It’s 24 hours before Ignazio Podda, executive chef Hyatt Zilara and Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall, Montego Bay, and his team unveil a few items from their scrumptious Christmas evening menu at Choicez. Thursday Life is in the thick of things and shares a few recipes to inspire your own festive table. Merry Christmas to our Thursday Life family!

REGGAE JAMMIN ROAST TURKEY

Ingredients:

1 fresh turkey (10 to 12 pounds)

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter

Scotch bonnet peppers

Freshly ground black pepper

1 large bunch fresh thyme

1 whole lemon, halved

1 Spanish onion, quartered

1 head garlic, halved crosswise

2 cups Appleton Rum

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF

• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Add the zest, Appleton Rum and juice of the lemon and 1 teaspoon of thyme leaves to the butter mixture. Set aside.

• Take the giblets out of the turkey and wash the turkey inside and out. Remove any excess fat and leftover pinfeathers and pat the outside dry. Place the turkey in a large roasting pan. Liberally salt and pepper the inside of the turkey cavity. Stuff the cavity with the bunch of thyme, halved lemon, quartered onion, and the garlic. Brush the outside of the turkey with the butter mixture and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the turkey.

•Roast the turkey for about 2 ½ hours, Gradually basting with the remainder of marinate liquid until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. Remove the turkey from the oven and place on a cutting board.

Molasses Glazed Christmas Ham

Courtesy of Executive

Sous-Chef Gary Robertson

Ingredients (dough):

Country ham (a seven-pounder)

2 cups of molasses

Cloves

Round pineapple slices

Cinnamon powder

Butter

2 shots of Appleton Special

Method:

• Heat oven to 270ºF. • Score the ham and stick the cloves in it.

• Grease with the butter mixed with the cinnamon.

• Place in a pan liner and cover with aluminum.

• Bake for about 2 hours.

• Take the aluminum foil out and place the pineapple slices around the ham and secure in place with frills.

• Glaze with the molasses, pour two glasses of water and two shots of Appleton Special on the pan and put back in the oven. Bake for another 30 minutes at 325ºF while constantly glazing with water, rum and molasses mix.

• Enjoy.

Crispy Roast Duck with Dark Cherry Compote Atop Wild Rice CakesTonkatsu (Breaded Pork)

Ingredients:

For the Duck:

Brussels sprouts, blanched

Duck breasts, whole

Salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped thyme

For the Cherry Compote

Ingredients:

Cherry brandy

Whole butter

Sugar

Dark cherry in juice

For the Pancakes:

Buttermilk pancake mix

Water

Cooked wild rice

Method:

• Core the skin of the duck in diamond cuts. • Marinate duck with thyme, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.

• Pour dark cherry and its juice in a blender or food processor and blend reserving a few cherries for garnish. Pour into a thick-bottom saucepan and bring to a boil on medium heat.

• Add sugar and liqueur and allow to simmer for about an hour or until it is reduced to half and has a thick consistency.

• Whisk in whole butter and remove from heat.

• Cook duck in a hot sauté pan about four minutes on each side or until skin is golden brown and crispy. • Turn duck and cook for an additional three minutes or until medium. Allow to sit for five minutes before slicing. • Whisk pancake mix and water together until smooth

• Ladle three portions of batter on a hot and greased griddle or sauté pan, • Add cooked wild rice on top; flip over when the edges start to bubble. Cook for another minute and a half.

• Stack all three cakes together and use a ring mould to cut into round discs. To Assemble:

• Place pancake in centre of plate.

• Put Brussels sprouts to the side and also three of the reserved cherries.

• Slice duck breast and place on top of pancakes. Place sauce on side of plate and draw the spoon to form a pattern on plate. Garnish and serve.

Ingredients:

Head of ½ cabbage 500 grams

Pork loin chops (four 1-inch thick)

Salt and pepper to taste

100 grams all-purpose flour

1 large egg

Panko Japanese breadcrumbs

(1½ cups)

Oil for frying

Serve with Tonkatsu Sauce

Spicy Pork Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

100 grams roasted pork (julienne)

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

¼ tsp ginger

2 small onions, julienne

1 large or 2 medium-size carrots, julienne

1 escallion, finely chopped

3 tbs soy sauce or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil for frying (enough to cover the rolls)

Serve with Thai sweet chilli sauce

Agnolotti di Natale

Courtesy of Thomas Damonte

Ingredients (dough):

500 grams all-purpose flour

5 fresh eggs

Ingredients:

200 grams Italian sausage

200 grams Irish potatoes

50 grams carrots

50 grams cream cheese

50 grams onion

Salt and pepper to taste

5 tsp EVOO

1 bottle of Italian red wine (such as Chianti)

Method:

• Make the dough by mixing thoroughly the flour and the eggs for 10 minutes.

• Let the dough rest in the fridge covered with a damp cloth for 15 minutes.

• In the meantime, prepare the filling by chopping the onion and carrot.

• Sauté for three minutes in the oil. • Add the Italian sausage (skinned and ground) and the pre-boiled potatoes cut in small dices. Cook for 5 minutes then add half a glass of the Chianti.                      

• Let evaporate and adjust for salt and pepper. Allow to cool.

• Add cream cheese.

• With the help of a rolling pin and abundant flour stretch the dough and cut in rounds using a pasta cutter or a glass. Wet the border of the round dough with egg wash. Place one tablespoon of filling inside and fold over pressing with your fingers to form the agnolotti. Boil for six minutes in heavily salted water and serve with your choice of sauce. We recommend a simple tomato and basil sauce.