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THREE GREAT SAUSAGEMEAT STUFFINGS FOR TURKEY OR CHICKEN

OK, so I’ve tested all kinds of stuffings while working on this book and I can’t help but feel that while other stuffings are nice, they don’t come close to a really good sausagemeat stuffing. Without sausagemeat they seem to be a little empty. The whole thing is umami-ed up to the eyeballs and I just love that kind of flavour. All these stuffings will fill a turkey cavity perfectly, or a capon, rooster or goose with a little overspill that you can shape into balls and wrap with thinly sliced smoked streaky bacon, to serve alongside. So they will all (at a squeeze) serve up to 10 people.

PROPER SAGE & ONION STUFFING

PREPARATION TIME: 20 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS COOKING TIME OF BIRD

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
a few thyme sprigs
1–2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and chopped
450g (1lb) sausagemeat
the bird’s offal (liver and kidneys), roughly chopped (optional)
100g (3 ½ oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
a small bunch of sage leaves, thinly sliced
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
a large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
sea salt flakes and freshly ground
black pepper

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the onions and fry very slowly over a low-ish heat for 20–25 minutes, or until they have softened and are tinged golden. For the last minute of cooking, add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Remove from the heat and put into a mixing bowl with the sausagemeat, offal, breadcrumbs, sage, lemon zest, nutmeg and
a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roll up your sleeves and get squelching it together, really giving it a good mix to make sure it’s combined. Put in a bowl and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it.

PROPER CHESTNUT STUFFING

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS COOKING TIME OF BIRD

1 tablespoon olive oil
200g (7oz) good-quality smoked
streaky bacon, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
a few thyme sprigs, leaves picked
450g (1lb) sausagemeat
the bird’s offal (liver and kidneys), roughly chopped (optional)
100g (3óoz) fresh white breadcrumbs
a small bunch of parsley, chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
a large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
200g (7oz) peeled vacuum-packed chestnuts, chopped
sea salt flakes and freshly ground
black pepper

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the bacon and fry for 5 minutes, until turning slightly golden. Add the onions and fry over a lowish heat for 8 minutes, or until they have begun to soften. For the last minute of cooking, add the garlic and thyme. Remove from the heat and put into a mixing bowl with the sausagemeat, offal, breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon zest, nutmeg, chestnuts and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roll up your sleeves and get squelching it together, really giving it a good mix to make sure it’s combined. Put in a bowl and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it

JEWELLED FRUIT & NUT STUFFING

PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES COOKING TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS COOKING TIME OF BIRD

1 tablespoon olive oil
200g (7oz) good-quality smoked
streaky bacon, finely chopped
2 onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
a few thyme sprigs, leaves picked
1–2 rosemary sprigs, and finely chopped
450g (1lb) sausagemeat
the bird’s offal (liver and kidneys), roughly chopped (optional)
100g (3½oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
a small bunch of parsley, chopped
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
finely grated zest of 1 orange
a large pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
200g (7oz) peeled vacuum-packed chestnuts, chopped
70g (2 ½ oz) dried ready-to-eat apricots, chopped
70g (2½oz) dried cranberries
70g (2½oz) pistachio nuts
sea salt flakes and freshly ground
black pepper

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the bacon and fry for 5 minutes, until turning slightly golden. Add the onions and fry over a lowish heat for 8 minutes, or until they have begun to soften. For the last minute of cooking, add the garlic and thyme. Remove from the heat and put into a mixing bowl with the sausagemeat, offal, breadcrumbs, parsley, lemon and orange zest, nutmeg, chestnuts, fruit and pistachios and a good sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roll up your sleeves and get squelching it together, really giving it a good mix to make sure it’s combined. Put in a bowl and keep it in the fridge until you are ready to use it