Phil Vickery shares his top Christmas recipes including turkey masterclass

22 December 2023 , 11:41

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Masterclass: TV chef Phil Vickery (Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

It's the most important meal of the year, when families gather for festive cheer.

But for the Christmas Day chef it can also be the most stressful, with the pressure to time your turkey to perfection without cremating the goose fat roasties and boiling the colour out of the all-important Brussels sprouts.

So we’ve asked This Morning chef Phil Vickery to give us his top recipes for a fail-safe feast that will impress your guests – and ensure that the cook can enjoy their Christmas dinner too. From a delicate starter to a perfectly succulent turkey, plus a tasty sprout recipe and crumbly mince pies, Phil has everything covered.

Smoked salmon dill pastries

Starter: Smoked salmon dill pastries

Serves: 8

Ingredients:

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• 1 x 350g sheet of ready-roll puff pastry
• 1 beaten egg
• Cracked black pepper
• Sea salt
• 250g smoked salmon, chopped
• 200g mascarpone cheese
• 2 tbsp finely chopped capers
• 2 small shallots, very finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp finely chopped fresh dill

Method:

1. Make sure the pastry is well chilled then cut into 1.5cm long strips.
2. Lightly oil medium sized cream horn moulds or alternatively use tin foil shaped into cones and then, starting at the tip of the mould, wrap the pastry around the mould – slightly overlapping as you go – until the mould is covered.
3. Pinch the top, then chill well again. Repeat until all eight are done.
4. Brush the pastry with egg and sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place on baking parchment and cook in a pre-heated oven at 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 for 20 minutes or until cooked through, then cool.
5. Meanwhile blitz the salmon, cheese, capers, shallots and dill and fill a piping bag.
6. Pipe the mixture into the cooled pastry horns and add a piece of fresh dill to the end, and serve.

Phil's turkey masterclass

Main: Phil's turkey masterclass

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

• 1 x 5kg (just under 12lb), bronze turkey, with giblets and the wish bone all removed
• Phil’s stuffing (see recipe below left)
• 2 large carrots, peeled
• 2 large onions, peeled
• 6 sticks of celery
• 1 leek
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ bottle dry white wine
• 2 pints cold water
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 55g melted butter
• 4-6 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp cornflour

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
2. First job is to remove the giblets from the bird, and if you are using a frozen bird then make sure that it is fully defrosted. Season the bird well, inside and out, with salt and pepper and pack the stuffing into the body cavity. Tie the legs and the parson’s nose together with a piece of string and secure well, so the stuffing is held inside the bird.
3. Chop all the vegetables into large chunks and place them in the bottom of a large baking tray. Now place the turkey on top. The tray should be large enough so that the bird has at least a 2-inch (5cm) gap all the way around it.
4. Pour in the white wine, cold water and chicken stock cubes, and place the whole tray on the stove.
5. Bring to the boil and cover tightly with two layers of foil. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT – simmer for 5 minutes, covered, to get the steam and heat going. Now pop the tray into the preheated oven.
6. Cook the bird for about 2 hours. To check if it is cooked, remove from the oven (carefully as there will be a lot of stock, wine and juices). Remove the foil and insert a knife where the thigh attaches itself to the body of the bird – the juices should run clear. If not, then cover again with foil and cook for a further 20 minutes.
7. When the bird is cooked, remove from the oven, turn the oven up to 230°C /450°F/ Gas Mark 8. Tip off the juices for the gravy, then brush the bird well with melted butter or oil and return to the oven to brown beautifully.
8. Once browned, remove from the oven and wrap in a double layer of foil then 2 clean tea towels – this should keep it warm for up to 1 hour.
9. To serve, re-boil the stock and juices. You may need to add a little more water and skim well. Mix in the cornflour to thicken the bubbling stock.

