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Christmas Cockerel with Chestnuts & Marsala

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Roasted cockerel in roasting tray on farmhouse table, surrounded by accompaniments - kale to the left, roasted pumpkin, braised lentils and gravy jug behind. Lit candle and stack of off-white plates to the right, cutlery in the foreground. Wood burner with blazing fire in background, with a decorated Christmas tree beside it to the right.

My Christmas cockerel recipe is perfect for an Italian-inspired festive feast, offering a slight twist on the traditional. This wonderful, celebratory bird takes centre stage in an Italian-inspired Christmas feast. When it comes to Christmas dinner, many of us ponder whether this will finally be the year to cook something other than turkey with all the trimmings. This recipe offers a slight twist while keeping all the festive feels. Marsala and chestnuts combine with the cockerel’s juices to create a fabulously rich, distinctly Christmassy gravy.

Then there’s the stuffing, which would steal the show if not for the quality of the bird itself – thanks to mortadella and parmesan for an umami kick. Most people, of course, stick with tradition, and there’s no shame in that; a roast turkey with all the trimmings is both delicious and full of nostalgia. But if you’re ready to try something new this year, this recipe is a winner (and feel free to add some duck fat roasted potatoes too if you fancy!).

Serves: 8

Cook time: 5 hours

Ingredients

Kale

Stuffing

For the Braised lentils

For the roasted pumpkin

Method

  1. The first step in this adventure is most definitely to get your cockerel out of the fridge. I would suggest on Christmas Eve before you go to bed, or if not, then first thing in the morning.

Stuffing and Roasting the Bird

  1. Tip the pork mince into a bowl and add the mortadella, Parmesan, chopped rosemary, a good twist of white pepper, a grating of nutmeg and a pinch of salt. Mix all together.
  2. In a small pan, sweat off the shallots and garlic in the butter until soft and translucent. Allow to cool and then add to the mince.
  3. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and then add to the bowl along with the two eggs. Using your hands, mix everything together thoroughly, then take a little and fry gently in a pan. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.
  4. Season the inside of the cockerel with a little sea salt and then add the stuffing, making sure to leave a little space at the top of the cavity for hot air to circulate. No more than three quarters full.
  5. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C.
  6. Find a roasting tray big enough to house the bird and scatter the chestnuts around the bottom. Then add the Marsala and 300ml of chicken stock.
  7. Rub the bird all over with olive oil and then season with sea salt. Place the bird in the middle of the tray and then the whole tray into the oven for 1 hour.
  8. Reduce the heat to 160°C and cook for a further 1 ½ – 2 hours.
  9. Remove the bird from the oven and leave to rest, somewhere warm, for at least 1 hour.

Preparing the Lentils

  1. Take a large, heavy bottomed pan and on a medium heat with 2 tablespoons of olive oil add the lardons. Stirring regularly, let them brown whilst also rendering out their fat. Once browned and swimming in lovely fat, add the onions, carrots, garlic, celery, celeriac and a good pinch of salt. Cook this with a lid on, over a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring frequently. You want the veg to be soft and just beginning to colour a little; at which point add the lentils and the red wine. Bring the wine to the boil and then simmer for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken stock, herbs and 3 more tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, plus another pinch of salt. Allow this to come up to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. If at any point it is looking a bit dry, then add a dribble more chicken stock.
  2. Check the lentils. I personally don’t like my lentils al dente (although some people do, apparently), they should be soft and almost creamy, but importantly, not complete mush. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary – I find a good splash of sherry (or any other good vinegar) is what’s needed.

Roasting the Pumpkin

  1. Turn the oven back up to 180°C.
  2. Using a sharp knife, cut the pumpkin or squash into large wedges and lay in a roasting dish. Be careful not to overfill the tray, as this will prevent even cooking. Use two trays if needed.
  3. Season well with seat salt and black pepper and then liberally drizzle olive oil over.
  4. Scatter the garlic cloves and sage and mix everything together. Then scatter over the cubed butter and transfer to the oven. Roast for 25 minutes.
  5. Remove from the oven and test the squash, the flesh should be tender when prodded with a small knife. Return to the oven if it needs a little more cooking.

Cooking the Kale

  1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil.
  2. Blanch the kale for 2 minutes, in batches if necessary, and then drain in a colander.
  3. In a separate, large, heavy bottomed pan, add 5 tablespoons of olive oil and set over a medium heat. Once the oil is hot add the garlic, a small pinch of chilli flakes and a pinch of salt. Cook the garlic until it becomes ‘sticky’ – you will notice the spoon start to feel sticky and the slices of garlic sticking together.
  4. Add the kale and stir well. Cook over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
  5. Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.

