ThinkProof CookingTM
Turkey and Roast Veg: Meal Guide


 

A. Menu

 

Type

Formal/Informal Meal

Food

Turkey and Roast Veg

Fruit Melba

Booze

Medium-dry white wine

Serves

Four diners; Starting 6.30pm

Sources

"Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course", Delia Smith, BBC Books, London, 1992 (a few vague ideas on vegetables)

"Good Fast Food", Clare Gordon-Smith, Sainsburys, London, 1986, p64 (for pudding)

Note

You need two ovens for this one

 

 

B. Ingredients Checklist

 

Stuff to have or buy:

Ingredient

Already have

To buy

Onion (four; small)

 

 

Red pepper (one)

 

 

Potatoes (900g/2lb; medium-sized)

 

 

Garlic cloves (four)

 

 

Parsnips (350g/12oz)

 

 

Raspberries (225g/8oz)

 

 

Peaches (four; ripe/ready-to-eat)

 

 

Rosemary (small sprig or 1tsp)

 

 

Salt and black pepper

 

 

Turkey breast joint in own baking tin (500g/18oz)

 

 

Ice-cream (350g/12oz; Tutti-Frutti)

 

 

Olive oil (120ml/4fl. oz)

 

 

Lemon juice (1tsp)

 

 

Icing sugar (60g/2oz)

 

 

Medium-dry white wine

 

 

 

 

C. Pre-Preparation

When?: Timeline minus c.two hours (e.g. c.3.00pm)

How long?: Pre-preparation takes about 1 minute

 

Ö

 

 

 

1

Put wine in fridge

 

2

Purée raspberries using a food processor

 

3

Stir 60g (2oz) icing sugar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice into the raspberries to make melba sauce

 

4

Set melba sauce aside in fridge

 

 

D. Preparation

When?: Timeline minus c.one hour (e.g. c.4.00pm)

How long?: Preparation takes about 25 minutes

 

Food Preparation

 

Ö

 

 

 

1

Core, deseed, wash and cut the pepper into quarters

 

2

Wash the potatoes; Cut any larger ones in half

 

3

Peel garlic cloves

 

4

Peel parsnips; Cut off both top and tail of parsnip; Remove some of "wooden" core at top of parsnip; Slice parsnips into quarters (or six/eight pieces for large parsnips)

 

5

Pour oil into roasting tin

Note: Keep food fresh in containers; Any dairy/fish/meat in fridge

 

 

Timeline Preparation

 

Ö

 

 

 

 

1

Get cooking implements ready:

One large roasting tin for vegetables; One roasting tin for turkey; One large saucepan for par-boiling potatoes; One medium saucepan for par-boiling parsnips; Spoon or spatula for turning roast vegetables

 

2

Get serving implements ready:

One serving plate for turkey; One large serving bowl for vegetables; Colander for draining vegetables; Two serving spoons

 

3

Get eating implements ready:

Large plates; Serving dishes for dessert; Wine glasses; Cutlery

 

4

Make sure ingredients are all to hand:

All prepared items; Turkey

 

5

Get changed for dinner

 

 

 

E. TimeLine CookingTM

 

Ö

Abs

Rel

Your

 

 

5.07

0

 

Put 3 pints (1½l) fresh water on to boil in saucepan

 

5.11

+4

 

Put 2 pints (1l) fresh water on to boil in second saucepan

 

5.18

+11

 

Turn top oven on to 190oC/375oF/Gas Mark 5

 

5.23

+16

 

Place parsnips to boil in second saucepan

 

5.24

+18

 

Place potatoes into boiling water in first saucepan

 

5.27

+20

 

Place turkey in its tin into top oven

 

5.29

+22

 

Turn oven on to 220oC/425oF/Gas Mark 7

 

5.30

+23

 

Place roasting tray with oil into oven

 

5.32

+25

 

Drain parsnips in colander; Shake gently and ensure they are thoroughly dry; Set aside

 

5.38

+31

 

Drain potatoes in colander; Shake potatoes gently to wear down edges (this will make them crisper)

 

5.39

+32

 

Take roasting tray from oven, and place on top of oven with at least two medium-heat rings under tray to keep oil hot

 

5.40

+33

 

Very carefully add potatoes to hot oil, turning each one to give it a good coating of oil

 

5.42

+35

 

Add the other vegetables to the hot oil in the roasting tray: parsnips, peppers, garlic and onion (last three are raw at this stage); Again, turn each one to coat it in oil

 

5.43

+36

 

Sprinkle a little rosemary onto vegetables; Sprinkle a little salt and pepper if you wish

 

5.44

+37

 

Put roasting tray back in oven; Turn off rings on top of oven

 

6.09

+62

 

Carefully turn over vegetables in roasting tray

 

6.22

+75

 

Remove turkey from top oven and leave to stand

 

6.27

+80

 

Carve turkey onto plates

 

6.29

+82

 

Remove roast vegetables from oven; Place into serving bowl

 

6.30

+83

 

Serve; Move ice-cream from freezer into fridge

 

 

 

 

When ready for dessert, halve and stone each peach; Place two peach halves into each serving dish; Add a scoop of ice-cream onto each peach half; Pour a quarter of the melba sauce over each dish

 

 

F. Post-Serving Notes

 

The Meal

Nice to prepare because there are calm periods.

 

Variations

·      Substitute chicken for turkey.  To roast chicken takes 45 mins per kilo (20 mins per lb) plus 20-30 minutes.  A typical whole bird for four would be around 1.2kg (c.2½lb).  For this size of chicken and for the timeline above, you'd replace the turkey timings with: 4.55 (-12): turn oven on to 190oC/375oF/Gas Mark 5; 5.00 (-7): wrap chicken in foil; 5.05 (-2): place chicken in oven; 6.00 (+53): remove foil from chicken and replace in oven; 6.30 (+83): pierce centre of chicken meat to ensure juices run clear not pink (if pink, keep cooking until they run clear); assuming all is OK, then leave chicken to stand for a minute and then carve.

·      Forget par-boiling the parsnips: just put them raw into roasting tin

·      Choose a different type of ice-cream: vanilla; chocolate; etc.

 

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http://www.thinkproof-cooking.com/turkeyroastveg.htm & http://www.timeline-cooking.com/turkeyroastveg.htm  July 2005