Christmas/Thanksgiving lunch or dinner - wheat free recipe
At Christmas or Thanksgiving you certainly can have your turkey and eat it. Our wheat & gluten free version of the traditional favourite is
so easy to make nobody will know the difference, if you don't tell them.
We've put all the individual recipe components on this one page so that you don't forget anything. However if you want to concentrate
on one recipe at a time, then click on the (more) link beside each item in the main list, and you can work from the individual
recipes themselves.
dietary information: |
| wheat free |
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| gluten free |
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| nut free |
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| dairy free |
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| vegetarian |
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| vegan |
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roast turkey |
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wheat free/gluten free chipolatas |
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roast potatoes (more) |
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roast parsnips (more) |
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new or mashed potatoes |
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broccoli florets |
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carrots |
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peas |
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brussel sprouts |
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wheat free/gluten free stuffing |
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wheat free/gluten free gravy |
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cranberry sauce |
Roast Turkey
| 1. |
Roast the turkey following the cooking instructions and times for the size of turkey you have. If the turkey packaging
does not include roasting temperatures and times, and if you are unsure, refer to a good cooking book for correct poultry
roasting times. |
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| 2. |
Always make sure that the turkey is thoroughly cooked all the way through. This may take longer or shorter than the
cooking instructions, depending on the oven used etc. |
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| 3. |
To make completely sure that the turkey is fully cooked, remove it
from the oven and push a knife or metal skewer into the thickest part of the meat. If the juices run clear from the hole,
then the turkey should be completely cooked. If the juices are slightly coloured or blood shows then the turkey needs more
roasting time. |
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| 4. |
Remember - an incorrectly defrosted or undercooked turkey can spoil your festive season. |
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Roast potatoes
| 1. |
Cooking temp: 190°C (fan 170°C), 375°F, Gas 5
Cooking time: 30-60 minutes (depending on size)
Preheat a roasting tin containing 2-3 tbsps of oil in it. |
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| 2. |
Peel floury potatoes and cut into similar sized chunks (the skins can be left on for more rustic looking roast
potatoes). |
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| 3. |
Parboil for 5 minutes then drain them thoroughly and when dry shake them around a bit in the saucepan or a metal sieve to
rough up the surfaces to create a crispy edging when roasted. |
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| 4. |
Tip into the preheated roasting tin, the fat should sizzle a bit when the potatoes are added. Ensure that the
potatoes are coated well with the oil. |
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| 5. |
Roast, turning occasionally to ensure even browning, being careful not to knock the crispy bits off in the process. |
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Roast parsnips
| 1. |
Cooking temp: 200°C, fan 180°C, 400°F, Gas 6
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Preheat a roasting tin containing 2 tbsps of oil in it. |
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| 2. |
Peel the parsnips and cut into quarter sections lengthways down the parsnip. Remove the hard core of the parsnip
with a sharp knife, should be quite easy to just slice down the length of the parsnip to do so. |
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| 3. |
Remove the baking dish from the oven and carefully place the parsnips into the oil. Make sure the parsnips are
evenly coated in oil (a heatproof pastry brush is a very good tool for this). Place the parsnips in the oven for 25 minutes. |
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| 4. |
When the 25 minutes are up, remove the parsnips and turn each one over. Put back in the oven for 20 minutes, until golden brown. |
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| 5. |
Some people like to parboil their parsnips before roasting, but we find that the results without parboiling are just
as good, and cuts down on additional work. |
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Vegetables
| 1. |
These can all be prepared well in advance. |
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| 2. |
Simply cook your selection of vegetables in the normal way. |
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Stuffing
| 1. |
We used Allergycare stuffing. |
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| 2. |
Follow the instructions on the packet. |
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| 3. |
For a slightly richer stuffing add a small piece of butter or margerine and mix thoroughly. |
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| 4. |
Add further boiling water if necessary as we think that the stuffing can be a bit too dry. Place in an oiled
dish and put in the oven until crusty and browned. |
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Chipolatas
| 1. |
Cooking temp: grill, pan fry or oven bake 190°C (fan 170°C), 375°F, Gas 5
Cooking time: 4 minutes - 25 minutes (depending on cooking method)
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| 2. |
We used Helen Browning's 12 speedy organic pork sausages as
the traditional accompaniment to the roast turkey. Follow the cooking instructions on the packet. |
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| 3. |
If there are no instructions included then baking for about 25 minutes
in the oven with the turkey should be sufficient to ensure they are cooked thoroughly. |
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Gravy
| 1. |
We have tried two of the wheat/gluten free gravy powders available, Allergycare
and Orgran, and
both are very good. |
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| 2. |
To make the gravy, place the gravy powder in a small saucepan using the quantities specified on the pack
and mix with cold water. |
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| 3. |
Gently heat the gravy mix stirring continuously as it will go solid if left unattended. Add
boiling water if it gets too thick. It only takes 4-5 minutes to make and can therefore be left till the last minute. |
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Onion gravy
| 1. |
If you want slightly more adventurous gravy then onion gravy is a lovely addition to the meal. |
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| 2. |
Finely slice a medium sized onion and place in a frying pan with 1 tbsp oil. Gently fry the onion until
is it lightly browned, ensuring that it does not burn, blacken or caramelise. |
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| 3. |
Add the fried onion to the gravy mix before heating it up and then heat gently, stirring to ensure that it
doesn't go lumpy. If you leave the gravy to very gently simmer the onions will add a lovely flavour to it. |
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| 3. |
When ready to serve pour over the roast turkey. Some people prefer to strain the onions from the gravy, but we
like them to stay in. Make sure you make plenty of onion gravy as there are sure to be requests for second helpings. |
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Cranberry sauce
| 1. |
We used ready made cranberry sauce as with all the other things to cook it helps to have some things that are
easy to prepare. Sainsbury's make a very good cranberry sauce that is also marked gluten free. |
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| 2. |
Serve the cranberry sauce either hot or cold. |
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This festive lunch or dinner is still totally traditional, no one will notice the wheat free difference. You certainly do not need wheat to make it a
lovely festive meal. Everything can be worked around, and the times taken to cook everything are
identical to the times taken for the normal wheat containing version.
Back to wheat free main course recipes...
