YOUR STRESS-BUSTING TIMEPLAN

FROM A FEW DAYS TO A MONTH AHEAD

Prepare according to get-ahead instructions, then store/freeze:

● Luxury bread sauce: freeze

● Spiced cranberry sauce: freeze

● Rum butter: store in the fridge

CHRISTMAS EVE

Prepare according to get-ahead and storage instructions:

● Remoulade and blini mixture

● Stuffing ● Turkey

● Roast potatoes

● Flavoured butter for Speedy green beans

● Winter slaw

● Mushroom and ale pie

● Defrost Luxury bread sauce and Spiced cranberry sauce in fridge overnight CHRISTMAS DAY 9AM

● Take prepared turkey out of fridge.

● Preheat main oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5.

ABOUT 10AM

● Start to roast the turkey (based on a 5.4kg/12lb turkey, plus stuffing).

● Finish prepping mushroom pie.

11AM

● Cook blinis, cover and keep at room temperature.

● Prepare sprouts up to step 1, cover with damp kitchen paper and chill.

● Prepare Root veg traybake up to step 1, cover and keep at room temperature.

12PM

● Preheat second oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5.

12:30PM

● Make Chocolate truffle sauce, cover surface with clingfilm and set aside.

ABOUT 12.45PM

● Take foil off turkey.

1PM

● Remove Spiced cranberry sauce from fridge.

1:15PM

● Put oil in to heat up for potatoes.

1.30PM

● When cooked, take turkey out of oven and transfer to a large board. Cover with foil and a couple of clean tea towels. Leave to rest. Put tray aside for gravy.

● Put potatoes into hot oil and put in to roast (basting and turning occasionally).

1:45PM

● Make Madeira gravy.

● Assemble Smoked salmon and celeriac blini. 2PM

● Put Root veg traybake in oven to roast.

ABOUT 2:15PM

● Cook stuffing balls.

● Remove Flavoured butter for Speedy beans, and Winter slaw from the fridge.

● Serve starter.

● Put Mushroom pie into oven.

2:30PM

● Put serving dishes and plates to warm.

2:40PM

● Remove potatoes and Stuffing balls from oven, transfer to preheated serving dishes; keep warm.

● Complete Shredded sprouts and transfer to preheated serving dish.

● Complete Speedy green beans and transfer to preheated serving dish. Remove skewers from turkey, transfer to a warm platter. Garnish with fried clementine halves, if you like.

● Reheat and complete on the hob: Luxury bread sauce (add more milk as needed); Madeira gravy.

2:50PM

● Take Root veg traybake and pie out of oven. Keep warm.

● Transfer Madeira gravy and Luxury bread sauce to preheated serving dishes.

● Toss Winter slaw.

● Remove Rum butter from fridge.

3PM

● Serve lunch.

4PM

● Reheat Christmas pudding according to instructions.

4:30PM (OR WHEN EVERYONE HAS ROOM!)

● Reheat Chocolate truffle sauce.

● Serve Christmas pudding with Rum butter and Chocolate truffle sauce.

AND NOW RELAX – PHEW!