For the perfect Christmas dinner look no further than our home grown multi-talented chefNeven Maguire who has honed the whole Christmas dining experience with some brilliant and unusual takes on classic dishes.

Neven Maguire is such an expert on festive feasts, he even wrote a book about it, Neven Maguire’s Perfect Irish Christmas. One of Ireland’s best loved and well known chefs, he began cooking at 12 years of age alongside his mother, Vera, in the kitchen of MacNean House and Restaurant. He is now the chef proprietor of the award-winning restaurant in Blacklion, Co Cavan, which he runs alongside his wife Amelda. Neven is a prolific cook-book author with 12 to his name and is on to his 8th series of Home Chef for RTÉ.

Turkey Stock

Ask your butcher for the giblets with your turkey as they make excellent stock. I always soak mine in cold water overnight to remove any impurities. Place them in a pan with a chopped carrot and onion, six whole peppercorns, two bay leaves and a sprig to thyme. Pour in 2 pints (1.2 litres) of water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and use as required.

Buttermilk Brined Roast Crown of Turkey

"A great alternative to roasting a large bird, the crown is the turkey breasts and wing joints with the legs removed. Flavoured with lemon and tarragon, from feedback this is the most popular recipe I’ve ever done, as the buttermilk brine ensures that the flesh stays wonderfully succulent".

SERVES 6–8

INGREDIENTS:

◆ 1 x 1.8–2kg (4–4½lb) turkey crown

◆ 75g (3oz) butter, softened

◆ 1 garlic clove, crushed

◆ finely grated rind of 1 lemon

◆ 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

◆ 2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon

◆ 4 rindless smoked bacon rashers

FOR THE BUTTERMILK BRINE:

◆ 2 litres (3½ pints) buttermilk

◆ 2 lemons, thinly sliced

◆ 1 garlic bulb, separated into cloves and sliced

◆ 15g (½oz) fresh tarragon sprigs, roughly bruised

◆ 3 tbsp sea salt or kosher salt

◆ 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

➊ Mix together all the ingredients for the buttermilk brine in a turkey bag, then add the turkey crown. Tie up the bag securely and put in the salad drawer at the bottom of the fridge – up to two days is best, but brine for at least 24 hours.

➋ Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/gasmark 5).

➌ Cream the butter until so , then beat in the garlic, lemon rind and herbs. Remove the crown from the brine and drain off any excess liquid, then pat the skin dry with kitchen paper. Gently loosen the neck flap away from the breast and pack the flavoured butter right under the skin (this is best done using gloves on your hands). Rub the butter into the flesh, then re-cover with the skin and secure with a small skewer or sew with fi ne twine. Cover the top of the turkey crown with the rashers.

➍ Put the prepared turkey crown in the oven and calculate your cooking time: 20 minutes per 450g (1lb) plus 20 minutes. This will cook much quicker than a whole turkey, so make sure to baste it often. You can cover it with foil if it’s browning too quickly. When cooked, cover with foil to rest and keep warm. Drain the juices to make the gravy.

➎ To serve, carve the turkey crown into slices and arrange on warmed plates with a selection of your favourite accompaniments.

Ham with Sticky Apricot & Ginger Glaze

"This ham is a firm favourite in our house over the festive season, whether served hot or cold. It can be cooked and left in the fridge for up to a week, making it extremely handy for easing snacking".

SERVES 10–12

INGREDIENTS:

◆ 5.25kg (11½lb) leg of gammon, on the bone

◆ 4 celery sticks, roughly chopped

◆ 2 onions, sliced 5cm (2in) piece of fresh ginger, sliced

◆ 1 small bunch of fresh thyme

◆ 1 tbsp black peppercorns

◆ 4 whole cloves

◆ 2 star anise 1.5 litres (2½ pints) dry cider

◆ 1 tsp ground ginger

FOR THE GLAZE:

◆ 175g (6oz) good-quality apricot jam or conserve

◆ 100g (4oz) light brown sugar juice of 1 lemon

◆ 4 star anise

◆ 4 pieces of preserved stem ginger, cut into small matchstick-sized strips

METHOD:

➊ Soak the gammon in cold water for at least 6 hours (or overnight is best), then drain.

➋ Preheat the oven to 120°C (250°F/gas mark ½). Use a large deep roasting tin with a rack that’s big enough to hold the ham.

Put the celery, onions, fresh ginger, thyme, peppercorns, cloves and star anise in the tin and pour over the cider, then put the rack on top. Sit the ham on the rack and cover with a large tent of foil, sealing it well. Put on the hob over a high heat and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 minutes, then transfer to the oven. Cook for 12 hours or overnight – you can now leave it for one or two days before finishing the recipe. Alternatively, leave to rest and cool down for at least 30 minutes.

➌ Raise the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4)

Neven's Caramelised Onion Relish

"This onion relish can be used in so many different ways and it will keep happily for up to a month in the fridge. We get through a lot of it in the restaurant and at home I just love having it over the festive season with cold ham or turkey or as part of a cheese board."

MAKES ABOUT 450G (1LB)

INGREDIENTS:

◆ 2 tbsp olive oil

◆ 5 onions, thinly sliced

◆ 1 garlic clove, crushed

◆ 200ml (7fl oz) red wine

◆ 100ml (3 1/2fl oz) balsamic vinegar

◆ 50g (2oz) light muscovado sugar

◆ salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

➊ Heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the onions on a gentle heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until so‑ but not browned.

