1802 Christmas meat ??

So long as the bird is cooked through (as with eggs) there is absolutely no danger.

The only real risk comes from handling/eating recently dead birds and/or live birds. A good way to 'sterilise' any poultry before handling/preparing to cook is to soak it in salt water for a half hour to an hour before you start work on it - just tip it from its packaging into the salted water and wash your hands after.

All birds are believed to be affected by the bird flu, but the main carriers appear to be wild waterfowl. Whilst the disease is 100% fatal in domestic fowl it is much less damaging to wildfowl, with many being carriers for the virus without showing any sign of illness.

Otherwise you could always just do a roast ham or pork or lamb?

[QUOTE=alex and lyn]Is this 'bird' situation likely to escalate do you think ? :confused:

Have a mixture of Italian and English for Christmas Dinner.....was going to do Turkey using an Italian Recipe I have,but not sure what to do if everyone is a bit wary on the poultry front. I suppose Goose could be affected as well ??

What on earth can I do meat wise ...there will be at least 8-10 of us...help !

Our neighbour is doing the Christmas Eve Dinner with all the fish courses ...so fish is out! :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
We will be eating,traditional italian turkey, chickens,galantina made with hen,ducks and pigeons...maybe other birds too like most of our neighbours don't read too much b.l....t from journalists.

I have to say i'm not in least concerned about the scaremongering...just wasn't sure about my guests...I'll have to bite the bullet and ask them if they are concerned. We are still eating chicken.
Sebastiano ...what is galantina (have I spelt that right...forgot you can't view a previous answere when typing a reply !!!) sounds really interesting.

Thanks for the tips.

[QUOTE=alex and lyn]I have to say i'm not in least concerned about the scaremongering...just wasn't sure about my guests...I'll have to bite the bullet and ask them if they are concerned. We are still eating chicken.
Sebastiano ...what is galantina (have I spelt that right...forgot you can't view a previous answere when typing a reply !!!) sounds really interesting.

Thanks for the tips.[/QUOTE]

If all you are doing is managing perceptions, make sure that your birds are Italian and not imports from Greece or Turkey. Secondly, go through the motions of the salt bath - or at least tell them you have. Third, make sure the meat is cooked thoroughly.

If you have any questions re the bird flu and precautions to take, the World Health Organisation has good info on its website. For info local to you, contact your Department of Agriculture.

[QUOTE=alex and lyn]was going to do Turkey using an Italian Recipe I have,:[/QUOTE]

In case you have not 'done' an Italian Christmas before, and want to keep the turkey whole, be aware that the turkeys are not as plump and well rounded as their British cousins. They are much more scrawny with less meat; more taste, just less meaty bits. My advice would be to tell the butcher the number being catered for, and add a few, rather than ask for a specific weight, as you may find you have not enough meat and too much bone! I don't understand why the whole turkeys are so scrawny considering that on the butchers counter you see enormous turkey breasts, but we have never found a well fattened whole turkey for Christmas.

Thanks for the tip re: amount of meat on the turkey. I have noticed the huge turkey breasts in the supermarkets already as well. May get one as a stand by.

There is a really good technique for cooking a turkey that you might like.

Salt and pepper the turkey throughly
(including the cavity)and fill the cavity full with chopped onions. Wrap it up in cheesecloth, knot on the bottom, breast side up. Cook with typical directions, only cover turkey and cheesecloth with cream instead of butter or oil. Have additional cream to pour more over later for basting, and baste like you usually would with the juices and cream mixture.
The the turkey stays covered in a pan with foil the whole time it cooks.

Here's what happens: The onions get very hot inside the turkey and cook it from the inside, and the cheesecloth with the cream sort of stuck on the weave creates a kind of cooking that makes the bird very moist and almost falls apart.
I put additional onions around the turkey that get carmelized and add a sweet taste to the cream when basting. Don't worry that the cheesecloth and foil cover will not brown the bird, I promise you when it's done cooking and you take the cheesecloth off it'll be nice and browned.

The added bonus of this method is that you'll have this fantastic gravy that is
creamy, sweet oniony, and full of turkey flavor in the bottom of the pan. That is the gravy, no need to do more. It's very simple, and for the last 20 years it's the only method I use when I cook a turkey.

[QUOTE=Sano].....So long as the bird is cooked through (as with eggs) there is absolutely no danger.....[/QUOTE]

Just to make sure we're safe, we have started to boil our sprouts last week ;)

[QUOTE=tuscanhills]Just to make sure we're safe, we have started to boil our sprouts last week ;)[/QUOTE]

Seems a bit late to start boiling them - my mother was convinced that sprouts weren't properly cooked unless that could pass through a fine sieve!!

