Catherine Fulvio : Last Minute Hiccups & How to deal with them

A few suggested essential items that you should have in the kitchen at Christmas – a peeler that works. A gravy separator. Heavy duty, wide foil. Carving knife and fork.

Lumpy gravy
If you are not feeling comfortable - try preparing the gravy before hand and then adding the turkey juices .
OR TRY THIS
Pour the juices and fat out of the roasting pan that you have cooked the turkey, into a separating jug.
Place the pan back onto the hob. Add the 1 – 2 tbsp plain flour and stir until the flour and residue starts to bubble. Add 1 glass of white wine and stir again for about a minute or two.
Make up a stock to 800ml – using the juices from the pan, some water from the vegetable and homemade or bought stock.
Add this slowly into the pan, stirring to get rid of any lumps. A small whisk or even a slotted spoon works very well. Bring to the boil until the gravy thickens and looks shiny.
Season well.
Extra seasoning – add 1 tsp of redcurrant jelly, ½ tsp mustard or some chopped rosemary and parsley.

The gravy too salty – add a squeeze of lemon juice.

Soggy Parsnips
The aim is for crispy on the outside and fluffy inside
Peel and slice. Place in lemon and water to stop them from going brown.
Steam for about 6 minutes. Pat dry. Heat a roasting pan for 4 minutes in an oven at 190°C/Fan170°C/Gas4. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and the parsnips. Roast for about 20 minutes with sprigs of thyme.

Soggy Potatoes
For crispy ones – try steam your potatoes, dust with fine semolina and use goose fat for the roasting.

Flaming the Christmas Pud – successfully
Pour 3 tbsp brandy into a ladle and warm on the hob over a low heat. To serve, light the brandy using a long match and carefully pour over the warm pudding.
Pudding will take ½ to 2 hours to warm. Keep checking the water level in the pot.

GET AHEAD ON CHRISTMAS EVE
Make sure that your wines and drinks are chilled. The delft and glasses are clean and polished. If you can set and decorate the table. The young ones can do this.
Peel the potatoes, wash and prepare the Brussels sprouts, trim beans and any other vegetables that you may be cooking. Leave in cold water in the fridge.
Prepare the fruit for the punch or if having mulled wine - the spices and herbs etc.
Wash and trim the fruit – choose berries so that you don’t have to peel and slice too much.
Prepare the stuffing – cook and allow to cool

QUICK SHORTCUTS / EASY QUICK RECIPES FOR STUFFING ETC

Guide line for quantities
100 - 125g vegetables per person and 150 - 175g potato

Quick stuffing
100g pistachio nuts
200g breadcrumbs
6 apricot halves, chopped
2 tbsp butter
5 tbsp stock
Salt and Pepper

Mix all together.

Cheats version
Bought sage and onion bread stuffing and add 3 tbsp toasted hazelnuts and 1 tsp chopped tarragon
Or same as above and add 2 peaches chopped and ½ tsp chopped rosemary with toasted almonds.

Easy glaze for ham
3 tbsp Marmalade
1 orange, zest and juice
1 tbsp Maple syrup
½ tsp ground ginger

Heat and glaze the ham

Quick Truffles
Heat equal qualities of chestnut puree and dark chocolate. Cool and form balls, dust with coconut powder.

Brussels sprouts
Stir fry the sprouts with garlic and chorizo – delicious and quick
Steam sprouts, toss in a little butter and add honey and hazelnuts.

Roasted sugar and spice nuts
200g pecans
200g hazelnuts
200g walnuts
120g sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

Toss in a roasting pan and roast in oven at 160C.

Potato Gratin
When preparing, simmer the potato and cream first in a pot until the potatoes are just soft and then place them into a gratin dish and bake for 20 minutes – saving you ¾ hours.

Roast Potatoes or sweet potatoes
Sprinkle suggestions for roasted potatoes
Chopped rosemary and paprika with rock salt..
Lemon zest and cumin salt
Thyme and Lemon zest salt

Quick desserts

Poached plums and cherries with marsala served with cinnamon ice cream
6 plums, 5 tbsp brown sugar, 1 star anise and 1 cinnamon stick, 5 tbsp marsala and 3 tbsp water

Easy chocolate semifreddo
4 Mars bars
600ml cream
100g cranberries, soaked in orange or whiskey

Melt the mars bars, fold into the cream and sprinkle in the cranberries.
Pour into a mould.
Freeze overnight.

Chocolate and Panettone Pudding
Serves 6
6 large slices panettone, sliced in half
5 tbsp amaretto
90g dark chocolate drops
5 eggs
4 tbsp sugar
600ml double cream
1 orange, zest

Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas4.
Grease a gratin dish.
Arrange the panettone slices over lapping in the dish.
Drizzle over the amaretto and the chocolate drops.
Whisk the eggs, sugar, double cream and orange zest in a bowl and pour over the panettone.
Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes until golden.

