BUTTERMILK BRINED ROAST BUTTERFLY OF TURKEY WITH ORANGE AND ROSEMARY

Serves 6-8

  • 5kg butterfly or turkey (bone out)
  • 75g butter (at room temperature)
  • 1 garlic clove, crushed
  • finely grated rind of 1 orange
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 4 rindless smoked bacon rashers

For The Buttermilk Brine

  • 2 litres (3 ½ pints) buttermilk
  • 3 tbsp Maldon sea salt
  • 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 oranges, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic bulb, separated into cloves and sliced
  • 15g fresh rosemary sprigs, roughly bruised

For The Gravy

  • 2 tbsp plain flour
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 450ml turkey or chicken stock

Method

Mix all the ingredients together in turkey bag for the buttermilk brine and add the turkey crown. Tie up the bag securely and place in the salad drawer at the bottom of the fridge for up to 2 days is best but at least 24 hours.

When ready to cook the turkey reheat the oven to 190C (375F), Gas mark 5.

Prepare the turkey crown, Cream the butter until really soft, then add the crushed garlic, orange, parsley and rosemary. Beat well until thoroughly blended. Remove the turkey crown from the brine and drain off any excess liquid, then pat the skin of the turkey dry with kitchen paper. Gently loosen the neck flap away from the breast, pack the flavoured butter right under the skin, this is best using gloves on your hands, rub into flesh of turkey well, then recover with skin and secure with a small skewer or sew with fine twine, then cover the top with the rashers.

Place the prepared turkey crown in the oven and calculate your time, 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes. The turkey crown will cook much quicker, so make sure to keep basting; you can cover with foil if it’s browning too quickly. When cooked cover with foil to rest and keep warm. Drain away all but three tablespoons of the cooking juices and reserve. Skim all the fat from the cooking juices, then pour off all but three tablespoons juices from the roasting tin. Stir the flour into the pan residue and cook, stirring over a low heat until golden. Stir in the onion and thyme and then gradually pour in the stock, stirring all time. Bring to the boil, and let bubble for 2-3 minutes until thickened and the onion has cooked through. Season to taste and , then strain through a sieve and keep warm.

To serve, carve the turkey crown into slices and arrange on warmed plates with the roast potatoes and vegetables. Pour the gravy into a warmed gravy jug and hand around separately.

STICKY APRICOT & GINGER GLAZED HAM

Serves 8-10

Ingredients

To Cook the Ham

  • 1 x Quality Assured James Whelan Heritage Cure Ham on The Bone (6.3-7.5kg)
  • 4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 red onions, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 400ml Cider
  • 200ml Apple Juice

For the Glaze

  • 350g Apricot Jam
  • 3 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp grated root ginger
  • 2 whole Star Anise

Method

To Cook the Ham

  1. Preheat the oven to 140°C (275°F/Gas Mark 1)
  2. Line a tray large enough to hold the ham with parchment paper
  3. Scatter the chopped carrots and red onion wedges on the tray
  4. Place the ham on top of the vegetable and pour the apple juice and cider around the base
  5. Cover with a double layer of tin foil
  6. Bake in the oven for 5 hours (or according to packet instructions)
  7. Once cooked remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before glazing or placing in the fridge overnight

For the Glaze

  1. Place the apricot jam, balsamic vinegar, ginger and star anise in heavy based sauce pan
  2. Bring to the boil and whisk until combined and reduced slightly
  3. If you think it has become too thick and sticky, then add a tablespoon of water to loosen
  4. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before using

To Glaze The Ham

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F/Gas Mark 3)
  2. Place the cooked and cooled ham on a tray lined with parchment paper
  3. Carefully remove the skin, leaving the layer of white fat intact.
  4. Using a sharp knife, score the fat to make a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat
  5. Spoon & brush over the prepared ham glaze, ensuring to completely cover
  6. Place in the oven for 1½ hours, basting every 30 minutes with the glaze
  7. Transfer to a serving platter and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes before carving

