http://www.wharf.co.uk/2008/12/ramsay-and-rhodes-christmas-ti.htmlChristmas is looming and most Wharfers will be contemplating cooking a turkey with all the trimmings.
But the year's biggest meal often ends up as the year's biggest nightmare with overcooked vegetables, dried meat and overheated tempers.
The Wharf caught up with two of Britain's top chefs - Gordon Ramsay and Gary Rhodes to find out how to take the heat off when it comes to Christmas lunch.
Ramsay's advice concerned how to deal with the turkey to stop the meat drying out - his answer? Plenty of basting and a good rest.
"The secret behind cooking a turkey is basting it all the time. You've got to baste it," he said.
"It's really important to baste the thighs and open them up and really get in there. It's crucial.
"Have a hot oven to start with, then turn it down and cook it depending on the weight.
"But you've got to let it rest because as it rests it continues cooking inside. Everyone continues cooking it in the oven until it's completely cooked inside, so by the time its rested it's overcooked.
"But the biggest problem is everyone slices it too early.
"They slice it piping hot so everything goes dry before they even start to taste it. A turkey should be rested for as long as it's cooked so it reabsorbs and re-energises itself.
"Use the gravy to heat it so it's moist. There's nothing worse than a dry turkey. Then after it's rested turn it upside down so it can reabsorb again. "
And Ramsay advised against overeating on the big day to make sure you enjoy the main meal properly.
He said: "Christmas Day is the only day when you should be eating twice. Have a nice late breakfast and make it a warm breakfast, whether it's porridge or scrambled eggs and smoked salmon.
"Then sit down late, so you only eat once from four o'clock."
He also advised using Christmas Eve to prepare the vegetables, especially those Brussels sprouts, to make life easier.
He said: "Always cook them the day before because it makes the house less smelly.
"Blanch them the day before very quickly in boiling water, refresh them, and then sautee them in nut brown butter with chestnuts the next day, so the smell's a lot more vibrant than boiled brussels sprouts, which is not the most energetic or sexiest smell on Christmas day morning.
"Carrots are blanched the day before, then finish them off with a little bit of star anise and honey, to glamorise them.
"Parsnips are quartered, lightly roasted and lightly seasoned with a little bit of curry powder. Beautiful.
"And any parsnips not used that day are blended with some really nice chicken stock, thickened with a little bit of cream and you've got the most amazing curried soup.
"And we finish with grated apple. Freeze the apple so it gets nice and firm and then grate it over the soup.
aa-nov6-rhodes3.jpgAnd fellow chef Gary Rhodes offered these words of wisdom when he visited Canary Wharf.
He said: "My biggest advice is have your veg prepped the day before. On Christmas Eve spend a bit of time prepping them all up, which I suppose most people do anyway.
"On the day, once the presents have been opened and all the hugs and kisses and thank yous and the wrapping paper is stuffed in the bin, cook all your vegetables off.
"Parsnips you can't do until the last minute but they just have to be thrown in the oven, so there's nothing to worry about there.
"Cook the brussels sprouts, refresh them in ice water, the same with your carrots, your cauliflower and any other vegetable.
"What I next do, once they are all drained off, I season them with salt and pepper, pop a knob of butter on them, into the dishes I'm going to serve them in, cling-filmed, ready to microwave.
"I want to make life easy so pop them in the microwave and two to three minutes later you've got piping hot veg. You can even keep the clingfilm on until the last second, pull it off, and whack it on the table.
"Who's going to know? There's steam coming off it, it's cooked to perfection. You've kept and maintained all the beautiful colour in the vegetables, and you've got the seasoning right."
"If you then want to throw some sort of topping on your cauliflower you can, whatever you are going to do - crispy crumbs, a little bit of parmesan, or cheese melted over it, whatever - you can do all of that, it doesn't take any time at all.
"Then all you've got to worry about is the bird. That goes in the oven, the stuffing goes in the oven, the roast potatoes go in the oven, your parsnips go in the oven.
"All you've got to do on the stove is the gravy and perhaps a little bit of bread sauce to warm up. Or if you want to serve your cranberry warm.
"It keeps the pressure down. And always make sure you do a simple starter. Don't try and take a recipe from a book which you think is going to be a gastronomic extravaganza which causes you so much stress and pressure it'll never quite come off right.
"Do a cold starter, very simple. I'm quite happy to eat a plate of smoked salmon at Christmas, but a quality smoked salmon with all the little extras to go with it. Fabulous."
