loveFOOD meets... Tom Kerridge
We speak to top chef Tom Kerridge about his ideal Christmas lunch, and taking on Mark Sargeant in The Good Food Channel's `Perfect: Christmas special'.
Tom Kerridge once made me the best steak and chips I’ve ever eaten. What’s more he made it look dead easy. So when I heard that he was competing against Mark Sargeant in a special Christmas edition of The Good Food Channel’s 'Perfect' show, I wanted to know more.
Classic Christmas dinner
Tom and Mark are cooking the classic Christmas dinner of turkey, followed by a pudding, and a dish using leftovers. I asked Tom what he’s come up with: “I’m doing a classic roast turkey but in separate sections. I’m doing the breast with black pudding stuffing, while the legs I’ll braise. I’m following that with a trifle made with Christmas pudding instead of the usual sponge, and segmented oranges and jelly.” No hundreds and thousands, I asked? "Ha no, but they’re optional! My leftover dish plays on my West Country upbringing and is a turkey pasty” he adds.
The pasty is interesting in that it uses up not only the leftover bird, but also any vegetables you might have. It’s also something a bit different from the usual turkey curry. “The key is lots of freshly milled black pepper,” says Tom. Mark Sargeant’s menu is very similar, meaning the competition goes to the wire.
A Kerridge Christmas
But what was Christmas dinner like in the Kerridge household? “As kids it was really simple. I’m not from a big family, but my wife is. This year we’re having friends and family over for, you guessed it, turkey!” Indeed unlike some chefs who try to do something fancy or different for Christmas lunch, Tom’s very much a traditional man: “I love turkey, I think it’s great!”
Talking turkey
So has he got any cooking tips? “The one piece of advice I’d give anyone cooking turkey is to buy a digital cooking thermometer, stick it in the thickest part of the breast, and pull the bird out of the oven when the internal temperature hits 70°c.”
“The other top tip is to take the legs off and cook those separately. They’re great slow braised and help make a wonderful turkey gravy,” he adds.
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