12 Ingredients

1. 125g butter, chopped
2. 80ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
3. 5-6kg whole turkey
4. 10 fresh sage leaves, plus extra, to serve
5. 1kg kent pumpkin, deseeded, cut into large wedges
6. 2 garlic bulbs, sliced in half

3-ingredient stuffing
1. 250g pkt microwave brown rice and quinoa
2. 55g (1/3 cup) chopped toasted pistachios
3. 125g (3/4 cup) morello cherries, drained, reserving 125ml (1/2 cup) cherry juice

Gravy
1. 2 tbsp plain flour
2. 375ml (1 1/2 cups) Massel chicken style liquid stock
3. 125ml (1/2 cup) white wine

6 Method Steps

Step 1

For the stuffing, squeeze the packet to break up the rice and quinoa mix. Place in a bowl. Add the pistachios and cherries and stir to combine. Season and set aside.

Step 2

Place butter and maple syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 2-3 minutes or until melted. Set aside, covered to keep warm.

Step 3

Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Remove turkey giblets, neck and excess fat. Pat turkey dry, inside and out, with paper towel. Gently run your fingers under the breast skin to loosen. Carefully push the sage leaves under the skin, making sure they sit flat. Fill the cavity with the stuffing. Tie legs with kitchen string and tuck the wings underneath. Place the turkey, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan. Pour 375ml (11⁄2 cups) water into base of pan. Brush turkey all over with maple butter. Season. Place a large piece of baking paper over turkey, then 2 layers of foil over pan, securing tightly. Roast for 2 hours, basting with melted maple butter after 1 hour. Remove foil and paper. Roast, basting once, for a further 1 hour or until golden and cooked through. Transfer to a platter, cover and set aside for 30 minutes to rest. (Set pan aside for making the gravy.)

Step 4

Meanwhile, place pumpkin and garlic on a large baking tray lined with baking paper. Season. Spray with oil. Drizzle pumpkin with the remaining maple butter. Roast for 40 minutes or until the pumpkin is lightly caramelised and garlic is tender.

Step 5

For the gravy, skim fat from the juices in the roasting pan and discard. Place the pan over medium heat and scrape base to dislodge any cooked-on bits. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add stock, wine and reserved cherry juice. Stir until smooth. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until slightly thickened. Season.

Step 6

Place the turkey on a large platter with the pumpkin, garlic and extra sage leaves. Serve with the warm gravy.

14 Ingredients

1. 4 cups thickened cream
2. 2 tbsp icing sugar
3. 1/2 tsp finely grated orange rind
4. 2 tbsp Cointreau (see note)
5. 2 x 250g packets choc ripple biscuits
6. 10 Oreo cookies
7. 12 mini meringue drops
8. 1/2 cup Maltesers
9. 1/2 cup Jaffas
10. 1/2 x 180g packet BB’s mint balls
11. Christmas sprinkles, to serve
12. Fresh mint leaves, to serve
13. Icing sugar, to serve
14. Icing snowflakes, to serve

3 Method Steps

Step 1

Using an electric mixer, beat 3 cups cream, icing sugar and orange rind until firm peaks form. Fold in Cointreau.

Step 2

Spoon 1/2 cup cream mixture into a snap-lock bag. Snip 2cm off one corner. Pipe a 20cm circle on a flat serving plate to form a base. Spread flat side of 1 biscuit with a little cream mixture. Stand biscuit upright on its edge on cream on serving plate. Spread another biscuit with a little cream mixture. Place in front of the biscuit on plate and sandwich together. Using the piped cream round as a guide, continue to sandwich biscuits together with cream mixture to form a wreath shape. Spread biscuits all over with remaining cream mixture. Refrigerate overnight to set.

Step 3

Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1 cup cream until just-firm peaks form. Spread wreath with cream. Decorate with Oreos, mini meringues, Maltesers, Jaffas, mint balls, snowflakes, sprinkles and mint leaves. Dust with icing sugar. Serve.

13 Ingredients

1. 1.5kg chat potatoes, cut into 5mm thick slices
2. 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
3. 2kg whole snapper
4. 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, firmly packed
5. 1/3 cup fresh chives, chopped
6. 2/3 cup fresh dill leaves, firmly packed
7. 2 garlic cloves, crushed
8. 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
9. 1 lemon, sliced
10. 400g punnet tomato medley mix
11. 3 cups watercress sprigs
12. Steamed asparagus, to serve
13. Lemon wedges, to serve

5 Method Steps

Step 1

Preheat oven to 220C/200C fan-forced. Line a large baking tray (with sides) with baking paper.

Step 2

Place potatoes on prepared tray. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 10 minutes.

Step 3

Meanwhile, pat fish dry with paper towel.

Step 4

Place parsley, chives, dill, garlic and walnuts in a food processor. Process until roughly chopped. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Process until combined. Spread fish cavity with herb mixture. Top with lemon slices. Drizzle fish with remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Step 5

Place fish on potatoes. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 180C/160C fan-forced. Bake for 20 minutes. Add tomatoes. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until fish is cooked through and tomatoes are tender. Sprinkle with 1 cup watercress. Serve with remaining watercress, asparagus and lemon.