Turkey Crown Kiev

Serves 6 Kcal 744 Fibre 3g

Apply the flavours of a chicken Kiev – garlic, parsley and butter – to a succulent turkey crown, and you'll be in for a treat. It's a great Christmas main

 

• 2kg turkey crown

• 200g ciabatta, baguette or sourdough, preferably stale

• garlic bulbs, lemons and shallots, halved, plus fresh herbs, to serve (optional)

• For the garlic butter

• 250g butter, softened

• 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated

• small bunch of parsley, finely chopped

• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

 

1. To make the garlic butter, place all the ingredients in a bowl and season well. Mash with a fork until well combined and set aside. Can be prepared up to a day ahead and chilled, or made two weeks ahead and frozen (allow to soften before using).

2. Sit the turkey crown on a board with the thicker part of the breast facing away from you. Using your hands, make two pockets between the skin and the meat, then get a long, thin-bladed knife and insert it lengthways into each pocket to make them deeper. Tip some of the garlic butter into a piping bag and pipe as much as you can into each pocket. Reserve about 3 tbsp of the garlic butter, then smear the rest under and all over the skin, so the crown is

3. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Sit the crown in a roasting tin, skin-side up, and roast for 30 mins. Baste with the juices and return to the oven, then baste again after another 30 mins. At this stage you can also put the halved garlic bulbs, lemons and shallots in the oven, if using, but in a separate baking tray. Continue roasting for a final 30 mins (1½ hrs total) until golden. Meanwhile, blitz the bread into rough crumbs in a food processor. Check the turkey with a cooking thermometer – it should read 65C. Remove it from the oven and the tin, then leave on a warm platter to rest for 20-30 mins. Remove the garlic, lemons and shallots from the oven as well and cover to keep warm. 

4. Turn the oven up to 210C/190C fan/gas 7. Stir the breadcrumbs into the roasting tin and put in the oven, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp. Melt the reserved garlic butter in a pan or microwave.

5. To serve, carve the turkey crown into slices, drizzle with some of the melted butter and scatter over the crispy crumbs. Garnish with the roasted garlic bulbs, lemon halves, shallots and some fresh herbs, if you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Herb-buttered baby carrots

Serves 8 kcals 115 Fibre 3g

Make the herby mustard butter a few days ahead, then microwave your carrots on the day for a speedy vegetarian side. It's the perfect dish for Christmas dinner or a Sunday roast

 

• 80g butter, softened

• 1 tbsp finely chopped tarragon

• 1½ tbsp finely chopped parsley

• ½ tbsp wholegrain mustard

• 1kg baby carrots

 

1. Mash the butter in a bowl with the tarragon, parsley and mustard, as well as some seasoning. Cover and chill until needed. Can be made up to three days ahead.

2. Trim the long green tops off the carrots and wash under cold running water, scrubbing them with a clean scourer to get rid of any dirt.

3. Halve the carrots lengthways so they're all the same size, and put in a large, microwave-proof bowl with 3 tbsp water.

4. Cover the carrots with a microwaveable plate or lid and heat on full power for 8-10 mins until just tender. Drain, then toss with the herby butter and serve straightaway.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sage & onion Yorkshire puddings

Serves 8-10 Kcals 174 fibre 1g

Add sage and onion to Yorkshire pudding batter for a delicious side dish to go with a Sunday roast or your Christmas dinner

 

• 2 red onions, peeled

• 4 large eggs

• 140g plain flour

• 200ml milk

• ½ small bunch of sage, leaves picked and finely sliced

• sunflower oil, for cooking

 

1. Cut the onions into thin wedges, keeping the root intact so they hold together, to make about 12-16 thin wedges.

2. Whisk the eggs and flour in a large bowl to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the milk to make a smooth batter. Season, then stir in the sage. Leave to rest for 10 mins at room temperature. Will keep chilled for up to 24 hrs (bring up to room temperature before using). Heat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8.

3. Pour a drizzle of oil evenly into 10 holes of a 12-hole muffin tin, or in all of two four-hole Yorkshire pudding tins to coat the bases. Add a wedge of onion to each hole and put in the oven for 10 mins to heat up.

4. Transfer the batter to a jug, carefully remove the tins from the oven and pour the batter over the onions, dividing it evenly between the holes. The batter should sizzle as soon as it hits the oil. Put back in the oven and turn the temperature down to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Cook for 15 mins until golden and risen. Don’t open the door until the time is up, or they may sink.

 

 

 

 

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Cheesy sprout gratin

Serves 8-10 Kcal 299 Fibre 3g

Wondering how to make winning sprouts for your Christmas menu? Try our cheesy sprout gratin and you'll convert anyone who previously snubbed this festive veg

 

• 600g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved if large

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 50g unsalted butter

• 2 banana shallots, finely chopped

• 50g plain flour

• 750ml semi-skimmed milk

• 100ml double cream

• 1 tbsp English mustard

• 150g mature vegetarian cheddar, grated

• 40g dried breadcrumbs (panko work well)

• 2 thyme sprigs, leaves picked

• 60g blanched hazelnuts, roughly chopped

 

1. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Tip in the sprouts and cook for 3 mins, then drain and set aside to steam-dry.

2. Heat the oil and butter in a medium saucepan until the butter is foaming, add the shallots and cook over a low heat for 7 mins or until softened.

3. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 mins. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk in several pours, continuously whisking until you get a smooth sauce. Return to the heat and simmer for 2 mins, whisking all the time.

