This year I was considering making a Turkey Ballontine for Xmas this
year. We usually have a cold buffet and help ourselves when hungry.
This is partly because of the weather but partly because I hate
spending all day cooking and preparing food when everyone else is
having fun unwrapping presents and playing!

The hardest part is going to be boning the turkey of course. I've done
if before, and even managed to keep the carcase whole, but it *was* a
pain to do. still, it's worth it to make it easier to carve I suppose.

Not sure about adding a loin of pork as usual... there are only 4 of
us this year so it might be going a bit over the top.

Can't be faffed cooking chestnuts this year either so I bought two
tins of puree and I'll see if I can make them palatable.

Anyone used tinned chestnut puree before?? If so... got any tips on
how to make a decent stuffing with it??

This is a tasty recipe I've used before but I'm not sure it would work
properly with the tinned things!

Chestnut and Apricot Stuffing

700g Fresh Chestnuts
750 ml Vegetable Stock
60 ml Oil
3 Medium Onions (skinned finely chopped)
300g 'ready-to-eat' Apricots (i.e. 'no-soak'
350g Breadcrumbs (fresh white)
90 ml Fresh Parsley
2 Eggs beaten (small, size 6)
salt & pepper
butter or marg

1. Peel Chestnuts after roasting @ 220ºC for 10 - 15 mins, then simmer
in stock for 20 mins more. Chop into chunks.

2 Heat oil in pan; add onions fry gently til opaque. Allow to cool
slightly. In meantime chop apricots into small pieces.

3. Mix all stuffing ingredients. Add more crumbs if too 'wet', or
dampen with water if too dry. Season to taste.

Note: if it's going to be cooked outside the bird 'damp' is better,
drier if it *is* to be stuffed in the bird

4. Do *not* shove the mixture up the birds bum!! Stuff the neck only
though if preferred some can be slipped up under the skin over the
breast. Truss the turkey and cook as usual.

Note: I find a frozen bird responds better to the breast method...
adds flavour to the dried flesh.

5. The remainder can be placed in a shallow dish (greased) dotted with
butter and baked for 40 - 45 mins

Note: I've made this and kept the entire lot outside the turkey
cooking it in a dish. Of the two methods I find the stuffing tastes
better outside the bird... but the bird tastes better if the stuffing
is added.

Note: Sorry about the notes!!

Still... would this work with chestnut puree... especially in a
Ballontine... or would it just flop... maybe??


Welshdog
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