Christmas Kitchen menu

The menu

• Main course

  The perfect roast turkey

• Side dishes

  Sage and onion stuffing balls

• Side dishes

  The best roast potatoes

• Side dishes

  Brussels sprouts with pancetta

• Side dishes

  Pigs in blankets

• Side dishes

  Honey roast parsnips

• Side dishes

  Easy bread sauce

• Side dishes

  Cranberry sauce

• Desserts

  Rich Christmas pudding

• Other

  Brandy (or rum) sauce

• Cakes and baking

  Chocolate and chestnut Christmas log

Menu ingredients

Serves 8-10

• Fruit and vegetables

  • 2 onions, finely chopped

  • 8 sage leaves, finely chopped

  • 10 large King Edward potatoes, peeled, cut into large chunks

  • 900g/2lb 4oz Brussels sprouts, trimmed and loose leaves removed

  • 500g/1lb 2oz parsnips, peeled and cut into quarters lengthways

  • 1 large onion, peeled

  • 250g/9oz fresh or frozen cranberries

  • 1 clementine, finely grated zest only (optional)

  • 1 lemon, zest only

• Tins, packets and jars

  • 110g/4oz plain flour

  • 55g/2oz plain flour

• Cooking ingredients

  • 20ml/¾fl oz rapeseed oil

  • 2 pinches sea salt flakes

  • 2 pinches freshly ground white pepper

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1-2 tsp ground arrowroot (depending on how thick you like your gravy), dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water

  • 125g/4½oz fresh breadcrumbs

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 2 pinches sea salt

  • salt

  • 2 tsp olive oil

  • 4 tbsp clear honey

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 6 cloves

  • 1 bay leaf

  • 6 black peppercorns

  • 110g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs

  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 100g/3½oz light brown sugar

  • 225g/8oz golden caster sugar

  • 340g/12oz sultanas

  • 340g/12oz raisins

  • 225g/8oz currants

  • 110g/4oz candied peel, chopped

  • 110g/4oz fresh white breadcrumbs

  • 55g/2oz flaked almonds

  • 1 level tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1 level tsp mixed spice

  • 5g/1 level tsp freshly grated nutmeg

  • pinch of salt

  • 55g/2oz caster sugar

  • 140g/5oz caster sugar

  • icing sugar, for dusting

  • 3 tbsp sweetened chestnut purée

• Biscuits, snacks and sweets

  • 225g/8oz plain chocolate, roughly chopped

• Drinks

  • 4 tbsp sherry

  • 100ml/3½fl oz fresh orange juice

  • 150ml/5fl oz brandy or rum

  • 4 tbsp brandy or dark rum

• Dairy, eggs and chilled

  • 40g/1½oz unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

  • 40g/1½oz butter

  • 1 free-range egg, beaten

  • 50g/1¾oz lard, dripping or vegetable oil

  • 570ml/1 pint full-fat milk

  • 40g/1½oz butter

  • 225g/8oz vegetarian suet

  • 5 eggs, beaten

  • 55g/2oz butter

  • 570ml/1 pint milk

  • 5 free-range eggs, separated

  • 150ml/5fl oz double cream

• Meat, fish and poultry

  • 1 x 5kg/11lb good-quality free-range turkey, preferably organically reared, wishbone removed (ask your butcher to remove the wings and neck and chop them into 2.5cm/1in pieces to use in the dish)

  • 225g/8oz pancetta, cut into cubes

  • 8 thin slices streaky bacon

  • 16 chipolata sausages

• Other

  • 200ml/7fl oz water

  • roast potatoes and steamed seasonal vegetables, to serve

  • cocktail sticks, to secure the bacon

  • 1 tsp strong instant coffee powder

  • holly leaves and berries, to decorate (optional)