New Years Eve turkey with vegetables and gravy

I didn’t grow up eating turkey and was first introduced to it when I started dating my husband, boyfriend at the time. His maternal grandmother was serving it every New Years Eve or Christmas. When cooked well the meat is juicy and tender. It is great warm, with potatoes and salads or as a left over-cold with some mayo and plain bread. 

Oven roasted turkey

Ingredients for 4-6

4kg turkey

2 yellow onions

3 celery sticks

3 carrots

3 clementines

A few sprigs fresh rosemary

Salt

Pepper

2dl water

0,5dl olive oil

3tbsp butter

Process

Take the turkey out of the fridge at least 2 hours before baking so that it comes up to room temperatures.

In a bottom of the pan place onions cut into quarters (leave the skin on), celery and carrots cut into sticks, clementines cut into halves and giblets. Tear rosemary into pieces and sprinkle over vegetables then add water and oil.

Wash the bird and dry it with kitchen paper then using hands, spread butter all over, salt and pepper. Salt inside the bird and place two clementine halves there too. Place the bird in a pan over vegetables. If using a thermometer, stick it into fattest part of the bird-breast or thighs.

Cover turkey with aluminium foil and place in the oven preheated to 180C. Cook for around 40-50 minutes per kilogram or until it reaches 70-80C on thermometer. Every 20 minutes check the turkey and spoon over it juices from the bottom of the pan. That way it won’t turn out dry.

Remove the foil in the last 30 minutes of baking so that the skin gets golden brown.

When the turkey is fully cooked transfer it to a cutting board, cover with foil and kitchen towel and leave to rest for at least 2 hours before cutting. 

Oven baked vegetables

Ingredients for 4-6

12 medium size potatoes

12 carrots

2-4 parsnips

1 bulb garlic

A few sprigs rosemary

Salt

Pepper

Oil left from turkey roast+additional if needed

Process

Peel the potatoes, carrots, parsnips. Depending on size, leave potatoes whole or cut into large chunks, cut carrots and parsnips into halves/quarters lengthwise.

Add the potatoes and carrots to boiling water, bring back to boil and cook for 5 minutes then add the parsnips and cook for 5 minutes more.

Drain partially cooked vegetables and using a potatoes masher crush them a bit or vigorously move in the cooking pot with a lock on. The point is to break them a bit so that the outer part get crispier while the inside stays fluffy and soft.

Place the vegetables along with garlic broken into cloves (leave the skin on) in a baking tray. Drizzle over with oil from turkey roast and add more if needed. Potatoes shuldn't be dry. Sprinkle over with salt, pepper, rosemary and roast in oven at 200C for around 30 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown. Cooking time depends on how hard the potatoes are and how big they are. 

Christmassy gravy

Ingredients for 4-6

Whatever liquid, giblets and vegetables are left after roasting turkey

3tbsp flour

1-2l stock

1-2tbsp black currant jelly

100ml red or white wine

Process

When the turkey is removed from the pan there will be remaining juices and vegetables. Using a spoon remove almost all the fat from the surface and set it aside.

Back to the pan, turn the heat on, bring to boil and cook until the liquid becomes thicker then add wine and allow it to cook away.

Add the jelly, mix it in then add flour and cook until you can’t see it any more. Using a potato masher mash the vegetables and the clementines so that they release more juice.

Add the stock, bring to boil then reduce the heat and simmer for around 30 minutes or until reached desired consistency.

Strain the liquid and place it in a sauce pan. Bring to boil and using a spoon remove all the foam that forms on top of it. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve warm.

Brussel sprouts with bacon and rosemary

Ingredients for 4-6

1kg Brussel sprouts

A few sprigs of rosemary

5-6 fat strips of bacon

Red wine vinegar

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

Process

Wash the sprouts, remove outer leaves and with a knife cut a shallow cross in the bottom of each one. Cut the bacon into chunks.

Add the sprouts to boiling water and boil for around 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile in a pan on a little olive oil fry the bacon until golden brown. Add the rosemary, partially cooked and drained sprouts, vinegar, salt and pepper. Mix well then transfer to baking dish and bake on 180C for around 20-25 minutes or until they develop some colour and are cooked through. Serve warm.

Enjoy!





M