It's the most wonderful time of the year - the packet of mince pies has been ripped open, the roast potatoes are crisping up in the oven and the Irish cream is flowing. That said, if you're the one cooking this year's Christmas meal, things probably feel a little less festive and a lot more stressful.
A hot, sweaty kitchen, extreme pressure to stick to timings and a a room full of hungry diners patiently waiting to be fed is all in a day's work for Manchester chefs, but it's a scene also familiar to amateur cooks up and down the country at this time of year. Fortunately, we've asked some of the city's best to share their failsafe Christmas tips and secret hints to make sure your turkey dinner is a smash hit.
Whether it's how to prep your potatoes, brining your turkey in a bag for life or devising the perfect sweet treat to impress your guests, the Manchester hospitality gods have your back - just think of this as your Christmas dinner cheat sheet.
Read more: 'I tried a garden centre Christmas roast and even my gran was impressed'
Joe White - 10 Tib Lane
Classic cocktails, natural wine that doesn't leave a sour taste, beer that matters and seasonal dishes made with the best produce from the region - that's 10 Tib Lane in a nutshell. Right, now that we're all acquainted, co-owner Joe White has a pre-dinner tipple in mind, but not before a quick chat about your roast potatoes.
Joe says: "For the p erfect roasties make sure to steam or boil them the day before and let them air dry overnight in the fridge. It will make the outside extra crispy when you roast them."
Now, you've all heard of mulled wine, but what about a mulled negroni? Well, now you have and below Joe explains how to make this alternative festive beverage.
Ingredients: 250ml gin, 250ml Campari, 250ml sweet vermouth, 2 sticks of cinnamon, 5 cloves, 2 bay leaves, 1/4 of a teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg, Peel of 2 oranges, Peel of 1 lemon
Method: "Add all the ingredients together and microwave for 3 mins at 800w. Let it cool down, strain it into a clean bottle and pop it in the fridge. Pour over ice and enjoy (if you haven’t got any ice pop it in the freezer for a few hours)."
Alex Navarro - Maray
Maray, a Middle Eastern-inspired dining spot famed for its ‘disco’ cauliflower and buttermilk chicken, opened its doors in July on Brazennose Street just off of Albert Square, after making a name for itself in its native city of Liverpool. Executive chef, Alex Navarro, is not only a dab hand at seasonal dishes that takes cues from the Middle East and North Africa, but also knows a thing or two about cooking the perfect turkey. So, make sure you're taking notes.
Alex says: "There's lots of coverage now about dry brining, I've been doing it since 2005 and honestly it's what everyone should be doing. It's not complicated, you're basically seasoning it, and leaving it to create it's own wet brine by drawing out the juices stored in the meat through osmosis, resulting in a juicy one.
"Cut your turkey in half, season each half with your brine, put in a bag for life for about 48 hours, then rotate it in the bag, give it a turnaround every five hours or so and make sure the bag is super tight. Rinse, then leave to dry in the fridge for a day. Then simply cook as you would any turkey.
"I can't stress enough how boss this is and easy. I get my turkey cooked two days before. For a 10lb turkey = 4.5kg, 30g sea salt ( not table ), 10g sugar, 10g hard herbs ( I use sage and rosemary), rind of half a lemon and orange."
Shaun Moffat - Edinburgh Castle
In 2019, an abandoned Ancoats boozer was reborn as a gastropub, bringing local residents exceptional food and drink in a space steeped in history - it has stood in place since 1811, in the heart of Britain's first industrial suburb. In September this year, South African born and naturalised Londoner, Shaun Moffat, a chef fresh from award-winning London restaurant Manteca joined the team - and as they say the rest is history. So time for a Christmas pudding? Well, this year's might just be your best yet.
Shaun says: "There’s going to be a load of different perfect meat and vegetable suggestions so I thought a sweet treat to finish up - Pear, chestnut and cider brandy trifle.
"Peel, core and poach your pears in your favourite cider & aromatic spices until cooked but retain a little bite. Spike your favourite custard recipe with Somerset cider brandy - nobody will judge you for using Birds here.
"Layer a generous amount of lady finger biscuits in the bottom of the best trifle dish you can get your hands on and douse with more brandy - obviously. A high-sided glass dish lets you see the lovely layers but anything nice enough to put on the table will do.
"Arrange the poached pears on top of your boozy ladyfinger biscuits, then top this liberally with your brand spiked custard.
"Leave the dish to set in the fridge overnight and when you're ready to go, top with whipped cream and chopped toasted chestnuts and enjoy."
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