Turkey Brie Cranberry Wellington Recipes

TURKEY, BRIE & CRANBERRY WELLINGTON

Steps:

• For the filling, trim your turkey breasts: you want to create a long tube of meat in the middle of your wellington, similar in shape to a fillet of beef. You can use the trimmings in the stuffing, so don't worry about wastage. Once you have the correct shape, slice a pocket into the breasts deep enough so that the brie and cranberry sauce will stay inside, but don't cut all the way through. Divide the cranberry sauce and brie between the two turkey breasts, then chill while you make the stuffing.
• For the stuffing, heat the butter in a frying pan and gently cook the leek for about 5 mins. Meanwhile, finely chop the turkey trimmings and add to the pan with the gammon. Cook for about 5 mins, then remove and allow to cool slightly. Mix with the sausagemeat, sage and breadcrumbs, then season.
• Roll out the first block of pastry on a floured surface to about £1 thickness: you want a long thin shape that is about 5cm wider than turkey breast width and 5cm longer than length of turkey breasts placed end to end. Gently lift this onto a baking sheet and put the turkey breasts on top, followed by the stuffing. Roll out the second block of pastry, brush the edge of the bottom sheet with egg and lay the top one over. Trim edges to neaten, then crimp together. Can be made up to 1 day in advance and chilled.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Brush the wellington with more beaten egg and, with a sharp knife, score a criss-cross pattern, but don't cut all the way through. Cook for 30 mins, then cover with foil and cook for 30-45 mins more. After 1 hr, check that the middle is hot by inserting a skewer for 5 secs - it should feel hot to the touch. Leave to rest for 15 mins, then slice to serve.

TURKEY WELLINGTON

Steps:

• Dad and I had a really interesting conversation about smaller families not wanting whole turkeys for their dinner. So we had a scout around the supermarkets and developed a really delicious and impressive recipe for this. It's dramatic and stretches the meat a fairly long way. The case of pastry and minced mushrooms keeps the breast moist and delicious and is a little forgiving so the meat holds its juices. You could assemble it a day before and just leave it in the fridge ready to over deliver on Christmas day.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Place the turkey breast upside-down on a board. Gently slice into the natural join of the breast muscle to open it out and make a sort of pocket. Season well and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle over half the thyme leaves, then spread over an even layer of cranberry jam, pushing it into all the nooks and crannies. Fold it back into shape to seal the mixture inside - swiss roll-stylie - and push a few cocktail sticks into the seam to keep it together. Transfer the turkey to a roasting tray, season the outside with the remaining thyme leaves, a good pinch of salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Rub it all over, cover in tin foil and roast in the hot oven for 60 to 70 minutes, or until just cooked through - using a thermometer, you want it to be 72°C at the thickest point.
• Meanwhile, soak the porcini in a dish of just-boiled water. After 5 minutes, stir with a fork so any bits of grit sink to the bottom. Add the bacon to a large frying pan with a splash of oil on a medium heat and fry for 5 to 10 minutes, or until beautifully golden and super crispy. Strip in the leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs for the last 30 seconds or so. Remove everything from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the bacon fat behind. Add the fresh mushrooms to the pan with a pinch of salt and pepper. Drain and chop the porcini, saving the water, then stir into the pan. Add a splash of the water, avoiding the grit, then cook for around 10 to 15 minutes, or until the pan starts to sizzle again and the mushrooms are golden, soft and sticky with caramelly edges.
• To make the gravy, cut the thigh off the turkey leg and slash into it slightly. Throw the leg and thigh into a pot along with the carrot, leek and onion. Stir in the flour, add a good pinch of salt and pepper and 2 litres of boiling water. Add a heaped tablespoon of cranberry jam, the balsamic vinegar and remaining rosemary sprig. Bring back to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for around 2 hours, or until thick. Strain it through a sieve and reheat before serving.
• When the mushroom pan is dry, add a knob of butter and toss to coat. Tip the mushrooms into the food processor and whiz until you get a good mixture of smooth and chunky. Leave to cool. Once the turkey breast and stuffing have cooled, you can get on with assembling the wellington.
• Dust a clean surface with flour, then roll out each packet of puff pastry to the size of a shoe box (one will be the base, one the lid - roll the lid ever so slightly bigger). Line a large roasting tray with greaseproof paper, dust with flour, then add the smaller piece of pastry. Spread half of the mushroom stuffing onto the middle of the base to cover an area the same size as your turkey breast. Remove the cocktail sticks, then place the turkey breast on top and spread the remaining stuffing over the top packing it all in and smoothing it out so that the whole breast is covered. Sprinkle with the crispy bacon and rosemary, then brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg. Lay the second sheet of pastry over the top, gently mold it round the shape of the breast, pushing all the air out and seal together. Trim the edges to around 4cm, then pull, twist, tuck and pinch in the pastry (like in the picture).
• Brush the whole thing with beaten egg then all the hard work's done. Leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight until you're ready to cook. On Christmas day, cook at 180°/350°F/gas 4 for 50 to 60 minutes, or until risen, puffy and beautifully golden and the turkey is piping hot throughout. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for around 10 minutes before carving. Serve carved into 2.5cm with the gravy and all the usual. Christmas in a mouthful.