Kevin Dundon's Christmas dinner: Today

Ingredients

Classic Crab Cocktail

Serves 6

• 6 large tbsp. mayonnaise
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• Salt and Black pepper
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
• 400 g fresh crabmeat
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chives, finely chopped
• 1 Lime, cut into wedges

Traditional Christmas Turkey

Serves 8

• 5 kg turkey
• 1 lemon, zest
• 100g butter
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme
• 1 tbsp. fresh sage
• 2 large onions, roughly sliced
• 3 carrots, halved lengthways
• 1 head garlic, helved

Stuffing

• 150g butter
• 1 onion
• 2 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp sage, chopped
• 450g fresh white Breadcrumbs
• Salt and Pepper
• Cranberries and sausage meat stuffing
• 450g Sausage meat
• 4 tbsp. cranberries, chopped
• 100g smoked cheese
• 1 Onions, finely diced
• 2 Cloves Garlic, crushed
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp thyme, chopped
• 1 tbsp. sage, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Kevin’s Classic Christmas Trifle
Serves 6 -10
Sherry trifle is one of those desserts that has been around for ever and will never fade away.

• 400g Raspberry Swiss roll
• 300g frozen berries
• 125g (50g +75g) caster sugar
• 1 orange
• 2 gelatine leaves
• 100ml Sherry, or more if desired
• 150ml water
• 6 egg yolks
• 450ml milk
• 150ml cream
• ½ vanilla pod
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 250ml freshly whipped cream
• 50g flaked almonds

Turkey Gravy

• 750ml turkey/chicken stock
• Turkey Giblets or chicken wings
• 2 Carrots
• 1 Onion
• 4 tbsp of plain flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 150ml Red Wine
• 1 tbsp Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Roast Potatoes
This is my Mum’s recipe and they’ve never failed me. There’s no doubt that the fat from the roast meat makes the best roast potatoes. Alternatively, if you ever roast a goose or duck save every drop of the fat and freeze it down in ice cube trays, then bag it to use at your leisure – even a couple added to your oil will help the flavour.

Serves 4-6

• 675 g rooster potatoes cut into large even-sized chunks
• dripping, goose or duck fat
• Salt to season

Tomato Chilli Butter Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Serves 6

• 400g fresh brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 50g butter, diced
• 2 tbsp tomato and chilli relish
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• Salt and pepper

Honey Cranberry Glazed Carrots

• 500g rainbow Carrots, preferably baby carrots
• 50g Butter
• 50g honey
• 2 tbsp cranberry sauce
• Sprig Rosemary
• 200ml vegetable stock or water
• 100ml port wine
• Salt & Pepper to season

Mustard and Walnuts Glazed Parsnips

Serves 4 – 6

• 4 parsnips, cut diagonally into even pieces
• 50g walnuts, crushed
• 50ml honey syrup
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 clove garlic, chopped
• 1 pinch chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 4 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped
• salt and pepper

Winter Vegetables
This great-looking dish is uses Rivesci Fiery Fung peanut and sesame sauce. It will bring a delicious balance of flavour. I have added cannellini bean in this recipe for their smooth texture but chickpeas, bulgur or rice could work too.

Serves 4

• 350g butternut squash, diced
• 1 leek, sliced (white part only, cut into 1 cm pieces)
• 2 tbsp oil or butter
• 2 onions, sliced
• 300 mushrooms, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tin cannellini beans, drained
• 100g feta
• 2 tbsp honey
• 4 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp fiery Fung from Rivesci.ie, or toasted sesame oil
• 1 tbsp. parsley
• 320g puff pastry, divided into 2 sheets
• 1 egg wash
• salt and pepper

Method

Classic Crab Cocktail

1. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the lime zest, lime juice, salt and pepper. Cover with cling film and set aside until required.
2. In a second bowl, combine the lemon juice and the olive oil and add the shredded iceberg lettuce, toss to coat the leaves. Half fill a teacup or a glass with some iceberg lettuce.
3. In a third bowl, whip the cream. At the Last minute, fold the cream in the lime mayonnaise to light up the sauce.
4. In a 4th bowl, stir in the crab meat, with the shallot, chives and some lime mayonnaise just enough until smooth.
5. Spoon the mixture over the iceberg lettuce and add the rest of the mayonnaise other the crab mixture.
6. Store in the fridge for a few hours and Serve with a wedge of lime.

