Roast turkey & cranberry Wellington

Name: Roast turkey & cranberry Wellington
Prep time: 3 h 40 min
Cook time: 3 h 40 min
Total time: 3 h 40 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 kgs 1x 4lb 8oz-5lb 8oz turkey breast, skinless; 2 Tbsps cooking oil, plus extra for greasing; 16 thin rashers rindless streaky bacon; 450 grams puff pastry, home-made or bought; 1 egg, beaten; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1 knob butter; 350 grams turkey trimmings (from breast); 225 grams pork sausage, skinned; 2 eggs; 150 grams dried cranberry, chopped; 150 grams unsweetened chestnut purée; 100 grams fresh white breadcrumb; 25 grams butter, plus extra for the shallots; 50 grams shallot or onions, sliced; 1 Tbsp honey; 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar; 400 milliliters red wine (about ½ bottle); 300 milliliters water or chicken stock made with 1/8 stock cube; 1 teaspoon plain flour

You can never have too many main course recipes, so give Roast turkey & cranberry Wellington a try. This recipe covers 38% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe makes 8 servings with 1146 calories, 80g of protein, and 63g of fat each. It will be a hit at your Thanksgiving event. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes around 3 hours and 40 minutes. A mixture of onions, turkey trimmings, wine vinegar, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so flavorful.

Instructions

Trim the turkey breast. Its natural shape does not suit the rolled and wrapped Wellington. The thicker neck end can first be trimmed to establish a more cylindrical shape. Trimmings from 2kg/4lb 8oz breasts and upwards, will be enough for the 350g/12oz needed for stuffing. Once trimmed, tie the breast with a 2cm/1in gap between each loop of string, to give a rounded shape.

Ingredients you will need

Turkey Breast

Stuffing

Heat 2-3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a large frying pan or roasting tray. Season the turkey before pan frying until golden brown all over.

Ingredients you will need

Cooking Oil

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Remove from the pan and cool. The breast can now be refrigerated to firm up before removing the string.

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Make the stuffing: cook the onions in a knob of butter for a few minutes until softened.

Ingredients you will need

Stuffing

Butter

Onion

Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Roughly chop the turkey trimmings before blitzing in a food processor until smooth.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Equipment you will use

Food Processor

Add sausages and continue to blitz for 30-40 seconds until mixed in. Season and add the eggs. These can be blitzed into the meat for a further minute until the texture thickens.

Ingredients you will need

Sausage

Egg

Meat

Spoon the stuffing into a large bowl.

Ingredients you will need

Stuffing

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Mix in the onions and remaining stuffing ingredients along with extra seasoning, if desired. The stuffing can now be chilled while the bacon and pastry are prepared.

Ingredients you will need

Seasoning

Stuffing

Onion

Bacon

The streaky bacon needs to be rolled thinner. This extends the length of the rashers helping them to wrap around the turkey and stuffing. The easiest method to follow is to lay 3-5 rashers between two sheets of cling film and press with a rolling pin as if rolling pastry. The rashers will easily thin and extend this way. Peel away the top layer of film and remove the rashers and put on a tray. Repeat until all rashers are pressed. Chill until needed.

Ingredients you will need

Stuffing

Whole Turkey

Bacon

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Rolling Pin

Roll the puff pastry on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle approximately 45 x 35cm/18 x 14in. The rashers of bacon can be laid on top of the pastry, leaving a 3-4cm/1in border all round. Slightly overlap the rashers as they are laid on the pastry (you'll need about 14-15 rashers).

Ingredients you will need

Puff Pastry Sheets

Bacon

Roll

Spread the cranberry stuffing over the bacon, first mixing it well if it is chilled and set. Keep back a few heaped tablespoons.

Ingredients you will need

Cranberries

Stuffing

Spread

Bacon

Remove the string from the turkey and lay the breast lengthwise and presentation side down on top of the stuffing. The reserved stuffing can now be spread along the centre top of the turkey. Lift 4-5 rashers at a time and press them against the breast. Continue until all the rashers on both sides have been lifted and pressed. The remaining rashers can now be laid lengthwise along the top, covering the stuffing that was spread there.

Ingredients you will need

Stuffing

Spread

Whole Turkey

Bring one long side of the pastry up and over the turkey.

Ingredients you will need

Whole Turkey

Brush the other long side with beaten egg, along the 3-4cm/1in border, then seal.

Ingredients you will need

Egg

Brush both ends with beaten egg and fold up to seal in all the ingredients. Turn the Wellington so that the presentation side is up and put on a lightly oiled baking tray, or one covered with greased parchment. Chill.

Ingredients you will need

Egg

Equipment you will use

Baking Pan

To cook the Wellington: preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/170C in a fan assisted convection oven and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes maximum. After 45 minutes, brush the Wellington with egg to help colour the pastry. For the most golden of finishes, brush again before the last 15-20 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the oven and rest for 15-20 minutes before lifting carefully on to a carving board with two large fish slices.

Ingredients you will need

Fish

Egg

Equipment you will use

Oven

While the Wellington is baking the sauce can be made: melt a knob of butter in a pan, once bubbling add the shallots or onions and cook on a medium high heat until a rich deep golden colour.

Ingredients you will need

Shallot

Butter

Onion

Sauce

Equipment you will use

Frying Pan

Add the honey and continue to cook for a few minutes until bubbling and almost caramelising. At this point add the red wine vinegar and red wine. Bring to the boil and reduce by half.

Ingredients you will need

Red Wine Vinegar

Red Wine

Honey

Add the water or stock and return to simmer.

Ingredients you will need

Stock

Water

Mix the flour with 25g/1oz butter.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

All Purpose Flour

Whisk into the sauce a little at a time until completely whisked in. Return the sauce to the boil before reducing to a simmer and cooking for a few minutes. Strain through a sieve and season. Slice the Wellington and serve with Noisette potatoes and buttered Brussels sprouts.

Ingredients you will need

Brussels Sprouts