Christmas Lunch 2021

The turkey was 8kg. The crown from it would have happily fed the 6 planned. With just 3 of us (Covid related reasons for the other 3 not being with us) we had loads left over for sandwiches, two lots of ready made roast meals in the freezer, soup and other left over recipes.

Similar to last year:

Turkey crown, neck stuffed with apricot and sausage meat (legs boned and stuffed and in freezer for roasting later in the years). 

Stir fried sprouts and chestnuts

Carrots braised with butter

Leeks and peas

And roast potatoes and parsnips of course.

I also made the Jamie Oliver Simple vegetarian stuffing which was due to go with a vegetarian wellington. As the vegetarian wasn't with us we have lots of the stuffing left over. Probably wouldn't make again, as in look for a different one for next year.

Slow cooked treacle gammon and Braised red cabbage

A gammon on Christmas Eve is a tradition in this household. This was a new one and will be repeated (hence typing it up!). It is based on Nigella's recipe, but in less than a day, with a 2kg gammon joint and temperatures adjusted to include cooking of braised red cabbage. Braised red cabbage is based on Delia's recipe. 

This year it was accompanied by mashed potato (using 'ricer') and broccoli. Moisture was from some of the juices from the gammon and a redcurrant and raspberry sauce.

Timings were something like:

- 10am get gammon prepared and in oven

- 10:30am turn oven down to 80C

- 5:30pm prepare red cabbage and put into turned up oven at 150C

- 6pm stir red cabbage

- 6:30pm stir red cabbage. Take gammon out to cool slightly prior to removing rind and adding glaze. 

- 7pm take out red cabbage. Turn up oven to 180 and put gammon in for a last blast.

- 7:30pm Eat!

Heat oven to 230C. Take two very large pieces of foil and arrange one lengthways and the other widthways over a large roasting tin. Place the gammon joint (2+kg unsmoked, rind on). Put 100g black treacle along the top. Bring the widthways piece of foil up and seal the two ends ensuring that there is room for air to circulate. Then bring the lengthways pieces up at each end and pinch with the widthways piece to create a good seal. Cover with another piece of foil (ensuring you don't flatten the inner parcel) and seal to the rim of the roasting tin. 

Cook in the over for 30 minutes and then turn the oven down to 80C. 

2 and a bit hours before eating is time to prepare the braised red cabbage:

Total quantities of veg and fruit is 900g shredded red cabbage (hard stalk removed), 450g chopped onions and 450g cooking apples peeled, cored and chopped small. I use food processor with slicer attachment for the red cabbage and onions. 

In a small bowl mix together a quarter of a whole nutmeg grated, quarter tsp of ground cinnamon, quarter tsp of ground cloves with 3 tbsp dark soft brown sugar and salt and pepper.

Mix the veg, apples, spice and sugar mixture along with a chopped / crushed clove of garlic and put into a large casserole. I did this in two batches, as in mix half of each prior to putting in casserole.

Pour over 3 tbsp wine vinegar.

Turn the oven up to 150C, put lid on casserole dish and put into the oven alongside the gammon. 

Back to the gammon:

Remove the rind from the gammon. Score a diamond pattern in the fat. Stud each diamond with a clove.Take it out at least an hour before time to eat. In a small bowl, combine 3tbsp black treacle, 3 tbsp Demerara sugar and 1tbsp dijon mustard.  Spread the mixture over the gammon. Raise temperature of oven to 180C. Cook the gammon for a further 20 minutes. Take it out and rest for 10 minutes. 

Carving is for when cold. It fell wonderfully apart on the day

Hasselback Aubergine with tapenade topping

 

My variant on Simon Rimmer recipe. The below is for two. Leave out the mozzarella to make it vegan.

Toast 70g of hazelnuts in a frying pan and then 20g of pine nuts. Heat oven to 180C.  

In an oven proof dish large enough for two aubergine halves, put a layer of tomato slices (one beef tomato or a number of large tomatoes).  Cut an aubergine in half lengthways. Put cut face down and make widthways cuts at 1cm intervals, three quarters of the way through (use the two wooden spoon method - one on each side of the aubergine - to ensure you don't cut all the way through!). Put on top of the tomatoes. Stuff the aubergine cuts with slices of garlic, slices of mozzarella and any bits of tomato left over from lining the dish. Drizzle with plenty of olive oil. Season and bake for 35-45 minutes (until the aubergine is soft).

In a small blender put the nuts, quarter tsp chilli flakes, 5 sun dried tomatoes and 50ml of the oil they came in, 30g basil leaves, 1 tsp sherry vinegar, 4 pitted green olives. Blitz until you have a rough paste.

Spoon over the cooked aubergine. Drizzle with a bit more extra virgin olive oil and enjoy!

