SENSATIONAL STUFFING & SAUCES

Our savoury and sweet accompaniments are perfect partners for your feast

Pork, chestnut & apricot stuffing

If you are not planning on using this stuffing to fill the turkey, you can always halve it to just make balls.

MAKES ENOUGH TO STUFF A TURKEY, PLUS 20 BALLS PREP 30min COOK about 45min

• 50g (2oz) butter

• 1 large onion, finely chopped

• 2 celery sticks, finely chopped

• 450g (1lb) good quality sausage meat

• 75g (3oz) ready-to-eat dried apricots, finely chopped

• Finely grated zest of 1 orange

• Large handful flat-leafed parsley, finely chopped

• 1 medium egg

• 150g (5oz) fresh white breadcrumbs

• 200g pack whole cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped

• 10 streaky bacon rashers

1 Melt the butter in a medium pan and gently cook the onion and celery for 10min, or until soft but not coloured. Empty into a large bowl and set aside.

2 Add the sausage meat, dried apricots, orange zest, parsley, egg, breadcrumbs, chestnuts and some seasoning and mix to combine (using your hands is easiest). Set aside half the stuffing for the turkey.

3 Preheat oven to 190°C (170°C fan) mark 5. Divide the remaining mixture into 20 equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Stretch each bacon rasher along a board with the back of a cook’s knife, then cut in half widthways and wrap each half around a stuffing ball. Put seam-side down on a non-stick baking tray (if you like, secure the bacon with a cocktail stick).

4 Cook in the oven for 30-35min until cooked through.

GET AHEAD Prepare to end of step

3 up to a day ahead. Cover balls with clingfilm and chill. Chill remaining half until ready to stuff the turkey. Complete recipe to serve. PER STUFFING BALL: CALS 86; FAT 5g; SAT FAT 2g; CARBS 7g

Luxury bread sauce

Mascarpone adds a velvety softness – a little twist to elevate the old favourite.

SERVES 8 PREP 10min, plus infusing COOK about 10min

• 6 whole cloves • ½ onion

• 600ml (1 pint) whole milk

• 1 bay leaf

• 200g (7oz) fresh white breadcrumbs

• 50g (2oz) mascarpone

• 25g (1oz) butter, optional

• Freshly grated nutmeg

1 Stick the cloves into the onion half and put in a medium pan with the milk and bay leaf. Heat until nearly boiling, then take off the heat and leave to infuse for 15min.

2 Lift the studded onion and bay leaf out of the milk and discard. Reheat gently until nearly boiling, then stir in the breadcrumbs and mascarpone. Cook over a low heat, stirring, for 1-2min until thickened.

3 Mix in the butter, if using, and season well with salt and nutmeg.

GET AHEAD Make recipe to end of step 2 up to a day ahead. Pour into a sealable container and lay some clingfilm on the surface of the sauce. Cover the container and chill. Alternatively, freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw frozen sauce in fridge overnight. Warm defrosted sauce through in a pan with extra milk to loosen.

Complete recipe. PER SERVING (NOT INCLUDING BUTTER): CALS 165; FAT 6g; SAT FAT 4g; CARBS 23g

Spiced cranberry sauce

If you are not a fan of cardamom, replace it with a broken cinnamon stick, both add a delish new twist.

SERVES 8 PREP 5min COOK about 10min

• 5 cardamom pods

• 500g (1lb 2oz) fresh or frozen cranberries

• 100ml (3½fl oz) white wine

• 3tbsp marmalade

• 100g (3½oz) light brown soft sugar

1 Bash the cardamom pods to split the husks slightly. Put into a pan with the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10min, or until most of the cranberries have burst. Empty into a bowl and cool.

2 If the sauce has thickened too much, stir in a splash of water. Remove cardamom pods and serve.

GET AHEAD Prepare to end of step 1 up to 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Alternatively, freeze in a sealed container for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw frozen sauce in the fridge. Take out of the fridge 2hr before serving to bring to room temperature, and complete recipe. PER SERVING: CALS 82; FAT 0g; SAT FAT 0g; CARBS 20g ➺