‘I’m a head chef in Leeds - here are my foolproof tips for cooking the perfect Christmas dinner at home’
With the big day fast approaching, one of Leeds’ top chefs has shared his tips for cooking the perfect Christmas dinner.
Antonio Aurigemma, head chef at The Ivy Leeds, has a busy few weeks ahead as the Victoria Quarter restaurant welcomes in diners for the festive season.
The Ivy’s festive set menu includes turkey ballotine with apricot, cranberry and pork stuffing, pan-fried sea bass with foraged wild mushrooms, and indulgent festive desserts like the flambéed Christmas pudding and the Ivy Santa parfait.
“Guests have high expectations of The Ivy at Christmas,” Antonio told the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“They expect a good time, good food and a festive environment. We want them to come in and not just feel like they’re in a restaurant, but feel like they’re with family.
“We’ve got proper Christmas decorations, some great festive menus and everyone’s laughing - that’s the main thing.”
Antonio honed his craft as a young chef in Portugal, working at 5* hotel restaurants, including the Sheraton hotel group. He moved to Leeds in 2011 and after a stint at Jamie's Italian, he joined The Ivy in 2017 - and was part of the opening team for the brand’s Harrogate, Leeds, Glasgow and Oxford restaurants.
As well as the festive set menu, The Ivy has launched a pop-up Christmas shop in the Victoria Quarter with limited-edition foodie gifts. And its New Year’s Eve menu has just been released, an ‘around the world in glasses of champagne’ celebration which will wrap up a hectic few weeks for the head chef.
Antonio said: “At The Ivy, the tricky point is the prep level - it doesn’t matter how many people you’ve got in your kitchen, if your prep level isn’t ready you’ll be struggling.
“But I’m lucky, because at The Ivy Leeds, most of the chefs have been with us from day one. We are like a family - we look after each other, we care for each other. I feel privileged to work with them.”
But for those taking the reins in the kitchen at home, what’s the secret to nailing the Christmas dinner?
“It’s all about prep,” Antonio said. “Make sure you shop around, buy the right ingredients, and don’t leave everything until the last minute. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s going to ruin your dinner.”
Here are Antonio’s top tips for the perfect home-cooked Christmas dinner.
Cooking the turkey
Antonio recommends marinating the turkey one day before serving, although you can do it on the day to save time.
The key point is the oven temperature and how long to cook it.
“If you put the turkey on a tray straight into the oven, there’s a big chance you’ll get colour on the skin but still raw inside,” he explained.
“The trick is covering all of the turkey on the tray with foil, then into the oven at 180C for most ovens - for at least two hours.
“When it’s cooked, take the foil off and give it another 10-15 minutes at 200C or 220C to get it a nice colour and crispy. And all the juice that comes off the turkey, you can use it for your gravy.
“It’s easy to cook, but you just need to know how to do it - and don’t rush it.”
Crispy roast potatoes
For the perfect roast potatoes, Antonio suggests using red-skinned varieties, such as Desiree, Rooster or Red Duke of York.
He said: “Everyone has a different way, but I recommend peeling them, then cook them for 10-11 minutes with a little bit of salt.
“Put some fat on a tray and then add the potatoes, and straight into the oven for another 20-25 minutes to get it nice and crispy and fluffy inside.
“Serve them with some rosemary or thyme on top, and you get that nice flavour for the potatoes.”
Brussel sprouts
Antonio’s top trick for cooking sprouts is to plunge them in ice water after boiling for 3-4 minutes.
“This keeps their green colour - that’s the key with veg,” he explained.
“When you’re ready to serve, you can then toast them with a nice pancetta, and serve with dried cranberries and chestnuts on top.
“I also like to roast parsnips, carrots and beetroots with salt, garlic, pepper and olive oil - trust me, it’s amazing.”
And Yorkshire puddings?
We asked Antonio to settle the debate - do Yorkshire puddings belong with a Christmas dinner?
“Why not?” Antonio said. “Usually, everyone is used to having beef and Yorkshire puddings on the plate, but Christmas involves lots of family and friends, people with different preferences. So I don’t see anything wrong with it.”