Food To Love Christmas 2019

This month, we’re all about the Christmas promise. Promise of delicious food and drinks, and the guarantee that our recipes will work. Even if you aren’t a fan of the seasonal festivities, there is no denying that the food around this time of year makes it all worth while. So it’s time to jump on board for very tasty times ahead. From the first sip at the first drinks party, to the last bite of the last dessert before you swear off all things decadent, we have you covered. With options for vegans, pescatarians and gluten-free gurus, you can make up your ideal festive menus to suit all guests that are lucky enough to be at your table this year. We feel this is an issue that you will treasure…

WHAT CAN I ADD TO MY VEGGIE SIDES TO ENHANCE FLAVOUR BUT NOT OVERPOWER THE DISH? A Vegetables are often the forgotten element in a roast dinner, but with just a sprinkle of this, and a handful of that, you can make them the crowning glory. The one golden rule is to get both sweet and salty elements to your dish. So let’s take the usual suspects, and tell you what flavours complement them well. Roast parsnips and carrots work a treat with a dash of curry powder on them, as the sweetness works well with the spices. For something more traditional, try thyme, nutmeg and cinnamon. For potatoes, decadence is the key, so replace roasties with dauphinoise, sprinkled with nutmeg and crushed garlic. And if you make it in a shallow dish,…

CRANBERRY GIN COCKTAIL PREP + COOK TIME: 35 MINS (+ STEEPING) MAKES 700ML • 200g fresh cranberries• 500ml gin• 160g caster sugar• 60ml water 1 Wash and dry the cranberries and put into a 750ml sterilised preserving jar. Pour over the gin, seal lid and put in a dark cool place to steep for at least 4 weeks. In the first week invert the bottle every other day, and once a week for the rest of the time. 2 Once the berries have steeped and you’re ready to bottle, put the sugar and water into a small saucepan over a medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cool. 3 Strain gin into a jug through some muslin. Add sugar syrup, stir. Pour finished gin into a sterilised bottle and label. COOK’S NOTE The natural sweetness of…

HERBY SEA SALT PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES • 50g sea salt• 50g mixed herbs like dill, parsley and basil Place the sea salt in a mixing bowl. Finely chop the herbs and mix together. Or put the salt and the herbs in a high-speed blender or food processor, pulse for a few seconds to create a bright green salt and spoon into a dipping bowl. SMOKEY BACON DUST PREP + COOK TIME: 20 MINUTES • 8 rashers smoked streaky bacon• 2 sprigs rosemary• ½ teaspoon sweet smoked paprika• freshly ground black pepper Place a large frying pan on a medium heat, add the bacon rashers and cook until super crispy, reddy orange in colour and dried. Place on a cooling rack and allow to cool for a few minutes. Place the pan back on the heat and…

SWEET POTATO SOUP WITH BLACKBERRY & BASIL SAUCE PREP + COOK TIME: 1 HOUR SERVES 4-6 • 3 large sweet potatoes• 2 tablespoons coconut oil• 1 white onion• 2 garlic cloves, crushed• 1 x 400ml can coconut milk• 500ml fresh vegetable or chicken stock• 150g blackberries• 1 tablespoon finely chopped basil• 1 teaspoon lemon juice• 2 tablespoons honey• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan. 2 Cut the sweet potato into large chunks. Melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and rub the sweet potato in the oil, roast in the oven for 40 minutes until golden and cooked through. 3 Finely chop the onion. Heat the remaining coconut oil and add the chopped onion, a big pinch of salt and garlic. Sauté for…

ROAST TURKEY FILLET WITH CELERY, WALNUT & SAUSAGE STUFFING PREP + COOK TIME: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES SERVES 6-8 An elegant recipe that is surprisingly simple to prepare. It’s perfect for an informal meal with family and friends – or as a special celebratory dish throughout the festive period. In this dish, British turkey fillets are stuffed with sausage meat, celery and walnut, before being wrapped with streaky bacon. Serve with all the trimmings. • 25g butter, melted, for greasing• 1-1.2kg british turkey fillet• 12-16 rashers of dry-cure smoked, streaky bacon• seasonal vegetables and potatoes, to serve STUFFING • 450g sausage meat• 6 shallots, peeled and finely diced• 4 sticks celery, diced• 75g walnuts, chopped• 100g fresh breadcrumbs• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves• 1 egg, beaten 1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Butter a large…