the surface of a small ovenproof dish, then slice the rest thinly into rounds. Combine the milk, cream, stock, mustard and half the cheese in a large, lidded saucepan and bring to the boil. Add a good grating of nutmeg and some seasoning – the sweet parsnips can take a bit of salt – then tip in the parsnips. When the cream is simmering again, cover and cook for 6 mins. Using tongs, fish out the long slices of parsnip and set aside. Tip the rest into your dish, then arrange the long slices over the top. Scatter with the rest of the cheese and another grating of nutmeg. Can be chilled for up to 24 hrs. To serve, heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and bake for 1 hr, then turn up to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and brown for 15 mins more – you can do this while the pie is resting.
