All recipes in today's issue can be made ahead and refrigerated. Directions to serve immediately as well as to freeze and serve later have been given with all recipes.

Roast Turkey

The turkey is basted with stock while roasting to give a good flavor, and keep it moist without fat.

Ingredients:

12 lb (5.4) turkey, thawed if frozen.
Parsley and thyme stuffing or chosen stuffing.
1 ?? pt(825ml) turkey or chicken stock.
3 tablesp oil salt and pepper to finish.
1 cracker, preferably foil.
?? bunch watercress.

To serve:

Stuffed Mushrooms (recipe follows)
Mini kebabs  (recipe follows)
roast potatoes

Directions:

1) Wash turkey inside and out, dry with kitchen paper.

2) Put stuffing in neck lay prepared bird on his back, draw back neck flap and spoon stuffing into cavity pressing in firmly. Replace flap and secure with wing tips, or sew with coarse thread to keep in place.

3) Place turkey on a trivet in a large roasting tin. Pour stock round.

4) Brush turkey with oil, season, Wrap foil round each leg, then cover turkey loosely with greased foil.

5) Roast (350 deg. F,180 deg C, Gas 4) about 3 hrs.

6) Remove foil, baste well with pan juice. Continue cooking another ?? hr, basting occasionally.

7) Test to see if bird is cooked : place a skewer deep in its thigh and if the juices run out clear, the bird is ready. if pinkish-red, the bird is under-cooked; cook a little longer, then test again.

To serve: Remove turkey from roasting tin to warmed platter. Cover with foil, rest 10 mins in a warm place before carving. Use pan juice to make Gravy. Arrange roast potatoes, Stuffed Mushrooms and Mini Kebabs, if used on platter.

Freezing note: Left-over roast turkey can be sliced and frozen. Interleaves slices with moisture-proof paper and pack them tightly together, in polybox or sealed polybag, to prevent drying out. Use within 1 month.

To use from freezer: thaw 4 hrs in fridge.

Serves 6, with enough over for cold cuts

Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes 12

Ingredients:

6 oz(150 g) soft spreading pate
3 oz(75 g) fine breadcrumbs
3 tablesp milk
1 ?? tablesp lemon juice
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablesp fresh chopped parsley

To finish:
12 open cup mushrooms, wiped and oiled.
Sprigs of water cress
Sliced stuffed olives

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mash pate till smooth.
2 Beat in remaining ingredients till well blended.

To Serve Now: Spoon mixture into a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle, pipe swirls of pate mixture on to each mushroom( see picture). Place in an oiled baking tin, bake (350 Deg F , 180 deg C, gas 4) 12-15 mins, while roasted turkey is resting. Top each with a slice of olive.

To Freeze: Pack stuffing into polybox, label, use within 1 month.

To serve from freezer: Thaw overnight in fridge. See 'To Serve Now'

Mini kebabs

Makes 12

Ingredients:

2 tablesp oil
12 cocktail sausages
4 oz (100 g) turkey liver

To finish:
6 rashers streaky bacon, de??“rinded
12 wooden cocktail sticks

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan, gently fry sausages about 5 mins, turning. Drain on kitchen paper.
2. Fry liver, 5 mins, turning. Drain. Cut into 12.

To finish: stretch each rasher with the back of a large knife. Cut in half, roll each piece up. Assemble one sausage, a piece of liver and bacon roll onto each cocktail stick.( see picture). Either stick mini kebabs in turkey 15 mins, or place in oiled baking tin. Bake (350 Deg F, 180 deg C, Gas 4)

Freeze: Cool. Put sausages and liver in separate poly boxes, label. Use within 1 month.

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