Turkey — the prince of Christmas dining — makes a regal sight served on an elegant platter surrounded by a medley of fresh vegetables at the festive groaning board. Plump, juicy, and as perfectly browned as a California surfer, it os a feast for the senses.

Preparing the big bird for its Christmas day debut in most households is fairly standard: fill with herbed bread stuffing and roast to perfection.

There is nothing wrong with that, of course, but if this is your year to think outside the regular roasting pan, here is an alternative recipe from sunny Spain to try:

ROAST TURKEY ESPANA

1 15-lb. turkey, fresh or thawed

3 cups water

1 cup dry sherry

Melted butter

Stuffing:

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ lb. lean ham, minced

1 turkey liver, diced

8 pork sausages, diced small

6 oz. pine nuts, coarsely chopped

1 lb. cooked chestnuts, coarsely chopped

½ lb. dried seedless prunes

½ lb. dried peaches or apricots

2 large mushrooms, sliced

Pinch each: dried thyme, marjoram, basil

1 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

1 bay leaf, crushed

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup dry sherry

DAY before roasting: Soak dried fruits in water for 12 hours. Drain and coarsely chop. Boil chestnuts in water 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, cool, shell and chop. Heat oil in frying pan, add ham and turkey liver and cook until brown. Then add dried fruits, chestnuts and pine nuts, followed by herbs, salt and pepper. Moisten with dry sherry, mix well, and partially cook. Remove from stove, add sausage and mushrooms. Stuff turkey, then put in large plastic bag or wrap in foil, seal, and refrigerate for 12 hours so bird can absorb the flavours. To cook: brush turkey with melted butter, tie leg ends together, cover wings with foil, put on rack in roasting pan, add water and sherry, and roast at 350 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes per pound until internal temperature reaches 165°F (175°F in thigh).

For the less adventurous, and those who will be roasting a turkey for the first time, this is an easy recipe to use:

HERB ROAST TURKEY

1 12-14 pound turkey

2 tablespoons Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

½ cup water

PLACE oven rack in lowest position. Preheat to 325°F. Place roasting rack (preferably V-shaped) in shallow roasting pan. Combine seasonings in small bowl. Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Place turkey, breast-side up, in prepared pan. Spread some of seasoning mixture under turkey skin, oil the skin and spread the rest of the seasoning over the entire surface of the turkey. Tie legs together and cover ends with foil. Tie wings to body and cover ends with foil. Place turkey on rack in roasting pan and cover loosely with heavy duty foil. Roast for one hour. Remove foil, and continue roasting for another two to two and one half hours, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F (175°F in thigh), basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove turkey from oven and let stand 20 minutes. Transfer to a platter or carving board and slice. Reserve pan juices to make gravy to serve with turkey. Makes 12 servings. *Cooktip: For easy cleanup, line roasting pan with heavy duty foil or non-stick foil.

There are many delicious stuffings to give extra pizzazz to the turkey dinner. Here are a few:

NUTS 'N' RAISINS STUFFING

½ cup raw rice

2 tablespoons butter

1 large Bermuda onion, chopped

2 stalks celery

6 cups day-old bread, crumbed

Dry sherry

1 cup pistachio nuts

1 turkey liver, chopped fine

½ cup seedless raisins

½ tsp. thyme

¼ tsp. dried sage

Salt and pepper

1 egg, beaten

Sauté liver until just cooked. Cook rice separately until fluffy and tender. Melt butter in saucepan, add celery and onion and sauté until onion is slightly brown. Drain and set aside. Moisten bread crumbs with sherry separately, then combine in large bowl with onions, celery, nuts, boiled rice, chopped liver, raisins, herbs, salt and pepper and egg. Mix well. Stuff turkey, and close opening with skewers or sew up.

CORN BREAD AND PECAN STUFFING

3 cups cold corn bread, crumbled

2 cups pecans, chopped

1 ½ cups mushrooms, coarsely chopped

1 large Bermuda onion, chopped

½ cup celery, chopped

2 ounces butter, melted

1 teaspoon nutmeg

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

½ teaspoon marjoram

½ teaspoon fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon mace, ground

Salt and freshly ground pepper

? cup dry sherry

COMBINE corn bread, herbs and spices, pecans, eggs in a bowl and blend well. In a skillet sauté mushroons in melted butter 6-7 minutes. Set aside. Re-butter saucepan and sauté onion and celery until onion is tender. Combine with mushrooms and other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste, add sherry and blend well. Stuffing should not be unduly wet. Stuff turkey.

TURKEY GRAVY

3 ½ cups turkey broth, divided

½ cup turkey pan drippings, strained and fat removed

2 teaspoons turkey rub

¼ cup cornstarch or ½ cup flour

Gravy browning (optional)

HEAT three cups of the broth, turkey drippings and turkey rub in medium saucepan on medium heat. Stir remaining ½ cup broth into cornstarch or flour in a small bowl and work until smooth. Gradually stir into broth mixture in the saucepan. Stirring constantly, bring to boil on medium heat, boil 1 minute. If gravy is too pale for your liking, add a drop or two of gravy browning while cooking. Transfer to gravy bowl and serve. Yield: 15 ¼ -cup servings. *Substitution tip: Use 2 cans (14½ ounces each) chicken broth in place of turkey broth.

Baked ham is another part of the traditional Christmas dinner. Try this tasty recipe for a change.

BAKED HAM IN BEER

1 pre-cooked ham

½ cup dry mustard

1 cup brown sugar

Cloves

Bay leaves

Water

16 fluid ounces beer

PRE-HEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Stud ham's surface with cloves. In a small bowl, combine mustard and brown sugar, and add enough water to make a smooth, spreadable paste (not too runny). Smear over the ham, then cover with bay leaves attached with wooden toothpicks. Put ham in roasting pan (lined with heavy duty foil or non-stick foil for easy clean-up) add beer, cover with foil and roast for an hour or so, until warmed right through. Remove from oven and let stand before carving.

Bon appetit!