Nick Nairn’s delicious Christmas dinner recipes

Chef Nick Nairn. Picture: Phil Wilkinson/TSPL

NICK Nairn serves up a multi-course treat in a comprehensive, belly-stuffing array of dishes for the festive season, including a traditional turkey dinner, a partridge-based alternative, a lobster starter and a delicious apricot and walnut tart

Christmas Dinner - Turkey with all the Trimmings

Serves 6 - 8

Ingredients

For the turkey

5-6kg turkey

olive oil

1 orange

4-5 sprigs of thyme

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the veg

500g Brussels sprouts

100g smoked bacon

1 kg parsnips

30ml olive oil

1.5kg red rooster potatoes

jar goose fat

500g sausage and sage stuffing

For the gravy

turkey juices

splash white wine

1 tbsp plain flour

250ml chicken stock (or veg water)

½ tsp gravy granules

If you’re going for a traditional turkey dinner, follow my advice and you’ll be fine!

Method

If using a frozen turkey, allow at least 24 hrs for it to defrost completely. If you can afford a fresh one, order it asap and you’ll be able to collect a couple of days before Christmas - support your local butcher!

Remove the giblets as soon as possible and set aside for stock later. Cook the bird from room temperature.

Cut the skin between the leg and the breast then gently open out the legs, this will allow the heat to penetrate quicker. Cut the orange in half before placing inside the cavity of the bird along with the thyme. Brush the turkey generously with olive oil. Season well with salt and pepper and place in a roasting tray. Cover the bird loosely with tin foil to allow a flow of air to circulate.

Cook at 200C for approx 30 minutes then reduce to 160C and cook for a further 75 minutes before removing the tin foil. Turn the heat back up and cook for about 15 more minutes to get the skin golden brown (keep basting - scooping up the juices with a ladle or large spoon and pouring them back over the bird). Remove from the oven, cover and leave to rest for 30 mins. Cooking time will depend on the exact weight of the bird. A simple rule is 20 minutes per kilo plus 30 minutes at the end plus 30 minutes resting.

A great tip is to invest in a digital food thermometer (Go to our online Cook Shop - click Cook Shop at the top of the page - to buy a Thermapen, they’re great!) and use it to check to ensure that the thickest part of the breast has reached a core temperature of 75C. This will increase by some 10C while resting. If you don’t have one, however, for peace of mind, pierce the thickest part of the leg with a skewer, the juices should run clear.

While the bird is cooking, peel and evenly chop your potatoes, boil for 10 mins in salted water then drain well. Shake them in the colander to roughen up the edges and season with pepper. Heat the goose fat in a roasting tray in the oven (200°C) and, when good and hot, tip your potatoes in and stir around and pop back in to cook. Check them after 20 mins and turn over. Cook for a further 20 minutes. Remove from the oven when they’re lovely and crisp on the edges and serve immediately.

For the parsnips, peel then remove the top and bottom before cutting lengthways into quarters. Remove any woody parts then place in a roasting tray. Rub lightly with olive oil, season and place into a hot oven for 30 minutes, turning at least once.

Place the stuffing in a lightly oiled separate tray, press down, and cook at 190C for 30 mins until the top is crispy. Don’t put it in the bird – by the time it’s cooked through the bird will be overdone, and the stuffing grey and squashy. It’s much nicer done separately.

For the sprouts, remove the root then peel off the outer leaves. Shred them as if they were mini cabbages. Finely chop the bacon. Fry the bacon in a little oil and butter, throw in the shredded sprouts and stir-fry. Add a tbsp or so of water and continue to fry for a minute. Serve immediately.

For the gravy, pour off and discard any fat from the roasting tray then pour the turkey juices into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil before adding a splash of white wine, whisking in a tbsp of flour until smooth then adding some veg water or chicken stock, plus a few gravy granules (if you like or need) to thicken.

Lobster Crumble

Serves 8

Ingredients

4 Deluxe lobsters, defrosted

4 shallots, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

200ml dry white wine