Food News, with Patricia Hall

HAVE you ever had the feeling of wanting the ground to open up and swallow you?

In five days time thousands of people across the country will wish just that when they're faced with the humiliation of putting a gone-wrong turkey on the dinner table.

Can you imagine what it must feel like to spend hours slaving away behind the stove trying to create the ultimate Christmas dinner, only to have your dreams dashed in an instant?

Well, do not panic. If you're not a dab hand in the kitchen and still want to impress your loved ones this year, here are some specially prepared tips from the top on how to cook the perfect turkey.

Firstly, the white meat of a turkey cooks quicker than the dark (leg and wing) meat so it is better to cook the bird breast side down for the first half an hour of cooking, which will keep the juices in the breast and stop it from drying out.

If your turkey is tightly trussed with string this is going to make it more difficult to cook evenly. Even though you might not end up with the most attractive turkey around, it is better to cut the string and have an evenly-cooked dinner.

Do not on any account stuff the cavity as this stops it cooking properly. Try placing an onion and an apple, quartered, inside instead. If you can't resist pouring a litre of gravy over your lunch, try using the turkey giblets to give it a delicious taste. Do not use the liver, though, as this may give it a slightly bitter flavour.

For a scrumptious stuffing mixture, lightly saute the liver in butter, chop it up and add to the stuffing.

Most importantly, DO NOT OVERCOOK the turkey. Many people do this and suffer great embarrassment when they place a dried-up bird in front of their guests. Try using "poprites" that detect when the turkey is cooked or test the bird by making sure clear juice comes out of the leg when you pierce it.

Finally, when you think you it's cooked, remove the turkey from the oven and leave it to rest a few minutes before carving.

Good luck and a very merry Christmas.