TURKEY ROULADE WITH MAPLE GLAZE

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 400g Quality Assured Irish Pork Sausage Meat
  • 150g Rustic Sourdough Breadcrumbs
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped
  • 120g Butter
  • 50g Dried Cranberries
  • 50g Pine Nuts
  • 1 Tbsp Chopped Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley
  • 2 Tsp Chopped Fresh Herbs (such as Sage, Rosemary, Thyme)
  • 1.75–2kg Quality Assured boneless turkey breast, skin on
  • 3 tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 carrots roughly chopped
  • 1 red onion cut into wedges
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6).
  2. Melt 100g of the butter in a sauté pan over a medium heat, then add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, until softened. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the sausage meat, breadcrumbs, dried cranberries, pine nuts and herbs in a bowl and season well.
  3. Put the turkey breast skin-side down on a chopping board, then butterfly it by cutting partway into the thickest side.
  4. Open the turkey breast out and cover with parchment paper, then use a rolling pin to gently bash it out to an even 2cm thickness. Remove the parchment and season, then spread over the prepared sausage meat stuffing roughly 1 cm thick and leaving a border around the edges.
  5. Starting from one of the short sides, roll the turkey breast into a tight log shape, then tie at even intervals with kitchen string.
  6. Melt the remaining 20g of the butter in a small pan with the maple syrup, and use this to glaze the joint, reserving any that is left over. This will keep in the fridge for 2 days, or it can be frozen and defrosted.
  7. Line a roasting tin with parchment paper and place the roughly chopped carrots and red onion wedges on the base
  8. Place the turkey roulade on the vegetables and pour 100ml water in the bottom.
  9. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven for 45 minutes
  10. After 45 minutes, remove the tin foil, and reduce the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4)
  11. Baste the turkey with the juices from the base of the roasting tray
  12. Return the uncovered turkey roulade to the oven and roast for a further 40-45 minutes
  13. A thermometer should read 70°C. Transfer the roulade to a platter, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes (the turkey will continue to cook when resting)
  14. Carve the turkey into slices and arrange on plates.

BUBBLING CRAB GRATIN

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Shallots, finely chopped
  • ½ Fennel bulb, finely chopped
  • 1 Garlic Clove, crushed
  • Pinch of Chilli Flakes or ½ fresh red chilli, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp white wine
  • 4 tbsp chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 tbsp Cream
  • ½ Lemon, rind
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 200g Irish Crab Meat
  • 4 tbsp Sourdough Breadcrumbs
  • 2 tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp Flat-leaf Parsley, chopped
  • Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
  • Toasted sourdough slices, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the grill to high
  2. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan add the shallots, fennel, garlic and chilli flakes/fresh chilli.
  3. Sauté for a couple of minutes until translucent, then pour in the wine, stock, cream and grate in the lemon rind and juice
  4. Allow to bubble down for a minute.
  5. Add in Add the crab and season generously, then transfer to individual ovenproof ramekins/dishes
  6. Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan and parsley in a bowl and season with salt and pepper
  7. Divide and scatter over the crab mix in the individual dishes.
  8. Grill for 5 minutes until bubbling.

SMOKED SALMON & TROUT WREATH

Serves 6

Ingredients

  • 1 fennel bulb
  • juice of 3 lemons
  • good pinch of sugar
  • 2 scallions
  • 3 ripe avocados
  • ½ cucumber, seeds removed and sliced
  • 150g radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced
  • 200g Goatsbridge Cold Smoked Trout, sliced
  • 200g Goatsbridge Hot Smoked Trout, flaked
  • 1 jar smoked trout caviar
  • 15g fresh dill, sprigs removed
  • 1 packet fresh pea shoots
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper rye crackers or thin slices brown
  • wheaten bread, to serve

Method

  1. Using a mandolin, thinly slice the fennel lengthways. Place in a bowl with the juice of one of the lemons. Add a large pinch of salt with the sugar, toss to combine and set aside to pickle.
  2. Cut the scallions into 8cm lengths, then slice very thinly lengthways. Place in a bowl of iced water for 2–3 minutes or until lightly curled, then drain and dry on kitchen paper.
  3. Peel and stone then roughly mash the avocados in a bowl. Add the remaining lemon juice, season generously and stir to combine.
  4. Drain the fennel. Spoon the mashed avocado in a heaped circle around the edge of a large plate.
  5. Arrange the pickled fennel, cucumber, radish, scallion curls along with the smoked trout over the top.
  6. Dollop on the trout caviar.
  7. Finish with the dill and pea shoots.
  8. Serve immediately with wheaten bread.

