Christmas Recipes & Crafts (2015)
Christmas Favourites
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
Festive Prawn Cocktail
Traditional Roast Turkey
Roast Pheasant
Yuletide Goose
Seafood Pie with Stilton
Bacon-wrapped Sausages
Chestnut & Sausage Stuffing
Rich Bread Sauce
Cauliflower Cheese
Rich Christmas Pudding
Festive Mince Pies
Golden Christmas Cake
Crème Brûlée
Spiced Pumpkin Soup
A deliciously warming and luxuriously creamy soup that’s perfect to start off your Christmas dinner.
SERVES 4 PREP 20 MINS, PLUS COOLING COOK 35-40 MINS
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
1 bay leaf
900 g/2 lb pumpkin, deseeded and diced
600 ml/1 pint vegetable stock
salt and pepper (optional)
single cream and chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
1.Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for about 4 minutes, until slightly soft. Add the ginger, chilli, coriander, bay leaf and pumpkin and cook for a further 3 minutes.
2.Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. Skim any foam from the surface, if necessary. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove from the heat, remove and discard the bay leaf and leave the soup to cool.
3.Transfer to a food processor or blender, in batches if necessary, and process until smooth. Return the mixture to the rinsed-out pan and season to taste with salt and pepper, if using.
4.Reheat gently, then remove from the heat and pour into warmed soup bowls. Garnish each bowl with a swirl of cream and some chopped coriander and serve immediately.
Tip
Don’t discard the pumpkin seeds, simply rinse and dry them, then tip onto a lined baking tray and toss with oil and salt. Cook for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 140°C/275°F/Gas Mark 1, until golden brown. They will make a delicious and healthy snack.
Festive Prawn Cocktail
This classic starter has never lost its appeal. Creamy avocado and full-flavoured prawns are complemented by a hearty mayonnaise.
SERVES 8 PREP 25 MINS COOK NONE
125 ml/4 fl oz tomato ketchup
1 tsp chilli sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 ruby grapefruits
8 lettuce leaves, shredded
1 kg/2 lb 4 oz cooked tiger prawns, peeled and deveined
2 avocados, peeled, stoned and diced
lime slices and fresh dill sprigs, to garnish
mayonnaise
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp English mustard powder
1 tsp salt
pinch of pepper
300 ml/10 fl oz groundnut oil
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1.To make the mayonnaise, put the egg yolks in a bowl, add the mustard powder, salt and pepper and beat together well. Begin whisking the egg yolks, adding the oil just one drop at a time, making sure that this has been thoroughly absorbed before adding another drop and whisking well.
2.Continue adding the oil one drop at a time until the mixture thickens and stiffens - at this point, whisk in the vinegar, then continue to dribble in the remaining oil very slowly in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until you have used up all the oil and you have a thick mayonnaise.
3.Mix the mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and Worcestershire sauce together in a small bowl. Cover with clingfilm and refrigerate until required.
4.Cut off a slice from the top and bottom of each grapefruit, then peel off the skin and all the white pith. Cut between the membranes to separate the segments.
5.When ready to serve, make a bed of shredded lettuce in the bases of eight glass dishes. Divide the prawns, grapefruit segments and avocados between them and spoon over the mayonnaise dressing. Serve the cocktails garnished with lime slices and dill sprigs.
Traditional Roast Turkey
For many families, this magnificent bird is the centrepiece of the festive meal, usually served with roast potatoes, rich gravy and Brussels sprouts.
SERVES 4 PREP 25 MINS COOK 3 HRS 15 MINS, PLUS STANDING
1 oven-ready turkey, weighing 5 kg/11 lb
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
100 ml/3½ fl oz red wine
75 g/2¾ oz butter
seasonal vegetables, to serve
stuffing
100 g/3½ oz button mushrooms, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
85 g/3 oz butter
100 g/3½ oz fresh breadcrumbs
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper (optional)
port & cranberry sauce
100 g/3½ oz sugar
275 ml/9 fl oz port
175 g/6 oz fresh cranberries
1.Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
2.To make the stuffing, put the mushrooms in a saucepan with the onion, garlic and butter and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining stuffing ingredients. Fill the neck end of the turkey with the stuffing and truss with string.
3.Put the turkey in a roasting tin. Rub the garlic over the bird and pour the wine over. Add the butter and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Baste, then reduce the temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and roast for a further 40 minutes. Baste again and cover with foil. Roast for a further 2 hours, basting regularly. Check that the bird is cooked by inserting a knife between the legs and body. If the juices run clear, it is cooked. Remove from the oven, loosely cover with foil and leave to stand for 25 minutes.
4.Meanwhile, to make the sauce, put the sugar, port and cranberries in a saucepan. Heat over a medium heat until almost boiling. Serve the turkey with seasonal vegetables, if using, and the port and cranberry sauce.
Roast Pheasant
Pheasant can be a little dry but the herb butter that is pushed under the skin before cooking ensures a delicious, moist result.
SERVES 4 PREP 40 MINS, PLUS RESTING COOK 1 HR 10 MINS
100 g/3 ½ oz butter, slightly softened
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 oven-ready young pheasants
4 tbsp vegetable oil
125 ml/4 fl oz red wine
salt and pepper (optional)
game chips
650 g/1 lb 7 oz potatoes
sunflower oil, for deep-frying
1.Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Put the butter in a small bowl and mix in the thyme and parsley. Lift the skins off the pheasants, taking care not to tear them, and push the herb butter under the skins. Season to taste.
2.Pour the oil into a roasting tin, add the pheasants and roast in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, basting occasionally. Remove from the oven, pour over the wine, then return to the oven and cook for a further 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Check that each bird is cooked by inserting a knife between the legs and body. If the juices run clear, they are cooked.
