SMITH BITS RECIPES

Steps:

• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl with a sieve held high above the bowl so the flour gets an airing. Now make a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it. Then begin whisking the eggs - any sort of whisk or even a fork will do - incorporating any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl as you do so.
• Next gradually add small quantities of the milk and water mixture, still whisking (don't worry about any lumps as they will eventually disappear as you whisk). When all the liquid has been added, use a rubber spatula to scrape any elusive bits of flour from around the edge into the centre, then whisk once more until the batter is smooth, with the consistency of thin cream. Now melt the 50g/2oz of butter in a pan. Spoon 2 tbsp of it into the batter and whisk it in, then pour the rest into a bowl and use it to lubricate the pan, using a wodge of kitchen paper to smear it round before you make each pancake.
• Now get the pan really hot, then turn the heat down to medium and, to start with, do a test pancake to see if you're using the correct amount of batter. I find 2 tbsp is about right for an 18cm/7in pan. It's also helpful if you spoon the batter into a ladle so it can be poured into the hot pan in one go. As soon as the batter hits the hot pan, tip it around from side to side to get the base evenly coated with batter. It should take only half a minute or so to cook; you can lift the edge with a palette knife to see if it's tinged gold as it should be. Flip the pancake over with a pan slice or palette knife - the other side will need a few seconds only - then simply slide it out of the pan onto a plate.
• Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate fitted over simmering water, to keep them warm while you make the rest.
• To serve, sprinkle each pancake with freshly squeezed lemon juice and caster sugar, fold in half, then in half again to form triangles, or else simply roll them up. Serve sprinkled with a little more sugar and lemon juice and extra sections of lemon.

Steps:

• 7.45 am

  Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7.

  First stuff the turkey with your chosen stuffing. Loosen the skin with your hands and pack the stuffing into the neck end, pushing it up between the flesh and the skin towards the breast (not too tightly, because it will expand during the cooking). Press it in gently to make a nicely rounded end, then tuck the neck flap under the bird’s back and secure with a small skewer or some cocktail sticks. Don’t expect to get all the stuffing in this end – put the rest into the body cavity.

  Now arrange two large sheets of foil across your roasting tin, one widthways and the other lengthways (no need to butter them). Lay the turkey on its back in the centre, then rub it generously all over with the butter, making sure the thigh bones are particularly well covered. Next season the bird all over and lay the bacon over the breast with the rashers overlapping each other. I always put some over the legs as well.

  Now wrap the turkey loosely in the foil. The parcel must be firmly sealed but roomy enough to provide an air space around most of the upper part of the bird. So bring one piece of foil up and fold both ends over to make a pleat along the length of the breastbone. Then bring the other piece up at both ends and crimp and fold to make a neat parcel.

  8.15 am

  Place the turkey in the preheated oven, where it will cook at the initial high temperature for 40 minutes.

  Because of the sausage meat stuffing and the bacon rashers already on the bird, we don’t serve bacon rolls and chipolatas. But if you do, now is the time to prepare them as follows: brush a shallow baking tray with oil and arrange the sausages on it in two rows. For the bacon rolls, stretch the rinded rashers out as far as you can, then roll them up very tightly, thread them on to long flat skewers and place them next to the chipolatas and pop them all back in the fridge ready to go in the oven at 1.15 pm.

  8.55 am

  Lower the oven temperature to 170°C/gas mark 3. Now take a break! At this point everything should be under control, so you can take time out of the kitchen to help the kids unwrap their presents, have a coffee or tidy the house. After that, prepare and set the lunch table, making sure you have all the right glasses for pre-lunch drinks as well as the table. It’s a good idea to arrange the coffee tray now, too, and line up the brandy and liqueur glasses. Pop the plates and serving dishes into the warming oven, and don’t forget to warm a large plate for the turkey.

  12.30 pm

  Increase the oven temperature to 200°C/gas mark 6. Now get some help, because you’ve got to lift the turkey out of the oven and it’s heavy! Remove the foil from the top and sides of the bird and take off the bacon slices. Now baste the turkey very thoroughly with a long handled spoon, then return it to the oven for a further 30–45 minutes to finish browning – give it as much basting as you can during this final cooking period. The bacon rashers can be placed on a heatproof plate and put back in the oven for 15–20 minutes to finish cooking till all the fat has melted and there are just very crisp bits left. (I like to serve these crunchy bits with the turkey instead of bacon rolls.)

  1.15 pm

  Remove the turkey from the oven and increase the temperature to 230°C/gas mark 8. Place the chipolatas and bacon rolls on the lowest shelf or floor of the oven. Transfer the turkey to a warm serving plate: it will be fine left to rest in the kitchen temperature for up to 50 minutes, loosely covered with double foil, without losing its heat.

  1.30 pm

  Turn the chipolatas and bacon rolls over, then you are free for a few minutes to go and have a pre-lunch glass of champagne. You deserve it.

  1.45 pm

  Now summon the carver and get all hands on deck to help dish up. And don’t forget that lovely stuffing inside the turkey!

  The ingredients and instructions for all the trimmings to go with Delia’s Traditional Roast Turkey, including her famous turkey giblet gravy, are available in Delia’s Happy Christmas (Ebury Press, £25).