Winifred’s chutney

Chopping and stirring is all that is required for this chutney, as in no cooking. The quantities are also easy: typically it’s work out the weight of the prepared cooking apples and match with the weight to other ingredients. Winifred was my great aunt Moira’s cook and part of our extended family throughout her life. She made all wedding, christening and Christmas cakes. A fabulous lady. 

In theory the chutney will keep for a couple of years. It gets eaten way before then in this household.

In a large bowl combine equal quantities by weight of peeled, cored and finely chopped cooking apples, finely chopped onions, roughly chopped sultanas, stoned and chopped dates (don’t use the preprepared ones out of a bag as they have added sugar), soft brown sugar with cayenne pepper to taste.

Add malt vinegar - millilitres of which match the number of grammes of the other ingredients for example 500ml if using 500g of apples.

Cover the bowl. Stir the contents each time you are passing it over the next 24 hours. 
Pot into sterilised jars. 
Leave to mature for a month before eating.

Orange Drizzle Traybake

I was needing to find a tray bake or similar for a fundraising event. Lemon drizzle is my favourite type of cake and as I had an orange this recipe caught my eye. It went down very well at the event! 

Line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment and heat oven to 180C.

Zest and juice an orange. 

Cream together 135g soft margarine and 135g caster sugar until light and fluffy.

Add 2 eggs - one at a time - beating well in between each.

Fold in 135g self raising flour. Add the orange zest and half of the juice and combine. Pour into the cake tin.

Wrap a foil collar around the tin - this helps get an even flat bake. Bake for 20 minutes or until springy to the touch, pale golden brown and well risen. 

Whilst it is baking in a small bowl stir together 55g granulated sugar with the rest of the orange juice.

When the cake has cooked, remove from oven and its foil collar but keep in tin. Brush the sugar and orange juice mix over the cake (a pastry brush is good for this). The orange juice will moisten the sponge whilst the sugar will sit on the top and cool and dry to a crunchy glaze.

When cool lift from the tin and cut into evenly sized slices. The recipe I based this on suggested a brief 15 minute spell in the freezer prior to removing from the tin to firm the cake up.

Sheelagh’s chicken - aka Guildford chicken

My mother’s recipe (which she originally got from someone who lived in Guildford). Serves 8-10 so good for large gatherings especially if you ask each of your children, of which she has four - to make one each. If making ahead of time then the base freezes well. I have also successfully frozen it with the topping on, as in prior to the last step of cooking in the oven. 

If you cook the chicken by poaching them then you also get a good stock for soups and other recipes!

4lb cooked chicken (2x4lb chickens or 3x3lb chickens = 4lb cooked meat) chopped into bite size pieces
4oz butter
Small onion chopped
1 clove garlic crushed
0.5lb sliced mushrooms
4oz flour
1pint milk warm
1 rounded teaspoon of celery salt
1 level tsp salt
Cayenne pepper
0.5 teaspoon dry English mustard
4oz mature cheddar grated
1 cup dry cider
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
Topping:
9oz grated cheese

2oz butter melted

4 cups white breadcrumbs

Cook onion in butter until soft. Add mushrooms, garlic and flour. Cook for a few minutes stirring to avoid sticking and browning. Gradually blend in the warm milk and then the cider. Simmer for 5 minutes until creamy consistency. Add grated cheese and seasoning (salts, mustard and cayenne pepper to taste) and combine with the chicken. Put in a shallow dish.

For the topping, toss breadcrumbs in the melted butter. Add the grated cheese. Mix well and spread over the chicken. Cook at 180C for about an hour.

Left over Chicken - 70s style Chicken Curry

 Based on recipe from Saturday Kitchen

Melt 30g/1oz unsalted butter and add one finely chopped onion and one finely chopped green eating apple. Cook over a medium heat until soft. 

Add 2–3 tsp curry powder. Cook for a minute then add 1 tbsp plain flour. Pour in 350ml chicken stock and stir to combine.

Add ½ leftover roast chicken, torn into pieces [I need to work out what kind of weight this is - as in are we talking a medium chicken, large or even extra large] and cook until chicken is warmed through.

Add a tablespoon of yoghurt (original recipe is for a splash of double cream and a squeeze of lemon juice)

Taste and season if required

Serve with rice, sultanas and toasted almonds .... and sliced bananas to give full 70s style feel!

One pot pasta - chicken, mushroom and broccoli

Can see this recipe being used again, varying the vegetables or even just with vegetables. No need for a white sauce - cooking the pasta in milk gives a creamy texture. I might par boil the vegetable(s) prior to adding next time so I can control more accurately when everything is cooked perfectly (the broccoli was a tad crunchy).