Making the Gravy

  1. Remove the cockerel from the tray it was roasted in and transfer to a platter. As you remove the bird, make sure to let all the juices run off into the roasting tray.
  2. Heat 300ml of chicken stock in a small pan.
  3. Set the roasting tray over a medium heat (if it is suitable for direct heat, otherwise transfer to a pan) and once the liquid (with the chestnuts in it) is simmering, add a tablespoon of plain flour and mix well.
  4. Then add the hot stock whilst stirring continuously. Once all the stock is added, allow the gravy to simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly.
  5. Check the seasoning and adjust as necessary.
  6. Decant to a gravy boat, with all the chestnuts.
  7. Gather everyone around the table, pour the wine and serve.

Order meat online

For 15 years, George worked in some of London’s most loved restaurants, including Padella and Primeur, and spent five years as Head Chef at the Garden Museum Café. He earned praise for his simple, thoughtful cooking, with dishes rooted in the classics and always respectful of the ingredients.

In 2021, George realised a long-held ambition with the release of his first cookbook, A Year in the Kitchen. It celebrates the annual cookery cycle, guiding readers through the British seasons, showcasing native produce and encouraging creativity year-round.

In 2022, George left London and returned to his native Yorkshire. His passion for seasonal cooking and respect for quality British ingredients have remained central to his work. Like his food, George is led by the seasons, open to new opportunities and always following his heart.

