Our annual must-have guide to festive fare is back with more food tips, pearls of wisdom and recipes from chefs, foodies and cooks from across the region
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Emma Henderson – Turnbull’s
Boneless turkey crowns are a popular choice for Christmas lunch and with a few simple tips you can ensure it’s a juicy, tasty showstopper.
First, choose a high-quality turkey crown with has been butchered expertly to preserve all the breast meat. A small one (1.5kg+) feeds 3-4, a medium one (2.2kg+) feeds 6-8, and a large one (4.5kg+) feeds 12-plus. To prepare it, start by bringing it to room temperature at least 45 mins before cooking. Season with salt and pepper, and preheat the oven to 220C/Gas 7.
The crown should be cooked for 55 mins per kilo plus 25 mins.
Place it skin side down on a trivet or rack in a roasting tin and roast on high (220C/Gas 7) for 30 mins of the calculated time. Put a little water in the pan and keep topping up throughout the cooking time to keep it moist and give you a base for your gravy.
After 30 mins, turn the oven down to 180C/Gas 4. Turn the crown over and cover with heavily buttered greaseproof paper. Loosely cover with foil and cook for the remainder of the calculated time, basting regularly. 15-20 mins before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil and greaseproof paper and turn up the oven to crisp the skin.
When cooking time has been reached, check with a skewer in the thickest part – the juices should run clear. If unsure, cook for a further 10 mins and check again. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for at least 20 mins before carving.
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Kleo Tabaku – Lovage, Jesmond
Preparing everything the day before is the key to a successful Christmas dinner. Blanch all the vegetables and keep them in iced water for heating on the day. I also remove the turkey breast, butterfly it and fill in with chestnut stuffing before rolling it up, ensuring the skin covers the outside. It looks fantastic, tastes delicious, stays moist, and can even be cooked the day before and then portioned and warmed up on Christmas Day.
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Shah Choudhury – Zeera
Don’t just boil your veg! There’s no reason why vegetables can’t be the star of the show, and good veg elevates the whole Christmas dinner experience. Roasting your vegetables is a great option, and use some herbs and spices to mix things up and make each one more interesting. For example, roast carrots with cardamon or try pan-frying your Brussels sprouts with crushed garlic and thyme.
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Jackie Riley – Northumberland Cheese
Cheese is essential at Christmas and there are some vital tips to make the most of it. Some cheeses are best kept cool while others need a warmer environment – it all depends on the type of cheese and its stage of maturity. Most hard cheeses are fine at 8C-15C, though at warmer temperatures they will continue to mature. Soft and blue cheeses need to be stored at low temperatures, preferably 5C-8C.
Nearly all cheeses like a moist atmosphere and 80% relative humidity is ideal. A humid cellar is often ideal, as is the dairy or salad drawer in the fridge. If this is not possible, cover the cheese with a clean damp cloth or keep it in a container which prevents moisture escaping, like a cheese bell or cardboard box. Too dry an atmosphere means the cheese will crack; too moist an atmosphere and mould growth is encouraged. Moulds are part of the natural development of cheese and often enhance their flavour, but scrape them off if they look unattractive.
When wrapping, cling film, if used for any length of time, tends to allow too much moisture to build up, encouraging moulds to grow on the surface of the cheese. If you do use cling film, cover only the cut surface, allowing the rind to breathe, and use a new piece every time you open it. Kitchen foil is good for wrapping moist blue cheeses.
To enjoy your cheese at its best, allow it to come to room temperature (18C-23C) for an hour before serving. We recommend cheese is served before the dessert as the flow of flavours through the meal is best preserved and the wine from the main course can usually be enjoyed with the cheese. Accompany cheese with quality bread or crackers and a selection of pickles and chutneys.
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Danny Parker – Jesmond Dene House
Enjoy the experience of cooking lunch and try not to overthink it. Prepare the vegetables in advance to save a lot of time on the day, pour yourself a glass of Champagne, surround yourself with loved ones and enjoy the cooking, eating and merriment of the occasion.
Danny’s go-to mashed potato recipe
1kg floury potatoes (I like Yukon gold) peeled and chopped into equal size • coarse sea salt • 120g double cream • 150g unsalted butter • nutmeg
Cover the potatoes with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, turn down heat and simmer very gently for 10 mins. Warm butter and cream together without boiling. Increase the heat on the potatoes a little and simmer until tender. Drain in a colander, return to the pan and steam-dry. Pass quickly through a drum sieve or ricer (ideally) or mash with a potato masher. Fold in cream and butter mixture without overworking. Check seasoning and finish with a pinch of nutmeg.
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Linda Lee – Food stylist
Here’s a lovely festive fizz recipe and a couple of simple canapes everyone can enjoy…
Festive fizz
Makes 6-8 glasses
Grated zest and juice of 1 orange • 1 tbsp sugar • few sprigs fresh rosemary • 250ml cranberry and pomegranate juice • 1 bottle prosecco, chilled • orange peel to serve
In a jug, mix the orange zest and juice, sugar and rosemary then pour in the cranberry and pomegranate juice and muddle together to release the flavours. Strain into another jug before dividing between Champagne flutes. Top with prosecco and serve with a twist of orange peel.
Baby chilli beets with goat’s cheese on rye
Makes 24
6 large slices rye bread • 50g salted butter, softened • grated zest of ½ lime • 1 red chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped • 200g pack sweet chilli baby beetroot, sliced • 100g soft goat’s cheese • 3 walnut halves, roughly chopped • beetroot leaves or dill to garnish
Lightly toast the bread and cut each slice into 4 small squares. Beat the butter with the grated lime zest and chopped chilli to your taste. Spread over the rye bread squares. Top with sliced chilli beetroot, dot with goat’s cheese, and finish with a sprinkling of chopped walnuts. Garnish with beetroot leaves or dill.
Mini chicken satay
Approx. 24 cocktail sticks
2 large chicken breasts, cut into 1cm square pieces • coriander leaves, to garnish
For the marinade: 2 tbsp light soy sauce • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped • 1 tsp ground coriander • 1 tsp ground ginger • 2 tsp lime juice
For the satay sauce: 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter, 1 tbsp sweet chilli sauce, 2 tsp light soy sauce • 2 tsp lime juice
Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add the chicken and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Soak the cocktail sticks in water. Mix together the satay sauce ingredients. Thread 2-3 pieces of chicken onto each cocktail stick and cook under a medium grill for 3-4 mins. Serve with satay sauce and coriander leaves.
