by Sophie Grigson
There's a reason this is the classic Christmas dinner. Retro in all the best ways, this menu ticks every box on the season's satisfaction checklist.
The menu (serves 8)
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Starter
Prawn cocktail 'à la mode'
Use a mixture of king prawns and smaller prawns for the maximum texture and taste in this classic starter.
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Main
Roast turkey with bread sauce
You'll need a large piece of butter muslin (available from good cook shops or fabric shops) for this most classic of Christmas recipes.
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Trimmings
Gratin of Brussels sprouts with lardons, cream and almonds
You won't hear any protests at this sprouts dish - almonds, double cream, bacon and parmesan make for a luscious accompaniment for traditional turkey.
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Dessert
Christmas pudding
This really is a figgy pudding as it includes dried figs, as well as all the usual dried fruit. The fig seeds bring a hint of a crunch to the finished pudding, which makes for a first-rate texture. Make and steam it at least a month in advance, so that it has time to mature.
Preparation Schedule
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Advance preparation
Read through all the recipes in advance to familiarise yourself with the steps.
Purchase all of the ingredients and check them off the list to avoid last-minute panics.
Make sure you have enough room in your fridge for all the ingredients. You may have to rent or hire a second fridge if you're serving lots of people and don't have a larder.
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About one month before
Make the Christmas pudding to give it plenty of time to mature.
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Two days before
Make the bread sauce and store it in the fridge. You'll simply need to reheat it when you're ready to serve.
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Day before
Trim the sprouts, seal in plastic bags and store in the fridge until needed.
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Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored in the fridge, covered with cling film and consumed within two days of preparation.
Shopping list
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Fruit and vegetables
900g/2lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed
2½ tsp lemon juice
1 small onion
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Dairy, eggs and chilled
20g/¾oz butter
400ml/14fl oz double cream
4 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese
175g/6oz unsalted or lightly salted butter
450ml/15fl oz full-cream milk
40g/1½oz butter or 2 tbsp double cream
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Cooking ingredients
4 tsp sunflower oil
20g/¾oz flaked almonds
4 cloves
freshly grated nutmeg, to taste
cayenne pepper, for sprinkling
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Meat, fish and poultry
150g/5oz bacon lardons (or rindless back bacon, cut into short fat strips)
1 free-range turkey weighing 4kg/8lb 11oz
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Baking and patisserie
5½ tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs
75-100g (2½ to 3½ oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
© MMIX