4. Whisk through the cream, mustard and cheddar. Season to taste. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7.

5. Toss together the dried breadcrumbs, thyme leaves and hazelnuts. Tip the sprouts into a deep 30 x 20cm ovenproof dish and pour over the sauce. Top with the nutty breadcrumbs. Will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hrs. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-25 mins or until golden brown and bubbling. Leave to rest for at least 10 mins before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

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Cider-braised cabbage wedges

Serves 8 kcals 138 Fibre 4g

Make these cider-braised cabbage wedges up to three days ahead for a stress-free Christmas dinner. The dish makes an ideal accompaniment to festive turkey

 

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 50g butter

• 2 red onions , cut into thin wedges

• 1 red cabbage (about 800g)

• 3 bay leaves

• 3 thyme sprigs

• 1 small cinnamon stick

• 150ml dry cider

• 50ml balsamic vinegar

• 50ml cider vinegar

• 400ml hot vegetable stock

• 50g dark brown soft sugar

 

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large shallow flameproof casserole dish or frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion wedges and a pinch of salt and fry for 15 mins or until softened and Caramelised.

2. Cut the cabbage into 8-10 thin wedges, slicing through the stem but keeping a bit of it in each wedge so they remain intact. Nestle the wedges into the dish and add the bay leaves, thyme and cinnamon. Pour over the cider and vinegars and bring to the boil, then combine the stock and sugar in a jug before pouring this over. Season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 40-50 mins until the cabbage is tender with a slight bite and you have a glossy sauce. Can be made up to three days ahead. Reheat in the pan, or in the microwave in a heatproof serving dish.

 

 

 

 

 

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Tuscan sausage, kale & ciabatta stuffing

Serves 8-10 kcals 339, Fibre 3g

Prep this sausage, kale and bread stuffing up to two days in advance, then bake on the day. If your favourite part of stuffing is the crispy bits, you’ll love this recipe

 

• 270g loaf ciabatta, torn into chunks

• 350ml milk

• 4 tbsp olive oil

• 2 onions, finely chopped

• 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds

• pinch of chilli flakes (optional)

• 4 garlic cloves, grated

• 3 large handfuls cavolo Nero or kale, de-stalked and shredded

• 8 x good-quality pork sausages, meat removed from their skins

• 50g pine nuts, toasted

• 85g grated parmesan

• handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• large rosemary sprig, finely chopped

• 1 lemon, zested

• 1 egg, beaten

 

 

1. Soak all but one handful of the bread chunks in the milk and set aside. Heat the oil in a large non-stick pan and cook the onions with the fennel and chilli flakes (if using) for 10 mins until softened. Add the garlic and the cavelo nero or kale and cook for 5 mins until softened, adding more oil if needed. Leave to cool.

2. Tip the onion mixture and the remaining ingredients (aside from the handful of bread) into a large bowl, season generously and use your hands to scrunch everything together really well. Scatter the stuffing into a shallow roasting tin or baking dish. Can be kept in the fridge for up to two days before baking. Top the stuffing with the remaining torn bread. To cook, heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7 and bake for 30-35 mins until the top is crispy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Irish cream tiramisu

Serves 8 Kcals 501 Fibre 1g

You can make this no-cook tiramisu ahead to save on time when hosting a party. Made with Irish cream liqueur, it's a truly grown-up dessert

 

• 4 eggs

• 100g golden caster sugar

• 500g tub mascarpone

• 100ml Irish cream liqueur 

• 300ml strong coffee, made with 2 tbsp coffee granules and 300ml boiling water

• 175g sponge fingers

• 25g dark chocolate

• 2 tsp cocoa powder

 

1. Separate the egg whites and yolks into two large bowls. Whisk the whites until stiff. Add the sugar to the yolks and whisk again (no need to clean first) until thick and foamy – this will take about 5 mins.

2. Whisk the mascarpone and cream liqueur into the egg yolks until you can’t see any streaks of cheese. Carefully fold the whites into the mascarpone mixture with a large metal spoon to keep in as much air as possible.

3. Get your serving dish ready (ours was 20 x 15 cm). Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and dip in a few sponge fingers at a time, turning them for a few seconds until they are nicely soaked, but not soggy.

4. Layer these into the dish until you have used half the biscuits, then evenly spread over half of the creamy mixture. Using the coarse side of the grater, grate over most of the chocolate, then repeat the sponge and cream layers (you should use up all the coffee). If you want a pretty finish, you can pipe on the final cream layer.

5. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. This can now be kept in the fridge for up to two days. To serve, dust with cocoa powder and grate over the remaining chocolate.

 

 

 

 

 

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Spicy Turkey noodles

Serves 4 Kcal 276 fibre 2g

Use up your turkey leftovers at Christmas to whip up our spicy turkey stir-fry. Or you could swap the meat for Brussels sprouts to make a veggie alternative

 

• 250g medium egg noodles

• 1 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 limes, juiced

• 2 tsp brown sugar

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

• 1 red chilli, thinly sliced

• 500g cooked turkey, sliced

• 2 spring onions, thinly sliced on a diagonal

• 100g beansprouts

• 30g salted peanuts (or any other nuts you have left over), roughly chopped coriander and lime wedges, to serve

 

1. Cook the noodles according to pack instructions, then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Mix the soy, lime juice and sugar together.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok and add the garlic, chilli, turkey and spring onions, fry for around 2 mins, then tip in the noodles and the beansprouts and fry for 1 min more.

3. Pour the sauce into the pan and toss everything together well, working quickly to coat all the vegetables and noodles. Once everything is heated through, season, and tip into bowls.

4. Scatter over the nuts and coriander, and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.