Add even more richness to your Christmas turkey with this sherry and chestnut cream-infused version.

Ingredients

  • 1 celeriac
  • 1 large sprig of thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 slices smoked streaky bacon
  • 20g porcini mushroom (optional)
  • 300ml chicken stock
  • 1.8kg turkey crown
  • 100g softened butter
  • Salt and pepper
  • A squeeze of lemon
  • 100ml cream sherry
  • 150ml cream
  • 10 cooked chestnuts roughly chopped (optional it will still be delicious without)

For the sage, onion and cranberry pudding:

  • 120g butter
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 125g smoked bacon lardons
  • 10 sage leaves, shredded
  • 100g mixed raisins and cranberries, plumped up in boiling water
  • 500g white Breadcrumbs
  • Zest and juice of 2 clementines
  • A good pinch of grated nutmeg
  • Half tsp mixed spice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 350ml warm milk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • Butter for brushing

Method

  1. Set the oven to 185 degrees. Trim the celeriac. It's easiest with a large serrated knife and cut into five even slices. Put these in the bottom of a medium sized roasting tray then add the thyme, bay, bacon, porcini and stock.
  2. Sit the Turkey on top of the celeriac and brush the skin with most of the butter then season. Cover with foil and roast for 1 hour covered.
  3. Remove from the oven and brush the skin with any remaining butter then put back in the oven for 45 minutes to finish cooking and turn golden. Set the Turkey aside on another tray to rest covered with foil.
  4. Take out the thyme, bay, bacon and porcini then strain off the juice into another pot. Leave the celeriac in the tray and run a knife through it to make it easier to work with, then crush and check for seasoning. Add a little lemon and transfer into a bowl to keep warm.
  5. For the sauce, add any turkey juice from the resting tray then bring all the juice to a simmer. Add the sherry and the cream and reduce for a couple of minutes until the sauce starts to thicken. Add the chestnuts and a little lemon, check for seasoning, then keep warm.
  6. Slice the Turkey and serve with the crushed celeriac, sprouts and parsnips. Delicately spoon the sauce over the top like a professional.

For the pudding:

  1. Set the oven to 185 degrees. Melt the butter in a pan and add the onions, bacon lardons and sage. Cook over a low heat till everything is soft, jammy and without colour for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat.
  2. Drain the water off the fruit and add to the onions. Fold in the breadcrumbs along with the zest and juice of the clementines. Add the spices and season then add in the milk and eggs.
  3. Bring everything together. Take two sheets of foil and brush the shiny side with butter then roll the stuffing in the foil to form two large sausage shaped puddings. This can be done a day or two before.
  4. Bake the puddings for 45 minutes then cut into steamy wedges to serve.