Suffolk &amp; Cambs

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/christmas-dinner.jpg" alt="Christmas dinner tips" class="wp-image-19650" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/christmas-dinner.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/christmas-dinner-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/christmas-dinner-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/christmas-dinner-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/christmas-dinner-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



If you&#8217;ve somehow volunteered yourself to be chief chef this coming 25th December, then panic not. We&#8217;ve picked the brains of some of Suffolk and Cambs&#8217; best chefs and confectioners so you can serve up a restaurant quality lunch with minimum fuss. So here you go, tidings of great joy for anyone who&nbsp;hankers after perfect roasties&nbsp;and can’t be bothered to wrestle for&nbsp;days with a turkey. Merry Christmas!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-tips-for-succulent-turkey">Top tips for succulent turkey </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="543" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/Turkey-920x500-1.jpg" alt="Christmas dinner turkey" class="wp-image-19656" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/Turkey-920x500-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/Turkey-920x500-1-300x163.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/Turkey-920x500-1-720x391.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/Turkey-920x500-1-150x81.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/Turkey-920x500-1-900x489.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



&#8220;Brine your turkey the day before. As turkey is a lean meat, it can become very dry. I would recommend that you brine your bird for around 12 hours before roasting. To do this you will need a large pot filled with a 10% salt water mix, 100g sugar, a bulb of garlic crushed, a peeled and chopped onion, orange peel, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and pink and black pepper corns.&#8221; Adrian Booth, Head Chef, <a href="https://www.ickworthhotel.co.uk">The Ickworth Hotel</a>, Suffolk



&#8220;Think of Turkey as a large chicken. There is simply no way it will need more than 3-4 hours cooking if it fits into a normal oven, so no need to get up at dawn to put the turkey in the oven.&#8221; Tine&nbsp;Roche, Managing Director at <a href="https://cambridgecookery.com">Cambridge Cookery</a> 



&#8220;Take the bird out of fridge 2 hours before you want to cook it. Bringing it to room temperature helps keep your bird evenly moist. Whatever meat you choose to roast it is really important to give it a good resting time. A 10/14lb turkey or whole leg of lamb will benefit from a good 1/2 hour in a warm place loosely covered with foil, adding any juices to the gravy.&#8221;&#8221; Nathan Jones, Catering Expert and Owner at <a href="https://thehoghotel.co.uk">The Hog Hotel</a>, Pakefield



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-tips-for-perfect-prep">Top tips for perfect prep </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="720" height="480" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/vegetables--720x480.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-19659" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/vegetables--720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/vegetables--300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/vegetables--150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/vegetables--787x525.jpg 787w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/vegetables-.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /></figure>



&#8220;Give boiled vegetables a miss this year. Instead roast all your vegetables in one tray, including the sprouts. Just remember the order of cooking times. When all the veg are nicely roasted add some orange zest, chopped chervil and then season.&#8221; Adrian Booth, Head Chef, <a href="https://www.ickworthhotel.co.uk">The Ickworth Hotel</a>, Suffolk



&#8220;Nearly everything can be done the day before. Par boil the roast potatoes and let them dry overnight in the fridge before fluffing up and roasting Christmas morning.&nbsp;You can make the Yorkshire pudding mix the day before too. My fail-safe recipe is equal amounts of eggs, flour and milk &#8211; whisk the eggs and flour for five minutes before adding the milk and mix for one minute. Remember to season before cooking.&nbsp;Or for a completely stress-free meal, buy a delicious pre-made Christmas lunch from The Three Blackbirds, pick it up Christmas morning and just reheat!&#8221; Phil Skinner, Head Chef <a href="https://www.threeblackbirds.co.uk">The Three Blackbirds</a>, Woodditton&nbsp;&nbsp;



&#8220;Blanch all hard vegetables such as carrots and sprouts for a couple of minutes up to 2-3 days before the big day, chill down and keep in the fridge. All you need to do before serving them is to place them in a saucepan with a little water and butter, season well and whack up the heat for a couple of minutes. Then you have perfect vibrant and crunchy vegetables. Tine&nbsp;Roche, <a href="https://cambridgecookery.com">Cambridge Cookery</a> 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="647" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/Screenshot-2021-12-07-at-14.00.41.png" alt="" class="wp-image-24517" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/Screenshot-2021-12-07-at-14.00.41.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/Screenshot-2021-12-07-at-14.00.41-300x194.png 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/Screenshot-2021-12-07-at-14.00.41-720x466.png 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/Screenshot-2021-12-07-at-14.00.41-150x97.png 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/Screenshot-2021-12-07-at-14.00.41-811x525.png 811w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