LEFTOVER HAM TERRINE WITH CELERIAC REMOULADE

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For The Terrine

  • 500g leftover Quality Assured cooled ham, shredded
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 10g butter
  • 1 leek, washed trimmed and finely diced
  • 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 8 slices of Parma ham

For The Celeriac Remoulade

  • 1 small celeriac
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 small apple grated
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 2-3 tbsp mayonnaise or crème fraîche
  • Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

For The Terrine

  1. Place the shredded ham in a large bowl
  2. Preheat a non-stick pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil & butter
  3. Add in the finely diced leeks and sauté until softened but not browned
  4. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool
  5. Add the cooled leeks to the shredded ham along with the chives & parsley
  6. Using your hands, gently combine everything together
  7. Place a large piece of cling film to the size of an A3 piece of paper on a clean work surface (use multiple sheets of cling film if necessary)
  8. Place the Parma ham flat on the cling film lengthways ensuring a slight overlap of each slice
  9. Pile the mixture along the bottom length of the Parma ham and cling film, leaving about 10cm free on each side.
  10. Using the cling film to help roll into a large, tight sausage shape, piercing with a skewer a couple of times to release any air, then put in the fridge overnight.
  11. This can be made up to 4 days in advance.
  12. To serve, carve the terrine into slices about 2cm thick.
  13. Peel off the cling film and put on to plates & serve with the celeriac remoulade.

For The Celeriac Remoulade

  1. Peel the celeriac and then coarsely grate or shred into matchsticks on a mandolin.
  2. Place the sliced celeriac in a pot of salted boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes and refresh under cold water. Allow to cool slightly.
  3. Place in a bowl and add the lemon juice, grated apple and mustard with enough of the mayonnaise or crème fraîche to bind.
  4. Season with salt and pepper.

SMASHED ROAST POTATOES

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1.5kg Baby Boil Potatoes
  • 6 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 6 Garlic Cloves, lightly bashed in their skins
  • 2 tbsp Snipped Fresh Chives or chopped flat lead parsley
  • Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/ Gas mark 6).
  2. Put the potatoes in a large pan with cold salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to steam dry for a few minutes.
  3. Arrange the potatoes in a large shallow baking tin, leaving enough space between each one so they have room to spread once smashed.
  4. Using the back or a large spoon or potato masher, push down on each of the potatoes to make them crack open.
  5. Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes, season with sea salt and black pepper and add the garlic to the tray.
  6. Roast for 1 hour, turning once and removing the garlic, until the potatoes are crisp and golden.
  7. Remove from the oven, transfer to serving dish (if desired) and scatter over the chives or parsley

SPICED ROAST CAULIFLOWER

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

  • 1 large cauliflower, leaves removed and stalk trimmed
  • 50g cashew nuts
  • 50g hazelnuts
  • 2 tbsp black and white sesame seeds
  • 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
  • 1 tsp fennel seeds
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp ground coriander
  • ½ tsp cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp Sundried Tomato & Chilli Pesto (from a jar)
  • extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
  • 250g authentic Greek strained yogurt (10% fat)
  • 100g pomegranate seeds
  • sea salt

Method

  1. Put 3cm of salted water in a lidded pan large enough to fit the whole cauliflower, and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Carefully lower the cauliflower into the pan, then cover and cook for 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave for another 10 minutes to steam dry. Lift out the cauliflower and dry well with kitchen paper.
  2. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F/Gas Mark 3).
  3. Meanwhile, make the dukkah. Roughly chop the cashews and hazelnuts, put in a small baking tin and roast for 5 minutes, then stir in the sesame, sunflower and fennel seeds. Roast for another 2–3 minutes, being careful that the seeds do not burn.
  4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle over the cumin, coriander, cayenne and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  5. Stir well and set aside until needed. This can be kept in a clean jar for up to 2 weeks.
  6. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6).
  7. Rub the cauliflower all over with the Calabrian chilli paste, making sure you cover the bottom too. Put in a baking tin lined with parchment.
  8. Drizzle over a little oil and roast for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven, give it another drizzle of oil, then a good baste and roast for another 25–30 minutes until the cauliflower is golden and crisp in places.
  9. Transfer the cauliflower to a plate. Spoon over about 6 tablespoons of the yogurt and scatter with some of the dukkha and the pomegranate seeds. Carve into wedges or steaks to serve.
  10. Have an extra bowl of the yogurt and dukkha on the table so everyone can help themselves.

