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Christmas Feast: Recipes for the Big Day

29 November 2016

Christmas Lunch is served! Chef and TV star Gizzi Erskine delivers mouth-watering updates on your Christmas day feast in this exclusive extract from her new book 'Gizzi's Season's Eatings'. She's got the perfect main course, side dish and pudding to keep all of the family happy this Christmas.

THE MAIN COURSE

BRILLIANT WET-BRINED SPICED TURKEY

Brining works because the salt draws out the excess water from the meat, and also compacts the meat to the bone, leaving a firm, juicy, easy-to-carve bird that's infused with all the flavours you've brined it in. Try it – it's a revelation.

SERVES: 8-10, with leftovers
PREP: 15 minutes, plus brining
COOKING: 4 hours

FOR THE BRINE

  • ✽ 500g (1lb 2oz) fine salt
  • ✽ 150g (51 /2oz) maple syrup or brown sugar
  • ✽ 1 free-range Kelly Bronze turkey, about 4kg (8lb 12oz), giblets removed
  • ✽ 5 mandarins, cut in half widthways
  • ✽ 2 lemons, sliced
  • ✽ 12 cloves
  • ✽ 12 allspice berries
  • ✽ 5 star anise
  • ✽ 2 cinnamon sticks
  • ✽ 10 peppercorns
  • ✽ 2 bay leaves
  • ✽ 3 rosemary sprigs
  • ✽ 5–6 thyme sprigs
  • ✽ Small bunch of parsley
  • ✽ 4 onions, sliced
  • ✽ 1 garlic bulb, cut in half crossways
  • ✽ 50g (13/4oz) unsalted butter
  • ✽ Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

FOR THE GRAVY

  • ✽ Neck and gizzards from the giblets
  • ✽ 1 onion, sliced
  • ✽ 1 carrot, sliced
  • ✽ 1 bay leaf
  • ✽ 1.2 litres (2 pints) fresh chicken stock or cold water
  • ✽ 2 tbsp plain flour
  • ✽ 1 large glass of white wine
The Main Course

TURKEY RECIPE

1. Heat 1 litre (1 pint) water in a pan on the stove, then pour in the salt and syrup or sugar and allow to dissolve – this is the beginning of your brine. Place the turkey in your brining vessel and cover with cold water, then pour over the salt and sugar solution. Add the mandarins, lemon slices, spices, herbs, 2 of the sliced onions and the garlic bulb. Cover and place in the fridge if it'll fit, or somewhere else cold if not, and leave overnight.

2. Remove the turkey from the brine and leave it for an hour to come to room temperature.

3. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, 400F, gas 6. Pat the turkey dry with kitchen paper, then rub it all over with the butter. Carefully slide your hand under the skin to detach it from the breast, and rub this with butter too. Sprinkle with the salt.

4. Put the remaining sliced onions in the bottom of a large roasting tray, to act as a trivet. Sit the turkey on top and cover with foil, tucking it under the tray to create a tent.

5. Cook the turkey for 25 minutes per kilo (1 hour 40 minutes for a 4kg/8lb 12oz bird). Remove it and increase the oven temperature to 240C, 220C fan, 475F, gas 9.

6. Take off the foil and return the turkey to the oven until golden – about 30 minutes. To check it's cooked, pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer – the juices should run clear. Remove the bird, retaining the juices in the roasting tray, and rest, covered loosely with foil, for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour before serving.

GRAVY RECIPE

1. First, make a stock from the neck and gizzard. Place them in a small pan with the onion, carrot and bay leaf. Cover with the fresh chicken stock or cold water and simmer for 1 hour. Strain and set aside.

2. While your turkey is resting, start with the juices from the roasting tray. Stir in the flour with the onions left over from cooking the turkey, place over a high-ish heat and cook for 1 minute, scraping away at the meaty sediment at the bottom of the pan. Pour over the white wine, let it bubble away until the pan starts to hiss, then pour over the strained stock, whisking as you go. Let the gravy bubble gently until it becomes reduced, rich and full of flavour.

3. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, and serve piping hot.

THE SIDE DISH

BRAISED SOUR RED CABBAGE WITH POMEGRANATE

A vibrant, acidic necessity with your Christmas lunch.

SERVES: 4
PREP: 15 minutes
COOKING: 45 minutes

  • ✽ 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ✽ 2 red onions, thinly sliced
  • ✽ 1 /2 large red cabbage (or 1 small one) cored and thinly sliced
  • ✽ 100ml (31 /2 fl oz) red wine vinegar
  • ✽ 3 tbsp brown sugar
  • ✽ 50ml (2fl oz) pomegranate molasses
  • ✽ 3 juniper berries
  • ✽ Pinch of ground cloves
  • ✽ Seeds from 1 /2 pomegranate

RECIPE

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pan or wok and fry the onions gently for 8 minutes, until softened. Add the cabbage and fry for 5 minutes.

2. Pour over the vinegar, sugar and 150ml (5 fl oz) water, and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the molasses and spices, then pop a lid on and let it slowly simmer for 40 minutes, until the cabbage leaves a lightly syrupy liquid.

3. Season with sea salt and black pepper and stir through the pomegranate seeds to serve.

The Side Dish

THE DESSERT

CLEMENTINE & GINGER TRIFLE

My take on the Christmas trifle. It’s epic. I hope you enjoy!

SERVES: 8
PREP: 45 minutes plus cooling and chilling
COOKING: 1 hour

FOR THE GINGER CAKE

  • ✽ 225g (8oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the tin
  • ✽ 225g (8oz) dark brown sugar
  • ✽ 225g (8oz) black treacle
  • ✽ 2 free-range eggs, beaten
  • ✽ 290ml (93/4 fl oz) milk
  • ✽ 340g (11 3/4 oz) plain flour
  • ✽ 1 tbsp ground ginger
  • ✽ 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • ✽ A small fresh grating of nutmeg
  • ✽ 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ✽ 2 bay leaves
  • ✽ 3 rosemary sprigs
  • ✽ 5–6 thyme sprigs
  • ✽ Small bunch of parsley
  • ✽ 4 onions, sliced
  • ✽ 1 garlic bulb, cut in half crossways
  • ✽ 50g (13/4oz) unsalted butter
  • ✽ Sea salt flakes, for sprinkling

FOR THE CLEMENTINE JELLY

  • ✽ 50g (1 3/4 oz) caster sugar
  • ✽ 300ml (10 fl oz) clementine juice
  • ✽ 4 gelatine leaves
  • ✽ 3 clementines, segmented

FOR THE TRIFLE

  • ✽ 100ml (31 /2 fl oz) ginger liqueur
  • ✽ 600ml (20 fl oz) fresh custard
  • ✽ 300ml (10 fl oz) double cream
  • ✽ 1 tsp icing sugar
  • ✽ 50g (13/4oz) good-quality dark chocolate
  • ✽ A few glacé cherries, chopped
The Dessert

RECIPE

1. First make the ginger cake. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, 350F, gas 4. Butter and line a 30 x 20cm (12 x 8 in) tin.

2. Melt the butter, sugar and treacle together in a pan, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then stir in the eggs and milk.

3. Sift the flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and bicarbonate of soda together in a large mixing bowl, then fold in the butter mixture.

4. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until the cake is risen and firm. Leave to cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container until needed.

5. To make the clementine jelly, gently heat 150ml (5 fl oz) water with the sugar and juice in a small pan until the sugar dissolves. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the water and add to the liquid to dissolve. Arrange the clementine pieces in your trifle bowl, pour over the liquid and refrigerate for at least 4 hours to set.

6. Now you’re ready to construct the trifle. Chop up 150g (5oz) of the cake and place on top of the jelly. Pour over the ginger liqueur. Pour over the custard and level out the top. Whisk the cream with the icing sugar until it’s gently holding its shape, then spoon over the custard. Grate over the chocolate and finish with glacé cherries if you like. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour before eating.