Last year, whilst wandering through the Christmas trees in the B&Q garden centre, we came upon a little tree about a meter tall sat in a little red pot. Perfectly proportioned and perfectly coloured. The big label hanging from the top said "This tree can not be re-planted" but we thought it would do for Christmas. We paid the money and took the little tree home. The following day I bought a lovely white pot in IKEA for the little tree to sit in, not realising that the tree was as small as it was, the pot swallowed the tree. Regardless, the little tree sat there in the corner of the kitchen all through Christmas happy to be decorated in pretty pink and white baubles.
Sunday 26 December 2010
Gravy of two halves
Finely chop 2 shallots and lightly fry in a pan with some live oil and crushed juniper berries. Add 50mls brandy, 150mls Madeira and set on fire. Let spirits burn off then simmer until reduced by half. Add duck giblets, a chopped onion and herbs to a baking dish mix in with some oil and put in the oven to cook. Once cooked take out and place on the hob. Add some Bisto to the pan. (I know it’s a cheat but I love it.) Add the Madeira sauce and gently simmer on the stove until you get a lovely gravy, strain and serve.
Christmas Dinner - Trimmings
Roast potatoes
Place a baking dish/pan in the oven with some fat. (Duck or goose fat is best) Peel potatoes and cut in half. Put into a pan and just cover with cold water and a pinch of salt. Place the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Once potatoes come to the boil, turn off the heat and strain. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and flour. Give a good shake in the strainer then tip into the preheated dish. Coat in the fat and replace into the oven for about an hour or so until they are cooked.
Roast parsnips
Peel parsnips and cut into pieces. Put into a pan and just cover with cold water and a pinch of salt. Place the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Once parsnips come to the boil, turn off the heat and strain. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt, flour and mustard powder. Give a good shake in the strainer then tip into the preheated dish with the potatoes. Coat in the fat and replace into the oven for about an hour or so until they are cooked.
Cranberry stuffing roll
I made this earlier in the month so after defrosting this in the fridge for 24-48 hours I just popped it into the oven for half an hour. After half an hour remove the foil and put back into the oven for about another half an hour until the bacon begins to crisp. When ready just slice up.
Pigs in blankets
Take some cocktail sausages and wrap them in bacon. Pop them in with the stuffing roll for the second part of the cooking.
NOTE: I used some delicious Lincolnshire and Cumberland cocktail sausages purchased from Morrison’s.
Honey & thyme carrots
Peel and slice carrots into batons. Boil until just cooked. Strain and tip back into the pan. Add a knob of butter a teaspoon of honey and a few sprigs of thyme. Stir to melt and absorb the flavors.
Sprouts with bacon
Put the sprouts in a plastic container and cover with a little ware and loosely put a lid on. Cook for between 1 and 2 minutes at a time until just cooked. Chop 2 rashers of bacon and fry in a pan. Drain the sprouts and add to the frying pan with a knob of butter and fry a little.
Cranberry sauce
Put 200mls red wine, 50g caster sugar, half a cinnamon stick, a star anise and 2 cloves in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat until liquid reduced by half to let the flavors mingle. Strain the liquid to remove the spices. Add 250g cranberries. Simmer over a low heat until the cranberries start to burst and sauce starts to look jammy. Leave to cool.
Place a baking dish/pan in the oven with some fat. (Duck or goose fat is best) Peel potatoes and cut in half. Put into a pan and just cover with cold water and a pinch of salt. Place the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Once potatoes come to the boil, turn off the heat and strain. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt and flour. Give a good shake in the strainer then tip into the preheated dish. Coat in the fat and replace into the oven for about an hour or so until they are cooked.
Roast parsnips
Peel parsnips and cut into pieces. Put into a pan and just cover with cold water and a pinch of salt. Place the lid on the pan and bring to the boil. Once parsnips come to the boil, turn off the heat and strain. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt, flour and mustard powder. Give a good shake in the strainer then tip into the preheated dish with the potatoes. Coat in the fat and replace into the oven for about an hour or so until they are cooked.
Cranberry stuffing roll
I made this earlier in the month so after defrosting this in the fridge for 24-48 hours I just popped it into the oven for half an hour. After half an hour remove the foil and put back into the oven for about another half an hour until the bacon begins to crisp. When ready just slice up.
Pigs in blankets
Take some cocktail sausages and wrap them in bacon. Pop them in with the stuffing roll for the second part of the cooking.
NOTE: I used some delicious Lincolnshire and Cumberland cocktail sausages purchased from Morrison’s.
Honey & thyme carrots
Peel and slice carrots into batons. Boil until just cooked. Strain and tip back into the pan. Add a knob of butter a teaspoon of honey and a few sprigs of thyme. Stir to melt and absorb the flavors.
Sprouts with bacon
Put the sprouts in a plastic container and cover with a little ware and loosely put a lid on. Cook for between 1 and 2 minutes at a time until just cooked. Chop 2 rashers of bacon and fry in a pan. Drain the sprouts and add to the frying pan with a knob of butter and fry a little.
Cranberry sauce
Put 200mls red wine, 50g caster sugar, half a cinnamon stick, a star anise and 2 cloves in a saucepan and simmer over a low heat until liquid reduced by half to let the flavors mingle. Strain the liquid to remove the spices. Add 250g cranberries. Simmer over a low heat until the cranberries start to burst and sauce starts to look jammy. Leave to cool.