MULLED BERRY PAVLOVA

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

For The Meringue

  • 5 egg whites
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 50g icing sugar
  • 2 tsp cornflour
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • Seeds of 1 vanilla pod (reserve the skin for the mulled proof)

For The Mulled Fruit

  • 300ml Good Quality Apple Juice
  • 100ml Blackcurrant & Lime Cordial
  • 3 tbsp caster sugar
  • 1 tsp Mixed Spice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 300g Frozen Irish Strawberries
  • 200g Frozen Mixed Berries (such as Blackcurrant/Raspberries/ Blueberries)

For The Crème Chantilly

  • 200ml cream (well chilled)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 40g icing sugar

To Decorate

  • 8-10 mint leaves thinly shredded
  • 20g chocolate, at least 55% cocoa solids

Method

For The Meringue

  1. Preheat the oven to 110°C (230°F/Gas Mark ¼).
  2. Put the egg whites into the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large glass bowl with a hand mixer) Turn on to a medium speed and whisk until they begin to go frothy and hold their shape a little.
  3. Mix the caster, icing sugar together, then add about one third to the eggs in a steady stream, whisking all the time on medium to high. The mixture will now begin to thicken a little. Make sure that all the sugar has dissolved before you add any more.
  4. Add the next third and whisk again until the sugar is completely dissolved
  5. Then add the final third of the sugar along with the cornflour.
  6. Whisk on high now, since the egg mixture will be much more stable. Keep whisking until you reach the stiff-peak stage.
  7. Add in the orange zest and vanilla seeds and whisk again for 30 seconds until inorporated

  1. Draw a 25cm circle on a piece of parchment paper and use it to line a large baking sheet, then draw a 10cm circle in the middle. This is your stencil.
  2. Put dollops of the meringue mixture on to the wreath stencil, keeping it within the edges.
  3. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, until the outside is hard but still white.
  4. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside for an hour or overnight to cool and dry.

For The Mulled Fruit

  1. Place the apple juice, cordial, sugar, mixed spice, vanilla and orange zest in a high sided saucepan
  2. Bring to the boil and allow to reduce until slightly thickened
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the frozen berries
  4. Allow to cool completely before using for decorating

For The Crème Chantilly

  1. Whisk up the cream, vanilla and sugar in a bowl until it is just beginning to hold soft peaks.
  2. Cover with cling film and chill until needed.

To Decorate & Serve

  1. Carefully slide your Pavlova wreath on to a large, flat serving plate.
  2. Place dollops of the crème Chantilly around the top of the wreath, then gently spoon over cool mulled berries
  3. Finish by scattering the shredded mint leaves on top and grate over the chocolate
  4. Serve straight away.

TIPPERARY CHEESEBOARD

  • Cashel Blue
  • Crozier Blue
  • Cooleeney Farm - Tipperary Brie
  • Cooleeney Farm
  • Darú

OAT, CRANBERRY, APRICOT & WALNUT COOKIES

Makes approximately 30-40 cookies

Ingredients

  • 285g Flahavan’s porridge oats
  • 225g salted butter, softened
  • 8g salt
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • Pinch of bicarbonate of soda
  • 50g dried cranberries
  • 50g dried apricots
  • 50g walnuts

Method

  1. This recipe is best made ahead and allowed to chill overnight in the fridge
  2. Place all the ingredients in the food processor and blend for 30 seconds until the mix has just come together
  3. Tip out onto a clean surface and divide in 2
  4. Gently bring the mix together and shape into a roll approximately 3-4cm in diameter
  5. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge overnight, repeat with remainder
  6. When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
  7. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.
  8. Remove the roll of cookie dough from the fridge and remove the cling film
  9. Using a sharp knife cut slices of the roll about jut under a centimetre wide and place on the lined baking tray
  10. Cook for 11-12 minutes & allow to cool before using