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Original poster

all you cooks out there, opinions please!

52 replies

nailpolish · 04/11/2005 10:12

i am cooking christmas lunch for 13 (!) and im not really a very good cook at all (dh is better than me and we are going to do it together)

and i was thinking of doing this jamie oliver recipe

can i have your thoughts on cooking this for such a large no pretty please and thank you

OP posts:
yoyo · 04/11/2005 10:21

I think it sounds lovely but be careful about timings to scale it up for 13. I took the legs off my turkey last year and just cooked the breast. It was very quick to cook (I froze the legs for another meal). If you decide to go for the traditional option there is a good timeplan in this month's "delicious" magazine.

Helsbels · 04/11/2005 10:24

I always do christmas lunch for 13. My dad always said 'don't worry - no-one that's coming wants to see you fail' keep that in mind. Everyone wants a nice day and the only way that is going to happen is if you stay calm.It does not matter what you cook, anything that goes wrong provides Boxing Day entertainment. Jamies recipe looks fab and just right for the number you are cooking for - but only do it if you are comfortable. My top tip is to get as much ready in advance as you can. I do two puddings ( one xmas pudding and a mascarpone and berry trifle cheesecake thingy with lots of port) but no starter as people are full after their main course anyway. Don't worry - all that matters is that you are with people that you love and that love you - is the potatoes are a bit hard - it doesn't really matter. Good luck and enjoy it xx

Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 10:42

the recipe says "serves 8"

2 of the 13 are ages 3 years and 1 year so i suppose they could count as just one person (being generous) so that would make 12 portions i need

how do i adapt the recipe to 12 people? just times by 1 and a half?

are jamies recipes generous and do they turn out ok?

TIA!

OP posts:
Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 10:43

and if the bird is bigger for 12 people how long would i cook it all for?

starting to think twice about it now, but i really want to do it

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 04/11/2005 10:47

Do you want to cook? Is it something you're looking forward to?

I only ask because recently we had a big Xmas do and I just didn't have the time to do all the preparation etc. and I ordered a lot of the food prepared from M&S. I got a fantastic turkey and all the veg were ready washed/chopped etc. so all I had to do was get the timings right. All the trimmings were in a foil tray and the giant turkey came in it's own foil tray so that I didn't even have to go out and get an extra large roasting dish.

I think the recipe sounds lovely by the way - just get a slightly bigger turkey.

foxinsocks · 04/11/2005 10:48

the cooking time will vary depending on the weight of the bird

Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 10:51

i am quite nervous about cooking it as im usually crap, but dh is very excited and its rubbing off on me

everyone who is coming is very laid back and will probably be pissed by 3pm so it will probably be wasted on them

so just buy a bigger bird and more veggies

cool!

ps mum is making starter (smoked salmon something) and pud (trifle) so we only have to worry about the turkey

OP posts:
foxinsocks · 04/11/2005 10:54

oh good - here's the turkey site - they have a useful cooking calculator on there (and a guide to how many a turkey should feed in the frequently asked questions). I also over estimate with the size because I find people eat much more for a Xmas dinner than a normal roast!

Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 10:56

thanks FIS- great site

i often buy turkey instead of chicken as its cheaper and ive put this site in my faves

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scotlou · 04/11/2005 11:03

The first time I did Christmas dinner (only for 6 mind you!!) the Turkey took ages to cook (2 hours longer!) so by teh time it was ready everyone was totally pissed. They all still say it was the best Christmas dinner ever!!! Don't worry. The turkey itself will have approximate timings on it. Also, do what I do - delegate tasks to people. Ican't carve - my dad does it. Get my mum to do the gravy. Everyone helps themselves to wine. sil does one of teh desserts. Taht way everyone is involved, I don't get too stressed and we all have fun!

yoyo · 04/11/2005 11:05

Also worth doing chipolatas wrapped in bacon as this adds to the amount of meat (great to nibble on later too).
You could try emailing the JO site for advice about cooking times and adjusting quantities.

Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 11:07

oh yes good idea yoyo

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slapheadsrock · 04/11/2005 11:13

Why does it have to be turkey??!!
I grew up with steak for christmas dinner because we didn't have it often - only on special occasions. Christmas is not all about the dinner anyway. It's family time, laughter and hapiness. And how many people actually give a second thought to the real meaning behind christmas? How many of you will bother to go to church and remember why we have christmas in the first place?

Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 11:16

its turkey because this is the recipe i want to cook

and we are all going to enjoy being together having a meal and a laugh, me and dh are going to enjoy cooking it

and we will not be going to church because neither dh or i believe in god

does that mean i cant have a christmas?

jeezo

OP posts:
slapheadsrock · 04/11/2005 11:31

Why not invite a load of friends round - say 12, and have a practise run one wet weekend before the big day?

Prettybird · 04/11/2005 11:36

If you're having a starter as well, then I think the 5kg turkey will be fine for the numbers you're talking about (especially if you look at the Turkey site's advise about what size trukeys to get).

If you're worried, you can supplement with chipolatas wrapped in bacon (you can even buy them ready prepared) and cook some stuffing separately (again, you can buy some nice stuffings ready to pop in the oven, if you don't want the faff of preparing one).

I'm not even sure the 3 year old and the one year old count as much as one person - they're probably only about .25 of a Christmas meal portion (and probably just as happy with the veg!)

Plenty of roast potatoes and maybe some raosted pasnips (both of which you can prepare, par boil and freeze in advance and cook form forzen) and you're sorted!

beckybrastraps · 04/11/2005 11:39

Don't fret. The turkey will have timings on the wrapping and the recipe looks as though it will stand a bit of tinkering with the timings. I always do gammon and sausages wrapped in bacon as well, mostly because my family think Christmas isn't Christmas without leftovers. I love cooking Christmas dinner - I put on cheesy songs, pour the sherry and away I go. You don't actually need to be a good cook for this kind of meal, as it's more heating than cooking, so don't worry about that. I would suggest a timetable though - as I did once forget to cook the 6 sprouts I had bought especially for my dad (noone else likes them). Tick off as you go along, and everything should get cooked. Have fun - and with all those other people at least you should be spared the clearing up!

Original poster
nailpolish · 04/11/2005 15:28

one of the reasons i looked for a jamie oliver recipe was i have heard they are very adaptable - and you lot have confirmed that

im slavering at the thought of roasted parsnips - yum!

i might just use the size of bird jamie has in this recipe and chuck in a load more veg and chipolatas - doesnt everyone love chipolatas and roasted veg!

OP posts:
Prettybird · 04/11/2005 17:23

... try rasting the parsnips with some parmesan sprinkled over them. Yummm!

Prettybird · 04/11/2005 17:24

... try roasting the parsnips with some parmesan sprinkled over them. Yummm!

gingerbear · 04/11/2005 17:27

last year I did a turkey crown and a joint of beef to serve 9 people. As they were smaller joints it was much quicker and easier than trying to time a huge full turkey.

HTH as all top tippers say.

gingerbear · 04/11/2005 17:28

turkey crown = just the breast. I stuffed garlic and herb butter under the skin and covered it with bacon before roasting.

MarsLady · 04/11/2005 17:35

So what time are you expecting me on Christmas day? {you'd better set an extra place cos that looks gorgeous!)

sunchowder · 04/11/2005 17:35

NP, this recipe looks delicious and dead easy. If you buy a bigger Turkey, just adjust the cooking times according to the charts on the website. We have Turkeys over here that have this little button in them that pops when the turkey is done--makes it very simple. I am assuming you don't have a thermometer to shove in, either? I think you will have a great time and the whole house will smell wonderful. I always worry that I won't have enough and I always prepare too much. If you can make some of the side dishes (extra stuffing or yams, etc.) ahead of time and freeze them, it always makes it a lot less stress on Christmas day. You only have to cook the Turkey and get the other dishes out to defrost. Also you can cut the veges up the day before and keep them covered with water and plastic wrap until you are ready to use them. Good luck!

auntymandy · 04/11/2005 17:40

my dh loves leks..might try it myself