Alternatives to turkey

Twelve bird "true love roast"

This is a creation from Anne Petch of Heal Farm. The roast has a bird for each of the 12 days of Christmas, using skinless breast meat from several birds of each species, with flavours designed to work together. The roast includes turkey, goose filled with orange and walnut stuffing, chicken with hazelnut and ginger stuffing, pheasant with juniper stuffing, Aylesbury duck filled with sage and onion stuffing, Barbary duck with Persian fruit stuffing, poussin and guinea fowl layered with parsley, lemon and thyme stuffing, partridge and pigeon squab in juniper stuffing, mallard duck layered with cranberry and lemon stuffing, and a whole boned quail stuffed with cranberry and orange relish. Each is supplied wrapped in muslin and with its own extra-sized baking tray and meat thermometer. Priced at £665, it serves 125-plus. For more information email nigelgrumbar@healfarm.co.uk or contact 01769 574341.

Winter vegetable extravaganza

Rachael Bouch, Premier Foods foodservice innovation controller, recommends a roasted vegetable festive feast. It's ideal for vegetarians and can be created by oven roasting chunks of assorted seasonal vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, swede and parsnips, filling Yorkshire puddings with them, and drizzling Bisto vegetarian gravy on top.

Quorn

Marlow Foods commercial manager Tony Davidson says: "Simply replace turkey with Quorn and serve with traditional vegetables, sauces and gravy suitable for vegetarians. Not only does this allow vegetarians and meat reducers to enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner experience with fellow diners, it also makes good business sense."

Tony says using meat alternatives like Quorn will ease time and space pressures during the busy festive period. For recipes, try leek, Quorn and chestnut pithiviers.