Traditional Christmas Turkey & Stuffing

On Christmas Eve: Prepare the traditional stuffing - this will go in the main cavity.

1. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a saucepan with the onion for 2-4 minutes until translucent. Remove from the heat.
2. In a bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, chopped herbs and lemon zest. Pour over the onion and butter mixture and stir well. Season the stuffing and allow the stuffing to cool completely in the bowl overnight.
3. Next, prepare the sausage meat stuffing - this will go in the neck cavity.
4. In a large bowl mix together the sausage meat, cranberries, cheese, onion, garlic, herbs and season well with salt and pepper. Keep aside covered until needed.
5. Remove the turkey giblets from the main cavity if supplied. Keep aside for later use.
6. In a small bowl, beat the 100g of butter with lemon zest and sage until pliable texture. Then, on the turkey, from the neck cavity (or wishbone cavity), using your finger very gently loosen up the skin attached to the breast (been careful not the burst or slit the skin!). push in the lemon and herb butter.
7. Pack the sausage meat stuffing in the neck cavity to give a smooth shape. Any excess roll in a baking parchment paper into a pudding shape then warp in tin foil to roast with the turkey the next morning.
8. Place the turkey and stuffing back in the refrigerator for the night.

On Christmas Morning: Preheat the oven to 160˚C.

1. Remove the turkey from the refrigerator and finish to stuff the turkey.
2. Line the main cavity with some baking parchment paper and loosely pack the bread stuffing into the bird.
3. If possible, using kitchen twine, tie the legs together with the pygostyle or "pope's nose" to keep the legs thighs while roasting.
4. Don’t forget to weight the turkey again with the stuffing enclosed. (to assist with accurate calculations for the cooking times etc) – it should be 30 minutes plus 40 minutes per kg. for a 5 kg turkey, it should take about 3 hours and 30 minutes. You can also set a digital probe by the leg of the turkey and it should read 70-72˚C.
5. Prepare the roasting tray; place at the bottom of the tray the giblets, onions, carrots and the garlic head to create a "raft" for the turkey and gravy later on.
6. When ready place the turkey in the oven, season with salt and pepper.
7. Roast according to the weight of the stuffed turkey… After the first two hours, loosely cover the turkey with tin foil to prevent excessive browning.
8. Remove the turkey from the oven, lift away from the roasting tray onto a carving board, and again cover with loose tin foil. Allow the meat to rest for 10-15 minutes before carving while doing the gravy using the roasting tray trimming. (see gravy recipe)
9. Carve and enjoy the turkey and the day!

Classic Christmas Trifle

1. Sliced the Swiss roll and layer the sides and base of the serving bowl. Keep aside and any excess for the centre part of the trifle.
2. Next, Place the gelatine leaves in cold water to bloom (soften) for 6 – 8 minutes.
3. In the meantime, prepare the berry compote. Pour the berries into a saucepan and add the 50g caster sugar, sherry, orange juice and some zest and water. Bring the fruit to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the gelatine. Stir gently to combine the gelatine.
4. Once the gelatine has dissolve pour some of the fruit mixture over the sponge.
5. Meanwhile make the custard. Split the vanilla pod lengthways. Scrape the seeds and the pod into the milk and cream in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. In a separate bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and corn flour until light and creamy. Quickly pour the boiling milk mixture onto the eggs and combine well. Return the mixture to the saucepan and, stirring continuously, cook for about 2 minutes on a gentle heat or until the mixture coat the back of a wooden spoon. Do not allow the mixture to boil at this time. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
6. Pour the custard over the fruit and sponge mixture and add a layer of the leftover Swiss roll if any with more fruits. Then top with the leftover custard.
7. Allow to settle for a couple of hours or overnight. Cover with a disc of parchment paper or cling film to prevent the formation of a crust.
8. Once ready to serve, pipe over some whipped cream on the top and sprinkle, if desired, with some flaked and toasted almonds and some fresh fruit.
9. Enjoy within a day or two.

