Recipes for scrumptious and reasonably healthy food

[Marco]

Guys,

Hopefully some of you may find this useful...

To make gorgeous gravy for any roast meat (turkey is used as an example):

Simmer the giblets from the turkey with an onion, carrot, celery, and any herbs you've got like rosemary, sage, thyme or parsley stalks and water to make a stock. Simmer for at least an hour. You want to use the juices that the turkey is roasting in plus the stock as a base for the gravy to dissolve the brown 'crusty bits' in the roasting tin.

Add some port or red wine into the gravy and reduce down until you get the consistency you like - you can add cornflower at this stage if necessary to thicken it, mixing it with the red wine or port.

If you want extra flavour add some Lea & Perrins sauce to taste - this will enrich the gravy and also add some more colour if necessary. Strain/spoon off any excess fat that may be floating on top of the gravy for a silky and refined finish.

The secret, though, is in the stock!

As far as the turkey itself is concerned, mix some chopped herbs and garlic together with softened butter and put on the breasts underneath the skin. Cover the breasts and legs of the turkey with plenty of streaky bacon to keep it moist and baste every 20 mins to half an hour. Remove bacon for last half hour to brown the turkey and this can be served along with the turkey as an accompaniment.

Remember to put the stuffing in the neck end only to keep the cavity free in order to circulate heat. Put an onion and some herbs in the cavity to add flavour but don't put the stuffing in there.

Enjoy

Marco.

[Mike]

And feel free to add a bit of honey. At just about any point!

[Marco]

Honey? You're on your own with that one, dude! Maybe with a nice ham, but not turkey...

Marco.

[Mike]

Pffft... Turkey is about a traditional as roast turd!

But yes.... Honey works with just about any roast meat. Except beef. I'm sure there's an act of Parliament against that. If there isn't, there damn well should be!

[Marco]

Pffft... Turkey is about a traditional as roast turd!

Indeed. Hence why we're having goose tomorrow

It's all down to personal taste (just like with hi-fi) so add honey to turkey if you wish.

Marco.

[Steve Toy]

Marco, I need that curry recipe again of Del's else these powders are going to be a disaster

[Marco]

"Powders"? LOL!! They're not for your face

Ok, if Del has time when she's come back from work tonight I'll ask her to dictate the recipe to me and I'll post it here. You can then keep it for reference

Marco.

[Filterlab]

"Powders"? LOL!! They're not for your face

Depends what look you're going for I suppose.

I'd like to submit a recipe but my finest cooking hour has been roast potatoes, hardly a work of art. Tasty though.

[Marco]

What's your method for cooking roast potatoes then, Rob? Go for it - there's always something new to learn even if it may not appear so

Marco.

[Filterlab]

To be honest it's not really a recipe (as per the thread title) as there's only one ingredient - potatoes. However I do roast them in the skins so that's a little different from the norm. However, Gordon Ramsey I'm not.

1. Wash potatoes but don't peel or pierce the skins.

2. Put in cold water and bring to boil until skins start to lift (about ten minutes).

3. Pop some foil in a non-metallic baking dish.

4. Liberally coat the foil with extra virgin olive oil.

5. Cut boiled potatoes in half and set them flat side down in the dish.

6. Liberally brush extra virgin olive oil on to the potatoes.

7. Pop in hot oven until brown and crispy. I use gas mark 7-8 (which I believe is about 220-230 degC) for about 45 minutes.

8. Eat them however you like, personally I like them with coleslaw.

I should add that occasionally the skins come right off the potatoes, but that's no bad thing as roasted skins are very yummy.