Me - I eat them raw, along with carrots, cabbage and cauliflower!

And before you go "yeuk" - don't knock it until you've tried it

[QUOTE=alan haynes]Seems a bit late to start boiling them - my mother was convinced that sprouts weren't properly cooked unless that could pass through a fine sieve!!

Me - I eat them raw, along with carrots, cabbage and cauliflower!

And before you go "yeuk" - don't knock it until you've tried it[/QUOTE]

I shred the sprouts and serve them only lightly sauteed with flaked almonds. Very nice!

My turn to do the family christmas dinner this year.. for 25! Can't wait! :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=Sano]I shred the sprouts and serve them only lightly sauteed with flaked almonds. Very nice![/QUOTE]

That sounds delicious. I'll try that this year. Many thanks Sano :)

[QUOTE=derekL]My turn to do the family christmas dinner this year.. for 25! Can't wait! :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Stuffed boned and rolled turkeys all the way...

[QUOTE=Sano]Stuffed boned and rolled turkeys all the way...[/QUOTE]

I was thinking that. This is Ireland, so I also have to do a ham.
Liked Alan's raw vegetables idea. Wonder if I could get away with raw potatoes too?? :)

Last year it was impossible to find sprouts around here until well after Christmas!!!
Ours arrived with a guest on Christmas Eve!!

[QUOTE=derekL]I was thinking that. This is Ireland, so I also have to do a ham.
Liked Alan's raw vegetables idea. Wonder if I could get away with raw potatoes too?? :)[/QUOTE]

The ham is an easy one - buy whatever weight of ham(s) you require, boil them for about 10 minutes, peel off the skin, score the fat, stud with cloves, pour over a tin or two of Smithwicks, cover in foil and place in the oven for whatever seems a good time (I always guess). 30 Minutes before it is cooked, peel back the foil, rub over honey and brown sugar and return to the oven.

Very very nice and easy way to do ham.

[QUOTE=Sano]The ham is an easy one - buy whatever weight of ham(s) you require, boil them for about 10 minutes, peel off the skin, score the fat, stud with cloves, pour over a tin or two of Smithwicks, cover in foil and place in the oven for whatever seems a good time (I always guess). 30 Minutes before it is cooked, peel back the foil, rub over honey and brown sugar and return to the oven.

Very very nice and easy way to do ham.[/QUOTE]

Sorry to be dense. What's Smithwicks :confused:

[QUOTE=Susan P]Sorry to be dense. What's Smithwicks :confused:[/QUOTE]

At last! I've been waiting ages for a beer question! :)
It's an Irish beer. Bit like an Ale.

Derek

[QUOTE=Sano]The ham is an easy one - buy whatever weight of ham(s) you require, boil them for about 10 minutes, peel off the skin, score the fat, stud with cloves, pour over a tin or two of Smithwicks, cover in foil and place in the oven for whatever seems a good time (I always guess). 30 Minutes before it is cooked, peel back the foil, rub over honey and brown sugar and return to the oven.
Very very nice and easy way to do ham.[/QUOTE]

Wow that sounds great Sano. I'll try that. And I'll certainly be boning and rolling the turkey.
Now, you might as well finish off by giving me some tips for roast potatoes! ;) Normally I parboil first for 10-15 mins, dry them, brush on some oil then sprinkle with sesame seeds before popping them in the oven.
And I was thinking about a sticky toffee pudding for afters??

Derek

[QUOTE=derekL]At last! I've been waiting ages for a beer question! :)
It's an Irish beer. Bit like an Ale.

Derek[/QUOTE]

Now that sounds like my cup of tea .... sorry I meant pint of ale :rolleyes:

[QUOTE=derekL]Wow that sounds great Sano. I'll try that. And I'll certainly be boning and rolling the turkey.
Now, you might as well finish off by giving me some tips for roast potatoes! ;) Normally I parboil first for 10-15 mins, dry them, brush on some oil then sprinkle with sesame seeds before popping them in the oven.
And I was thinking about a sticky toffee pudding for afters??

Derek[/QUOTE]

I would simply peel them, cut them into smallish squares, toss in olive oil and roast with fresh rosemary and garlic.

I will pm you a good recipe for a pudding that is similar to sticky toffee pudding.

Hello Sano,

Haven't talked to you in a bit (glad you enjoyed the cake). I'm following your delicious recipes and directions here, and would really like your pudding recipe too. Could you post it? Thank you very much :)

Dee

[QUOTE=greatscott]Hello Sano,

Haven't talked to you in a bit (glad you enjoyed the cake). I'm following your delicious recipes and directions here, and would really like your pudding recipe too. Could you post it? Thank you very much :)

Dee[/QUOTE]

Have posted under a separate heading. Hope you enjoy!