This is the main course that I cooked for the Christmas TV show. Over the years I have tried lots of different recipes and I think this is the best. The buttermilk really results in the most succulent moist turkey. If you are nervous about doing it for the first time on Christmas Day, you could practice with a full chicken in advance. You could use the same buttermilk and refreeze it for Christmas Day.

With a turkey, I just do it with the breast because it is quick to cook and easy to carve. For the brine if you don’t have tarragon you can use thyme or rosemary. Leave it in the fridge for 24 hours. Take it out. Dry the turkey off with kitchen paper.

You can do the leg of gammon on or off the bone. The gammon fillet is easy to cook and quick to carve. For me, the leg of gammon is as important as the turkey. The glaze is lovely and you can make it ahead. The lemon is important because it cuts through the sweetness. I cook in the oven where it takes longer, so it is braising it rather than boiling.

There is another Christmas show from Waterford – one of the 2019 RTÉ Foodie Destinations – next Tuesday. I will be cooking a lovely satay recipe for turkey legs. And I will be cooking with Paul Flynn from the Tannery and Jenny Flynn, head chef at Faithlegg

Happy cooking,

Neven.

Recipes

Buttermilk-brined roast crown of turkey with lemon and tarragon

Serves 10-12

1.8-2kg (4-4½lb) turkey crown (off the bone, but not boned and rolled)

75g (3oz) butter (at room temperature), plus a little extra for greasing

1 garlic clove, crushed

finely grated rind of 1 lemon

1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

little olive oil, for greasing

4 rindless smoked bacon rashers

For the buttermilk brine:

2 litres (3½ pints) buttermilk

3 tbsp Maldon sea salt

2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 lemons, thinly sliced

1 garlic bulb, separated into cloves and sliced

15g (½ oz) fresh tarragon sprigs, roughly bruised

  • 1 Mix all the ingredients together in a turkey bag for the buttermilk brine and add the turkey crown. Tie up the bag securely and place in the salad drawer at the bottom of the fridge for up to two days is best, but at least 24 hours.
  • 2 When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 190°C, (375°F, gas mark five). Cream the butter until soft, then beat in the garlic, lemon and herbs. Remove the crown from the brine and drain off any excess liquid, then pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. Lay the crown out flat on the work surface and gently loosen the neck flap away from the breast, pack the flavoured butter right under the skin, this is best using gloves on your hands, rub into flesh of turkey well, then recover with skin and secure with a small skewer or sew with fine twine, tucking the shape into a round (similar to a rugby ball shape). Rub the top with butter, then drizzle over a little olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover the top completely with the rashers.
  • 3 Place the prepared turkey crown in the oven and calculate your time, 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes. This will cook much quicker, so make sure to keep basting. You can cover with foil after about 30-45 minutes if it’s browning too quickly. When cooked, cover with foil to rest and keep warm. Drain away the cooking juices to make the gravy.
  • 4 To serve, carve the turkey crown into slices and arrange on warmed plates with a selection of your favourite accompaniments.
  • Ham with sticky apricot & ginger glaze

    This ham is a firm favourite in our house over the festive season, whether served hot or cold. It can be cooked and left in the fridge for up to a week, making it extremely handy.

    Serves 10-12

    5.25kg (11 1/2lb) leg of gammon (on the bone)

    4 celery sticks, roughly chopped

    2 onions, sliced

    5cm (2in) piece fresh ginger, cut into slices

    1 small bunch fresh thyme

    1 tbsp black peppercorns

    4 whole cloves

    2 star anise

    1.5 litres (2 ¾ pints) dry cider

    1 tsp ground ginger

    For the glaze:

    175g (6oz) good quality apricot jam or conserve

    100g (4oz) light brown sugar

    juice of 1 lemon

    4 star anise

    4 pieces of preserved stem ginger, cut into small matchstick-sized strips

  • 1 Soak the gammon in cold water at least six hours (or overnight is best) then drain.
  • 2 Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F, gas mark ½). Use a large deep roasting tin with a rack that’s big enough to hold the ham. Put the celery, onions, fresh ginger, thyme, peppercorns, cloves and star anise in the tin and pour over the cider, then put the rack on top. Sit the ham on the rack and cover with a large tent of foil, sealing it well. Put on the hob over a high heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, then transfer to the oven. Cook for 12 hours or overnight. (You can now leave it for one to two days before finishing the recipe. Alternatively leave to rest and cool down for at least 30 minutes.)
  • 3 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark four). Now make the glaze. Put the apricot jam or conserve in a small pan with the sugar, lemon juice and star anise. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then add the stem ginger and star anise and simmer for three to four minutes or until reduced to a thick glaze, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch at the bottom.
  • 4 Carefully peel away the skin, leaving the layer of white fat intact. Using a sharp knife, score the fat diagonally into a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Put into a clean roasting tin and rub with the ground ginger, then brush the glaze on top. Roast for about 45 minutes until golden and sticky. Transfer to a platter and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes. Carve slices from the ham and use as required, warm or cold.