Island Life Magazine Ltd December 2009/January 2010 | Page 93

FOOD & DRINK with Alan Staley
puree and cover with cold
water. Bring to the boil
and simmer very gently
for 4-5 hours removing
any impurities that appear
on the surface. Pass the
stock through a sieve and
place into a clean pan.
Reduce the stock by a
third to concentrate the
flavour. Pour into a suitable
container, leave to cool and
refrigerate.

4: Make the stuffing.

is to dish up all the vegetables at the
same time bearing in mind they all take
different times to cook, plus you need a
stove the size of ours at the Royal and
as many pans to fit on it. All you need
is one large pan of rapidly boiling water
where you can put the vegetables in for
one minute, remove them and keep them
warm, make sure the water re-boils and
then repeat the process for the other
veg. When I do this at home I place the
vegetables in hot serving dishes with a
little butter and salt, then clingfilm them.
These will keep hot for at least 10-15
minutes allowing you time to dish up the
rest of the meal.

3: Make Turkey stock for gravy.
A lot of people think that this is too much
effort and a bit of a waste of time, but
the reality is if the base stock is made the
day before then turning it into a roast
gravy on the day itself only takes a few
minutes. First take the turkey giblets and
wings, chop them into several smaller
pieces and fry with a little oil, some
roughly chopped root vegetables and a
little thyme. Stir frequently and fry until
coloured. Add a small amount of tomato

Use 1lb of good quality
pork sausage meat.
One small onion diced.
200g White breadcrumbs.
1 Dessert spoon dried sage
1 Egg
A little boiling water, salt
and pepper.

Combine the onions with
the breadcrumbs and sage,
stir in boiling water and
mix together. Next work
the sausage meat into this
mixture and season with
salt and pepper.

5: Cooking the Turkey.
First make sure that the turkey and stuffing
have been taken out of the fridge and are
at room temperature. Obviously if you are
using a frozen bird it must be thoroughly
defrosted. Stuff the neck end of the bird
(not too tightly) as it will expand, then
secure with a skewer (or tie with string).
Have the oven pre- heated to 220c / gas
7, place a few sprigs of thyme under the
skin of the turkey and rub generously with
butter, sprinkle with salt. Place in the oven
for 30 minutes then turn the temperature
down to 170c gas mark 3. Allow 20 minutes
per pound cooking time. This is only a rough
guideline, it is always best to double check
that the turkey is cooked through properly
by using a thermometer which placed in the
middle of the breast should read at least
82c. Tilt the bird up slightly and the juices
that flow out should be clear with no trace
of red or pink at all. You should remove the
turkey from the oven about an hour before
lunch is served to allow time for the meat to
rest and also to be carved.

life

6: Making Gravy.
After you have removed the cooked
turkey from the roasting tray, drain off
the fat to use for the roast potatoes, but
retain the juices which lay below the fat
for the gravy. Add to the roasting pan
the stock which was made the day before
bring to the boil and reduce to a light
sauce consistency.
7: Carving the Turkey.
Rest the turkey for at least 30 minutes
before carving - it will be cooler to touch,
more tender and easier to carve. With a
bit of advance preparation and the right
tools, carving the turkey for a Christmas
get-together needn't be an ordeal. Here
are a few tips to help you:
First remove the legs by bending the
thighs outwards and using the carving
knife to cut through the hip joint.
Slice down through the drumstick to
remove the leg meat from the bone. Cut
down the breast through the joint at the
front to remove the wings.
Finally, carve long slices down from the
top of the breast, keeping the angle of
the knife parallel with the meat. Have a
warm plate ready for the carved meat.
Anchor the turkey with your carving
fork, pushing it right down to hold it
steady.
8: More Tips......
It's a good time of year for leafy green
vegetables and roots. A plate of Brussels
sprouts may not be the most inspiring
dish but with the addition of a little
cream, smoked bacon and chestnuts
it can be transformed. Likewise, red
cabbage braised in red wine, balsamic
vinegar with red onions and crushed
juniper berries.
Peel and half cook root vegetables in
boiling water the day before, on the day
itself roast all together in a hot oven with
thyme, crushed garlic, olive oil and a little
butter.

Each issue Alan will be giving
you some great tricks and
tips to make your life in the
kitchen easier. This issue:
Tips for the perfect Christmas
dinner.
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