Recipes: Magical mains sorted for Christmas Day, from leading women in Cork food industry

THROUGHOUT this past year, my monthly column, WOW! Bites, has featured the stories of 12 amazing women in food. For this year’s Christmas mains recipe feature, I’ve gone back to some of them to ask for their very best recipes for the most anticipated meal of the year, and the centrepiece of it all – the main course.

Darina Allen, of Ballymaloe, give us her best ever roast turkey method. Kela Hodgins, of Dunowen House, shares a novel way with beef inspired by the heady aromas of Sri Lanka. Inspiring young chef, Nell McCarthy shows us how to put sustainable Irish fish on the table full of festive flair, and Dorothy O’Tuama, of O’Tuama Tours, take a break from the buffalo to showcase a lesser cut of bacon that’s one of her favourites.

So, whatever you are thinking of serving this year, this has the main course sorted for you!

TRADITIONAL ROAST TURKEY WITH ALL THE TRIMMINGS, DARINA ALLEN, BALLYMALOE HOUSE

“Not sure about your family but no-one in our house wants any unexpected changes to Christmas dinner. There’s ‘blue murder’ if I decide to change anything!,” says Darina Allen. “Everyone loves a traditional menu of grapes, melon and mint, roast stuffed turkey with delicious herby buttery stuffing, Grandma’s plum pudding with Mrs Hanrahan’s Sauce. It’s a constant one can fully rely on and, in this crazy, changing world, a tradition that endures.

“This is my best roast stuffed turkey recipe, and even after all these years is still my absolute favourite.”

Ingredients

(Serves 10-12)

Fresh Herb Stuffing

350g chopped onions

175g butter

400-500g soft breadcrumbs made from good bread (appx 600g for gluten-free breadcrumbs)

50g freshly chopped herbs, (parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, savoury, lemon balm)

salt and freshly ground pepper Turkey Stock

Neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone and wing tips of turkey

2 carrots, sliced

2 onions, sliced

1 stick celery

Green part of a couple of leeks if available

Bouquet garni (parsley, bay leaves, thyme)

4 peppercorns

For basting the turkey (sounds horrifying but trust me!)

225g butter (one whole pack)

Large square of muslin (optional)

Method:

For the turkey stock

1. Remove the wishbone from the neck end of the turkey, for ease of carving later.

2. Using a tall, narrow saucepan, make a turkey stock by covering the neck, gizzard, heart, wishbone, wing tips, vegetables, bouquet garni and peppercorns with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer while the turkey is being prepared and cooked, 3 hours approx.

For the fresh herb stuffing

1. Sweat the onions gently in the butter until soft, approximately 10 minutes, on a low heat, then stir in the breadcrumbs, herbs and a little salt and pepper to taste. Set aside and allow it to get quite cold.

2. Wash and dry the cavity of the bird, then season and three-quarters fill with cold stuffing. Put the remainder of the stuffing into the crop at the neck end and tuck the neck flap underneath the bird and secure with the wing tips.

For the roast turkey

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time. Allow 15 minutes approx. per 450g and 15 minutes over.

3. Melt the butter for basting the turkey and soak a large piece of good quality muslin in the melted butter.

Cover the turkey completely with the muslin and roast in a preheated moderate oven, as per your calculated roasting time, (no need for basting because of the butter-soaked muslin!).

4. The turkey browns beautifully, but if you like it even browner, remove the muslin 10 minutes before the end of the cooking time. If the turkey is not covered with butter-soaked muslin, cover the whole dish with a large sheet of parchment, but this will semi-steam not roast the turkey.

5. The turkey is cooked when the thigh juices run clear.

6. Test by pricking the thickest part at the base of the thigh and examine the juices: they should be clear.

Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy.

For the gravy

1. Spoon surplus fat from the roasting pan and deglaze the pan juices with fat-free stock from the giblets and bones.

2. Using a whisk, stir and scrape well to dissolve the caramelised meat juices from the roasting pan.

3. Boil it up well, season and thicken with a little roux (butter and flour) if you like.

4. Taste and correct the seasoning. Serve in a hot gravy boat.

How to serve

Serve the golden turkey on your largest serving dish (I’ve got a special old plater that only emerges once a year, but I love it!), and surround it with lots of crispy roast potatoes and garnished with large sprigs of parsley or watercress. Serve with cranberry sauce, bread sauce and gravy.

