Roast turkey with chestnut stuffing

Method

1. To make the stuffing, soak the breadcrumbs in the milk in a small dish, then drain. Combine in a mixing bowl with the minced pork, chestnuts, garlic, parsley and egg and season with salt and pepper. To check the seasoning, make a little burger from the stuffing mixture and cook in a non-stick frying pan for 3-4 minutes, then taste it. Add more salt and pepper to the raw mixture as necessary.

2. Put all the stuffing inside the turkey and, with a needle and kitchen string, stitch up the backside of the turkey and tie the drumsticks together.

3. Insert 2 tablespoons of the butter between the flesh of the breast and the skin, spreading it evenly under the skin of the breast.

4. Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 5. On the stovetop, heat a generous splash of oil and another tablespoon of butter in a deep roasting tin. Add the turkey and sear all over until a light golden colour.

5. Add the sauce vegetables, 4 cloves of chopped garlic, bay, thyme, peppercorns and clove to the roasting tin, plus the white wine and 650ml of the chicken stock. Season, cover with foil and roast for about 2 hours 30 minutes. Add extra water to the pan if the sauce reduces too rapidly.

6. Remove the foil from the turkey and continue roasting for another 30 minutes until the bird is well coloured. When done, remove the turkey from the tin, place on a dish and set aside to rest.

7. Add the rest of the chicken stock and 250ml of water to the roasting tin. Place on the stovetop, bring to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve.

8. In a sauté pan or frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and fry the whole chestnuts until golden. Add the strained turkey sauce and parsley and leave to simmer until the mixture is of a sauce consistency.

9. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the green beans and simmer for 1 minute. Drain and refresh under the cold tap, then set aside to drain thoroughly.

10. To cook the mushrooms, in a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 crushed cloves of garlic. Add the mushrooms, season and cook until the natural water of the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the fresh thyme and sauté for 1 minute or so, then stir this mixture into the chestnut sauce.

11. Return to the beans. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a frying pan, add 1 crushed garlic clove and the green beans and sauté until the beans are warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

12. To serve, put the turkey in a deep serving dish. Pour the chestnut and mushroom sauce over the bird and serve the green beans separately.