Phil's retro stuffing

Side one: Phil's retro stuffing

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
• 500g finely minced belly pork
• 200g chopped chicken liver (optional)
• 2 medium eggs
• 6-8 tbsp dried breadcrumbs or sage &onion stuffing mix
• 175g whole peeled vacpacked chestnuts
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
• Salt
• Freshly milled black pepper

Method 3 ways: Stuffed in bird; tightly rolled up like a sausage in foil/cling film and sliced (can be roasted the day before); or baked, all in one tray.

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the onions and cook for a few minutes until soft and translucent.
2. Place into a bowl and cool slightly, add the pork mince, liver (if using), eggs and enough breadcrumbs or stuffing mix to stiffen up the mixture (keep in mind these will continue to thicken as they reconstitute themselves so take care not to add too many).
3. Finally add the chopped chestnuts, sage and salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the bird when required, or place into a baking tray, or roll tightly in foil to form a sausage.
5. Cook the tray or sausage for 35-40 minutes in a moderate oven 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

Deep fried sprouts

Side two: deep-fried sprouts with celery salt

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 500g trimmed fresh Brussels sprouts
• Iced water
• Cornflour or arrowroot
• 2 tsp celery salt
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper

Method:

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1. Trim the sprouts then cut ¾ of the way through the top of the sprout – but not right through.
2. Place in iced water and leave overnight in the fridge if you can. The next day, drain really well then spin in a salad spinner in 2 or 3 batches. You need to get as much water out as possible. Then pat with a kitchen towel.
3. Heat vegetable oil to 175°C.
4. Dust the dried sprouts well in cornflour or arrowroot then carefully fry the sprouts in 4 batches, making sure that you take care when stirring.
5. Once nicely browned and cooked through, drain well.
6. Once all cooked, season well with celery salt and black pepper.

Mince pies & eggnog latte

Dessert: mince pies and eggnog latte

Serves: Approx 18

Ingredients:

For the mince pies:

Pastry:

• 125g unsalted butter
• 350g soft flour
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 pinches of grated nutmeg
• 2-3 tbsp marmalade
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ½ egg shell of cold water, approx

For the filling:

• 350g luxury mincemeat
• Zest of 1 large orange and 1 lemon
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp brandy
• Milk, to glaze
• Brown sugar, to sprinkle

For the latte:

• 2 shots espresso
• 150ml semi skimmed milk
• 75ml warm Advocaat
• Ground cinnamon
• Finely grated satsuma zest, on a microplane

Method for the mince pies:

1. Place the cold butter, flour, salt, sugar and nutmeg together in a food processor. Mix until you have a fine breadcrumb texture. Do not overwork.
2. Add the marmalade, eggs and water and mix well, using the pulse button. Do not overwork, or the pastry will shrink when cooked.
3. Turn out of the processor and knead very gently to bring together.
4. Flatten slightly (makes it easier to roll when chilled), wrap in cling film, then chill for about 20 minutes before rolling.
5. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6 and grease the patty tins.
6. Mix the mincemeat with the zests, cinnamon and brandy.
7. Roll out ⅔ of the dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 5mm and use a cutter to cut out pastry discs which will line the bases of the patty tins. Carefully line the moulds with the pastry, then spoon in enough mincemeat to fill no more than three-quarters full.
8. Brush a little beaten egg around the inside rim of the pastry. Cut out smaller circles from the remaining pastry to make lids for the pies, place on top of the mincemeat and pinch around the edges to seal. Lightly brush milk across the lids to glaze and sprinkle over a little brown sugar, then use a sharp knife to make a small hole in the centre.
9. Bake in the oven for about 12-15 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Allow mince pies to cool before removing them from the tins.
10. To enjoy at their best, follow my lead and serve with clotted cream and a glass of brandy

Method for the eggnog latte:

1. Make the espresso and keep warm.
2. Place the milk into a 300ml jam jar, put on the lid and shake for 15 seconds until frothy.
3. Remove the lid, place into a microwave and warm for a few seconds to see the milk warm, rise and set.
4. Keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t overheat.
5. Pour the espresso into tall glasses.
6. Add half the warm milk, then the Advocaat.
7. Top with the rest of the milk, dust with a little cinnamon and a little zest. Serve.

Amanda Killelea