As well as being a little late, the blogosphere is also simply too saturated with yet more Christmas offerings - really, how many different ways can you actually cook a turkey? Deep fried maybe? (Definitely something I have to try one day). The actual cooking techniques may be limited, but the preparation offers endless possibilities, especially if you brine your bird. This one was too good to resign to the Christmas only folder, it needs to be shared as it would work equally well on chicken, duck or maybe even pork. Dark, aromatic and slightly spicy, it shines with glossy soy sauce, mandarin and blood orange juice, garners a little warmth from cinnamon and star anise and some boozy complexity from both cider and white wine. Add to that some agave nectar and maple syrup and you have a sweet, sour, spicy and slightly bitter brine which acts threefold in adding flavour, succulence and a dark, glossy colour to the crispy skin.
Recipe : Spicy blood orange, cider and soy sauce glaze
2 cups dry cider
2 cups white wine
1 cup salt
1 cup dark soy sauce
10 cups water
4 mandarins or clementines, cut in half
2 blood oranges
4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
a knob of garlic, about 1 inch, peeled
4 star anise
1 inch piece cinnamon stick
1/4 cup agave nectar or 1/2 cup brown sugar (more if needed)
1/4 cup maple syrup (optional if using sugar)
Pour the cider, white wine, soy sauce and salt into a large saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the salt has completely dissolved. Let cool to room temperature and then first taste the brine. Does it need a little more sweetness maybe? Remember it will taste salty, but that won't affect the final flavour. When you are happy with it, pour it into a brining bag or large container, (we use a cooler). Add the rest of the ingredients, squeezing the oranges and mandarins into the brine to release some juice first and then adding them whole. Stir well and then add your turkey, chicken, duck or pork, making sure it is completely immersed and weighing down with something if necessary. Leave to brine for 24 hours.
After the brining time, remove your poultry or meat from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Cook in your usual way. I roasted mine with a brushing of melted saffron butter, a good seasoning with salt and both black and lemon pepper. A bay leaf tucked under each breast helped to flavour the flesh and a few sprigs of savoury, thyme and sage stuffed up the cavity, along with a few garlic cloves, half an onion and a mandarin added a festive touch and a few tit bits for gravy. I also laid the turkey onto a bed of sliced leeks and onions which, once roasted, almost disintegrated into silky smoothness. They not only added lots of flavour to the roasting juices but also provided a little texture roughly chopped and thrown into the finished gravy.
Gravy
All juices from the roasting tray
1 - 2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup cider
the roasted leeks, garlic and onion from the pan (optional)
The gravy literally made itself as the roasting juices were so full of flavour. I use a special jug to separate the juice and fat or you could simply pour everything into a jug or bowl, let it settle and then spoon off the fat leaving the juices behind.
Pour a tbsp or two of the fat (or juice if you want to be healthy - as we did), into a shallow pan over medium heat and add the flour, starting with one tbsp. Stir well to incorporate and add more if you want a thicker sauce. Let the mixture simmer gently for a few moments to cook out the raw flour taste.
Add all of the juices and the cider, continuing to frequently stir. The mixture will thicken, so add some more liquid if you like. Taste the gravy, it shouldn't need anything extra. If it is a little lacking, add a little salt and taste again. Roughly chop the onion, leek and celery, (if using) and add to the gravy. Keep it warm while you carve your beast etc. and then pour over everything.
Our Christmas lunch this year.
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