Roast turkey with chestnut, sage and leek stuffing

MOST recipes for home-made stuffing use sausage meat and bread – not great for those prone to bloating. Wheat contains a high level of fermentable fruit sugars called fructans, and traces of wheat are often added to sausage meat for bulk. This vegetarian version uses wheat-free bread, available at most supermarkets. Gluten-free bread works too.

SERVES 6-8

■ 5kg free-range turkey

■ 225g gluten or wheat-free bread, torn into small pieces

■ 450ml vegetable stock

■ 85g unsalted butter

■ 2 finely chopped leeks

(green parts only)

■ 2 stalks celery, chopped

■ Small bunch chopped parsley

■ 1 tsp dried or fresh sage

■ 1 tsp dried rosemary

■ 1 egg, whisked

■ 50g cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped into small pieces

Cook a turkey, seasoned with salt and pepper, as normal – at 220C/gas mark 8 for roughly 15 minutes per 500g for a bird under 5kg, and 13 minutes per 500g for a bird 500g or over. Turn the oven down to 200C/gas mark 6 after 30 minutes of cooking. Cover with foil to begin with, but remove foil 45 minutes before the end of cooking time.

About an hour before the turkey is ready, preheat another oven to 180C/gas mark 4 and prepare the stuffing. Place torn bread in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a pan, bring the stock to a simmer. In another pan, melt the butter and add the leek and celery, stir and cook until softened. Add the butter mixture to the bread, followed by the chestnuts, parsley, sage and rosemary, and season with salt and pepper. Fold in the egg and add the stock one teaspoon at a time.

Spoon the stuffing into an ovenproof dish and cook for 50 minutes.