Totally Traditional Turkeys

For the stock:

Giblets from a Totally Traditional Turkey
1 onion, cut into quarters
2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 stick of celery, cut into chunks
1 fresh bay leaf
3 sprigs of parsley
1 sprig of thyme
5 black peppercorns

To finish the gravy:

1 tsp redcurrant jelly
750ml of Totally Traditional Turkey giblet stock
100ml sherry
2 tbsp of plain flour
Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C/Gas 6

Method:

Wash the giblets in cold water, place in a large pan with 1.5 litres of cold water. Bring to the boil and removed any scum of the top of the water with a slatted spoon. Then add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer for 40minutes.

Uncover the pan and simmer for a further 20-30 minutes or until the stock has reduced by half. Remove from the heat and strain into a bowl, leave to cool, cover and place in the fridge or use immediately.

To make the gravy, bring the stock back to the boil and remove from the heat.

When the turkey is cooked pour off the fat from the roasting juices, place the tin on the hob, whisk in the flour and place over a low heat and cook the flour mixture making sure you have scrapped up all the meaty sticky bits, on the bottom of the tin and stir constantly. After 2 minutes, remove from the heat and whisk in the turkey giblet stock and redcurrant jelly, bring slowly to the boil, stirring constantly.

Add the sherry and cook for a further 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Season to taste add a little more sherry if you want and then strain into a warm jug and serve. Any leftover turkey sherry gravy can be frozen.

The giblet stock can be made 2 days before required.

Per serving (based on 20)
27 kcal
1.5g fat
0.6g saturates
0.3g sugar
0g salt

1 tbsp rape seed oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 tbsp mild curry paste
1 tsp tomato puree
1 tbsp red wine
125ml chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and black pepper
1 tsp sugar
Juice of ½ a lemon
450ml good quality mayonnaise
4 tbsp apricot puree (made from 250g ready-to-eat dried apricots and boiled)
2 tbsp double cream, lightly whipped
500g free-range cooked Totally Traditional Turkey, diced
4-6 large potatoes, baked
Paprika, to garnish

Method:

Heat a tablespoon of rapeseed oil in a frying pan, add the chopped onion and cook on a low heat for 3 minutes. Then add the curry paste and cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the tomato puree, red wine, chicken stock and bay leaf, season well with sea salt and black pepper and bring to the boil. Add the sugar and the lemon juice and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes, strain and cool. Then slowly add the curry mixture to 450ml of good quality mayonnaise, then stir in two tablespoons of apricot puree and fold in the softly whipped cream and cooked turkey.

To serve, cut a cross in the potato, but not all the way through and fill with the coronation turkey and sprinkle with paprika.

Tip: If you make too much apricot puree, freeze the rest for future use.

Serves 4-6

30g Butter
120g of smoked streaky bacon, diced
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and cut into small chunks
750ml turkey stock (made from the carcass of the turkey)
300g cooked Totally Traditional Turkey, cut into small chunks
150g of fresh, canned or frozen sweet corn niblets
150ml double cream
150ml full fat milk
1 tbsp corn flour, blended with 1 tbsp cold water
3 spring onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Melt the butter in a large heavy bottomed saucepan and gently fry the bacon. Add the onion and potato and cook slowly for a further 2 minutes, stirring continuously and taking care not to brown. Then add the stock to the saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce to a low heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are just soft. Add the turkey, sweet corn, cream and milk to the pan and cook gently for a further 5 minutes. In a small bowl, blend the corn flour with the water and add to the saucepan, stirring until thickened. Then add the finely chopped spring onion and parsley, season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper if a little too thick add a little more turkey stock.

If you have turkey stock left over place in plastic bowl or ice cube trays and freeze. When frozen run the outside of the bowl under the hot tap to release the frozen stock and place the frozen stock or stock ice cubes in a plastic food freezer bag and freeze until you need it.