Christmas Dinner - Main
Duck
1 duck
rosemary & thyme
1 clove of garlic
streaky bacon
Preheat oven to 200C. Clean duck making sure to remove all the giblets. Cut garlic clove in half and put inside the duck along with a couple of sprigs of rosemary & thyme. Lay rashers of streaky bacon across the back of the duck then cover over with foil. Place in the oven for one hour. After 1 hour lower the temperature to 160C, remove the foil and bacon from the duck season and return to the oven for a further couple of hours to slow cook.
1 duck
rosemary & thyme
1 clove of garlic
streaky bacon
Preheat oven to 200C. Clean duck making sure to remove all the giblets. Cut garlic clove in half and put inside the duck along with a couple of sprigs of rosemary & thyme. Lay rashers of streaky bacon across the back of the duck then cover over with foil. Place in the oven for one hour. After 1 hour lower the temperature to 160C, remove the foil and bacon from the duck season and return to the oven for a further couple of hours to slow cook.
Christmas Dinner - Starter
Cream of roasted butternut squash and red pepper soup
butternut squash
1 red pepper
1 large white onion
olive oil
2 dried chilies
300mls vegetable stock
Preheat oven to 180C. Peel and chop butternut squash. Remove stalk and seed from the red pepper and cut into approximately 8 large pieces. Peel and chop onion into approximately 8 large pieces. Add chopped vegetables to a roasting dish and roll in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put into the oven for approximately ½ an hour to 45 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and leave to cool.
Once the vegetables are cool remove the skin from the red pepper. Tip the vegetables into a saucepan then add the vegetable stock and dried chilies. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes trying not to let it burn. Leave to cool, blend until smooth. Add a little more liquid if required. Put in the fridge until required.
When required just poor into a saucepan add cream and slowly reheat trying not to burn the bottom.
butternut squash
1 red pepper
1 large white onion
olive oil
2 dried chilies
300mls vegetable stock
Preheat oven to 180C. Peel and chop butternut squash. Remove stalk and seed from the red pepper and cut into approximately 8 large pieces. Peel and chop onion into approximately 8 large pieces. Add chopped vegetables to a roasting dish and roll in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Put into the oven for approximately ½ an hour to 45 minutes until vegetables are cooked. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and leave to cool.
Once the vegetables are cool remove the skin from the red pepper. Tip the vegetables into a saucepan then add the vegetable stock and dried chilies. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer for 5 – 10 minutes trying not to let it burn. Leave to cool, blend until smooth. Add a little more liquid if required. Put in the fridge until required.
When required just poor into a saucepan add cream and slowly reheat trying not to burn the bottom.
Tuesday 21 December 2010
Christmas Cake – Ice Ice Baby
4 egg whites
900g icing sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp Glycerin
I whisked the egg whites until light and fluffy then slowly sifted and mixed in half the icing sugar. I then added the lemon juice and followed by sifting and mixing the rest of the icing sugar. I added the glycerin which keeps the icing from going hard. I then covered it over with some cling film and put in the fridge overnight so any air has a chance to bubble up.
Monday 20 December 2010
Christmas Cake - Feeding time over
I have been feeding my Christmas cake approximately every other day for the last 3 – 4 weeks. Every time I open the box I get the most heavenly scent waft up. I can’t wait to try a slice. From past experience of Christmas cake making, over the last two years, it always seems to be a moment of disappointment when I cut into the cake. Year one I hadn’t cut/chopped the ingredients small enough. Year two wasn’t too bad but the cake was very dry. We shall see what happens in a couple days time.
PREZZO – Cardiff
It was a last minute decision by the team to go to Prezzo, an Italian restaurant in Cardiff City centre.
We arrived at about 7pm with no reservation but were shown to a lovely table overlooking the main street.
The staff were very friendly and welcoming.
To start we ordered some drinks and some olives (£2.75 per small dish).
The olives were delicious and we all scoffed them quickly.
To follow this I had ordered a starter of the GRILLED GOAT’S CHEESE with plum tomatoes and caramelised onions on focaccia bread with a balsamic glaze (£4.95)
The starter was a lovely, fresh and tasty combination of flavours.
My only suggested improvements would be to have a thinner bread as the base of the focaccia, even though beautifully fresh and light was a bit thick.
The tomato would also be better if it was grilled or roasted.
The fresh salad on the plate would be better if it had been tossed in a balsamic dressing before being put on the plate. The dark sticky balsamic sauce drizzled across the plate could be left off as it added nothing but brown smears to my plate.
For main course I had ordered the POLLO GORGONZOLA char grilled chicken breast with field mushrooms and leeks in a gorgonzola and cream sauce (£11.65).
I have to say that this was delicious. My only criticism was that the gratinated potatoes that came with it were uncooked and a little cold. Also I would suggest that vegetables would be better than the bit of undressed salad that was on my plate.
Overall we all had a lovely time and the food was good.
Friday 17 December 2010
Vanilla & Cranberry Chocolate
100g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon glycerin
100g cranberries
vanilla essence
Honey & Almond Chocolate
 |
| Honey & almond Chocolate |
1 100g bar of dark chocolate.
100g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon honey
100g almonds
2 honeycombe (Crunchie) bars
Nigella’s Sweet and Salty Chocolate Bars
Ingredients:
2 100g bars of dork chocolate
1 100g bar of milk chocolate. (I did accidently buy milk chocolate with almonds in so had to pinch some of my daughters ‘Dairy Milk’.)
100g unsalted butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
100g salted peanuts
4 Crunchie bars
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