Orange and Maple Glazed Turkey

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1 (20 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth

Directions

1. Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Grease a roasting pan. Mix the salt and pepper together in a small bowl, and set aside.
2. Stir together the butter, thyme, and sage in a small bowl. Place the turkey into the prepared roasting pan, and separate the skin from the breast through the neck cavity. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the breast, then press the skin back down on top of the butter. Brush the outside of the turkey with the olive oil, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper mixture. Whisk together the orange juice, maple syrup, and half of the chicken broth, and set aside.
3. Bake the turkey in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 3 hours. Baste every 30 minutes with the maple syrup mixture. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.
4. Once the turkey has rested, remove it from the roasting pan, and place it onto a serving platter. Place the roasting pan onto the stove, and stir in the remaining chicken broth along with the vermouth. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Scrape the bottom of the roasting pan well to dissolve the browned bits, then simmer over medium-low heat until the gravy thickens, about 10 minutes total. Strain before serving with the turkey.

   Prep Time:
   20 Min

   Cook Time:
   3 Hrs 10 Min

   Ready In:
   3 Hrs 40 Min

Greek Traditional Turkey with Chestnut and Pine Nut Stuffing

Ingredients

• 1 cup chestnuts
• 2/3 cup butter
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup tangerine juice
• 2/3 cup lemon juice
• 1 (10 pound) whole turkey
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup uncooked instant rice
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons brandy
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. Make a small incision on sides of each chestnut, and place in a skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until toasted. Remove from heat, peel, and chop.
3. Melt 2/3 cup butter in a saucepan, and mix in the orange juice, tangerine juice, and lemon juice. Rub the turkey inside and out with the mixture, reserving some for basting. Season turkey with salt and pepper.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef, ground pork, and onion until beef and pork are evenly brown and onion is tender. Drain grease. Mix in the rice. Stir in the chestnuts, pine nuts, raisins, 1/3 cup butter, broth, and brandy. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking until all liquid has been absorbed. Stuff all turkey cavities with the mixture, and tie in place with kitchen twine.
5. Place turkey on a rack in a roasting pan, and loosely cover breast and thighs with aluminum foil. Pour about 1/4 inch water into the bottom of the pan. Maintain this level of water throughout cook time. Roast turkey in the preheated oven 3 to 4 hours, brushing occasionally with remaining butter and juice mixture. Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) during final hour of roasting, and remove foil. Cook turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).

   Prep Time:
   30 Min

   Cook Time:
   4 Hrs 15 Min

   Ready In:
   4 Hrs 45 Min

BEER BUTT ROSEMARY CHICKEN

Ingredients

• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can beer
• 1 orange
• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken
• 1 large sweet onion, sliced
• 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
• seasoned salt, to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 red potatoes, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking dish. Pour out half the beer from the can, spray the can with cooking spray, and set it upright in the center of the baking sheet.
2. Cut 2 thin slices from the orange, and set aside. Cut the rest of the orange into large chunks. Loosen the skin over the breast of the chicken, and insert an orange slice, an onion slice, and 1 rosemary sprig under the skin of each side of the breast. Place the orange chunks and 2 sprigs of rosemary into the cavity of the chicken.
3. Spray the outside of the chicken with cooking oil spray, and sprinkle with seasoned salt to taste. Place the chicken onto the beer can in an upright position, with the can inserted into the cavity of the chicken. Pour the chicken broth into the baking dish, and place the rest of the sliced onion and the potatoes into the broth.
4. Roast in the preheated oven until the skin is crisp, the meat is no longer pink at the bone, and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

   Prep Time:
   20 Min

   Cook Time:
   1 Hr 30 Min

   Ready In:
   2 Hrs 

walnut cake with American frosting

Ingredients

• 200g (7oz) plain flourPinch of salt1 generous tsp baking powder
• 100g (3½ oz) butter, softened
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, separated
• 100g (3½ oz) shelled walnuts, roughly chopped
• 100ml (3½ fl oz) milk

For the vanilla buttercream filling:

• 75g (3oz) butter, softened
• 125g (4½ oz) icing sugar, sifted
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Rose petals or 8 walnut halves, to decorate
• 2 x 20cm (8in) diameter or three 18cm (7in) diameter sandwich tins

For the American frosting:

• Makes 600ml (1 pint)
• 2 egg whites
• 425g (15oz) caster or granulated sugar
• 100ml (3½ fl oz) water

