For many, Christmas Day is the meal to really splash out on, sourcing the best quality turkey from a farm or butcher and working hard in the kitchen to cook it to perfection along with all the trimmings.

So how do you know which turkey offers the best quality?

Only the highest quality turkeys are awarded the Golden Turkey® Quality Assurance mark. This ensures free-range, traditional breeds of turkey which are grown to maturity to the highest welfare standards. Golden Turkeys® are always dry plucked and game hung according to tradition. This is how turkeys have been prepared for centuries and for good reason.This hugely improves the flavour and texture of the meat and provides that all important golden, crispy skin after cooking.

 There are 40 turkey farms across the UK which meet the stringent Golden Turkey® assurance standards and supply their high quality turkeys directly to the public from the farm or from quality farmshops and butchers. Visit www.goldenturkeys.co.uk to find your nearest accredited farm or stockist.

 …and what's the best way of cooking it?

Golden Turkey accredited farmer and chairwoman of the Traditional Farmfresh Turkey Association Kate Martin advises how to get the most from your turkey at home.

“A high quality turkey does not need complicated cooking and preparation processes. You don't need to brine, baste or cover your turkey in butter or bacon in order to achieve a good flavour and tender meat. Because a Golden Turkey® is mature, dry plucked and game hung, it only needs very simple cooking to bring out its incredible flavour.

-          My top tip is to cook your turkey breast side down to start with as the white meat cooks quicker than the dark leg meat and wings. This keeps the juices in the breast and prevents it from becoming dry.

-          If your turkey is trussed, it is best to remove the string before cooking to allow the air to circulate and more even cooking. For this reason, we don't recommend stuffing the main cavity as it can stop the turkey cooking evenly and properly. You can place an apple or peeled onion in the cavity instead for added flavour

-          Take the turkey out of the fridge 2 hours before cooking. This means more even cooking all the way through and a juicier bird

-          There is no need to cover your turkey in foil. In a high quality bird, the layer of fat under the skin will keep the meat moist. By leaving the bird uncovered you allow the turkey to develop that beautifully golden, crispy skin

-          After cooking, allow the turkey to rest for 30-60 minutes but do not cover! The bird continues to cook even when it is out of the oven and covering the bird can result in the meat becoming dry and overdone. It can also result in soggy skin. A Golden Turkey® should have Golden skin!”

What shall I do with the leftovers?

To help you make the most of your Christmas day turkey, TV Chef Rachel Green has teamed up with the farmers at Golden Turkeys® to provide you with some brand new delicious ways to enjoy leftover turkey. Cooked turkey is the ideal leftover ingredient. It is versatile and is equally delicious cold or reheated.

New recipes from TV Chef Rachel Green to make the most of leftover turkey

All recipes to be credited to Rachel Green for Golden Turkeys® www.goldenturkeys.co.uk.

 

The Perfect Hot Roast Turkey Sandwich with a Brussels Sprout Aioli Coleslaw

Makes 4 sandwiches

For the coleslaw:

200g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and finely sliced

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely crushed

3 spring onions, finely sliced

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

4 tbsp mayonnaise

2 tbsp sour cream

2 tsp Dijon mustard

Zest and juice of ½ lemon

Sea salt flakes &freshly ground black pepper

 

For the sandwiches:

1 small onion, diced

30g butter

1 tbsp cranberry sauce

4 stuffing balls

200g cooked turkey meat, shredded

Leftover gravy

4 brioche buns, halved

8 rashers cooked bacon

4 slices mature cheddar cheese

8 cooked pigs in blankets

 

Make the coleslaw. Put the Brussels sprouts into a bowl along with the red onion, garlic, spring onions and carrot and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, lemon zest and juice and season with a little salt and pepper. Tip the mayonnaise mixture into the bowl of vegetables and stir to coat.

 Fry the onion in the butter and add the cranberry sauce, stuffing and the turkey.  Stir in enough gravy to moisten the meat, set aside and keep warm. 

 

Preheat the grill and toast under the grill, cut side up. Once toasted, top the bottom halves of the buns with the turkey mixture, followed by the bacon then the slices of cheese and grill until oozing. At the same time pop the pigs in blankets under the grill to warm through.  

