Christmas with Good Housekeeping

Your Get-ahead Time Plan

Follow this time plan and you’re guaranteed to bring the most important meal of the year to the table on time, without the stress …

Your time plan will depend on what time you like to serve lunch. If you’re having turkey, weigh it (after stuffing it – if you are doing so) and calculate the cooking time, allowing 30–35 minutes per 1kg (2lb 3½oz), and work out when to get your turkey in the oven – remember to leave plenty of time to allow the turkey to rest.

This guide is based on a 5kg (11lb) turkey, a double oven and serving the main course at 3pm.

From a few days up to 5 weeks ahead. Prepare according to the get-ahead and storage/freezing instructions in the recipes for your Christmas pudding, cranberry sauce, bread sauce and any other elements that can be frozen.

The night before. Take the cranberry sauce and bread sauce out of the freezer and put them in the fridge to thaw. Prepare and stuff your turkey. Prepare any elements of your starter that can be done in advance.

Christmas Day

9.30am Take prepared turkey out of the fridge (keep covered) to come up to room temperature.

About 11.30am Start roasting turkey (according to timings) – remember to baste periodically during cooking. Prepare vegetables. Get Christmas pudding ready to reheat (but don’t heat yet).

About 1.15pm Parboil potatoes, then steam dry. Heat oil or goose fat for potatoes in oven. Take cranberry sauce and bread sauce out of the fridge to bring up to room temperature.

1.45pm Start roasting potatoes – turning occasionally during cooking. Start reheating pudding on hob. If you are serving roast vegetables, check timing and get ready to roast.

About 2.15pm Check turkey is cooked. Take out of oven and transfer to a large board. Cover with foil and leave to rest in a warm place. Put stuffing (if serving separately) in to cook. Start cooking vegetables, according to your chosen recipes. Make gravy to reheat later.

2.30pm Serve your chosen starter.

About 2.50pm Check potatoes, veg and stuffing – if cooked, transfer to serving dishes and keep warm until needed. Finish bread sauce (adding more milk as needed). Reheat gravy.

3pm Take turkey and all the trimmings to the table and serve.

About 4pm Serve Christmas pudding with brandy butter, cream or sauce of your choice.

The Measurements

OVEN TEMPERATURES

WEIGHTS

VOLUMES

LENGTHS

ALWAYS REMEMBER

• Use one set of measurements – never mix metric and imperial.

• Ovens and grills must be preheated to the specified temperature before cooking.

• All spoon measures are for calibrated measuring spoons, and should be level, unless otherwise stated.

• Eggs are medium and free-range and butter is salted, unless otherwise stated.

• Always buy the best-quality meat you can afford.

Maple Spiced Nuts

A super-easy nibble to serve alongside drinks.

Serves 12

Hands-on time: 5 minutes, plus cooling

Cooking time: about 15 minutes

1 tbsp sunflower oil

2 tsp English mustard powder

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp mild chilli powder

1 tsp salt

250g (9oz) mixed unsalted nuts

100g (3½oz) macadamia nuts

2 tbsp maple syrup

Per serving 213 cals, 5g protein, 19g fat (3g saturates), 5g carbs (3g total sugars), 3g fibre

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Pour the oil into a large roasting tin and heat in the oven for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the mustard powder, garam masala, chilli powder, some freshly ground black pepper and the salt.

3. Add all the nuts to the hot oil in the roasting tin. Sprinkle over the spice mix and drizzle with the maple syrup. Mix to coat. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes until golden, tossing after 5 minutes.

4. Empty the nuts on to a baking tray and leave to cool completely before serving.

Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

Cheese and Poppy Seed Straws

An easy cheat’s version that’s just as tasty!

Makes 24 cheese straws

Hands-on time: 25 minutes, plus cooling and chilling

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

Oil, to grease

Plain flour, to dust

500g pack all-butter puff pastry

125g (4oz) mature Cheddar cheese, grated

1 egg, beaten

Poppy or sesame seeds, to sprinkle

Per canapé 105 cals, 3g protein, 7g fat (5g saturates), 8g carbs (0g total sugars), 0g fibre

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Lightly grease two large baking sheets.

2. Lightly flour a work surface and roll out the pastry to a rough 30.5 x 40.5cm (12 x 16in) rectangle. Sprinkle two-thirds of the Cheddar over one side of the pastry. Fold the pastry in half and roll briefly to stick the layers together. Re-roll the pastry into a 30.5 x 40.5cm (12 x 16in) rectangle. Trim the edges to neaten, then slice into quarters to make four smaller rectangles.

3. Cut each rectangle horizontally into six strips. Take one strip, brush it with beaten egg, sprinkle over some seeds, then twist and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the other strips, spacing them well apart. Chill for 20 minutes.

4. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the strips, plus extra seeds, if needed.

5. Cook in the oven for 15–20 minutes until puffed up and golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature.

Make up to 1 day ahead. Once cool, pack into an airtight container and store at room temperature. To serve, reheat in a single layer on two greased baking sheets in the oven, preheated to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6, for 10 minutes.

Scotch Quails’ Eggs

These beauties are real show-stoppers. Make sure you have enough to satisfy demand!

Makes 12 Scotch eggs

Hands-on time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

300g (11oz) Cumberland pork sausages, about 5

Plain flour, to dust

1 large egg, lightly beaten

75g (3oz) dried breadcrumbs

12 hard-boiled quails’ eggs (see GH tip, here)

2–3 tbsp vegetable oil

Sea salt flakes and mustard, to serve

Per half egg 69 cals, 3g protein, 5g fat (1g saturates), 4g carbs (1g total sugars), 0g fibre

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Squeeze the meat out of the sausage skins into a bowl and discard the skins. Put some flour, the egg and breadcrumbs into three separate small bowls.

