It was a prize to excite any wannabe chef: a whole day with Neven Maguire at his cookery school in Cavan, learning how to make the ultimate Christmas Day dinner. Entries came in thick and fast from readers, pitching stories about why they deserved the prize. However, Noelle O’Mahony, a vet from Co Cork, stood out from the crowd.

She says, “My hard-working mother Imelda has cooked Christmas dinner for the last 40 years, despite being busy on the farm. This year, I think it’s high time that one of her daughters takes the reins and hosts the dinner. I would love to see her take a step back and enjoy the whole day, without the stress of cooking and hosting.”

Imelda certainly wants to spend some extra time with family, as her daughter Anne-Marie is home from New Zealand for the first Christmas in three years.

ADVERTISEMENT

When we rang Noelle to say she had won, she was ecstatic and decided to bring her mother with her, so she could see that it was safe to pass on the responsibility.

Noelle had just moved into her boyfriend’s farmhouse, and we got the impression she also wanted to impress Don with her cooking skills.

Neven’s Menu

From buttermilk brined roast butterfly of turkey with orange and rosemary to maple-glazed ham with pineapple salsa, Neven certainly had a traditional Christmas dinner menu with a twist ready for Noelle, Imelda and the rest of the class.

To accompany was a Brussels sprouts, red onion and bacon crumble as well as a pine nut, cranberry and apricot stuffing. To start, there was a chestnut, wild mushroom and bacon soup. Mulled fruit trifle and MacNean Coole Swan chocolate truffles completed the sweet treat and all these delicious recipes are on www.farmersjournal.ie.

However, Neven had plenty of advice for Noelle and Irish Country Living readers on preparing the Christmas dinner, whether you opt for his menu or stick with your own family favourites.

1Fail to prepare, prepare to fail First and foremost, preparation is key.

Get as much done in advance as possible, so on Christmas Day, you’re not stressed and can enjoy the day as much as possible.

Three Days to Go

It might be 22 December, but already you can begin the dinner. Get started on your stuffing and make the buttermilk marinade for your turkey. You can also get the glaze and salsa chutney ready for your ham. Have a last look through your menu to make sure you don’t need any last-minute ingredients.

Two Days to Go

Time to crank up the effort. As long as you have room in the fridge, you can cook your ham. Soup will also last, so get that all boiled up and into the fridge. Get your white sauce made and the chocolate truffles.

One Day to Go

Up early on Christmas Eve, you can get lots of prep done and still enjoy the day. Peel your potatoes and keep in cold water. You can even par boil them in boiling salted water, so they are just ready to roast.

Also chop up your carrots and any other root vegetables you plan on having, and store in cold water. My Brussels sprout crumble can also be done completely.

The night before, glaze the ham. That way, on Christmas Day, most of the work is done and it’s just a matter of combining all your creations.

2 Time to delegate

Too many chefs will spoil the broth – and you do need one person to take control of the meal, but it is important to delegate.

Get one member of the family to help out two days before, another the day before, etc.

Alternatively, give each person one thing that is their responsibility; for instance: someone prepare the soup, another makes the Brussels sprouts gratin while another does dessert.

Not only does this allow you to concentrate on the all-important turkey and ham, it also means that everyone is very proud of their own contribution when you sit down for dinner.

Just make sure to plan it out, so everybody isn’t in the kitchen at the same time.

3 The all-important turkey

There are many elements of the dinner to prepare and you can be distracted by the small stuff. But remember the importance of the turkey and ham. Get the best turkey you can afford, Irish and quality assured.

Also you don’t have to be a traditionalist. I don’t do a full bird. Consider getting it boned and rolled. The butterfly breast that I do cooks really fast and is easy to carve.

4 Some like it hot

No matter how good everything tastes, if it’s not hot, it will take away from your effort. So don’t be afraid to use the microwave – not to cook or defrost, but to give everything a quick blast, especially if you’re caught on oven space. Having your plates piping hot will also help.

5 Enjoy the experience

Most importantly, enjoy the day. People can get very stressed out and it is a huge meal but it is only one day, one meal so don’t overcomplicate it. As mentioned, being organised will make a big difference, and remember: sit down with your family, don’t be stuck in the kitchen all day.

It used annoy my wife, Amelda, that I was always in the kitchen on Christmas Eve but now, with the twins, I have to be more responsible and organised. At three, they are at a great age and I really want to enjoy their excitement – that’s what Christmas is all about.” CL