Serves 4

Cut 2 chicken breasts into bite size pieces. In a large/deep frying pan sauté the chicken in 1tbsp olive oil for about 3 minutes - you don't want it cooked through at this point.  Season with salt and pepper. Add one chopped onion and 4 minced cloves garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes until the onions are beginning to soften. Add 225g dried pasta (any shape) and 450ml milk and bring to boil. Turn down the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes stirring occasionally until the pasta cooks through. Add more liquid if required. Don't worry if the milk splits - it all gets absorbed. 

Add 325g broccoli florets and a couple of handfuls of mushrooms sliced when the pasta is getting close to al dente and simmer until pasta is fully cooked.

Stir in quarter tsp nutmeg, a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard and grated cheddar (recipe I based this on said two cups - I'm guessing that's 225g. Will weigh it out next time). Season further to taste.

Serve!

Chicken Piri Piri and Tofu Piri Piri

Based on Lorraine Pascals recipe we're close to perfecting a chicken roast with a vegan roast combination Sunday meal.

For a 1.6kg chicken and a block of extra firm tofu.

Heat oven to 180C

Make peri peri sauce/marinade by finally chopping 5 red chillies (does depend on what chillis you use of course!), Add to a small bowl with 6 crushed cloves of garlic, 3cm piece of ginger grated, 3tbsp smoked paprika, 3tsp oregano, 4tbsp soy sauce, 2tbsp Tabasco (yes tablespoons - it is meant to be hot), 3tbsp red wine vinegar, 4tbsp veg oil, zest and juice of a lime and combine.

Slice the tofu, put into a dish and use a third of the marinade to coat.

Put the chicken into a roasting tin breast side down, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil. Roast for 40 minutes.

Take the chicken out of the oven and turn oven up to 200C

Put 2 peeled and quartered red onions and 500g of baby potatoes in to a roasting tray with the tofu plus marinade. Gently toss. Cover with foil and put into oven for 15 minutes. Remove foil after that and cook for a further 30 minutes until potatoes and any other veg added are crisp.

Having got the tofu into the oven, cover the skin of the chicken with three quarters of the remaining peri peri sauce. Peel and quarter another 2 red onions and put them around the chicken with another 500g baby potatoes, tossing then in the juices. Put the tray of chicken and veg back into the oven for 40 minutes. 

Remove the chicken and leave to rest in a warm place. Same for veg (potatoes going back into oven if not quite done)

Remove any fat from the roasting tray. Put on hob and add rest of the peri peri sauce along with 150ml red wine or stock (or water) and simmer for a few minutes.

Serve with crisp green salad!

Rhubarb sauce to go with pork

Taste test time. Both of the below cooked and sampled with some roast pork. 

Jury is out, as in neither were 'wow, must cook that again'. If anything a mixture of the two was the nicest. As in need to tweak. 

One bit to tweak is the sage. I used purple sage leaves which is milder than green sage and could have done with a couple more leaves if I use purple sage leaves again

Rhubarb, ginger and sage sauce

Cut 400g rhubarb stalks into 2cm chunks (halve if thick stalks). Stew lightly in 20g butter with 2 finely chopped shallots, 2cm grated fresh ginger, 10 sage leaves chopped and some salt and pepper for 15 minutes.  Increase heat to get desired consistency. Add honey to taste.

Rhubarb sauce - an alternative

Slice an onion and gently sauté in oil until translucent.  Add 2tbsp water and continue cooking until very soft. Stir in 300g chopped rhubarb, 50ml red wine vinegar and 46g brown sugar. Cook for 5 minutes / until the rhubarb has broken down 

Another recipe for rhubarb sauce within this blog. 

Lamb - Making two meals for two from left over lamb roast

Using up leftover lamb from a roast

Last time we had roast lamb I made two meals for two from 400-500g of leftover meat from the roast. 

Cube half of the leftovers for the curry and use the rest/slightly scrappy bits for the Shepherds Pie as they'll get minced

Shepherds Pie

Whizz up (or chop very finely) 200-250g left over lamb with any leftover gravy, 1 chopped small/medium carrot, 1 sprig parsley, 1 chopped shallot, 1 crushed clove garlic with 2tbsp ketchup.

Put in an ovenproof dish. Cover with mashed potato. Cover with foil and bake in oven at 180C for 30 minutes. Up the temperature to 200C, take off foil a bake for a further 10 mins to crisp the top

Lamb Rogan Josh

Gently fry  a large chopped red onion and a large crushed garlic cloves in oil for 10 minutes until very soft.

Add 0.5tsp turmeric, quarter tsp chilli flakes, half tbsp medium curry powder, half tbsp ground coriander and half tsp tomato paste. Fry on a higher heat for a minute. 

Add the cubed lamb (200-250g), 100 ml water, 3 quartered tomatoes and the juice of half a lemon.

Simmer for 15 minutes, season to taste and serve with sprinkling of fresh coriander and rice

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Feta and Beetroot with Poached Egg

Feta and Beetroot with poached egg. 

