Ultimate Roast Dinner: Tips & Tricks by Fallow

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Turkey crown
• 500 g Pork mince
• 500 g Agria potatoes
• 1 kg Parsnips
• 1 kg Carrots
• 1 L Chicken stock
• 500 g Brussels sprouts
• 200 g Streaky bacon
• 300 g Chestnuts (pre-cooked)
• 2 White onions
• 1 Garlic bulb
• 100 g Apricots (dried)
• 50 g Sage
• 50 g Rosemary
• 4 tbsp Breadcrumbs
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Sriracha
• 250 ml Milk
• 250 ml White wine
• 250 ml Pork fat (or duck/goose fat)
• 250 ml Vegetable oil
• 125 g Plain flour
• 8 Large eggs
• 2 Sprigs of thyme
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 Garlic powder
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper
• to taste Fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Prepare the turkey the day before: butcher the bird, remove legs, wings, and backbone. Season legs with a 10% salt brine for 5-6 hours, then rinse and dry thoroughly. Optionally, debone legs and stuff with a pork stuffing or bacon wrap.
2. Prepare the turkey crown by detaching the skin from the breast to allow for crisping. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Prepare the legs by wrapping them in streaky bacon and setting aside.
3. Roast turkey legs and wings for carcass gravy. Remove legs after approx. 40-43 minutes, glaze with marmalade, and bake for another 10 minutes. Let the crown rest for 25-35 minutes after cooking.
4. For the stuffing, sauté chopped streaky bacon and diced onion until crispy and softened. Add chopped apricots, sage, rosemary, chestnuts, pork mince, breadcrumbs, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix well and bake in a dish at 190°C for 40 minutes.
5. Blanch parsnips in salted water until tender, then steam dry. Lightly coat with rice flour and fry until golden brown and crispy. Alternatively, roast in oil at 180°C until tender and crispy.
6. Roast carrots with oil and salt at 180°C until tender. Toss with honey, a touch of vinegar, and optional sriracha for a hot honey glaze. Stir in crispy parsnips.
7. Make gravy by roasting chicken wings/bones with chopped onion, carrots, parsnips, garlic, rosemary, and thyme at 190°C for about 1 hour. Deglaze with white wine and pork fat, then simmer with chicken stock for 1.5-2 hours.
8. Thicken the gravy with a flour and stock slurry. Strain, then finish with Dijon mustard and vinegar. Season to taste.
9. For Yorkshire puddings, whisk 8 eggs, 350g flour, and 525g milk until a shaggy batter forms. Add 500g eggs and let rest overnight, adding salt just before cooking. Preheat molds with a small amount of oil to smoking point.
10. Fill hot molds 2/3 full with batter and bake at 225°C for 25 minutes until puffed and golden brown with a slight cakiness at the bottom.
11. For Brussels sprouts, trim and halve them, placing cut-side down in a pan with oil and salt. Cook slowly for 8-10 minutes, then increase heat and add butter, pepper, and detached leaves. Finish with chopped parsley and optional Sriracha.