Olive Magazine December 2021

From much-loved locals to five-star destinations, the hospitality industry has fought hard to put on a stellar performance this year. In our 2021’s most-wanted dishes feature, we pick the plates that have delighted us with punchy flavours and bags of visual appeal (p80). Let’s do our bit to support our brilliant restaurant scene. Share your favourite restaurant dishes with us on social media by using #ImCraving or email us at Oliveweb @immediate.co.uk and, from next month, we’ll feature the best. The Christmas party season is now in full swing, so we’ve packed this issue with plenty of extraordinary dishes to help you make the most of it. Luxe for less on p30 makes excellent use of two lobsters to feed six, plus a twist on millionaire’s shortbread for dessert and, three…

seasonal shopping A new carving fork You may only use it occasionally but, faced with a roast this Christmas, you’ll thank yourself for thinking ahead. There are plenty of styles on nisbets.co.uk – I went with Victorinox. reading Nicola Miller’s newsletter, Tales from Topographic Kitchens From subjects such as quince and eggs, to recipes inspired by John Wayne films, if you like stories about food, you’ll love this. topographickitchens.substack.com eating Panettone Classic panettone is one of my favourite foods, though pistachio or Amarena cherries are acceptable additions in my book. Loison, Fiasconaro x Dolce & Gabbana, Muzzi, Carluccio, Gran Galup – I love them all.…

Olive is brought to you by the same team as BBC Good Food, Britain’s leading food media brand. As you’ll see from Our Commitment on page 118, we’re committed to improving diversity and inclusivity, and work with a wide range of contributors to drive authentic change. There’s so much more to explore beyond the pages of your magazine, including recipes, award-winning podcasts and videos showcasing cooking skills and techniques on Olive magazine.com. Here’s what you can expect from us. our recipes work All our recipes are developed and thoroughly tested by experts, so you know they’ll work every time. sustainability It’s at the heart of everything we do. We try to help you cut down on food waste by suggesting ideas for using up any leftovers, and by celebrating and keeping you informed about…

What is it? Blonde chocolate is made by roasting white chocolate chips very slowly until they take on a golden cappuccino colour and toasted caramel aromas. How to use it? Use in chocolate truffles or a rich ganache to spread between layers of sponge. Where to find it? Find blonde chocolate at M&S, both in stores and online. Gurdeep Loyal is a food and drink trends specialist who built his career working at Harrods Food Halls, Innocent Drinks and M&S Food. He’s also a food writer and curator of online platform Mother Tongue, with his first recipe book set for release in spring 2022.…

20 MINUTES + SETTING | SERVES 8-10 | EASY M&S golden blonde chocolate 300g, choppedroasted hazelnuts 65g, halvedshelled pistachios 35gsalted pretzels (sticks or twists) 25gdried cranberries 50g, choppedcandied ginger 35g, choppedcandied orange peel 35g, slivered, finely slicedsugar sprinkles (in festive colours) 2 tbspsea salt flakes a good pinch 1 Line a baking tray with either baking paper or a silicon sheet. 2 Slowly melt the blonde chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water (ensuring the bowl doesn’t touch the water), stirring it occasionally, until fully melted. Or do this in short bursts in the microwave. Allow the chocolate to cool for 1-2 minutes. 3 Pour the melted chocolate onto the lined baking tray in a rough rectangle shape approximately 3-4mm thick, then scatter over the remaining ingredients, except the salt,…

Clerkenwell-based charity Migrateful runs award-winning cookery classes taught by refugees and asylum seekers – many of whom are escaping war-torn countries. It launched after founder Jess Thompson met a group of refugee women at a volunteer project in 2017. “The women in the group were all very qualified,” Jess explains, “but were unemployed because of language barriers, and their qualifications were not recognised in the UK. Many of them, however, said they could cook. This gave me the idea for Migrateful, with the aim to get these women into employment by sharing their cooking skills and stories.” It’s also an opportunity for chefs to feel more integrated in society. “Due to language barriers, many asylum seekers are incredibly isolated,” Jess says. “The classes provide ideal conditions for learning English, building confidence and…