It is the middle of winter, snow and frosts are settling in and it is the perfect time to resist hibernation and invite friends over for a fabulous mid-winter dinner!
Often labelled mid-winter Christmas due to the similarity of the fare that our northern friends embrace in December, for those of us down under it is mid-year when heart warming food is most appreciated.

Over the last couple of years I have found confidence in cooking a turkey, with tender basting and possibly changes in growing techniques, cooking a Tegel turkey is really simple and you get slice after slice of tender delicious meat, ideal when serving a crowd.
For smaller occasion then a larger size chicken is possibly all you will need.

This winter my turkey is stuffed with a sage, bacon and walnut stuffing, admittedly the sage is the garden has died off but it is easily found at my local green grocer.

Once you have selected the size of turkey that meets your needs then check out our
How to Prepare and Roast a Turkey feature, this will guide you through defrosting, preparation and cooking time.
One little tip though: we think that turkey legs cook better and have crisper skin if you don’t truss the turkey (they may not look quite as pretty though).

Sage, Walnut and Bacon Stuffing  

4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
4 sage leaves, finely chopped
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, lightly whisked

Cook the bacon and onion over a low heat in a small frying pan with a splash of oil, until the onion is tender.
Add the garlic, walnuts and sage leaves, increase the heat to moderate and cook, stirring regularly for another few minutes.
Mix the contents of the pan with the breadcrumbs and season with salt and pepper.  Add the egg and mix well.
Stuff the turkey only when you are ready to cook it.

Makes enough for a 6kg turkey.

Other stuffing options include, Pork fennel and Apple, Mediterranean, Greek Style Stuffing

While your turkey is cooking it is time to prepare the accompaniments and bread sauce is one of those luscious side dishes that shouldn’t be ignored.

Roasting vegetables and a large bird with one oven can be a logistical challenge but remember that roast meats can rest with a roil tent above while vegetables roast and an electric frying pan can do wonders!

When I want roast potatoes to be as perfect as can be I follow this method for
Perfect Golden Roast Potatoes. They would be extra luxurious if cooked in duck or goose fat but oil is OK.

It is important for flavour and logistics to have a mixture of stove and oven cooked vegetables, or perhaps a warm salad, here are some of our favourites;

Oven Roasted Carrots and Parsnips with Parmesan (not like nana made)

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Pine nuts.
Roasted Cauliflower with Tahini Dressing
Roast Kumara, Goats’ Cheese, Date and Rocket Salad

When it comes to pudding what may seem excessive on any other night is OK just this once…The list is endless but some popular choices include;
Silky Luscious Lemon Tart
Treacle Tart
Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding
Banana Pudding with Caramel Sauce and Hokey Pokey
Baileys, Banana and White Chocolate Bread & Butter Pudding

We would love you to share photos and details of your mid winter feast with us.
There are amazing prizes including Tegel vouchers, Roasting Pan, Carving Set, Breville Electric Frying Pan….
For entry and prize details check out our Share your Mid Winter Feast to Win with Tegel.

Do you have a jar of tahini lingering in your fridge from the last time you made hummus?
It will linger no more when you start using it up in some of these delicious recipes.

Tahini is predominantly used in Middle Easter and Mediterranean recipes and is simply a paste made of ground sesame seeds.  While most of us prefer to buy it by the jar you can actually make your own by blitzing sesame seeds in the food processor and then adding enough mild olive oil to make a paste.  Proportions are about 1 cup sesame seeds to 2 tablespoons olive oil – or more if you want a runnier paste.
The sesame seeds can be hulled or unhulled, activated or toasted, all will give a variation on flavour.

Commercial tahini is usually labelled as hulled or unhulled, unhulled has a higher nutritional value.
When purchasing tahini, check out the expiry date and also assess how it may have been stored.  I tend to look for reliable brands and shelving out of direct sunlight and away from heat.  Light and heat can cause nuts to go rancid.  Once opened then refrigerate and use as required.

Ideas for using tahini

1. While hummus is the obvious use for tahini there is hummus and then there is super delicious hummus.  This oven warmed hummus is so good, perfect for serving with drinks on a chilly winters evening.

2. Roasted pumpkin is a standard in New Zealand homes, drizzle it with tahini and sprinkle with toasted pumpkin seeds and you will find you are roasting it more than ever.
Roasted Pumpkin with Tahini

3.  Roasted cauliflower is my favourite thing this winter.  Drizzled with tahini yoghurt dressing it takes it from being simply delicious to absolutely divine.
You can do the same with roasted carrots and parsnips as well.

4.  Tahini yoghurt dressing is indispensable to my recipe repertoire this winter.
Drizzle it on salads, roasted vegetables or lamb.

5.  The tahini yoghurt dressing tossed through a hearty winter colelsaw will have you getting your 5+ a day in one sitting!

6.  Love ’em or not, roasted brussels sprouts take on a whole new flavour profile when roasted and drizzled with a tahini dressing.

7.  Swap out peanut butter for tahini in satay sauce and baking.