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF), gas mark 4. Brush the cake tins with melted butter and dust with flour. Line the base of each with a round of greaseproof or parchment paper.
2. Sift the flour with the salt and baking powder. Cream the butter in a large bowl or in an electric food mixer until soft. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolks and then stir in the chopped walnuts. Fold in a quarter of the flour and milk into the mixture, alternating each, until they are incorporated.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Stir a quarter into the cake mixture and then gently fold in the rest. Divide between the tins, making a slight hollow in the centre of each so that the cake rises evenly rather than forming a peak.
4. Bake in the oven for about 16-20 mins until firm to the touch or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
5. Meanwhile, make the buttercream filling. Cream the butter until very soft, then beat in the icing sugar and the vanilla extract. When the cake is cold, sandwich the layers together with the filling.
6. Now, make the American frosting. This delicious soft icing is a little tricky to make, so follow the instructions exactly. Quick and accurate decisions are necessary in judging when the icing is ready and then it must be applied to the cake immediately. If the icing is not cooked enough, it will still taste good, but will not dry out properly on the outside. If cooked too much, it will be difficult to spread over the cake.
7. Ensure your cake is ready before you start, as this icing begins to set very quickly. Bring to the boil a saucepan of water large enough to hold a heatproof bowl. Place the egg whites in the bowl and whisk with a hand-held electric beater until very stiff.
8. In a separate saucepan over a medium-high heat, dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for 5-10 mins until the liquid is thick and syrupy and has reached the 'thread' stage - when the last few drops that fall from a metal spoon dipped into the syrup come off in one long, quite thick and syrupy thread.
9. Pour the boiling syrup over the stiffly beaten egg whites, whisking all the time with the hand-held beater. Place the bowl in the saucepan of simmering water. Continue to whisk over the water for 10-15 mins until the icing is snow white, very thick and meringue-like.
10. Spread the icing quickly over the cake with a palette knife, regularly dipping the knife into a jug of boiling water. The icing sets very quickly at this stage, so speed is essential.
11. Scatter with rose petals, if using, or arrange the walnut halves around the top of the cake, and allow the icing to set until it feels dry on the surface. Sparklers and dark rose petals make for a dramatic and beautiful effect.

Cook's tip: Make sure that the walnuts you use for this cake are fresh. Any leftover walnuts will keep best in the freezer. Like many cakes which contain nuts, this cake keeps very well for a couple of weeks if properly stored.

Port and green peppercorn glazed ham with roast onions

This delicious glazed ham will delight all your guests this Christmas.

Ingredients (serves 23)

• 12 small (about 1.2kg) red onions, topped, peeled
• 200g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
• 60g (3 tbs) butter, melted
• 2 tbs red wine vinegar
• 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 4 dried bay leaves
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 2 bunches (12 bulbs) spring onions, roots trimmed, stems trimmed to 8cm
• 1 8kg leg of ham, on the bone
• 1 480g jar ginger marmalade
• 125ml (1/2 cup) port
• Cloves, to decorate
• 2 tbs drained green peppercorns

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Place an oven shelf in the lowest position and remove the other shelves.
2. Place red onions in an ovenproof dish. Combine sugar, butter, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and bay leaves in a heatproof jug. Season with salt and pepper. Pour over the red onions and toss to coat. Cover with foil. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Add spring onions and cook, covered, for a further 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook, for a further 30 minutes or until onions are tender. Cover with foil and set aside until required.
3. Unwrap ham, rinse briefly under cold water and pat dry with paper towel.
4. Use a small sharp knife to cut around ham shank in a zigzag pattern, about 10cm from end. Carefully run knife under rind around edge of ham. Gently lift rind in 1 piece, running your fingers between rind and fat where still joined. Lift rind off in 1 piece, wrap in a damp tea towel and place in the fridge. Use for storing leftover ham (see note).
5. Trim excess fat from ham, leaving a 1cm-thick covering all over. Use a knife to score fat in a diamond pattern, 5mm deep. Pour a small amount of water in a roasting pan. Place ham on a wire rack in the pan. Wrap overhanging shank in foil to prevent juices dripping into oven.
6. To make the glaze, heat the marmalade in a saucepan over medium heat for 5-7 minutes or until melted and just beginning to bubble. Add port and mix until combined. Pour half the glaze over ham, using a spatula to spread evenly over surface. Stud each diamond with a clove. Add peppercorns to remaining glaze. Bake ham in preheated oven for 1 hour.
7. Remove from oven. Increase heat to 220°C. Pour remaining glaze over ham and spread evenly. Turn pan 180°, bake for a further 20 minutes or until well browned. Remove from oven. Rest for 15 minutes before carving.
8. Meanwhile, return roast onions to oven and cook, covered, for 15 minutes or until heated through.
9. Carve the ham (see note) and serve with the roast onions.

