Bugger, yes I know its me and I'm always haughtily dismissive of this topic till December BUT have gone from always the guest to the host

[TwigorTreat]

for 14 people including 2 vegetarians

need recipe help

have never cooked a turkey in my life ... its not just a big chicken is it

how big do I need? (lot of meat-eating blokey appetites)

am going to pre-try that .. spuds are more important than any other roast meal element

Twig - can you ask her what she would like to eat ?

I parboil for 10-15 mins until they go fluffy when shaken, I do cook about 50 usually though. Cook at about 200 for an hour for crispy outside, soft inside and I use desiree for the best texture. I don't use flour.

gawd I can do a roast with my eyes shut and my roast tatties are a dream .. its just the whole christmas pressure and never having cooked a turkey

it'll be fine .. I prefer to decide what to cook rather than have it dictated by occasion

You'll be fine then, turkey is easy to cook.

Twig - here goes with the best Nut Roast ever...

1 Onion (chopped)
1 large glove garlic (chopped or crushed)
8 oz Mixed Nuts (Cashews, Brasils, Hazlenuts etc)
3 slices bread (can be White, Brown or mixture)
1 egg
1 full teaspoon Marmite (or vegemite) dissolved in 150ml boiling water
Liberal amount of Salt, pepper and healthy dash of Oregano or mixed herbs

Half packet of Stuffing (eg paxo sage and onion or make your own!))
Other vegetables to taste

Instructions:
Soften and light brown the onion in some Olive oil (approx a tablespoon) and at last minute add Garlic.

While the onions are cooking first whizz the nuts and then the bread (to crumbs). Don't go too mad with the nuts if you like a bit of crunch in the roast!!

Put the crushed nuts and breadcrumbs in a large bowl and add egg. Mix all together. Add onions and garlic from pan (inc oil). Add herbs and salt and pepper.

Dissolve the Marmite in the boiling water and pour onto the mixture. Mix well.

Make up the stuffing according to instructions on packet (usually involves adding boiling water and occasionally some butter).

Grease a loaf tin with butter and then lay some fairly thinly sliced carrots in the bottom (or be more creative if you like as these will end up being the top of the nut roast.) Put half the nut roast mixture from the bowl in the tin and using a fork push it down evenly. Then add the stuffing on top and again push down evenly. The finally the rest of the nut roast mixture.

While making the layers you can add additional layers of lightly fried vegetables in between the mixture and the stuffing. Leeks, mushrooms, courgettes, celery - whatever you fancy!

Make sure you press the whole lot down evenly and then put in over for approx 45 minutes on around 180 degrees (gas 4). You can always put it in a hotter oven with the roast potatoes or meat (just cover with foil and then remove foil for the last 15 minutes). Once brown and firm/crispy on top it's done.

Use a knife to loosen the nut roast from the sides of the tin before tipping upside down on the serving plate. Don't worry if the carrots don't come out first time - just lift them out afterwards and place them back on the top.

Put roast potatoes or other vegetables around the nut roast to decorate. Enjoy!!

Good luck - love Beetroot's dh

Hi again - try making a nut roast before Christmas then you won't be so stressed on the day. You can even make the Christmas one in advance and after it's cooked - freeze it. Then you can pop it back in the oven for 20 minutes on around 140 (gas 3) ish once it's defrosted. Or hotter with foil as per recipe.

Good luck

haven't read all the threads but I do christmas a la Nigella. Delia overcooks the whole thing and Nigella's is really moist. Also the bonus is that you store the turkey from Christmas eve in a huge bucket overnight!!

It might sound odd but basically she covers the turkey in a spicy salty/sweet cold water. This totally frees up the fridge for everything else. If you collect the turkey (make sure you pre order from a good butcher) on Christmas eve you don't get teh storage issues.

Also You need to look at your oven and make sure you have a BIG roasting pan.

Do you have a double oven? That means you will have room for the turkey sausgaes and stuffing(not much else in that oven) AND the potatoes/parsnips and veggie option for the other.

I do a FAB veggie crown which is really impressive (and meat eaters love it too) as it is a bit like stuffing. It is basically leeks/apples/chestnuts/cranberries/goats cheese wrapped in pastry mmmmmm

twiggy just seen you are happy doing a roast, well all the other bts are simple to make the day before. Bread sauce, cranberry etc all done before. Smoked salmon/prawn starters are an assembly job. Christmas pud goes in teh microwave JOB DONE!!

I do love Delia's recipes though. I cook the turkey until it's done and only go by Delia as a rough guide (which you should do anyway as all ovens are different). With delia you als leave the turkey out overnight so that it reaches room temp by the morning and then stuff it with room temp stuffing.

I'm with Dooley on "cheating" as much as possible - I love cooking but want to spend Christmas Day with family and friends - not stuck in the kitchen.

So yes I buy frozen roast potatoes (and I have been complimented on them a lot ), ready made gravy from M&S, starter from M&S or Waitrose, ready made trifle and Christmas Pudding. I do the same veg dishes every year so it is easier and prepare them the day before if possible.

I do make my own cranberry sauce but do that in advance.

I would cook the turkey the night before, but I am always nervous of roasts (that they won't be properly cooked). You could carve it and keep it in gravy overnight so it doesn't dry out.

Re non-vegetarian roast potatoes - We tend to do jacket potatoes for the veggies so the roast potatoes can be done in meaty juices, and that seems to be fine with everyone.