Serves three. Use 150g feta etc if for four.

100g feta, crumbled, add 3tbsp yoghurt, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1tsp olive oil and mix until smooth (use blender if you wish), taste and season if needed.

Pat dry two thirds of a 'vac pack' of beetroot. Cut into wedges and fry the beetroot in olive oil on each side until lightly caramelised.

Poach eggs. Toast slices of sour dough (it also goes well with olive sourdough)

Spread each slice toast with the feta mix. Add layer of beetroot. Add a poached egg. Sprinkle with dukka (if you have it - there are recipes for it online) and chopped parsley .

Cheats Lasagne with optional stuffed crust garlic bread

 Based on John and Lisa's recipe.

Make the ragu bit of the lasagne using a 500g pack of frozen soya mince. The linked recipe one is good but last night I made one by: gently frying a chopped onion until soft. Add clove of crushed garlic and fry for another minute. Add the mince with 1 heaped tbsp tomato puree, a glass of red wine and 1tsp dried mixed herbs. Cook until the wine has reduced by half. Add two tins of tomatoes and chopped mushrooms, bring to the boil and cook for 5-10 minutes. Taste and season if needed

Heat the oven to 200C

Prepare the stuffed crust garlic bread if having (see below)

The 'cheat' bit: Break 7 sheets of dried lasagne into largish bits and stir into the sauce. Pour into lasagne dish. Top with blobs of creme fraiche (300ml in total) and gently spread to get a covering. Top with 200g grated cheese. Bake for 25 minutes.

Stuffed Crust Garlic Bread

Into a bowl containing 300g SR flour and 1tsp baking powder, put on 300g plain yoghurt. Combine to make a dough - knead lightly. On floured surface roll it out to a rectangle 20cmx40cm (the length is the important bit - make it over 40cm rather than under). Scatter over the best part of a 250g pack of grated mozzarella. Roll it lengthwise Swiss roll style.  Join the ends to make a circle. Put onto a baking tray with seam side down. With scissors, snip at 45 degree angles at regular intervals and gently tease the pieces apart.

Bake for 25 minutes - as in alongside the lasagne

Make garlic butter by combining 75g soft butter with 3 crushed cloves of garlic and a handful of chopped parsley. Brush it over the bread as soon as you remove the bread from the oven.

Fruity Turkey Tagine

Still to be tried

Heat 1tbsp olive oil in a large saucepan. Gently fry a thickly sliced red onion until softened. Add the 3 carrots carrots (thickly sliced on the diagonal) and 3 parsnips (thinly sliced on the diagonal), and cook for 8 mins until starting to soften and brown a little. Stir in 2 crushed cloves of garlic and 2tsp ras el hanout and cook for a further 1 minute. Add 500ml turkey stock, a 400g tin of chopped tomatoes and a drained rinsed 400g tin of  chickpeas. Roughly chop and add 140g mixture of dried apricots and prunes along with 150ml water. Season, bring to a simmer and cook for 25-30 mins until the vegetables are tender. 

Add 300g of cooked turkey (cut into chunks) and simmer for 5 mins to warm through. Stir in a good drizzle of honey, then scatter over fresh coriander and roasted flaked almonds.

Serve with couscous and Greek yogurt.

Fried Turkey Sandwich

One for the brunch list!

For two sandwiches

Mix 2tbsp mayonnaise with 1 tbsp salsa and 1 chopped spring onion. (No salsa? Finely chop a tomato and another spring onion and mix in with a pinch of chilli flakes). Season with good grind of pepper

Spread onto 4 slices bread

Add slice of gruyere cheese to each then sandwich with sliced turkey.

Fry in butter until golden brown and cheese melted.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Love love love the sticky toffee pudding from Cartmel. When we can't get our hands on it this recipe is a good second best.

Chop 250g stoned dates into 5mm dices and put into a bowl. Pour over 175ml boiling water and stir in seeds from a vanilla pod. Steep for an hour until cool. Then mash with the back of a fork. Heat oven to 180C

In a separate bowl cream 100g of softened butter with 150g dark Muscavado sugar. Beat 2 eggs and then add slowly to the butter and sugar mix. 

In other bowl mix 175g plain flour, 2tsp baking powder and 1tsp bicarb of soda. Slowly mix this in along with 100ml of milk until a thick dough is formed. Be careful not to overmix - you want to just bring the ingredients together.

Mix in the dates and 2tbsp black treacle

Line a 25cmx18cm baking tray with baking parchment. Pour in the mix and bake for 60-75 minutes. If using a slightly larger tray then it will required less time. Check with a skewer to ensure you don't over back.

Sauce:

Heat 60g butter with 150g Muscavado sugar and 100ml double cream over a medium heat stirring continuously until sugar has dissolved. Stir in 1tbsp black treacle and another 100ml double cream.