Notes

• 
  You can use a 6kg easy-carve boneless leg ham in this recipe. Reduce the baking time in step 6 to 40 minutes, and continue from step 7. Variation: Sticky capsicum glaze: Replace the port with 125ml (1/2 cup) extra balsamic vinegar. Preheat grill on high. Place 2 small quartered and deseeded red capsicums and 2 small quartered and deseeded green capsicums skin-side up on a baking tray lined with foil. Cook under preheated grill for 15 minutes or until charred and blistered. Transfer to a heatproof bowl, cover with a plate or foil and set aside for 5 minutes. Peel and cut flesh into thin strips. Use in place of green peppercorns. How to carve it: Cut a thin slice from underneath the ham so the leg sits flat. Place the ham on a board and hold the ham shank with a clean tea towel. Use a sharp knife to make a vertical cut towards the bone, about 10cm from the shank. Make a second cut, at an angle to the first, and remove the wedge of ham. Cut several thin slices of ham parallel to the second cut. Carve along the bone to remove slices. How to store it: Cover the cut ham with the reserved rind. Wash a clean tea towel, calico bag or clean new pillowcase in a solution of 2 cups water and 1 tbs white vinegar, then wring out. Place the ham in the bag or pillowcase, or wrap in the tea towel. Place on a tray in the coldest part of the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Rinse the bag in the water and vinegar solution every 2-3 days to help keep the ham fresh & moist. Ham can also be frozen for later use. Cut the meat from the bone, wrap in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Label & date, then freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
  

  Preparation Time

  40 minutes

  Cooking Time

  180 minutes

Mary Berry's Victorian Christmas cake

The queen of cakes, shows you how easy it is to knock up a light and traditional Christmas cake, packed with luxury dried fruit and nuts

Ingredients

You can also use a little apricot jam to brush over the fruit cake to glaze if you wish

• 350g (12 oz) red or natural glacé cherries
• 225 g (8 oz) can of pineapple in natural juice
• 350 g (12 oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots
• 100 g (4 oz) blanched almonds (skins removed)
• Finely grated rind of 2 lemons
• 350 g (12 oz) sultanas
• 250 g (9 oz) self-raising flour
• 250 g (9 oz) caster sugar
• 250 g (9 oz) softened butter
• 75 g (3 oz) ground almonds
• 5 large eggs

To decorate:
Blanched almonds
Red or natural glacé cherries
Glacé pineapple (available from health-food shops)
100 g (4 oz) sifted icing sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C fan/140°C/gas mark 3. Grease a 23 cm (9 in) deep round cake tin then line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment.
2. Cut the cherries into quarters, put in a sieve and rinse under running water then drain well. Drain and roughly chop the pineapple, then dry the pineapple and cherries very thoroughly on kitchen paper. Snip the apricots into pieces. Roughly chop the almonds. Place the prepared fruit and nuts in a bowl with the grated lemon rind and sultanas and gently mix together.
3. Measure the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for 1 min until smooth. Lightly fold in the fruit and nuts then turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Level the surface and decorate the top with blanched whole almonds, halved glacé cherries and pieces of glacé pineapple.
4. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 2¼ hours or until golden brown. A skewer inserted into the centre of the cake should come out clean. Cover the cake loosely with foil after 1 hour to prevent the top becoming too dark.
5. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 mins then turn out, peel off the parchment and finish cooling on a wire rack. Mix the icing sugar with a little water, and drizzle over the cake to glaze.

Orange glazed ham

This beautiful glazed ham tastes as beautiful as it looks.

Ingredients (serves 12)

• 1 1/2 cups (375ml) fresh orange juice
• 1/2 cup (125ml) fresh lime juice
• 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
• 11 star anise
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• 5.5kg-6kg easy carve smoked shoulder or leg ham
• 4 oranges, peeled, cut into 5mm slices
• Whole cloves

Method

1. Stir the juices and sugar in a saucepan over a medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, ginger and 3 star anise. Simmer for 30 minutes. Cool in fridge for 1-2 hours. Remove the cinnamon stick and star anise. Stir the soy sauce.
2. Use a small sharp knife to cut around the ham shank in a zig-zag pattern about 10cm from the end. Run your fingers between the rind and fat to remove. Trim the fat to 1cm thick.
3. Put the oven shelf in the lowest position. Preheat to 180°C. Place a wire rack in a roasting pan. Place ham on the rack. Wrap shank in foil. Add a little water to pan. Brush 1/4 cup of glaze over the ham.
4. Arrange the orange slices, overlapping, on top. Secure each slice with a clove. Brush half the glaze over the top. Place the star anise on top of oranges. Secure the points of the star. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Brush occasionally with remaining glaze. Serve hot or cold.

Dairy-free Christmas cake

This Christmas cake is packed with rum-soaked dried fruit and cherries, rich chestnut purée, soft brown sugar and honey for sweetness.

• This cake does not have a long shelf life and needs to be eaten within 2 weeks of making. It can be frozen.

