A L L S P I C E G R AV Y

The best gravies are made by deglazing a joint’s cooking juices in the roasting tin but, with a brined bird, the liquid it gives off is too salty; you can’t use more than 2-3 tablespoonfuls. You could simply drain off the excess but, given the stress of Christmas Day, making the gravy in a saucepan is a better route as you can make it ahead – the stovetop will be busy enough.

giblets from turkey (not including liver)

1 litre water

1 tbsp allspice berries

½ tsp black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

4cm stick cinnamon

1 stick celery, halved

2 carrots, peeled and halved 1 onion (unpeeled), halved

1 tbsp Maldon salt or

½ tbsp table salt juice of 1 clementine/satsuma (approx 60ml), plus pulp from fruit 2 tbsp plain flour

2 tbsp honey

★ Put all the ingredients, except the flour and honey, into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer gently for 2 hours.

★ Strain the gravy stock through a sieve (or just pour, holding back the bits) into a large measuring jug: this should give you approx 1 litre. All this can be done well ahead (see below).

★ On the day itself, whisk the flour in a saucepan with 2 tbsp of the salty juices from the turkey roasting tin, then put the saucepan on the heat and slowly whisk in the rest of the stock and the honey.

★ Let the gravy bubble away, stirring every now and again with a wooden spoon, until it thickens a little and the floury taste disappears.

★ If you are preparing the gravy stock ahead, make sure when you add the flour and juices and reheat that it gets piping hot; preferably fill the gravy jug with hot water for 10 minutes before draining, drying and filling it with hot, aromatic allspice gravy.

Simmer the gravy stock for 2 hours and stir in the honey. Cool, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days. Finish the gravy with flour and turkey juices as directed.

MAKE AHEAD