Chef Peter Gorton has crafted an exclusive cookery guide for our Tamar Fresh Prepared Festive Feast Box, offering creative tips and techniques to help you prepare and uplift your Christmas dinner.
If you still haven’t pre-ordered your Prepared Festive Feast, don’t worry we still have some available! Buy here.
Herb Butter Turkey Crown
Ingredients:
- 2.5kg turkey crown
- 150g unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons mixed fresh herbs (1 tbsp rosemary, 1/2 tbsp thyme, 1/2 tbsp sage)
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Method:
- Remove turkey from fridge 1 hour before cooking
- Preheat oven to 180°C
- Mix herb butter:
- Combine softened butter
- Add chopped herbs
- Mix in minced garlic
- Add lemon zest
- Season with salt and pepper
- Pat turkey dry with kitchen paper
- Carefully separate the skin from the meat
- Massage herb butter underneath the skin
- Place in a large roast tray
- Cover loosely with foil
- Roast for approximately 2 hours
- Remove foil for the last 30 minutes
- Check internal temperature reaches 74°C
- Rest for 30 minutes before carving
Ultimate Roast Potatoes
Ingredients:
- 2.5kg peeled potatoes
- 150ml goose fat or olive oil
- 2 tablespoons sea salt flakes
- 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (optional)
Method:
- Peel potatoes and cut into 6cm chunks
- Par-boil in salted water for 10 minutes
- Drain and shake vigorously in a colander
- Let steam dry for 5 minutes
- Preheat oven to 200°C
- Heat goose fat in a roasting tray until hot
- Carefully add potatoes
- Turn to coat in fat
- Roast for 1 hour
- Turn 2-3 times during cooking
- Sprinkle with sea salt flakes
- Garnish with chopped rosemary before serving (optional)
Sausage Meat Stuffing
Ingredients:
- 500g sausage meat
- 100g fresh breadcrumbs
- 1 medium onion (150g), finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh, finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200
- In a large mixing bowl, combine:
- Sausage meat
- Breadcrumbs
- Finely diced onion
- Chopped sage
- Egg
- Salt and pepper
- Mix through thoroughly with hands
- Form into 16-20 even-sized balls
- Place on a baking tray
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown
- Sprinkle with parsley before serving
Pigs in Blankets
Ingredients:
- 30 mini sausages
- 30 thin streaky bacon rashers
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- Black pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200
- Wrap each mini sausage completely in bacon
- Secure with a cocktail if needed
- Arrange on a baking tray
- Brush with maple syrup
- Sprinkle with black pepper
- Bake for 25-30 minutes
- Drain on kitchen paper before serving
Honey Glazed Carrots
Ingredients:
- 1kg baton carrots
- 50g butter
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves or chopped fresh parsley
- 50g flaked almonds
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat oven to 160
- Wash and trim carrots
- In a mixing bowl, combine
- Melted butter
- Honey
- Thyme leaves
- Salt and pepper
- Toss carrots into the mixture
- Spread on a baking tray
- Roast for 35-40 minutes
- Toast flaked almonds separately
- Sprinkle almonds over carrots before serving
Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta
Ingredients:
- 1kg brussel sprout, halved
- 100g diced pancetta
- 50g butter
- 50g dried cranberries
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Heat butter in a large frying pan
- Add diced pancetta
- Cook until crispy
- Add halved brussel sprouts
- Sauté for 8-10 minutes until tender
- Season with salt and pepper
- Sprinkle with cranberries before serving
Slow-Cooked Red Cabbage
Ingredients:
- 750g sliced red cabbage
- 2 medium apples (300g), peeled and diced
- 100ml red wine
- 50ml red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1-star anise
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy casserole dish
- cover and cook on low heat
- simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally
- remove the cinnamon stick and star anise
- adjust seasoning before serving
Classic Christmas Gravy
Ingredients:
- All turkey roasting juices
- 500ml chicken stock
- 100ml red wine
- 2 tablespoons cornflower
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- After removing the turkey from the roasting tray, place the tray on the stovetop
- Scrape all brown caramelized bits from the bottom of the tray
- Add red wine, simmer 2-3 minutes
- Pour in chicken stock
- Add fresh thyme sprigs
- Mix cornflour with 4 tablespoons cold water in a separate small bowl
- Slowly whisk cornflower mixture into bubbling stock
- Simmer 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly
- The mixture will thicken and become glossy
- Strain through a fine metal sieve to remove bits
- Season with salt and pepper to taste
- Keep warm until serving
Extra Gravy Tips:
- Use a whisk to prevent lumps
- Taste and adjust seasoning
- Can be made ahead and reheated
- If it is too thick, add more stock
- If too thin, simmer longer or add more cornflower mix