FESTIVE GLAZED COLLAR OF BACON, DOROTHY O’TUAMA, O’TUAMA TOURS

“I am a big fan of our locally produced Irish bacon. Here’s my take on elevating our beloved streaky, back or collar bacon cuts with a twist to join the rest of the goodies as a centre piece of your Christmas table,” says Dorothy.

“The bacon can be cooked the day before and finished off before serving, if preferred,” added Dorothy.

“It’s delicious as a cold cut or added into vol au vents with a mustardy white sauce.”

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

1.5kg collar of bacon (ask your local butcher)

Handful of whole cloves

½ jar of Seville marmalade with thin cut peel

1 tbsp of English mustard

115g white breadcrumbs

Method:

1. Soak the bacon joint in cold water overnight to remove excess salt.

2. Rinse the joint and cover with fresh cold water in a large saucepan. Bring to a roaring boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1.5 hours until tender.

3. Remove the skin layer with a sharp knife, (this should come away easily when fully cooked) and allow to cool.

4. Pre heat oven to 200°C.

5. Score a few lines on the layer of fat to prepare the joint.

6. Smear the joint with English mustard, followed by a generous layer of Marmalade, and stud with 8-10 cloves. Finish with a sprinkling of breadcrumbs.

7. Add a ½ cup of water to the roasting tray, followed by the dressed joint and open roast for 25-30 minutes until joint is golden brown, bubbling and with a crunchy topping.

Sri Lankan-inspired Spiced Beef, Kela Hodgins, Dunowen House

 “This different take on spiced beef can be cooked in the slow cooker for minimal fuss.” 

 Ingredients (serves 4-6) 

 · 1.5kg beef brisket/housekeepers cut

 · Salt and pepper 

 · 1 tsp cumin seeds 

 · 4 tsp coriander seeds 

 · 1 tsp fennel seeds

 · 4 tablespoons light olive oil

 · 1 cinnamon stick 

 · 1 thumb size piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 

 · 1 large onion, finely diced 

 · 4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed 

 · 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

 · 1 tsp cayenne pepper 

 · 350ml beef stock

 · 250ml coconut milk 

 Method:

 1. Preheat oven to 160°C.

2. Dry meat with kitchen towel and season generously with salt and black pepper.

3. Dry toast coriander, cumin and fennel seeds in a pan for 30 seconds, then grind in a pestle and mortar.

4. Heat an ovenproof casserole pot big enough to fit the beef over a medium heat. Add oil, add the meat, and brown on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot, and add onion, garlic, ginger and a cinnamon stick to the casserole and cook until the onions are translucent and starting to brown.

5. Add the ground spices, then cayenne pepper, vinegar, stock, a teaspoon of salt, the beef and any juices from the meat. Bring to boil then cover with a lid.

6. Transfer the pot to the preheated oven and cook for two hours, basting regularly. When meat is tender, transfer to the hob, and add the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer and reduce slightly before serving.

7. Serve with rice, mash, or leave to cool and slice thinly as you would traditional spiced beef.

Christmas Stuffing Hake with Lemon Beurre Blanc, Nell McCarthy, Chef and Taste the Atlantic Ambassador 

 “Hake is a sustainable fish that has high quotas in Ireland and is relatively cheap for its quality.” 

 Ingredients (serves 4-6) 

 · 1 full Hake fillet, portioned 

 · 1 egg beaten 

 · 1 tbsp milk 

 · 300g Breadcrumbs

 · 100g ground almonds

 · 100g dried cranberries

 · 200g Pecans

 · 50g chopped parsley

 · 50g chopped dill 

 · 50g melted butter 

 · 1 tsp nutmeg Buerre Blanc

 · 100ml white wine 

 · 50ml of white wine vinegar

 · 300ml double cream 

 · 100g butter, cold, cubed

 · Zest of 1 lemon 

 · 1 shallot 

 · Bay leaf 

 Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C.

2. Roughly chop the nuts, cranberries, dill, parsley and add to the breadcrumbs. Melt the butter and add to the breadcrumb mix.

3. Place the portions of fish skin side down onto an oiled oven tray. Mix the beaten egg and milk and brush it on the top of the fish, press the stuffing onto the top of the fish and put into the oven for 15-20 min to cook, depending on the thickness of your fillets.

4. For the beurre blanc, add a sliced shallot, bay leaf, lemon peel, white wine and white wine vinegar to a saucepan and let this reduce until almost all has evaporated. Add cream and reduce by half. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the cold cubed butter.

Delicious served with Brussel sprouts and chorizo.