Jamie's Flavoured Butter Turkey - for a tasty moist turkey

Now the gravy is frozen and Youngest has strict instructions to remind me to remove it early on Christmas morning (which of course, he won't), it's time to turn to the turkey.
My favourite recipe is, once again, from the god of chefs, Jamie Oliver. It makes for an incredible flavoursome, moist turkey that practically bastes itself.
Ready? Here's the ingredients, taken from the recipe page on the JO website

• 1 x 250g pack of butter • 75g dried cranberries, really finely chopped • a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked • 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked • a few sprigs of fresh sage, leaves picked • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper • 1 clementine.

First, I took the butter out for an hour to soften it, then added it to a food processor with the cranberries, herbs, zest and seasoning. JO says to mix it by hand, but whizzing it up in the blender on pulse saved me time.

Whizz up the ingredients 

Then, using a spoon, I carefully separated the skin from the breast as far back and across as I could, making an opening for the butter.

Separate skin from breast starting from the arrow

Then I pushed half the flavoured butter in the space I'd made. James says to use your hands, but I have this hands slim soft spatula from Pampered Chef that does the job and is much less messy.

Carefully stuff half the butter mixture in the space

Then I used the remaining butter to cover the top of the turkey, finally covering it with clingfilm and putting it back in the fridge until tomorrow morning. Make sure yo get it out when you get up so it has time to warm up a bit before you put in the oven.

Smother the top with the rest of butter

We had this last year as well and I can safely say it's the best, moist and flavoursome turkey I've ever had.

A reminder of the recipe page on the JO site. And to make The Best Turkey in the World, check out this page for cooking the bird.

My  well-used Christmas JO 'Bible' - note greasy smudge marks!

All that's left is for me to wish you all a fantastic Christmas. If you like this blog, please follow, or subscribe by email or RSS so you never miss another post. (At the top of the site)
There are several other recipes in past posts such as:

• It's more faff than Bisto, but Jamie's Get Ahead Gravy is worth the effort
• Asparagus, Watercress and Pan Roasted Cherry Tomato Risotto 
• Asparagus, haddock and smokey bacon fishcakes with herby mayonnaise
• Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Pate
• Goat's Cheese and Swiss Chard Tart

Merry Christmas!

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Sample Sunday Cookoff - Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Pate

This is a recipe for a dip that our friends Sharon and Andrew served up as a starter at dinner a couple of weeks ago. It was so fab even my husband, who hates fish, liked it so much he made it himself the next day.

Have some of this with some tortilla chips while you lounge around and read This Last Summer or Sweet Seduction on your kindle- scroll down for the links in US and UK.

Ingredients:
-One pack (120-200g) of smoked salmon. (If in the UK buy Sainsbury's Basics Smoked Salmon Trimmings - it's going in the food processor so it doesn't need to be pretty, just tasty.)
-1 medium tub of cream cheese with chives - you can use low fat version
-Juice of half a lemon
-Salt and black pepper to taste

The method is easy peasy - bung it all in the food processor and whizz around. I prefer it not too smooth but with chunks of salmon still visible so don't get overexcited with the blender.

Serve  on blinis or in a dish with chunks of bread or tortilla chips or bread sticks. I'm feeling hungry just typing this it's so good.
Read Excerpts of This Last Summer and Sweet Seduction at http://www.tirraoro.com/preview.html
Buy This Last Summer ($2.99/£1.71) and Sweet Seduction (99c/70p):
or buy this book in other formats from  Smashwords

Or buy in other formats from Smashwords

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Another supper recipe for a spring evening

When I'm not writing, I work in PR and at Hampshire Farmers' Market we've been working with local environmental group, Greening Petersfield on developing great recipes made with farmers' market produce. This month's recipe is another spring/summer supper special is Goat's Cheese and Swiss Chard Tart. Visit the site for lots more recipes, market dates and great offers as well as for a PDF download of this recipe.
Goat's Cheese and Swiss Chard Tart 
Shortcrust pastry
150 gm plain flour
75gm butter
Filling
350 gm shallots
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp cooking oil
500 gm swiss chard
1 roll soft goats cheese (can use your favourite) from Nutknowle
Salt and Pepper
Method:
1. Light oven gas Mk 4,180 C
2. Make pastry. Rub together flour and fat until resemble breadcrumbs. Add a little water and gathe into a ball.
Roll out thinly (1/2 cm) on floured sur-face. Line a 10 inch flan tin. Put aside.
3. Chop shallots & garlic,. Pull chard leaves from stalks, chop stalks into 1cm lengths.
4. Fry onions until they go golden.
Add shallots, chard stalks & garlic. finish frying on gentle heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. Add chard leaves and place in pastry case. Cut the goat’s cheese into chunks and place these on top of the vegetables, pushing them in slightly.
6. Cook for 30mins until golden
 Visit the HFM recipe page for a full colour pdf download with photo of this recipe.
Read Excerpts of This Last Summer and Sweet Seduction at http://www.tirraoro.com/preview.html

or buy this book in other formats from  Smashwords

Or buy in other formats from Smashwords

Read More »