Top with the other bun halves, stick a couple of pigs in blankets into the top of the bun using a skewer and serve immediately with the Brussels sprout coleslaw.

Typical values Per serving (472g) Per 100g

Energy kJ / kcal 3894 / 934 825 / 198

Fat g 57.1 12.1

Saturates g 23.3 4.9

Carbohydrate g 48.8 10.3

Sugars g 14.6 3.1

Fibre g 8.2 1.7

Protein g 52.1 11.0

Salt g 4.8 1.0

Next Day Toad in the Hole with Turkey, Gravy and Cranberry Sauce

 

Serves 4

vegetable oil, for roasting

175g plain flour

¼ tsp salt

5 eggs

375ml milk

4 leftover cooked pigs in blankets

leftover Brussel sprouts, halved

leftover roast potatoes, halved

leftover carrots, halved lengthways

leftover parsnips

leftover stuffing balls

1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

350ml leftover gravy

450g leftover white and dark cooked turkey meat

1 tbsp cranberry sauce

2 tsp English mustard

6 large sage leaves torn

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas mark 7

 

Cover the bottom of a roasting tin with a thin layer of vegetable oil and transfer to the oven for 5 minutes or until the oil is piping hot.  Meanwhile, make the batter.  Mix the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre.  Break the eggs into the well along with a little of the milk and whisk until the batter is smooth, then gradually add the remaining milk.  Pour the batter into a jug.  

 

Carefully remove the roasting tin from the oven and slowly pour the batter into the roasting tin.  Add the leftover pigs in blankets, vegetables, stuffing and scatter with the sliced red onion.  Quickly return the batter to the oven and cook for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and well-risen.  

 

Meanwhile, heat the gravy in a pan, add the turkey meat along with the cranberry sauce, mustard and torn sage leaves and heat until warmed through.

 

Serve the Toad in the Hole with the turkey gravy.

Typical values Per serving (547g) Per 100g

Energy kJ / kcal 3302 / 787 604 / 144

Fat g 29.7 5.4

Saturates g 7.4 1.3

Carbohydrate g 68.1 12.5

Sugars g 13.4 2.5

Fibre g 7.4 1.4

Protein g 58.0 10.6

Salt g 2.6 0.5

Turkey Laksa with Chilli and Lime

 

Serves 4

1 litre turkey stock (made from the roasted carcass), skimmed and well-strained

4 spring onions, sliced

2 shallots, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

2 birds eye chillies, chopped

5 cm piece of ginger, finely grated

6 kaffir lime leaves, torn

400ml coconut milk

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp fish sauce

juice of 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges to serve

2 tsp finely grated palm sugar or light brown sugar

200g vermicelli rice noodles, cooked

500g leftover cooked turkey meat, shredded

200g tender stem broccoli, trimmed and cooked

a few sprigs of mint and some coriander leaves, to serve

1 birds eye chilli, sliced to serve

Put the stock in a pan with the spring onions, shallots, garlic, chopped chilli, ginger, lime leaves, coconut milk, sesame oil, fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Then add the noodles, turkey and broccoli.  Cook for a further 25 minutes or until the turkey is piping hot.

Transfer to bowls, top with some sprigs of mint and coriander leaves and serve immediately with the sliced chilli and lime wedges.

Typical values Per serving (621g) Per 100g

Energy kJ / kcal 2040 / 488 328 / 79

Fat g 25.8 4.1

Saturates g 16.9 2.7

Carbohydrate g 18.2 2.9

Sugars g 6.3 1.0

Fibre g 3.2 0.5

Protein g 44.1 7.1

Salt g 1.1 0.2

 

Pappardelle Pasta with Portobello Mushroom, Rosemary, Turkey Ragout and Parmesan

 

Serves 4-6

2 tbsp olive oil

50g butter

4 Portobello mushrooms, thickly sliced

20g dried porcini, soaked

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves chopped

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

300g pappardelle

100ml white wine

300ml double cream

2 tsp Dijon mustard

50g grated Parmesan, plus extra to serve

350g cooked turkey meat, cut into chunks

75g cooked crispy bacon, cut into pieces

chopped parsley, to serve

Heat the olive oil and butter in a saucepan over a high heat and add the mushrooms, garlic and rosemary.  Cook for 4 minutes, add a little of the porcini soaking water with some salt and pepper and reduce slightly.

