A true highlight of the festive season, there is nothing quite like sharing a stuffed turkey on Christmas Eve with a delicious glass of organic red wine.

Chef Marion from Café Léoube shares his top tips on preparing the perfect bird – a tradition that begins with sourcing an outdoor reared turkey from our local farmer or butcher.

Stuffing:

150g stale bread crumbs
180ml cold milk
2 cloves
5g fresh ginger
30ml cold water
Handful of fresh cranberries
Generous pinch of salt and pepper
Sprig of thyme

Place the bread, milk, cloves and ginger into a bowl and allow to soak for ½ an hour. Next add the cold water, cranberries, salt, pepper and thyme and mix together to form the stuffing.

Turkey:

X1 6.6kg turkey
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig thyme
10g butter
2 slugs Léoube olive oil

Preheat the oven to 180°C

Tightly pack the main cavity with the stuffing. Cross the legs one on top of the other and tie together tightly with a string.

Place the thyme and rosemary beneath the skin of the neck cavity. Pat the skin dry and rub both the breast and thighs with the butter. Season well before generously pouring over the olive oil.

Place the prepared turkey in a baking tray with two cups of water. Roast in the oven for 3/12 hours, basting every 20 minutes as it cooks. Every oven is different so cooking times will vary – on average however, try to allow for 20 minutes per kg, plus an extra 90 minutes.

Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to rest for at least 30– 45 minutes before carving. Be sure to save the juices and reduce in a pan to form your gravy.

Cranberry Sauce:

350g fresh cranberries
water to cover
3 cups of white sugar
1 vanilla pod

Place the cranberries in a pan and add just enough water to cover. Add the sugar and vanilla pod, stir together and place over a low heat for 15-20 minutes or until the berries just begin to burst. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

Pour into a wide shallow bowl and serve alongside your turkey with a squash pie and a delicious glass of organic red wine Léoube Collector.