We're having my parents and my in-laws over for turkey dinner on Saturday next week, so I have a bit of prep to do.
I used to make a turkey with a cider and maple syrup based seasoning, but the last three years I've made a brine and soaked the turkey for two or three days, following a recipe of Nigella's.
I don't remember everything about it, but it's water with lots of salt and sugar, orange juice and orange, onions, leeks, cloves, star anise, cinnamon, pepper and a bouquet garni.
Soak for three days then slather with butter or oil, salt and pepper and chuck it in the oven.
Serve with roast potatoes, gravy and side dishes.
I think we'll have pannacotta for dessert. I made some last week and the girls loved it. I put blueberries and raspberries in the bottom and poured the pannacotta on top. But I like an apple dessert with turkey so I'm thinking fried apple chunks with sugar and butter and cinnamon and cardamom in the bottom of a glass then pannacotta on top and a wafer or cookie made from puff pastry.
Oh - warm voul au vents with apples on the side ... and cardamom infused pannacotta, hmm, I think we have a winner!
A few years ago I made Tarte Tatin. But this sounds even better.
Now I just have to come up with some sort of soup to have for starter - carrot soup perhaps ...