Instagram

  • A while back we had the pleasure of visiting @petea25 at the @cantonarms Arms, where we spoke about their ever evolving menu, a place that is not afraid to cook things until they are gone and then move on to something new. We saw how they treated the Swaledale pork chop, and it told you everything you needed to know. Cooked with care, handled properly, and full of flavour. It was, simply, delicious.
  • Here’s our Trevor, stood in front of an expertly butchered sirloin section. Porterhouse, T bone, Wing rib, New York strip, fillet, sirloin. All cut from the same part of the animal, each one offering something slightly different. Key question is; which one are you taking?
  • The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
  • The fallacy of Spring lamb! When we eat lamb in early April, we aren’t eating the lovely little fluffy things people see hopping about in the fields. In fact, you’re actually eating – or at least you are if you are buying from us – old season lamb. The animals that were born the previous springtime. They are age wise, on the verge of morphing into hogget and, in our opinion, it is lamb at its very best. More flavourful as the meat has developed with age, but still with the tenderness one expects with lamb. One thing that is not in doubt is that it pairs perfectly with a lot of the seasonal ingredients of this time of year, the peas, broad beans and courgettes from the continent, plus Jersey royals, asparagus and wild garlic from these shores. We have plenty of these wonderful carcasses ageing in our fridges, so embrace the idea of eating last years spring lamb!
  • A classic of French cooking, built on combinations that have stood their ground for good reason, and long may they do so. Chicken breast roasted in brown butter, creamy mash worked with plenty of butter and dairy, and a mustard sauce brought together with cream. It reads rich, but it eats with balance. The Dijon and tarragon cut through, lifting the dish and keeping it in check.
  • A classic of French cooking, built on combinations that have stood their ground for good reason, and long may they do so. Chicken breast roasted in brown butter, creamy mash worked with plenty of butter and dairy, and a mustard sauce brought together with cream. It reads rich, but it eats with balance. The Dijon and tarragon cut through, lifting the dish and keeping it in check. This is food that does not chase anything. It knows exactly what it is.
  • Filmed on a blustery day at the Harewood House estate, Ellen talks us through the Highland cattle and the wider farming approach shaping the land here. These short films look at how the estate is guiding the land back towards what it once was, using the right livestock for the right terrain and allowing systems to work with the landscape rather than against it. Hardy cattle, able to outwinter on pasture alone, reduce the need for inputs and bring a different kind of balance to the farm. For chefs, this is where the story begins. The flavour comes later, but it is built here, in the fields, through decisions made over time rather than in a single season. It is a strong example of thoughtful farming, where lower inputs and careful management can support both the land and a sustainable margin, all driven by a clear intention to make the estate work for nature as much as it does for people.
  • We love it when a plan comes together! And this little project with @llewelynslondon provides a great example. It all started with a trip up to Swaledale HQ, to see the butchery and meet the team; bacon, black pudding and egg baps were laid on fo breakfast. Then it was off to see one of our network of farmers; Jim Mallender, over in Thornton in craven. Jim and his family showed us round and held a sort of farming Q&A. Then we cooked some cuts on a bbq and sampled the llewelyns take on a hotpot. Truly bringing farmers and chef together and a wonderful day for all involved. Off the back of the visit a special dinner an d a three course menu of dreams. It celebrates not just our produce and their cooking but also the 6 beautiful years that head chef michael (@skinnylittlefatman) has spent at the helm of this charming restaurant. We are extremely excited to eat and drink tonight to celebrate all those things.
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
A while back we had the pleasure of visiting @petea25 at the @cantonarms Arms, where we spoke about their ever evolving menu, a place that is not afraid to cook things until they are gone and then move on to something new. We saw how they treated the Swaledale pork chop, and it told you everything you needed to know. Cooked with care, handled properly, and full of flavour. It was, simply, delicious.
19 hours ago
1697
View on Instagram |
1/8
Here’s our Trevor, stood in front of an expertly butchered sirloin section. Porterhouse, T bone, Wing rib, New York strip, fillet, sirloin. All cut from the same part of the animal, each one offering something slightly different. Key question is; which one are you taking?
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
Here’s our Trevor, stood in front of an expertly butchered sirloin section. Porterhouse, T bone, Wing rib, New York strip, fillet, sirloin. All cut from the same part of the animal, each one offering something slightly different. Key question is; which one are you taking?
3 days ago
521
View on Instagram |
2/8
The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
The Dales never hurry themselves into spring, and this year is no different. You can drive through them and still feel winter holding on, yet something has shifted all the same. It begins quietly. Hawthorn shows along the hedgerows, just enough to catch the eye. The grass is lifting, the fields softening, losing that tired, flattened look they carry through the colder months. Out on the land, the change is clearer. Lambs are scattered across the fields, finding their feet, while cattle have been turned back out and settle easily into the pasture. There is a rhythm to it again, a sense that the farms are beginning to move. Nothing arrives all at once. It comes on steadily, almost cautiously, as the land turns back to life.
6 days ago
461
View on Instagram |
3/8
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
The fallacy of Spring lamb! When we eat lamb in early April, we aren’t eating the lovely little fluffy things people see hopping about in the fields. In fact, you’re actually eating – or at least you are if you are buying from us – old season lamb. The animals that were born the previous springtime. They are age wise, on the verge of morphing into hogget and, in our opinion, it is lamb at its very best. More flavourful as the meat has developed with age, but still with the tenderness one expects with lamb. One thing that is not in doubt is that it pairs perfectly with a lot of the seasonal ingredients of this time of year, the peas, broad beans and courgettes from the continent, plus Jersey royals, asparagus and wild garlic from these shores. We have plenty of these wonderful carcasses ageing in our fridges, so embrace the idea of eating last years spring lamb!
2 weeks ago
632
View on Instagram |
4/8
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
A classic of French cooking, built on combinations that have stood their ground for good reason, and long may they do so. Chicken breast roasted in brown butter, creamy mash worked with plenty of butter and dairy, and a mustard sauce brought together with cream. It reads rich, but it eats with balance. The Dijon and tarragon cut through, lifting the dish and keeping it in check.
4 weeks ago
7
View on Instagram |
5/8
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
A classic of French cooking, built on combinations that have stood their ground for good reason, and long may they do so. Chicken breast roasted in brown butter, creamy mash worked with plenty of butter and dairy, and a mustard sauce brought together with cream. It reads rich, but it eats with balance. The Dijon and tarragon cut through, lifting the dish and keeping it in check. This is food that does not chase anything. It knows exactly what it is.
4 weeks ago
535
View on Instagram |
6/8
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
Filmed on a blustery day at the Harewood House estate, Ellen talks us through the Highland cattle and the wider farming approach shaping the land here. These short films look at how the estate is guiding the land back towards what it once was, using the right livestock for the right terrain and allowing systems to work with the landscape rather than against it. Hardy cattle, able to outwinter on pasture alone, reduce the need for inputs and bring a different kind of balance to the farm. For chefs, this is where the story begins. The flavour comes later, but it is built here, in the fields, through decisions made over time rather than in a single season. It is a strong example of thoughtful farming, where lower inputs and careful management can support both the land and a sustainable margin, all driven by a clear intention to make the estate work for nature as much as it does for people.
1 month ago
64
View on Instagram |
7/8
@swaledalebutchers
@swaledalebutchers
•
Follow
We love it when a plan comes together! And this little project with @llewelynslondon provides a great example. It all started with a trip up to Swaledale HQ, to see the butchery and meet the team; bacon, black pudding and egg baps were laid on fo breakfast. Then it was off to see one of our network of farmers; Jim Mallender, over in Thornton in craven. Jim and his family showed us round and held a sort of farming Q&A. Then we cooked some cuts on a bbq and sampled the llewelyns take on a hotpot. Truly bringing farmers and chef together and a wonderful day for all involved. Off the back of the visit a special dinner an d a three course menu of dreams. It celebrates not just our produce and their cooking but also the 6 beautiful years that head chef michael (@skinnylittlefatman) has spent at the helm of this charming restaurant. We are extremely excited to eat and drink tonight to celebrate all those things.
1 month ago
59
View on Instagram |
8/8