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Probably the best advice you can have for cooking on Chrsitmas is to get as much of the work as possible done on the day or even days before.
The next thing I would suggest, especially if you find the task daunting is to break it down to cooking a turkey, ham and some vegetables.
So regardless if you are a complete novice or confident cook, this guide will help breakdown all these chores and remove the stress and help you enjoy the cooking. I will break down the whole dinner into all the different components and then I will explain how to put it all together at the end.
Before you start, make a plan to include the numbers of guests, time of dinner and exactly what you are going to serve. Then, once you figure out what you want to serve, you can write it down and start to draw up a full list of ingredients you will need.
Remember so much of the food can be prepared the day before or that morning in advance - this will make your job so much easier and will free you up so that you are not stuck in the kitchen for hours. Following a plan will also allow you to enjoy cooking the meal on the day.
Smoked Salmon Roulade with Cucumber and Dill Cream Cheese, Caper and Lemon Dressing (This must be done the day before)
150g smoked salmon slices
100g Cream Cheese
½ Cucumber quartered, deseeded and cut into small even pieces
Fresh dill fonds finely chopped
Lemon juice
For the dressing
Tablespoon of capers (rinsed if very salty)
Juice of half a lemon and zest
90ml rapeseed oil
30ml cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper
Method
Place a sheet of cling film on a work surface. Lay the smoked salmon slices in a rectangle about, overlapping the slices slightly so that there are no gaps. Place cling film over it and roll over gently with a rolling pin.
Put cream cheese into a bowl and add the dill and cucumber and lemon juice to taste. Using a pallete knife paste the mix over the salmon.
Roll the roulade up lengthways and twist the cling film at the ends, so it looks like a Christmas cracker. Chill in the fridge overnight.
What Size Turkey to buy
2 - 2.5kg serves 4-6
3kg serves 6-7
3.5kg serves 7-8
4 - 4.5kg serves 8-10
5 - 5.5kg serves 10-12
6 - 6.5kg serves 12-15
Cooking the Turkey
Before you start get the exact weight of the turkey. Make sure the turkey comes to room temperature, this means having it out of the fridge at least two hours before you want to cook it. Before you cook it rub the skin with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and black pepper and some dried herbs such as thyme or sage. Have the oven turned on to 180º C before the turkey goes in. I prefer to cook the stuffing separate, which allows you more control over getting the seasoning right.
Place it on a large tray (one that will fit into the oven). It is good to put some onions, carrots and herbs under the bird as this prevents the turkey from sticking to the pan and also the vegetables will soak in juices which will taste good when making the gravy. Now you should be ready to cook the turkey.
Cooking Times for a Turkey
I have had a look at several charts and cooking times but I think the most straightforward guide to follow is the following which is simple to follow and provides you with perfect results
If the turkey is over 4kg, calculate 20 mins per kg + 90 mins. If the bird is under 4kg, calculate 20 mins per kg + 70 mins. To test if it’s done, make sure the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh where it meets the body. If not, put it back in the oven. For another 20 mins, then test again.
The next step is one of the most important steps, once you are happy that the turkey is done take it out and put tin foil over it and leave it in a warm place for at least an hour or so. This will prevent the turkey from drying out and will give you plenty of time to get everything else finished off.
Ham (this can be done the day before)
Cooking Times For a Ham: Place in cold water and bring to boil, change water and repeat, turn down to a simmer, Allow 20 mins per pound or 50 minutes per kg
Honey & Mustard Glaze
80g mustard (40g English and 40g French)
2 tbsp Honey
100g Demerara sugar
Dash of Sherry Vinegar
Handful of cloves
Method
In a pot add all the ingredients except the cloves and gently cook until the sugar has dissolved.
To Glaze the Ham
Once cooked remove from water and allow to cool slightly. Carefully remove the outer layer of skin, use a sharp knife to score the fat in diamond shapes, Place a clove in each diamond, Place the ham in a tray and pour the glaze over the ham.
Put this in a hot oven (210°C) and bake for about 30 minutes.
Perfect Roast Potatoes
1 Kg large Maris piper potatoes or roosters
2 cloves of garlic
Rosemary and thyme
Goose fat or duck fat
Salt and black pepper
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Peel the potatoes, then cut into quarters, and place in a bucket of cold water. This can be done the day before.
Boil a large pot of salted water and add potatoes, then cook potatoes for 15 minutes. They should be half-cooked at this stage. You now can drain them and leave in the colander for a few minutes to remove as much moisture as possible. At this stage place the tray in the oven with goose fat or duck fat. Shake the potatoes in the colander to roughen the edges, Remove the tray from the oven and add the potatoes and place back in the oven. After 20 minutes you can add rosemary and thyme and garlic. Continue to roast for 40 minutes or so turning every 15 minutes to cook evenly. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
Brussels Sprouts With Smoked Bacon And Annascaul Black Pudding (Chorizo Is Also A Great Option)
Bag of Brussels sprouts,
½ block of Annascaul black pudding diced in small cubes,
200g smoked bacon diced into lardons,
Tablespoon of wholegrain mustard,
Butter,
Salt and pepper
Method
Place a little cross in the stem of each sprout (this helps them to cook evenly).