Mulled wine Ice cream
Thick mulled wine, swirled into vanilla icecream

Christmas Apple Strudel
1 apple, grate, 150g Christmas mince, filo pastry, sugar to sprinkle on top, butter

Cheats Brulee
Berries, cream, orange zest and brown sugar
Place until the grill – keep an eye on it.

Mulled wine berries over meringues with orange cream

Mango slices on ginger mascarpone tartlets

Cranberry and Lemon Tarts
Lemon Curd with cream and fold in cranberries.
Fill tartlet and place in the fridge for a few hours

WHAT TO DO WITH THE LEFTOVERS ON CHRISTMAS DAY
E.g. if time, shred turkey and make stock with the bones

Ham bones can be used for soup

Turkey and Sweetcorn Soup

Baked Potatoes with turkey and pesto filling. Chopped turkey, very light white sauce and stir in 2 tsp pesto.

Red Thai Turkey Curry

TIMETABLE ON THE DAY
Christmas 2011
Christmas Lunch Countdown
To start serving at 5pm. Canapes and Punch
Using a 5 - 6 kg turkey serving 8 – 10 guests
Keep the recipes and planner in a safe, easy to find place – on the fridge.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST FOR THE FAMILY
9:30 a.m.
Everyone will be up early, much excitement that Santa has arrived.
Cinnamon Drop Scones with Orange Maple Syrup to fill the hole in the tummy!
(The dry ingredients for the drop scone mix can be prepared a few days before).
A fresh fruit platter with mangoes, blueberries, pomegranate seeds - those super fruits that have antioxidants for some of us who prefer a lighter and healthier start to the festive day.

12:00 Remove the turkey crown from the fridge to bring it to room temperature

12:45 Preheat the oven for the turkey to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas6.

12:50 Stuff the turkey. Place the turkey, skin-side up, on a clean board.
Ease the skin from the meat with your fingers beginning from the neck end without
breaking the skin. Using your fingers gently pack some of the stuffing under the
skin. Secure the neck flap and tie the turkey legs together.

1:00 Calculate the weight and cooking time – Weigh and calculate the roasting time
for the turkey – generally this is 25 - 30 minutes per kg plus an extra 30 minutes.
Add a little oil to the roasting pan, place the turkey in, breast side up.
Brush a little butter over the bird. This is now ready for roasting.

1:10 Place the turkey into the oven

1:40 Turn the oven down to 180C/Fan 160/Gas 4. Baste the turkey with the glaze.

1:45 Prepare the dessert –e.g. chocolate trifle, if you haven’t done so earlier
Meringues / pavlovas or tarts should be prepared a day or 2 in advance

2:05 Baste the turkey again.

2:10 Start preparing the canapés for drinks – cover and set aside. Get the glasses
ready on a tray for the punch.

2:30 Baste the turkey then Take time to put your feet up – have something to drink.

2:40 Place the potatoes and or roasted root vegetables into the roasting pan turn
the oven back up to 190C/Fan180C/Gas 6.
Peel the potatoes etc the evening before.

3:00 Baste the turkey. Shake the roasting pan with the potatoes, turn the oven back to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4.
Place the stuffing balls or stuffing loaf into the oven.

3:10 Prepare the other vegetables – Brussels sprouts or beans or perhaps curly kale –
You may have prepared them the day before.

3:30 Assemble the starter, present on the serving platter – place in fridge. Warm the
soup if you are serving this.
Prepare all the components the day before.

3:45 Start steaming / stir frying / cooking for e.g. the Brussels sprouts or beans.

4:15 Check the turkey that it is properly cooked
Remove from the oven. Place on a plate to “rest” – keep warm –
Cover with foil. Retain the juices for the gravy.

4:25 If you are having Christmas pudding put it on to steam.

4:30 Check the potatoes, add herbs and rock salt – a few more herbs
- thyme or sage.
Spoon into serving bowl and keep warm.

4:40 Finish off the vegetable e.g. hazelnuts or toasted almonds for
Brussels sprouts or beans.

4:45 Make the gravy using a giblet stock made the day before. Keep warm.

5:00 Serve the canapés / snacks with the punch.

5:15 Serve the starter or soup.

5:45 Heat the gravy.

6.00 Carve and serve the turkey with the vegetables. Don’t forget the cranberry
and orange sauce. Serve the potatoes and vegetables on the buffet table.
Just a reminder - don’t forget the gravy.

6:45 Remove ice cream bombe from freezer, jelly or trifles from the fridge . Unmould.
Spoon mascarpone and orange zest into a serving bowl ready for the Christmas pudding.

7:00 Heat the brandy for the flambé Christmas pudding. Serve the desserts.
Sit back and enjoy the compliments!!