Turkey Gravy

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
2. Place the turkey giblets, carrots and onions on a tray and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cook in the oven for 45mins – 1 hour until they are fully cooked through. Remove any excess fat, if any.
3. Pour the turkey stock into a saucepan and add the bay leaves, bring to the boil.
4. Remove the tray with the giblets from the oven and place on the hob. Sprinkle the flour onto the tray and brown on the hob. When the flour has browned deglaze the pan with the red wine, the pass the gravy through a sieve into another saucepan. Bring to the boil, then slowly add the warmed turkey stock and reduce by half. Serve immediately.

Roast Potatoes

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7. Place the potatoes in a pan of cold salted water and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the outsides have just softened. Drain and return to the pan for a minute or two to dry out.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a roasting tin with a 4 tbsps. of oil, or dripping, duck or goose fat for a few minutes until just smoking. Put the lid back on the potatoes and shake vigorously to break up and soften the edges or roughly prod the outside of the potatoes with a fork. Carefully tip them into the hot oil, basting the tops.
3. Place the roasting tin with the potatoes back in the oven and cook for 40 minutes, then pour off the majority of the fat before turning the potatoes over. Season to taste with the salt and cook for a further 20 minutes until crispy around the edges and golden brown.
4. To serve, tip the roast potatoes into a warmed serving dish.

Tomato Chilli Butter Glazed Brussels Sprouts

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil with a pinch of bread soda.
2. Add the Brussels sprouts and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, Heat the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the red onion and cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the garlic, tomato relish and cook a further minute or so shaking the pan frequently until combined. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer Brussels sprouts to the pan and sauté for a further minute.
6. check the seasoning.
7. Transfer the Brussels sprouts in a serving dish and serve immediately.

Honey Cranberry Glazed Carrots

1. Peel or scrape the carrots and place in a small sauté pan. Add the butter, honey, cranberry sauce, and rosemary and port and stock. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Allow to simmer for 15-18 minutes until tender. Keep aside until needed (alternatively simmer for 12-15 minutes then remove from the heat and leave to cool aside.
3. Cover the pan and keep in the fridge overnight until needed the next day.

Mustard and Walnuts Glazed Parsnips

1. Preheat the air fryer or oven to 200˚C.
2. Place the parsnips in a saucepan and cover with just enough water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to simmer and blanch for 2-3 minutes just to lightly part cook only the parsnips pieces.
3. Very gently lift the parsnips pieces from the water into a cooling tray without shaking or crushing them. Set aside.
4. Then, in a bowl, combine the honey, walnuts, mustard, chilli, garlic, mixed herbs, melted butter and salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
5. brush the parsnips well in the glaze mixture to coat. Then, transfer on an even layer on the basket of the air fryer.
6. Roast in the oven 20-22 minutes until the vegetables begin to colour and cooked in the centre. Keep warm aside and serve rapidly with extra sprinkle of parsley.

Winter Vegetables

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C
2. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil. Once simmering, add a clove of garlic, leek pieces, onion pieces, butternut squash pieces, and the thyme.
3. Simmer for 5-8 minutes or so until the butternut squash pieces are just softened.
4. Carefully remove all the vegetables from the water on a tray.
5. In the meantime, in a large sauté pan, over medium heat, with a drizzle of oil, sauté the mushroom. add the rest of the garlic and onions and sauté for a further for 2 minutes until coloured. season well and remove from the heat.
6. Stir in a tin of drained cannellini bean and feat pieces. Add the fresh herbs, honey, balsamic and Rivesci Fiery Fung ( or use some toasted sesame oil, and peanuts nuts and chili to bring to a close flavour).
7. Stir and set aside to cool.
8. Roll out the two sheets of pastry on a lightly floured surface, and brush the surface with egg wash. Place the first sheet of puff pastry onto a baking tray and add the butternut squash pieces first leaving approximately 1" around the edge. Using the grove of the squash add the mushroom and cannellini bean mixture over.
9. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Place the top sheet of pastry on top of the vegetables then seal tightly. Score and decorate the top of your pastry with black pepper and herbs.
10. Once needed, Place in the preheated oven for 30 – 35 minutes, then remove and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
11. Slice and enjoy while warm with a green salad!