&#8220;Something we live by in kitchens: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance. Do the prep the day before. All the vegetables &#8211; potatoes, carrots, parsnips, brussels sprouts, cabbage etc can be prepared in advance so all you have to do on the day is blanch or roast. Potatoes and carrots can be stored overnight in water, leave them in the pan somewhere cool. Sauces and gravy bases can be done fully the day before ready to re-heat (although the gravy will want the lasting juices on the day!). All in all, make the day easy on yourself and enjoy the day with family as much as you can.&#8221; Jake Lawrence, Head Chef at <a rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label="Crown &amp; Castle (opens in a new tab)" href="https://crownandcastle.co.uk" target="_blank">Crown &amp; Castle</a>, Orford



&#8220;On Christmas Eve, pre-peel and par-boil your vegetables and pop on trays ready for the oven. This will not only save you time on the big day, but allowing your potatoes to cool and dry after blanching is always a winner for the crispiest, fluffiest roasties. Another&nbsp;great time saving tip is to make your gravy a week or so in advance and freeze it. And if all else fails, buy a Christmas Box from The Northgate for a hassle-free family feast!&#8221; Greig Young, Head Chef, <a href="https://www.chestnutgroup.co.uk">Chestnut Group</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-tips-for-perfectly-golden-roasties">Top tips for perfectly golden roasties </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/roast-potatoes-.jpg" alt="Christmas dinner roast potatoes " class="wp-image-19661" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/roast-potatoes-.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/roast-potatoes--300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/roast-potatoes--720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/roast-potatoes--150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/roast-potatoes--787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



&#8220;You cant beat a good roast potato! Always prep in advance and bring your potatoes to the boil until they just go a bit fluffy, drain in a colander and toss a bit like you&#8217;re panning for gold. Rough up the edges, let them cool for a bit and then put into a tray of duck fat, rosemary, garlic and thyme &#8230;.moving from time to time.&#8221; Justin Newton, Head Chef at <a aria-label="The Weeping Willow (opens in a new tab)" href="https://www.theweepingwillow.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Weeping Willow</a>



&#8220;When blanching your potatoes for roasties boil them until almost cooked through, drain and allow to steam dry. They will be fragile but you will get a lovely crust. I also add the hot fat to the potatoes once they are dry and give them a gentle shake in the saucepan, then transfer them to a roasting tin &#8211; it&#8217;s much safer than tipping them into hot fat.&#8221; Nathan Jones, Catering Expert and Owner at <a href="https://thehoghotel.co.uk">The Hog Hotel</a>, Pakefield



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-tip-for-brilliant-brussels">Top tip for brilliant brussels </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/sebastian-coman-photography-RCyXyaim87Y-unsplash.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-24514" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/sebastian-coman-photography-RCyXyaim87Y-unsplash.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/sebastian-coman-photography-RCyXyaim87Y-unsplash-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/sebastian-coman-photography-RCyXyaim87Y-unsplash-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/sebastian-coman-photography-RCyXyaim87Y-unsplash-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2021/12/sebastian-coman-photography-RCyXyaim87Y-unsplash-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



&#8220;Cut the brussels in half and lay on a baking tray. Drizzle maple syrup, a little orange peel and seasoning, then roast until crispy on top. Don’t put them anywhere near water!&#8221; Greig Young, Head Chef at The Chestnut Group



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-top-tip-for-silky-brandy-butter">Top tip for silky brandy butter </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://suffolkcambs.muddystilettos.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/xmas-pud.jpg" alt="christmas pudding" class="wp-image-19671" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/xmas-pud.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/xmas-pud-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/xmas-pud-720x480.jpg 720w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/xmas-pud-150x100.jpg 150w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/suffolkcambs/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2020/12/xmas-pud-787x525.jpg 787w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



To ensure your brandy butter for your mince pies or Christmas pudding doesn&#8217;t curdle it&#8217;s important to add brandy very slowly – one tsp at a time until well corporated. If it starts to split then stir in additional icing sugar until it starts to come together. Add brandy until you can&#8217;t taste the butter anymore. Freeze any leftover brandy butter in an ice cube tray and defrost as needed so that it doesn’t go to waste! Yasmin Wyatt, General Manager at <a href="https://twomagpiesbakery.co.uk">Two Magpies Bakery</a> 



Now pour, toast, eat and enjoy your perfect Christmas dinner.

How to ace your Christmas dinner

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