 

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite).  Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the pasta water.

 

Add the wine, cream, mustard and Parmesan to the mushrooms and reduce further until thickened slightly.  Stir in the turkey meat and bacon and warm through.

 

Place the pasta into a serving bowl, top with some sauce and scatter with some freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmesan.  Serve immediately.

Typical values Per serving (514g) based on serves 4 Per 100g

Energy kJ / kcal 4512 / 1083 878 / 211

Fat g 69.7 13.6

Saturates g 37.8 7.3

Carbohydrate g 56.6 11.0

Sugars g 3.7 0.7

Fibre g 5.4 1.0

Protein g 50.1 9.7

Salt g 1.8 0.3

Turkey Tikka Masala

 

Serves 4

500g leftover cooked turkey meat, cut into chunks

200g thick natural yoghurt

1 green chilli, chopped

juice of 1 lime, plus extra wedges to serve

2 tbsp Tikka Masala paste

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

3 tbsp vegetable oil

50g butter

5 green cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

2 onions, chopped

2 cm piece fresh ginger, grated

4 large garlic cloves, crushed

1 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground turmeric

1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato purée

125 ml single cream

200ml water

1 tsp fenugreek leaves, crushed in a pestle and mortar (optional)

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp sugar

a small bunch of coriander, chopped, to serve

Naan bread, to serve

steamed rice, to serve

Greek yoghurt, to serve

 

Put the turkey into a large mixing bowl with the yoghurt, chilli, lime juice, Tikka Masala paste, some salt, pepper and 1 tbsp of vegetable oil, tossing well to coat.  Set aside for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the fridge.

 

To make the curry sauce, heat the remaining oil and butter in a deep frying pan, then add all the cardamom and cinnamon and cook for 20 seconds until you can start to smell the spices.  Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook for 6-8 minutes until they start to colour.  Add the ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chopped tomatoes and tomato purée and stir well.  Simmer for 15 minutes until the oil starts to separate from the sauce.  Use a stick blender to purée until smooth or leave a little chunky if you like.

 

Heat the grill to high.  Transfer the meat from the marinade to a baking tray lined with foil, reserving the marinade.

Grill the marinated cooked turkey for 5 minutes on each side until heated through and the marinade is charring in places.  Slowly stir the reserved marinade mixture into the tomato curry sauce, along with the cream and water.  Add the fenugreek (if using), garam masala and sugar.  Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the grilled turkey.  Taste and season, adding salt, sugar or lime juice as needed.  

 

Serve sprinkled with some chopped coriander, extra lime wedges, Naan bread, steamed rice and Greek yoghurt.

 

Typical values Per serving (482g) Per 100g

Energy kJ / kcal 2331 / 559 484 / 116

Fat g 33.2 6.9

Saturates g 13.0 2.7

Carbohydrate g 17.2 3.6

Sugars g 14.5 3.0

Fibre g 4.2 0.9

Protein g 45.8 9.5

Salt g 1.2 0.2

 

Sausage, Apricot, Chestnut and Sourdough Traybake Stuffing

 

Serves 8-10

75g butter

1 onion, diced

100g sourdough, broken into small chunks

100g whole dried apricots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

a small bunch of parsley, chopped

1 egg, lightly beaten

100g peeled and cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped

sea salt flakes

freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

400g sausage meat (about 6 sausages), roughly torn into chunks

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 6 

 

Heat the butter in a large non-stick pan over a medium heat and cook the onion until softened.  Tip into a large mixing bowl along with all the other ingredients, using a fork to combine.

 

Lightly grease a roasting tin and bake the stuffing mixture in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked through and golden brown.  If the stuffing is browning too quickly, cover loosely with some foil.

Typical values Per serving (102g)

Based on serves 8 Per 100g

Energy kJ / kcal 1215 / 291 1190 / 285

Fat g 17.7 17.4

Saturates g 9.0 8.8

Carbohydrate g 20.9 20.4

Sugars g 7.5 7.3

Fibre g 3.4 3.4

Protein g 10.3 10.1

Salt g 1.1 1.0