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C9 CHRISTMAS maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 DECEMBER 2018 PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES BIANCHI Ingredients Dry brine • ¾ cup coarse sea salt • 3 tbsp light brown sugar • 1 tbsp fennel seeds • 1 tbsp star anise • 1 Clementine, zested Turkey • 6kg turkey • 1 head garlic • 2 onions • 1 Clementine • 1 lemon • 2 sprigs rosemary • 100g butter • Salt and pepper • 1 cup chicken stock • ½ cup red wine Basting liquid • 2 sprigs rosemary • ½ cup butter • 2 tsp soy sauce Method 1. Start by mixing to- gether the ingredients for the dry brine. 2. Cover the turkey mak- ing sure to get the brine all over the bird. 3. Place in the fridge, un- covered, for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. 4. Preheat the oven to 220°C. 5. Wash the brine off of the turkey and pat dry. 6. Cut the garlic head in half and place inside the cavity of the turkey. 7. Cut the Clementine and lemon into wedges and place inside the turkey. 8. Place the rosemary in- to the turkey. 9. Cut the onions into wedges and place a few into the turkey and the rest in the roast- ing pan. 10. Rub the turkey breast all over with the butter and season with salt and pepper. 11. Place the stock and the wine into the roasting pan. 12. Roast at 220°C for 35 mins until the skin has browned all over. 13. Make the basting liq- uid by placing all the ingredi- ents into a small saucepan and allow to bubble until fragrant. Set aside and keep warm. 14. Reduce the oven tem- perature to 160°C and continue to cook for approx. 3 hours, basting with the rosemary but- ter every 30 mins, until a ther- mometer placed into the thick- est part of the flesh reads 65°C. If the skin is getting too brown, cover the turkey with foil and return to the oven. 15. Remove from the oven and cover in foil and allow the turkey to rest for 45 mins so that the juices are allowed to redistribute before carving. taking care not to puncture the skin. Roasting pan A good roasting pan is invaluable. Get one where your bird fits snugly. Ideally have a metal rack in the roasting pan so the bird does not sit at the bottom of the pan and burn at the bottom. When it's ready To be sure you're best off us- ing a thermometer. The bird is done when a thermometer placed in the thickest part of the turkey breast reads 65°C. If you get your turkey from a good butcher, they will give you a pretty good estimate of how long you need to cook your bird. Let it rest The bird's done a good job in the oven. Give it time to rest before you carve. This will allow the juices to redistribute and make sure the meat remains moist. 30 minutes to 1 hour wrapped in foil should do the trick. The sour-tart f lavour of the cranberries paired with the sugar and spices make this sauce an ideal accompaniment for Christmas turkey. Make this up to a week in advance, leaving you plenty of time to deal with the turkey later on Ingredients • 250g cranberries • 2 Clementines, juice only • 1 cinnamon stick • 1 tsp ground cloves • 150g sugar Method 1. Place the sugar and the Clementine juice into a saucepan and heat until the sugar is dissolved. 2. Add the cranberries and toss. 3. Add the spices and toss and allow to simmer until the ber- ries start to release their liquid but are still holding some of their shape. 4. The sauce will thicken as it cools. 5. Allow to cool and serve with roast turkey. Dry-brined roast turkey Spicy cranberry sauce