You will require:

Large Turkey

Medium Chicken

Small Duck

100g Walnut pieces

100g Dried apricots cut into pieces

400 g Fresh bread crumbs

Whisked egg

1 Small chopped onion

Fresh herbs as desired

Seasoning

First prepare the poultry:

1.Cut off wings at the first joint, so the breasts each have the first wing bone, called the drumette, attached.

2.Make a cut in the skin between leg and body.

3.Set the knife down, and hold the chicken with the body in one hand and the leg and thigh in the other.

4.Pull the leg toward you so the thigh bone pops completely out of its socket.

5.Hold the chicken by the leg and use the knife to cut through the flesh between the thigh bone and the body socket. The drumstick and thigh will now be separated.

6.Repeat steps 2 through 5 with the other leg.

7.Once you've removed the legs, lay the chicken on its back so the breasts are upright and facing you.

8.Feel for the breastbone at the very top that separates the two breasts.

9.Make a long incision on both sides of the breastbone. These cuts should follow the breastbone for its entire length.

10.Beneath the breastbone, on both sides, is the rib cage and wishbone. Use the tip of the knife to follow the rib cage and carefully cut away the breasts from the ribs. Hold the breasts by the drumette and start cutting at the thickest part of the breast by the drumette, working your way toward the thin end of the breast.

11.When you've removed both breasts, turn the chicken frame over so the back is exposed.

12.Cut out the little nugget of tender meat, called the oyster, behind the hollow of the hip socket in the back.

13.To cut out the leg and thigh bones, lay each leg on the cutting board so the meatier part faces down.

14.Use the knife to cut down to the bone, then make a deep split that follows the bone for its entire length. Use the tip of the knife to carefully cut the flesh away from the bone.

15.Carefully remove all skin.

16. Retain bones and make into a stock.

Tips & Warnings

*Use a sharp boning knife for easier cutting. Try not to use a serrated knife.

*Fresh poultry is extremely perishable - store it in the refrigerator at all times when you're not working with it.

*Wash all equipment and cutting surfaces before and after handling poultry, to

avoid contaminating other foods.

Prepare Stuffing and Roll

Prepare the stuffing, mix the walnut, apricot and onion to the bread crumbs, season and bind together with the whisked egg.

Take the duck and carefully spread the stuffing over the meat. Using cling film roll the meat into a roll, ensuring all the film is removed.

Place the duck onto the chicken and roll.

Place the chicken onto the turkey and roll.

Lightly oil a sheet of tin foil, place round the roll and secure with string

Cook in a moderate oven until the meat is thoroughly cooked, using a meat thermometer.

Remove from oven, carefully remove foil, leave to cool, then refrigerate.

Prepare Gelatine Coating

1 Carrot, quartered

1/2 Onion

Seasoning

3-4 Peppercorns

1 Bay Leaf

2-3 Cloves

15g/3teasp Powdered Gelatine

3 tbsp warm water

1.Strain 480ml/16fl.oz. of the hot cooking liquor into a measuring jug,

removing any fat.

Place the gelatine and warm water in a heatproof bowl, mix well and set over a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring, until gelatine dissolves.

Add the dissolved gelatine to the hot stock and mix well. Set aside

Decorate the roll as desired. Pour over the gelatine stock and refrigerate for at least 2 hours until set.

To serve - turn out onto a large serving platter, cut in slices and garnish as required. Serve sliced with salad.

If boning and skinning the turkey, chicken and duck is too time consuming, there is an alternative method:

Prepare poultry in normal way for roasting.

Wrap completely in foil and cook in moderate for weight of bird.

Very carefully undue foil and strain off the juices into a measuring jug.

Remove all the meat from each carcass, breaking into large chunks. Keep each bird separate and also the white meat from the dark.

Prepare a mould, such as a large round cake tin with foil. Insure there are not any folds on the bottom or the sides. Coat lightly with olive oil.

Layer the meat: turkey/chicken/duck, white and dark meat. Putting a thin layer of stuffing between each.

Make up a gelatine and add some of the stock, season, strain through muslin.

Gentle pour over meats.

Place a circle of foil on top, then a suitable plate or dish. Weigh down with something heavy.

When cool enough, immediately transfer to refrigerator, compete with weights until completely cold.

Serve sliced with salad.

You never know who might call in at Christmas, so it is a great idea to have some ready prepared food to hand.

No, I do not mean the usual frozen pizzas, but something a little different.

Try this!

500g good quality ground lamb

Potatoes

Carrots

Parsnips

Red onions

White onion

Gravy (or a tin of red wine sauce)

Red wine if require

Oxo cubes

Olive oil

Stuffing Mix

First, make sure you have a nice large, preferably oblong, reasonably shallow dish.

Prepare:

Enough potatoes for four to six people. Peel, slice, and gently cook until just soft. Drain well.

Peel and dice about six carrots, dice, cook until soft, drain well

.

You can add parsnips, preparing the same way, if you wish.

Chop one or two red onions and one white onion.

Heat oil in a suitable pan and brown, place to one side.

In the pan brown the lamb.

Make up a good quality gravy, add seasoning cubes, and a few tablespoons of red wine. Season. Or, use a red wine sauce.

Start with a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the dish, then meat followed by the carrots/parsnips, meat again. Followed by the remainder of the potatoes. Pour over the gravy. Cover with foil, twisting at corners to form a lid.

Cook slowly for about two hours.

Make a topping by mixing up one large, or two small packets of stuffing, but reduce the amount of liquid by half.

If you are going to serve the pie straight away, remove from oven, spread over the stuffing, increase the oven temperature and return for approximately fifteen minutes.

*If you are thinking of freezing the pie, a very good idea, why not buy a suitable foil dish?

*Leave the topping until you wish to use the pie.

Serve with a mixed salad and garlic bread.

Very easy, as long as you remember to prepare it the night before!

Marinade chicken wings and slices of belly pork in seasoned red wine overnight.

Place in a hot oven and cook quickly.

Serve with rice and stir fried vegetables

Fresh Pears - estimate two per person

Honey

Cinnamon

Brandy

Double Cream

1. Peel and quarter a dozen fresh pears.

2. Simmer gently, until just soft in a small very amount of water,

containing two tablespoons of brandy.

3. Drain and leave to dry.

4. Retain the liquid, reduce rapidly and leave to cool.

5. Place the pears in an oven proof dish (or, you can use a foil container)

6. Cover with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.

7. Bake in a hot oven.

8. Prior to serving whisk the double cream, slowly adding the retained liquid.

Serve using a heated tray, individual dishes, and a bowl of cream

Ice Cream:

600 ml milk

Vanilla essence

4 egg yokes

150g castor sugar

200g double cream

The Custard:

1. Pour the milk into a suitable milk saucepan.

2. Heat the milk and add the vanilla essence, leave to infuse.

3.Using a mixer, whisk the egg yokes and sugar together until thick and cream.

4. Slowly add the milk, whisking continuously.

5. Rinse the saucepan, then strain the mixture back into it.

6. Slowly cook over a very gentle heat, until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

7. Leave to cool, then chill.

8. Mix the custard and cream together.

The Ice Cream:

1. Whisk the mix until it resembles whipped cream

2. Place in a plastic container and place in freezer

3. Remove when completely frozen an re whip

4. Repeat above directions twice more.

5. Prepare a selection of glace fruits of your choice, chop and mix into ice cream.

6. Replace in freezer until required

*The Ice Cream should be remove prior to use, to bring to room temperature.

And of course …….

The Chocolate Fountain

1. Prepare according to directions

2. Serve with marsh mallows, small pieces of sponge