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.