2. Divide the sausage meat into 12 equal portions. With lightly floured hands, form a portion into a patty about 6.5cm (2½in) across in the palm of one hand. Put a boiled quails’ egg in the middle, then shape the meat around it. Set aside on a board and repeat with the remaining eggs and sausage meat.

3. Dip the covered eggs in flour, tap off the excess, then dip in the beaten egg and coat in breadcrumbs.

4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat. Add the coated eggs and fry, turning regularly, until golden on each side (in batches if necessary). Transfer to a baking tray.

5. Cook the eggs in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature (sliced in half, if you like) with sea salt flakes and mustard.

Hard-boil the quails’ eggs up to 2 days ahead. Cool and peel, then cover and chill. Complete the recipe up to a day ahead (if needed). Cool and chill. Allow to come up to room temperature, or warm in the oven, preheated to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4, for 5–10 minutes before serving.

For ease, buy pre-cooked and peeled quails’ eggs, or hard-boil your own in simmering water for 3–4 minutes. Cool and peel.

Mini Eggs Benedict

These impressive bites will be the talk of the party!

Makes 12 canapés

Hands-on time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: about 5 minutes

Oil, to grease

12 quails’ eggs

3 standard thin-cut white bread slices

1 tbsp mayonnaise or ready-made hollandaise

2–3 ham slices, cooked

Per canapé 41 cals, 2g protein, 2g fat (0g saturates), 3g carbs (0g total sugars), 0g fibre

1. Bring a medium pan quarter-filled with water to a simmer. Grease a lipped baking tray with oil, then put the tray on top of the pan to heat up. Carefully crack all the quails’ eggs into a bowl, then gently pour the eggs into the hot tray, moving the yolks so they are not touching one another. The steam will cook the eggs in 3–5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toast the bread slices. Use a 3.5cm (1½in) round cutter to stamp out 12 circles of toast. Top each circle with a dab of mayonnaise or hollandaise. Next, stamp out ham circles with the same cutter and put one circle on each toast stack.

3. When the egg whites are cooked (and the yolks are still soft), lift the tray off the pan. Use the cutter to stamp around each yolk and use a palette knife to transfer the egg circles to the stacks. Crack over some black pepper and serve.

These are best made fresh, but will sit happily for 30 minutes once assembled.

Smoked Trout and Beetroot Hummus Tortilla Cups

The smokey flavour of the trout works wonderfully with the earthiness of the beetroot hummus.

Makes 24 canapés

Hands-on time: 25 minutes, plus cooling

Cooking time: about 10 minutes

3 large flour tortilla wraps

½ tbsp olive oil

FOR THE FILLING

100g (3½oz) cooked beetroots (not in vinegar)

125g (4oz) cooked chickpeas (from a tin)

Finely grated zest and juice ½ lemon

1 small garlic clove

1 tbsp creamed horseradish

25ml (1fl oz) extra-virgin olive oil

100g (3½oz) smoked trout, skin removed, fish flaked

TO GARNISH (optional)

1 tbsp finely chopped dill

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Per canapé 38 cals, 2g protein, 2g fat (0g saturates), 4g carbs (1g total sugars), 1g fibre

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan) mark 6. Stack the tortilla wraps and use a round cutter roughly 5.5cm (2¼in) across to stamp out eight circles (so you have 24 in total). Brush the circles with oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and press each firmly into a 24-hole mini muffin tin. Cook in the oven for 5–8 minutes until crisp and golden. Allow to cool in the tin.

2. Meanwhile, make the beetroot hummus. Whizz the beetroots in a food processor until finely chopped. Add the chickpeas, lemon zest and juice, garlic and horseradish, and whizz until smooth. With the motor running, gradually add the olive oil until smooth and blended. Season to taste.

3. To serve, fill the cooled tortilla cups with beetroot hummus, top with the flaked smoked trout and a grinding of black pepper. Garnish with dill and pumpkin seeds, if using.

Store unfilled cooled tortilla cups in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Make the beetroot hummus up to 3 days ahead; cover and chill. Assemble up to 1 hour ahead, and keep loosely covered in the fridge until you’re ready to serve them.

Dolcelatte Croissants

Warning – these cheesy morsels are addictive.

Makes about 18 canapés

Hands-on time: 20 minutes, plus chilling and cooling

Cooking time: about 20 minutes

60g (2½oz) vegetarian Dolcelatte, at room temperature

Half a 320g sheet all-butter puff pastry (the sheet should be halved lengthways)

Per canapé 47 cals, 1g protein, 4g fat (2g saturates), 3g carbs (0g total sugars), 0g fibre

1. Line two baking sheets with baking parchment and set aside. Beat the Dolcelatte in a bowl until smooth and easily spreadable.

2. With a long edge of the pastry in front of you, spread the Dolcelatte over the pastry (a spatula is best for this). Cut lengthways in half to make two strips.

3. Cut the strips into triangles (alternating tips pointing up and down) – each triangle with a base about 4cm (1½in) long. You should get nine triangles from each strip. Roll the first triangle up from base to tip and bend ends in slightly to make a crescent shape. Place tip down on the prepared sheet (so it doesn’t unravel). Repeat with remaining triangles, spacing apart on the sheets. Chill for 20 minutes.

4. Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Cook for 15–18 minutes until puffed and golden. Transfer to a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Prepare to the end of step 3 up to a day ahead. Cover and chill; complete recipe.

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