Last week was the vegetables, so this week it is the main event – the turkey. And this is the recipe I used on my Christmas TV show last week on RTÈ One. Thank you for all of the nice comments. I was particularly pleased with how the turkey worked out as every year it is a challenge to come up with something a little different. We rehearsed this one several times in Blacklion until we were fully happy, and I was thrilled with how it tasted on the night. So were the film crew!

At home we get a turkey from Hogan’s Farm as they’re good family friends and the quality of their birds is always superb. I have recently been working a lot with Simply Better in Dunnes Stores, and I was delighted to see that Hogan’s are a supplier to Dunnes. They are really top quality.

The buttery herby roast potatoes are a great alternative to traditional roast potatoes and they need a lot less looking after, which is a bonus on a busy day in the kitchen. Try to find a waxy variety of potatoes, which, interestingly enough, are often the organic varieties in this country.

I must also mention a big thank you to the great crowd and local food producers I met at my demo in Carlow Visual last week. What a superb venue and I was delighted to be invited by the Carlow Local Enterprise Office.

Happy cooking.

Neven Maguire’s Complete Family Cookbook, with 300 life-saving recipes for super busy parents, is published by Gill Books.

Christmas turkey with apricot

& orange stuffing

Serves 10-12

6kg (12lb) oven-ready turkey, at room temperature (preferably free-range)

1 orange, halved

Salt rub

4 bay leaves, crumbled if dry and torn into small pieces if fresh

1 heaped tbsp chopped fresh sage

1 tsp black peppercorns

75g (3oz) sea salt flakes

Finely grated rind of 1 orange

Sage and clementine butter

100g (4oz) butter, kept at room temperature

Finely grated rind and juice of 1 Clementine

Splash of dry sherry

2 tsp finely chopped fresh sage

Stuffing

75g (3oz) butter

1 large onion, diced

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs

100g (4oz) dried apricots, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Finely grated rind of 1 small orange

Gravy

1 tbsp plain flour

good splash of dry sherry

600ml (1 pint) turkey or chicken stock (see tip box)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Small bunch fresh herbs, to garnish (to include parsley, sage and bay leaves)

1 Prepare the turkey up to two days before. If you have a spice grinder or mini chopper, tip all the ingredients for the salt rub and grind to make a wet salt rub. If you are using a pestle and mortar, grind the spices and herbs together, then add the salt and orange rind and grind well again to combine.

2 Sit the turkey in a roasting tin and use the salt mix to season the turkey generously all over, inside and out. Put the turkey, breast-side up in the tin, cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge for up to two days. This can be done a day in advance but the longer you leave it, the more the salt rub will permeate the turkey.

2 On the day you want to cook the turkey, remove from the fridge one hour before you want to cook it and rinse off all of the salt really well. (Make sure you are very mindful of food hygiene rules as you rinse the turkey – ensure the sink and space around it are completely clear and that you sterilise the area after rinsing the turkey.) Pat the turkey dry, rinse out the roasting tin and put the turkey back into the tin, again breast side up and leave at room temperature for one hour, uncovered.

3 To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onion and sage, then cook for a few minutes until the onion has softened but not coloured. Place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and tip in the onion mixture, then mix well to combine and season to taste and fold in the apricots, parsley and orange rind. Divide among two buttered sheets of tinfoil and roll each one into sausage-shaped rolls, twisting the ends to fasten and then set aside. These can be made two to three days in advance and kept in the fridge until needed.

4 Mix the butter with the clementine rind and juice, sherry and sage and season with pepper and a little salt (using a mini blender will make this job much easier). Rub all over the turkey inside and out and then stuff the halved orange into the cavity and tie the drumsticks together with string.

5 Preheat the oven to 190oC (375oF/gas mark five). Weigh the turkey to calculate the required cooking time, allowing 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes extra – this size turkey should take about four hours and 20 minutes. Cover it with foil after about 45 minutes to one hour, once you’ve achieved a good colour, and baste every 45 minutes to one hour. It is important to do this quickly so as to not let the turkey or oven cool down, as this could alter the cooking time.

6 Add the stuffing rolls to the turkey for the last 30 minutes and allow to finish cooking. If the stuffing rolls have been made in advance and are well chilled, give them an extra 15 minutes or so until they are fully heated through. To be sure its cooked, insert a fine skewer into the thickest part of the thigh: the juices should run clear, but if they are still pink, return the turkey to the oven and check again every 15 minutes until you are happy that the turkey is cooked right the way through. Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes or up to 30 minutes is fine.

7 Place the roasting tin directly on the hob over a gentle heat and skim any excess fat from the cooking juices. Stir the flour into the tin’s residue. Cook on the hob for a minute or two, stirring until golden. Pour in enough of the sherry to taste, stirring to combine, then gradually add the stock, stirring until smooth, after each addition. Bring to the boil and let it bubble for about 10 minutes until reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste.

8 To serve, garnish the turkey with the bunch of herbs in the neck cavity and bring to the table. Carve into slices and arrange on warmed serving plates with some of the gravy, slices of the stuffing and all of the trimmings.

Turkey Stock

Ask your butcher for the giblets with your turkey as they make excellent stock. I always soak mine in cold water overnight to remove any impurities. Place them in a pan with a chopped carrot and onion, six whole peppercorns, two bay leaves and a sprig to thyme. Pour in two pints (1.2 litres) of water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and use as required.

Buttery herby roast potatoes

Serves six to 12

1 ½kg (3lb) small waxy potatoes

3 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil

3 large onions, thinly sliced

1 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (such as sage, rosemary or thyme or you can use a mixture)

75g (3oz) butter, plus extra for greasing

1 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook for about 15 minutes until softened and just starting to catch colour around the edges.

2 Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190oC (375oF/gas mark five). Cut the potatoes into 0.5cm (1/4in) slices. Butter a large roasting tin and melt 75g (3oz) of butter in a small pan or in the microwave. Arrange a layer of the potatoes over the base of the tin in an overlapping layer and then add a layer of the onions. Drizzle with melted butter and scatter with some of the herbs and season. Continue layering and finish with a layer of the potatoes.

3 Cover with tinfoil and place in the oven for one hour. Remove the tinfoil and cook for a further 15 minutes to allow the top to go golden brown and crusty. Serve at once. CL