Yes, it is officially that time of the year where playing those Christmas carols on full blast is completely and utterly acceptable. That, and turning every nook and cranny of the house into a winter wonderland – with no heed taken to the fact that we’re actually in the middle of summer in South Africa. We string colourful tinsel garlands on every piece of furniture, have Santa hats at the ready and fairy lights brightening up every corridor. I absolutely love this time of the year, and the festive feeling really starts as soon as December 1st rolls around.
It is also around this time that our family starts planning our Christmas menu.
“Are we having a seafood starter again?”
“I want to make a new Christmas cocktail this year”
“If you make the trifle, I will make the peppermint tart”
“Can you make the turkey the same way you made it last year?”
This is pretty much how our Christmas lunch conversations go until we reach consensus.
If you have read any of my other articles on Seasoned Journeys, you will know that I love cooking. And although trying new recipes is what I thrive on when Christmas lunch rolls around, I prefer making something that I know, something that I enjoy, and something that I know will please the ‘family crowd’.
So, if you must know, each year I am the ‘Designated Christmas Turkey Cook’. I have, without fail, made turkey for Christmas for the past 4 years. Not just any turkey, though. I have successfully made use of the same Gordon Ramsey recipe every year – and it has been a major hit on every occasion.
This got me thinking of all the other tried and tested, well-known chef recipes I have used over the years – and those which I absolutely love. Allow me then to share with you three amazing recipes which I hope will inspire you to try out this Christmas – an amazing turkey, the best roast potatoes and delicious pesto, prawn lettuce cups.
Gordon Ramsey’s Roast Turkey with Lemon, Parsley & Garlic
INGREDIENTS
Serves 8-10
1 free-range turkey, about 5–5.5kg
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 lemon, halved
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
6 bay leaves
Olive oil, to drizzle
8 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
For the lemon, parsley and garlic butter:
375g butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp olive oil
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 small lemons
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Meanwhile, prepare the herb butter. Put the butter into a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the olive oil and mix well. Add the lemon zest and juice, crushed garlic and chopped parsley. Mix well to combine.
Remove the giblets from the turkey cavity. Season the cavity well with salt and pepper, then stuff with the onions, lemon, garlic halves and 2 bay leaves.
With your hands, loosen the skin on the breast from both ends of the bird so that you will be able to stuff the flavoured butter underneath it, making sure you keep the skin intact. Repeat with the skin on the legs – from the lower side of the breast feel your way under the skin and out towards the leg, loosening the gap.
Stuff half the butter mix into the opened spaces under the skin. From the outside of the skin, gently massage the butter around the breasts so that the meat is evenly covered. Finally, insert the rest of the bay leaves under the skin of the breasts.
Place the bird in a large roasting tray, breast side up. Spread the rest of the butter all over the skin. Season well with salt and pepper, then drizzle with a little olive oil. (If preparing a day ahead, cover the turkey with foil and refrigerate at this stage.)
(Nearly there!)
Roast the turkey in the hot oven for 10–15 minutes. Take the tray out of the oven, baste the bird with the pan juices and lay the bacon rashers over the breast to keep it moist. Baste again. Lower the setting to 180°C/Gas 4 and cook for about 2 1⁄2 hours (calculating at 30 minutes per kg), basting occasionally.
To test whether your turkey is cooked, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the leg and check that the juices are running clear, rather than pink. As oven temperatures and turkey shapes and sizes vary, it is crucial to check your turkey about 30 minutes before the calculated roasting time. If the juices are pink, roast for another 15 minutes and check again. Repeat as necessary until the turkey is cooked.
Transfer the turkey to a warmed platter and remove the parson’s nose, wings and tips of the drumsticks; reserve these for the gravy. Leave the turkey to rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes; make the gravy in the meantime. Remove the bay leaves from under the skin before carving.
Gordon’s top tips: Bake any stuffing separately to ensure that both the turkey and the pork stuffing are cooked properly. Another secret is to rest the turkey for a couple of hours or more. As it relaxes, the juices are re-absorbed, making the meat succulent, tender and easier to carve. It may seem like a long time, but the texture will be improved the longer you leave the turkey to rest. Piping hot gravy will restore the heat.
Source: https://www.gordonramsay.com/gr/recipes/roast-turkey-with-lemon-parsley-and-garlic/
Jamie Oliver’s Best Roast Potatoes
INGREDIENTS
2.5 kg medium potatoes
4 tablespoons goose fat or unsalted butter
olive oil
1 bulb of garlic
½ a bunch fresh sage, (15g)
INSTRUCTIONS
GET AHEAD
Peel the potatoes, keeping them whole, and ideally all about the same size (8cm). Parboil them in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes – this will ensure that the insides become really fluffy.
Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 2 minutes – this will help the fat to stick to the potatoes. Give the colander a few light shakes to chuff up the edges of the potatoes, giving you maximum surface area for a crispy exterior as they roast.
Place the goose fat or butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in your largest roasting tray. Tip in the potatoes, add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then toss to coat, and spread out in one fairly snug, even layer but with small gaps between them.
Cover and pop in the fridge overnight.
ON THE DAY
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.
Squash the garlic bulbs, then lightly crush each unpeeled clove and add to the tray – this gives you sweet, caramelised garlic and adds a gentle perfume to the potatoes.
Roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden all over.
Remove the tray from the oven. We’re nearly there, but we’ve got one last application of love and care, which is the game-changer. Gently half-squash each potato with a fish slice or masher so they kind of push into each other and fill the tray.
Pick the sage leaves and – importantly – toss with a little oil (this will transmit the flavour and make them deliciously crisp). Sprinkle the sage over the potatoes and roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and amazing. Heaven – you could even serve these on their own in a restaurant, they’re so good.
Source: https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/potato-recipes/best-roast-potatoes/
Zola Nene’s Sweet Chilli Pesto Prawn Lettuce Cups
INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 as a light lunch or 8 as a starter
2 Tbs olive oil
800g prawns, shelled and deveined
Salt and pepper
3 Tbs sweet chilli sauce
1 Tbs basil pesto
1 head iceberg lettuce
1/2 cup tzatziki*
Lemon wedges to serve
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat a pan on high, then add olive oil and prawns, season with salt and pepper and sauté for 2 minutes.
Add sweet chilli sauce and pesto, then continue to sauté for another minute or until the prawns are cooked through.
Carefully separate the leaves of the lettuce to form cups.
Spoon the prawns into the lettuce cups, then dollop on a spoon of tzatsiki.
Serve with lemon wedges to squeeze over.
*Make your own tzatsiki my combining 1 cup plain double cream yoghurt, 1/4 cup grated cucumber, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Source: https://www.zolanene.com/2020/12/08/sweet-chilli-pesto-prawn-lettuce-cups/
So, here are the three tried and tested festive recipes that will hopefully inspire your Christmas lunch or dinner menu. If you do happen to make one of these, please let us know.
Here’s to many Christmas cheers this festive season. Happy cooking!
