Christmas dinner with a Latvian twist: Turkey Roast

My name is Ginta, and I am a Latvian lady who loves cooking. My love for cooking came handy when in 2000 I decided to come to Ireland.

I came to work as a housekeeper-cook. And for nearly 20 years I cooked for Irish families, and loved it.

Being a chef by trade helped a lot, but I had to learn more about different cuisines and new spices over the years as my official training was under Soviet rules, many years ago, restricting the way we could cook.

Learning new things was the best part because cooking to me is a job, hobby, and for relaxation – the way I express myself, the way to experiment, the way to have fun.

It is a great challenge to take some random ingredients and come up with a new dish, put a new twist on an old recipe.

Cooking is a form of art and every one can cook – some need to follow the recipe, but some just like to mix ingredients and enjoy the results.

My friends say that cooking is in my fingertips.

This Christmas dinner is for people who like a tasty but fast dinner, so more time to spend with friends and celebrate.

It is an alternative economic Christmas dinner with a Latvian twist. Most of the recipes are for four people, you can add or take away to suit your numbers at the dinner table.

Turkey roast with stuffing wrapped in streaky rashers

• 301kg turkey breast meat
• 400gr streaky non-smoked rashers

Stuffing

• 350gr sausage meat
• 200gr breadcrumbs
• 300gr onions
• 50gr leeks (the green part)
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 50ml oil
• Salt and pepper
• Thyme and parsley

Method

1. Start with making the stuffing. In hot oil sweat the chopped onions and garlic until golden brown.
2. Add finely chopped leeks and turn off the heat; mix in the breadcrumbs and fresh thyme and parsley. Let it cook, and then mix in the sausage meat. Set aside.
3. On greaseproof paper line up the rashers and sprinkle with fresh herbs.
4. Then put the turkey meat in, about 1cm in thickness (butterfly the turkey breasts before and flatten with a rolling pin just a little bit).
5. Evenly flatten out the stuffing and sprinkle another layer of fresh herbs. Then with the help of the paper roll the meat as neatly as possible.
6. Secure with a string in a few places so that it stays together.
7. Put in a preheated oven at 200° Celsius and bake for an hour, then turn the oven off but leave the roast in the oven for another 10 mins. Then rest for a few minutes before taking the string away, cut in slices to your liking and enjoy.

While the meat cooks, there is plenty of time to do the side dishes, simple and ready in no time.

Hot beetroot and leeks

• 500gr organic cooked beetroot
• 200gr leeks
• 1 chicken stock cube
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• Smoked paprika
• Thyme
• Salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons oil

Method

1. Grate the beetroot and slice the leeks in 5mm rings.
2. In a deep pan put the leeks in the oil and gently brown them, add the smoked paprika and thyme.
3. Add the beetroot and gently stir, sprinkle in the chicken cube.
4. Then add the balsamic and keep stirring until it’s cooked.
5. Taste and add pepper and salt if needed.

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