Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
AS a bachelor my speciality was spaghetti bolognaise … out of a jar. I was slim, drove a sports car and had permed hair just like Michael Jackson. I was the original thriller and no girl was safe from a dinner date.
Nowadays, I’m fat, balding; I find it difficult slipping into the driver’s seat of a family saloon and the only thing that hasn’t changed is my culinary skill in the kitchen.
I once tried making the kids a home-made burger and after one bite they pleaded for beans on toast.
At Christmas in Bahrain dinner is booked in advance at the Dilmun Club, or when we’re flying back to join the family in the UK, granddad does the cooking assisted by the good lady wife, Kathryn, whilst I drink him dry, watch the TV and/or play with the children.
So, it was with some trepidation that I accepted the challenge by Holger Jackisch, Executive Chef of the Kempinkski Hotel Bahrain City Centre, to assist him with the preparation of traditional turkey and stuffing and the chance to dish up some festive fare for my GulfWeekly colleagues.
Normally they wait on me hand and foot, finding scoops and snapping photos and here was my chance to turn the tables and serve them with some traditional British festive food.
I was a bit worried. We’ve all seen those celebrity chef programmes where the top man makes mincemeat out of the poor fella trying to assist him in the kitchen.
I shouldn’t have worried. Chef Holger is a man oozing with confidence in his own ability, he doesn’t need to show off in front of an amateur … all he required was an enthusiastic scholar.
When it comes to food you won’t find a more able student and I quite fancied donning the cool chef’s outfit too. Surprisingly, it fitted perfectly. Maybe all chefs are ‘XXL’ because of the essential tasting they have to do to ensure their art is perfect?
I was happy to taste too – anything to help.
In fact, Chef Holger made me feel very special from the start. I was the first person to venture into his ‘special kitchen’ and exclusive dining area – a neat addition to the recently-opened hotel complex which will allow him to hold classes as well as entertain company CEOs and small parties for special occasions.
We set about making the stuffing first, an essential ingredient to place inside the big bird which can be scooped out after carving. Onions, a pinch of salt, sausage meat – this was going to be yummy.
The mighty 4.5kg turkey was placed in the oven for around three-and-a-half hours starting at 170C with the heat being touched down on occasions as the bird browns to 150C.
Chef had me cutting the veg next … and there was an art to that too. My carrots looked cool, cut in cute triangles, and then came the big surprise. He never cooked the veg in water.
Since my childhood days I had been convinced that you had to boil all vegetables in a pot of boiling water for 20-minutes. Chef gave me one of those looks. Not nasty, more sympathetic. Water will dilute the flavour and it ruins the colour of greens too.
My carrots got a bit of butter treatment, a little sugar glazing, a dip in veg stock and the pan was covered with a grease-proof paper lid with a little hole in the middle.Amazing.
And, did you know it takes two hours to prepare the gravy, or the ‘sauce’ as Chef calls it, and you have to throw in some turkey bones for good measure too for full flavour?
The best part for me was helping to prepare the cranberry sauce. Who would have a thought it didn’t come out of a jar? The fruit was boiled until it popped and chestnuts, another essential addition to the plate, were cooked until they were soft.
The GulfWeekly party arrived on time, not surprising as I was feeding them for free, and the two non-meat eaters enjoyed a vegetarian alternative dish but the rest tucked into my festive fare with gusto as soon as I sliced the meat to a well-deserved round of applause (or perhaps they were cheering Chef Holger who had managed to make my efforts more than simply edible and without question of five star quality).
“Mmm,” said chief sub-editor Gopal, sales manager Susan and reporter Ana. “I’m stuffed!” said columnist Charlie, sports writer Mai and newly-pregnant sales executive, Lucy after demolishing their full plates. “I’ve never tasted anything like it,” admitted Shilpa, before departing for the foreseeable future to India to join her husband. Ryan, the photographer, carried on taking photos with his mouth full.
I’m awaiting Chef Holger’s call should his sous chef ever be unavailable. I’m ready, willing and able to step into the fray (bentos). In the meantime, I’ll have plenty of useful cooking advice for the next time Kathryn and our housemaid Chandreka set foot in the kitchen … and some sensational tips for granddad on December 25. I’m sure they will appreciate it.
AS well as booking a table at one of the hotel’s restaurants, readers can order a turkey feast from Kempinski Grand & Ixir Hotel Bahrain City Centre and collect it on December 24 and 25 together with traditional accompaniments – chipolatas and bacon, cranberry sauce, chestnut stuffing, turkey jus, Brussels sprouts and roast potatoes – perfectly prepared for the Christmas table.
5-6 kg – BD56 (10-12 pax)
7-8 kg – BD75 (15-18 pax)
For inquiries and to place orders, contact 17171100 or email restaurants.bahrain@kempinski.com
