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
--

News and views... for people like youse!!

Australian Opinion
Now finally at http://australianopinion.com.au

On Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:42:45 +1100, Welsh Dog >
wrote:

Answering myself already... second sign of madness. The first it
talking to yourself...

anyway... about that loin of pork.

>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.

After I write that part I started considering buying a piece of cooked
ham shaping it, wrapping the chestnut stuffing around it and cooking
the turkey as usual??

How does that sound??

Welshdog
--

News and views... for people like youse!!

Australian Opinion
Now finally at http://australianopinion.com.au

On Tue 02 Dec 2008 07:42:45p, Welsh Dog told us...

> 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??

I’ve never used tinned chestnut puree. However, I have bought whole,
shelled chestnuts that are dry vacuumed packed in a jar. I generally use
them sautéed with Brussels sprouts.

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

Personally, I don’t think it would. You need chunks, not puree.

> 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



--
Wayne Boatwright
(correct the spelling of "geemail" to reply)
************************************************** **********************
Date: Tuesday, 12(XII)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
************************************************** **********************
Countdown till Christmas Day
3wks 1dys 4hrs 8mins
************************************************** **********************
One way to stop a run away horse is to bet on him.
************************************************** **********************

On Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:42:45 +1100, Welsh Dog >
wrote:


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

I think I have used it in cakes..but maybe I am thinking of something
else. It might be the sweetened version that I have used in baking.

By the way, welcome to rfc (rec.food.cooking)!!

Christine

On Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:05:39 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:
>On Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:42:45 +1100, Welsh Dog >
>wrote:

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

>I think I have used it in cakes..but maybe I am thinking of something
>else. It might be the sweetened version that I have used in baking.

>By the way, welcome to rfc (rec.food.cooking)!!

Thanks for the welcome. I'll try to behave... tho Peter Lucas drives
everyone insane from time to time!

The puree is manufactured in France by 'Clement Faugier' and imported.
The contents are listed simply as 'Chataignes et Eau'... so they may
not be sweeter than the 'normally cooked' version?

The 'Use By' date is 03/2012 so there's no real rush to use it...!

Welshdog
--

News and views... for people like youse!!

Australian Opinion
Now finally at http://australianopinion.com.au

"Welsh Dog" > wrote in message
...
> 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!
<snip recipe>
> Note: Sorry about the notes!!
>
> Still... would this work with chestnut puree... especially in a
> Ballontine... or would it just flop... maybe??
>
>
> Welshdog

Depending on where you ge the turkey, you could ask for the butcher to
de-bone it for you. I've had the good gentlemen at Iowa Meat Farms debone a
turkey breast, a chicken, etc...they also will cut thin paillards of chicken
breast for me, and make pork cutlets like back home. Love to find such a
wonderful place, wish there were more of them.

kimberly
--
http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com

On Tue, 2 Dec 2008 20:00:57 -0800, "Nexis" > wrote:
>"Welsh Dog" > wrote in message
.. .

<snip>

>Depending on where you get the turkey, you could ask for the butcher to
>de-bone it for you. I've had the good gentlemen at Iowa Meat Farms debone a
>turkey breast, a chicken, etc...they also will cut thin paillards of chicken
>breast for me, and make pork cutlets like back home. Love to find such a
>wonderful place, wish there were more of them.

It's not that easy getting fresh turkeys where we are without
preordering them yonks in advance, even so, the two local butchers I
tried *did* actually bone the bird...

.... but they did it by cutting down the backbone and *then* removing
the 'carcase'... which is obviously the easiest way to do it... but
none of them were keen to keep the bird 'whole' as I wanted it.

I can do it again... just a bit of a pain... esp if the knife slips as
it has before now. Then I go into a panic about salmonella poisoning


Still here tho.

Welshdog
--

News and views... for people like youse!!

Australian Opinion
Now finally at http://australianopinion.com.au

On Tue, 2 Dec 2008 20:00:57 -0800, Nexis wrote:
>
> Depending on where you ge the turkey, you could ask for the butcher to
> de-bone it for you. I've had the good gentlemen at Iowa Meat Farms debone a
> turkey breast, a chicken, etc...they also will cut thin paillards of chicken
> breast for me, and make pork cutlets like back home. Love to find such a
> wonderful place, wish there were more of them.
>
> kimberly

you are lucky to have such a butcher.

your pal,
blake

"blake murphy" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 2 Dec 2008 20:00:57 -0800, Nexis wrote:
>>
>> Depending on where you ge the turkey, you could ask for the butcher to
>> de-bone it for you. I've had the good gentlemen at Iowa Meat Farms debone
>> a
>> turkey breast, a chicken, etc...they also will cut thin paillards of
>> chicken
>> breast for me, and make pork cutlets like back home. Love to find such a
>> wonderful place, wish there were more of them.
>>
>> kimberly
>
> you are lucky to have such a butcher.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Believe me, I know Their other store, Seisels, is even better (bigger
too), but it's far enough away that I pretty much go to IMF almost
exclusively, especially since that one is less than 1/2 mile from my house.

kimberly
--
http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com