Clare Smyth’s Turkey Wellington
Switch up your Christmas meal with this amazing Turkey Wellington from Clare Smyth. It is packed with amazing flavours and looks sensational on the plate!
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 1kg turkey breast
- 20 rashers of streaky smoked bacon
For the farce:
- 250g sausage meat
- 50g dried cranberries
- 50g pistachios
- 100g diced cooked chestnuts
- 60g diced pancetta
- 125g cooked onions
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground clove
- 1 pinch ground mace
- 20g sage
- Salt and pepper to season
For the wellington:
- 2 sheets of puff pastry (35cm x 40 cm)
- 2 eggs
For the garnish:
- 1 jar cranberry sauce
- 300g
- Brussels sprouts (removing the root and separating individual leaves)
- 1 bunch picked water cress
- 200ml turkey gravy
For the herb brine:
- 1kg water
- 100g salt
- 10g rosemary
- 6g thyme
- 1g bay leaves
- 6g garlic
- 2g black peppercorn
Method
For the herb brine:
In a large pan, combine the water and salt and bring to the boil. Whisk until the salt has dissolved.
Once all of the salt has dissolved, remove from the heat. Add the herbs and aromatics and allow to cool. Refrigerate until required.
To brine the turkey breast:
Place the turkey breast into the brine and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse in clean, cold water, dry and reserve for later.
For the farce:
In a large pan, over a low heat sweat the onion in the oil until soft but no colour then chill.
When the onion is cold, add all of the other farce ingredients together in a bowl, mix until fully incorporated, season to taste and reserve until needed.
For the turkey:
Turn the tenderloin to the outside and using a sharp knife carefully cut through the thick part of the breast, starting from the centre and working out to the opposite side, stopping 2cm before the end, carefully open it out to create a rectangular shape.
Place a piece of cling film on top of the meat and using a rolling pin, pound the meat, pushing outwards until the breast is approximately 3cm thick and rectangle in shape. Remove the cling film.
Place the farce in the centre of the turkey breast, in the shape of a large sausage. Roll the turkey breast around the farce.
Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 20 rashers of streaky smoked bacon on top, overlapping them slightly, to create a square.
Place the turkey on top of the bacon, using the cling film, roll the bacon over the turkey to create a sausage shape, tie the cling film at each end, to get a nice even thick log.
To cook the turkey:
Pre heat a large pan of water to 85°C (just below boiling point).
Place the turkey breast into the pan and let it cook for 45 minutes and place in an ice bath.
Once cold, remove the cling film and dry with a paper towel. Preheat a non- stick pan, when it is hot, add oil then the turkey breast, caramelise all around then allow to cool down.
For the Wellington:
Make a basic egg wash combining one whole egg and a yolk.
Take your sheet of puff pastry, brush lightly with egg wash.
Place your turkey breast on one side of the pastry allowing 5cm of pastry on each side.
Roll the turkey in the pastry getting rid of as much air as possible. Once the first edge of pastry reaches a full 360°, roll a further 2cm and trim off any excess pastry.
Keeping the seal on the bottom, fold and crimp both ends to seal.
Place on to a square of grease proof paper, glaze the pastry with egg wash, then with the second piece of pastry, cut a lattice decoration pattern and drape over the top.
Trim the lattice to fit, then glaze once more with egg and then reserve until ready.
To cook the Wellington:
Pre-heat your fan oven to 180°C/Gas mark 5. Place the turkey in the oven for 15 minutes then turn the tray and cook for another 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crispy. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
To finish:
Lightly blanch the sprout leaves in seasoned water, drain and toss with the picked water cress, season and serve on the side of the plate. Carve the Wellington into a 2cm slice and add to the plate with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce and finish with turkey gravy.
Ingredients
For the turkey:
- 1kg turkey breast
- 20 rashers of streaky smoked bacon
For the farce:
- 250g sausage meat
- 50g dried cranberries
- 50g pistachios
- 100g diced cooked chestnuts
- 60g diced pancetta
- 125g cooked onions
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground clove
- 1 pinch ground mace
- 20g sage
- Salt and pepper to season
For the wellington:
- 2 sheets of puff pastry (35cm x 40 cm)
- 2 eggs
For the garnish:
- 1 jar cranberry sauce
- 300g
- Brussels sprouts (removing the root and separating individual leaves)
- 1 bunch picked water cress
- 200ml turkey gravy
For the herb brine:
- 1kg water
- 100g salt
- 10g rosemary
- 6g thyme
- 1g bay leaves
- 6g garlic
- 2g black peppercorn
Method
For the herb brine:
In a large pan, combine the water and salt and bring to the boil. Whisk until the salt has dissolved.
Once all of the salt has dissolved, remove from the heat. Add the herbs and aromatics and allow to cool. Refrigerate until required.
To brine the turkey breast:
Place the turkey breast into the brine and leave for 30 minutes. Rinse in clean, cold water, dry and reserve for later.
For the farce:
In a large pan, over a low heat sweat the onion in the oil until soft but no colour then chill.
When the onion is cold, add all of the other farce ingredients together in a bowl, mix until fully incorporated, season to taste and reserve until needed.
For the turkey:
Turn the tenderloin to the outside and using a sharp knife carefully cut through the thick part of the breast, starting from the centre and working out to the opposite side, stopping 2cm before the end, carefully open it out to create a rectangular shape.
Place a piece of cling film on top of the meat and using a rolling pin, pound the meat, pushing outwards until the breast is approximately 3cm thick and rectangle in shape. Remove the cling film.
Place the farce in the centre of the turkey breast, in the shape of a large sausage. Roll the turkey breast around the farce.
Lay a large sheet of cling film on a work surface and place 20 rashers of streaky smoked bacon on top, overlapping them slightly, to create a square.
Place the turkey on top of the bacon, using the cling film, roll the bacon over the turkey to create a sausage shape, tie the cling film at each end, to get a nice even thick log.
To cook the turkey:
Pre heat a large pan of water to 85°C (just below boiling point).
Place the turkey breast into the pan and let it cook for 45 minutes and place in an ice bath.
Once cold, remove the cling film and dry with a paper towel. Preheat a non- stick pan, when it is hot, add oil then the turkey breast, caramelise all around then allow to cool down.
For the Wellington:
Make a basic egg wash combining one whole egg and a yolk.
Take your sheet of puff pastry, brush lightly with egg wash.
Place your turkey breast on one side of the pastry allowing 5cm of pastry on each side.
Roll the turkey in the pastry getting rid of as much air as possible. Once the first edge of pastry reaches a full 360°, roll a further 2cm and trim off any excess pastry.
Keeping the seal on the bottom, fold and crimp both ends to seal.
Place on to a square of grease proof paper, glaze the pastry with egg wash, then with the second piece of pastry, cut a lattice decoration pattern and drape over the top.
Trim the lattice to fit, then glaze once more with egg and then reserve until ready.
To cook the Wellington:
Pre-heat your fan oven to 180°C/Gas mark 5. Place the turkey in the oven for 15 minutes then turn the tray and cook for another 15 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and crispy. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
To finish:
Lightly blanch the sprout leaves in seasoned water, drain and toss with the picked water cress, season and serve on the side of the plate. Carve the Wellington into a 2cm slice and add to the plate with a teaspoon of cranberry sauce and finish with turkey gravy.