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) dairy-free spread
• 900g (2lb) mixed dried fruit
• 100g (3 1/2oz) glace cherries
• 225ml (8fl oz) dark rum
• 5 free range eggs, separated
• 100g (3 1/2oz) unsweetened, tinned chestnut puree or tofu or 1 large banana
• 100g (3 1/2oz) rice flour
• 50g (1 3/4oz) gram flour (chick pea flour)
• 2tbsp mixed spice
• 225g (8oz) soft brown sugar
• 150ml (1/4pt) clear honey

Method

1. Soak the dried fruit and cherries in rum for 24 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Using a little dairy-free spread, grease and line a 23cm (9in) deep cake tin with non stick baking parchment.
3. Separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks to the chestnut puree and blend until smooth.
4. Mix the flours and mixed spice together. Cream the dairy-free spread and the sugar together and beat in spoonfuls of the chestnut puree mixture and the flour until all is added.
5. Stir in the dried fruit with rum and honey. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cake mixture.
6. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 2-2 1/2 hrs. Store the cake wrapped in baking parchment and tinfoil until required.

Sweet potato & leek roulade with Xmas stuffing

Ingredients (serves 6)

• Roulade

• 20ml (1 tbs) olive oil
• 1 leek, finely chopped
• 60g butter
• 1/3 cup plain flour
• 300ml milk
• 4 eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

• Stuffing

• 30g unsalted butter
• 1 brown onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
• 1 tbs chopped fresh sage
• 1 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley

• Filling

• 500g sweet potato, peeled, chopped
• 15g unsalted butter
• 100ml thin cream
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 39 x 26cm Swiss roll pan.
2. To make the roulade, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the leek and cook gently for five minutes until soft. Remove leek from pan. Wipe pan, then add the butter. When it has melted, add the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Start adding the milk, a little at a time, whisking until all the milk is combined and the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat, beat in egg yolks, one at a time and season.
3. In a separate, clean bowl, beat the eggwhites until stiff. Add a quarter of the eggwhites to the roux, then gently fold in the remaining eggwhites. Fold in leeks and cheddar until just combined, then pour into the prepared pan and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden and puffed.
4. Meanwhile, to make stuffing, melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook for five minutes until soft and translucent. Add garlic and breadcrumbs and cook for a further 3-4 minutes. Stir in herbs and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
5. For the filling, steam or boil the sweet potato until tender. Drain and mash with the butter, cream and nutmeg. Season well and set aside.
6. When the roulade is cooked, place a clean tea towel on your workbench and sprinkle with the parmesan. Turn the roulade out onto the tea towel and peel off the baking paper. Allow to cool for 1-2 minutes, then spread the sweet potato over the roulade.
7. Sprinkle the stuffing over the sweet potato. Using the edge of the tea towel, carefully roll up the roulade from the longest side finishing with the seam-side down. Slice and serve warm with rocket salad and glazed eschallots (shallots).

Notes

• You can make the roulade the day before. Simply wrap in foil and warm gently in the oven before serving.

Roast loin of pork with raisin and walnut seasoning

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 2.5kg boned loin of pork, rind scored
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 small red apples
• 2 1/2 tbs plain flour
• 2 cups (500ml) beef stock
• 100g cabernet or quince paste

• Raisin and walnut seasoning

• 1/3 cup (65g) raisins
• 1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
• 30g butter
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, pale section only, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 50g pancetta, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sage
• 1/3 cup (45g) chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 2 1/2 cups (175g) fresh breadcrumbs (made with day-old bread)
• 1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

1. To make the raisin and walnut seasoning, place the raisins in a small bowl and pour over wine. Set aside for 4 hours or overnight to soak. Drain well, reserving the wine and setting aside for the gravy.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and pancetta and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until pancetta browns. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the raisins, sage, walnuts, lemon rind, breadcrumbs and egg, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place the pork, skin-side down, on a clean work surface and use a sharp knife to cut a vertical slit through the thickest part without cutting all the way through. Open out pork to form one large piece. Place stuffing down the centre of the pork. Starting at the thick end, roll up pork firmly to enclose filling. Secure with kitchen string at 2cm intervals. Place pork in a roasting pan. Rub pork skin with oil and salt. Roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until rind begins to crackle. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and roast for a further 1 hour.
4. Use a small, sharp knife to pierce the bottom of each apple a few times. Arrange apples around the pork. Roast for a further 30-35 minutes or until apples and pork are cooked through.
5. Transfer to a tray and cover with foil to keep warm while making gravy. Discard all but 2 tbs of fat from the roasting pan and place over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until mixture begins to bubble. Gradually add reserved wine and stock and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until gravy boils and thickens. Add cabernet or quince paste and stir until it melts. Strain into a jug. Serve slices of pork with roast apples, celeriac puree and watercress salad .