Per serving (based on 6 servings)
390 kcal
24.7g fat
13.6g saturates
5.8g sugars
1.1g salt

Serves 6-8

240g bag of spinach
3tbsp rapeseed oil
300g butternut squash, peeled and cut into cubes
40g butter
40g plain flour
500ml full-fat milk
Freshly grated nutmeg
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
150ml turkey stock
A handful fresh basil leaves, torn
400g cooked Totally Traditional Turkey, cut into small chunks
12 no cook lasagne sheets
150g freshly grated parmesan
Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat 180°C/350°F/Gas 4

Method:

Place the spinach in a colander and pour boiling water over the leaves to wilt them, drain well, cool and then squeeze out the excess water. Heat the rapeseed oil in a small pan and sauté the butternut squash, until just soft and season with sea salt and black pepper and set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tbsp of rapeseed oil, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock and torn basil leaves, season well with sea salt and black pepper and simmer over a very low heat for 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the béchamel sauce, place in a saucepan; the butter, flour and milk and bring slowly to the boil, whisking all the time, until the milk has thickened. Simmer for 2 minutes on a very low heat, whisking occasionally, then season well with sea salt, black pepper and a good grating of nutmeg.

To assemble, using a deep oven proof dish; layer the bottom of the dish with a little tomato sauce, turkey, butternut squash, spinach, parmesan (reserve 30g) and béchamel sauce, top with the lasagne sheets and repeat, finishing the top off with tomato sauce. Cover the lasagne with foil and cook for 40 minutes. Remove the foil, top with the remaining 30g of parmesan cheese and cook for a further 10 minutes, or until cooked.

Per serving ( based on 8 )
412 kcal
18.1g fat
8.5g saturates
7.6g sugars
0.8g salt

Serves 4

12 ready to eat prunes, stoned
2 tbsp orange juice
100g rocket leaves, washed
100g watercress leaves, washed
2 oranges
50g pecan nuts, toasted
500g cooked turkey breast, cut into chunks

For the Dressing:

3 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp if the reserved orange juice
1 tbsp honey
½ tbsp grain mustard
Chives to decorate
Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

Place the prunes in 2 tbsp of orange juice and simmer for 2 minutes, until the prunes are slightly soft. Remove from the juice and cool – reserve the juice. Take the orange peel and segment them and set aside.

To make the dressing, mix all of the ingredients together and season with sea salt and black pepper. To assemble the salad, divide the rocket and watercress leaves between 4 plates, layer up the leaves, with the turkey, orange segments, prunes and pecan nuts.

Dress the salads and garnish with the chives if you wish.

Per serving
439 kcal
20.1g fat
2.3g saturates
18.2g sugars
0.4g salt

Makes 4

50g butter
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
250g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
400g leftover roast turkey, brown and white meat (cut into chunks)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only)
1 tbsp of brandy
100ml turkey or chicken stock
150ml double cream
120g stilton cheese, crumbled
375g pack ready rolled puff pastry
1 egg beaten
Sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4

Method:

Heat the butter and rapeseed oil in a large frying pan, add the onion mushrooms and cook over a low heat for 2-3minutes or until soft. Then stir in the cooked turkey, garlic and thyme and cook for a further 3 minutes, pour over the brandy and allow to bubble for 1 minute, then add the stock and cream and warm through gently. Remove from the heat and stir in the stilton, season with sea salt and black pepper.

Divide the turkey mixture between 4 individual pie dishes.

Unroll the pastry and cut into four pastry lids (slightly larger than the individual pie dishes). Then wet the rim of the dishes with water. Lay the pastry circles over the top and press to the rim firmly. Make a small slit with a knife to allow the steam to escape. Brush with beaten egg and place on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes until golden.

Per pie

913 kcal
67.4g fat
36.5g saturates
3.9g sugars
1.7g salt

Serves 2

For the cranberry mayo:

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp cranberry sauce
A squeeze lemon juice
Freshly ground black pepper

6 rashes streaky bacon
4 lettuce leaves, washed
150g cooked Totally Traditional Turkey, sliced or shredded
1 large tomato, sliced
2 handfuls potato crisps
6 slices wholemeal bread
Butter for spreading on the bread
Sea salt and black pepper

Method:

To make the cranberry mayo, mix all of the ingredients together and set aside.

Grill the bacon rashes until crispy and drain onto kitchen paper. Toast the bread on both sides and butter, to assemble each sandwich, layer one piece of toast; a lettuce leaf, sliced turkey and some cranberry mayo. Place a second piece of toast on top and layer again, with more mayo, streaky bacon, lettuce and the tomato.

Season well with sea salt and black pepper and top with another piece of toast, cut in half and spike each half with a cocktail stick and serve with potato crisps.

Per serving
905 kcal
56g fat
19g saturates
7.9g sugars
4.6g fat