➋ Stir in the garlic and sugar and then pour in the red wine and balsamic vinegar. Cook gently for about 35-40 minutes until thickened and sticky, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

➌ Store the onion relish in an airtight container or sterilised jar in the fridge and use as required.

Golden Crunch Roast Potatoes

"While turkey may be the star of the Christmas table, if you get your roast potatoes right, then frankly you could serve chicken nuggets and most people would still be happy as Larry. Let’s face it, we are all about the potatoes as a nation!

This recipe also works for 900g (2lb) of parsnips – simply blanch for 3 minutes instead and cook for about 45 minutes. Try to use beef dripping for the best flavour.

Check out James Whelan Butchers online for an award-winning dripping that can be delivered straight to your door".

SERVES 8 -10

INGREDIENTS:

◆ 1.5kg (3¼lb) floury potatoes, such as Rooster, Desiree, King Edward or Maris Piper

◆ 4 tbsp beef dripping, goose or duck fat (from a jar or le‑ over from a roast)

◆ sea salt

◆ handful of fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)

METHOD:

➊ Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F/gas mark 5).

➋ Wash and peel the potatoes, reserving the peel. Cut the potatoes in half or into quarters, depending on their size.

Put them in a large pan of salted boiling water along with the peel – it’s easiest if you can put this in a muslin infusing bag.

Parboil for 8 minutes.

➌ Meanwhile, put the beef dripping, goose or duck fat in a large roasting tin and put it into the oven to heat. Drain the potatoes and discard the peel, then put them back in the pan and shake gently to rough up the edges. Take the roasting tin out of the oven and put on the hob over a gentle heat. Put the potatoes in one by one – they should sizzle as they hit the pan – and baste all over. Season with salt.

➍ Roast in the oven for about 1 hour, until golden and crunchy, keeping an eye on them and basting with a little more fat if they begin to look dry. Add some fresh rosemary sprigs (if using) about 20 minutes before the end of the cooking time.

➎ Serve immediately, as these do not appreciate hanging around!

VARIATION

Roasted Potatoes with Truffle & Parmesan

➊ For a really decadent twist, once the roast potatoes are cooked, sprinkle them with a couple teaspoons of your favourite truffle oil, then scatter over freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve.

➋ Now make the glaze. Put the apricot jam or conserve in a small pan with the brown sugar, lemon juice and star anise. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, then add the stem ginger and simmer for 3–4 minutes, until reduced to a thick glaze, stirring to ensure it doesn’t catch at the bottom.

➌ Carefully peel away the skin on the ham, leaving the layer of white fat intact. Using a sharp knife, score the fat diagonally into a diamond pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Put into a clean roasting tin and rub with the ground ginger, then brush the glaze on top. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, until golden and sticky. Transfer to a platter and leave to rest for 15–20 minutes. Carve slices from the ham and use as required, warm or cold.

Vera’s Sherry Trifle

INGREDIENTS

◆ 200g (7oz) Madeira cake, broken into pieces

◆ 300ml cream

◆ toasted flaked almonds, to decorate

◆ pomegranate seeds, to decorate

◆ spun sugar, to decorate (optional)

FOR THE CUSTARD:

◆ 300ml milk

◆ 100ml (3.fl oz) cream

◆ 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

◆ 5 egg yolks

◆ 4 tbsp caster sugar

◆ 2 tsp cornflour

FOR THE FRUIT:

◆ 100ml (3.fl oz) sweet sherry

◆ 100g (4oz) caster sugar

◆ 1 vanilla pod, split in half lengthways and seeds scraped out

◆ 1 x 500g (18oz) bag of frozen fruits of the forest

METHOD:

➊ To make the custard, put the milk, cream and vanilla pod and seeds in a heavy based pan set over a gentle heat and cook until it nearly reaches the boil – but don’t allow it to boil.

➋ Meanwhile, put the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour in a large bowl and whisk together until pale and thickened.

➌ Remove the hot milk and cream mixture from the heat and slowly whisk it into the egg mixture through a fine sieve until smooth.

➍ Discard the vanilla pod and pour back into the pan, then set over a gentle heat. Cook, without allowing it to boil, until the custard coats the back of a wooden spoon, stirring continuously.

➎ Remove from the heat and leave to cool, covered with a piece of cling film pressed directly on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming on top.

➏ Meanwhile, prepare the fruit. Put the sherry in a large pan with the sugar and vanilla seeds and bring to the boil.

➐ Reduce the heat and simmer for 4–5 minutes, until syrupy, stirring occasionally. Stir in the frozen fruits of the forest and set aside until cooled, stirring occasionally. The fruits should defrost naturally in the hot syrup but still hold their shape.

➑ Scatter the Madeira cake over the base of a 1.5 litre glass serving bowl. Spoon over the fruit and cover with the cooled custard. Chill for 1 hour, until the custard sets a little firmer, or up to 24 hours is fine.

➒ When ready to serve, whip the cream in a bowl until you have achieved soft peaks. Put spoonfuls on top of the custard, then gently spread with a palette knife or the back of a spoon to cover the custard completely (or you can use a piping bag).

➓ Sprinkle over the toasted flaked almonds and pomegranate seeds and decorate with some spun sugar if liked, then place straight on the table to serve.

For reservations and to book a place at the cookery school at MacNean House & Restaurant visit nevenmaguire.com.