Cook sprouts in boiling water with some salt for 3-5 minutes, remove and place in cold water which will allow the sprouts to stop cooking. Cut the sprouts into quarters once they have cooled. You can do all of this step the day before, as it will only take a few minutes now to finish them off.
To serve just heat a large pan and sauté smoked bacon (add diced chorizo if using at this stage) then add the black pudding. Cook for two minutes, add the sprouts and cook for about 3 minutes. Finish it by adding the remaining ingredients and season.
Roast Parsnip and Carrots with Honey
500g carrots halved
500g small parsnips halved
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Cumin seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp local honey
2 tsp lemon juice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C .Place the carrots and parsnips in a large roasting tin and drizzle with the olive oil. Scatter over the cumin seeds, season with salt and pepper and toss everything together to coat evenly.
Roast in the oven for 40–45 minutes, tossing occasionally in the oil during cooking, until tender and golden. Heat the honey and lemon juice for a few minutes in a small saucepan, stirring until you have a smooth, runny sauce. Pour this over the carrots and parsnips for the last 10 minutes of cooking, tossing the vegetables in the sauce to coat evenly. Scatter with the parsley just before serving.
Sage and Onion, Pine Nut Stuffing
2 large onions finely diced
Sage leaves finely chopped
200g bread crumbs
100g butter melted
60g pine nuts
Zest of lemon and juice
Method
Slowly cook the onions in a little butter and add the sage. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and zest and the rest of the butter. Stir in the breadcrumbs and season well. Toast the pine nuts on a dry pan for two minutes and add to the stuffing.
Gravy
Skim off the excess fat from the roasting tray. Put the tray on a low heat and add some diced onion and carrot to the existing vegetables that were there while cooking the turkey. Add some red wine and reduce by half. Make sure to scrape the tray to help remove all the juices. Stir in a pinch of flour and add about 500ml of chicken (or turkey) stock. You can now pour it into a pot if you prefer and cook until the sauce thickens. Taste and season then pour in to a gravy jug.
Vegetarian Option
Roast Squash, Mushroom, Spinach and Cheddar Parcel (can be made the day before)
One large squash peeled and cut into large dice
300g Selection of wild mushrooms (field mushrooms will also work)
200g spinach washed
1 red onion
2 garlic cloves
small bunch of thyme leaves and some sage leaves chopped
150g Irish Cheddar gratted ( try Coolattin from Little Chesse Shop, Dingle)
salt and Peeper
Box of filo Pastry, and some egg wash
Method
Preheat the oven to 180° c. In a large tray add the squash, garlic and red onion with some oil and salt and pepper. Roast this for about 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile in a hot pan add some oil and fry the mushrooms with the chopped herbs with some salt and pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes, add the spinach and allow it to wilt down.
Once the vegetables in the oven are roasted, add them to the mushrooms and the spinach and then add in the cheese. Taste and season well.
Prepare the filo pastry by carefully rolling out the sheets. Keep them covered with a damp cloth while working with them to stop them from drying out. Place two sheets on top of each other and cut them in half. Brush with some egg wash.
Place the some of the mix on the center of the pastry. Pull each side of the pastry into the center and squeeze together gently then twist to seal giving you a shape of a purse. If you are making these ahead, Place on a tray and freeze for at about an hour to stop the moisture in the mix making the pastry soggy. To bake simple place in a hot oven 180°c for about 25 minutes, check that the center is hot.
A Complete Timeline to Help You Organise Your Timing:
Day before you can:
•Cook the ham and remove it from the water and score it
•Have the ingredients ready for the glaze
•Prepare the vegetarian option if using it
•Peel the potatoes
•Cook the sprouts and cool them in cold water once done
•Make the stuffing
On Christmas Morning:
•Bring the turkey to room temperature
•Cook the turkey
•When the turkey is done allow it to rest for up to one hour or more. Once the turkey is out of the oven turn the heat up and glaze the ham. This will only take 30 minutes or so. Meanwhile you can be cooking the potatoes and once the ham is out of the oven turn it down to 180°c and cook the vegetables and finish the potatoes
This time will allow you to cook the vegetables, including the potatoes.
Now would be a good time to get the gravy sorted and use this time to finish the sprouts and heat the stuffing.
At this stage everything should be ready to serve. Happy Christmas and Enjoy!!