3.To make the game chips, peel the potatoes and cut into wafer-thin slices. Immediately place in a bowl of cold water. Heat enough oil for deep-frying in a large saucepan or a deep fryer to 180-190°C/350-375°F, or until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Drain the potato slices and pat dry with kitchen paper. Deep-fry, in batches, for 2-3 minutes, stirring to prevent them sticking, then remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on kitchen paper.
4.Remove the pheasants from the oven, loosely cover with foil and leave to rest for 15 minutes. Serve on a warmed serving platter surrounded by the game chips.
Yuletide Goose
The uncooked goose may seem very large, but it will lose a lot of fat during cooking, making it ideal to serve to a smaller number of guests.
SERVES 4-6 PREP 15 MINS COOK 2 HRS 45 MINS-3 HRS 15 MINS
a 3.5-4.5-kg/7¾-10-lb oven-ready goose
1 tsp salt
4 pears
1 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
1.Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Use a fork to prick the skin all over, then rub with the salt. Place the bird upside down on a rack in a roasting tin. Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Drain off the fat. Turn the bird over and roast for 15 minutes, then drain off the fat.
2.Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and roast for 15 minutes per 450 g/1 lb. Cover with foil 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Check that the bird is cooked by inserting a knife between the legs and body. If the juices run clear, it is ready. Remove from the oven. Transfer the goose to a warmed serving platter, loosely cover with foil and leave to rest.
3.Meanwhile, peel and halve the pears, then brush with the lemon juice. Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the pears. Cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes until tender. Remove from the heat, arrange the pears around the goose and pour the sweet juices over the bird, then serve.
Seafood Pie with Stilton
For an alternative to meat on Christmas Day, a creamy seafood pie rings the changes. Stilton cheese adds a distinctly Christmassy flavour.
SERVES 6 PREP 30 MINS COOK 1 HR
300 ml/10 fl oz vegetable stock
100 ml/3½ fl oz dry vermouth
3 tbsp cornflour, blended with 3 tbsp cold water
30 g/1 oz butter, cut into small pieces
6 tbsp crème fraîche
375 g/13 oz skinless cod fillet, cut into chunks
375 g/13 oz skinless salmon fillet, cut into chunks
225 g/8 oz raw king prawns, peeled and deveined
175 g/6 oz fine asparagus spears, tough ends snapped off, cut into 2.5-cm/1-inch pieces
115 g/4 oz Stilton cheese, crumbled
4 tbsp snipped fresh chives
500 g/1 lb 2 oz ready-made puff pastry
10 g/¼ oz plain flour, for dusting pepper (optional)
1.Pour the stock and vermouth into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Whisk in the cornflour paste and simmer for 1 minute to make a thick sauce. Remove from heat and stir in the butter and crème fraîche, then cover the surface with baking paper. Leave to cool.
2.Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark 7. Stir the fish, prawns, asparagus, cheese and chives into the sauce. Season to taste with pepper, if using, then spoon into a 1.5-litre/2½-pint pie dish.
3.Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a thickness of 3 mm/¾ inch. Cut a long 2-cm/⅛-inch strip and press it around the rim of the pie dish, fixing it in place with a little water. Use the remaining pastry to cover the pie, cutting the trimmings into shapes to decorate and fixing into place with a little water. Make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape.
4.Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the pastry is well risen and golden brown, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 35 minutes. Serve immediately.
Bacon-wrapped Sausages
These are traditionally served with the big Christmas meal - they certainly add something extra to the table when served around the Christmas turkey.
MAKES 8 PREP 15 MINS COOK 15-20 MINS
8 pork sausages
2 tbsp mild mustard
24 ready-to-eat prunes
8 smoked bacon rashers
1.Preheat the grill. Using a sharp knife, cut a slit along the length of each sausage about three quarters of the way through. Spread the mustard inside the slits and press 3 prunes into each sausage.
2.Stretch the bacon with the back of a knife until each rasher is quite thin. Wrap a rasher of bacon around each sausage.
3.Place the sausages on a grill rack and cook under the grill, turning occasionally, for 15-20 minutes until cooked through and browned all over.
Chestnut & Sausage Stuffing
A substantial stuffing that is almost a meal in itself! It can be used to stuff the turkey or cooked separately and served alongside.
SERVES 6-8 PREP 10 MINS COOK 30-40 MINS
225 g/8 oz pork sausage meat
225 g/8 oz unsweetened chestnut purée
85 g/3 oz walnuts, chopped
115 g/4 oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp snipped fresh chives
2 tsp chopped fresh sage
4-5 tbsp double cream salt and pepper (optional)
1.Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Combine the sausage meat and chestnut purée in a bowl, then stir in the walnuts, apricots, parsley, chives and sage. Stir in enough cream to make a firm, but not dry, mixture. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if using.
2.If you are planning to stuff a turkey or goose, fill the neck cavity only to ensure the bird cooks all the way through. It is safer and more reliable to cook the stuffing separately, either rolled into small balls and placed on a baking sheet or spooned into an ovenproof dish.
3.Cook the separate stuffing in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes at 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. It should be allowed a longer time to cook if you are roasting a bird at a lower temperature in the same oven.
Rich Bread Sauce
This simple but deliciously rich sauce is a classic accompaniment to roast turkey, but is also good with other roast meats and game.
SERVES 12 PREP 15 MINS, PLUS INFUSING
COOK 20-25 MINS
1 onion, peeled but left whole
12 cloves
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
600 ml/1 pint milk
115 g/4 oz fresh white breadcrumbs
25 g/1 oz butter
½ tsp grated nutmeg
2 tbsp double cream (optional)
salt and pepper (optional)
¼ tsp grated nutmeg and 1 bay leaf, to garnish
1.Make 12 small holes in the onion using a skewer or sharp knife and stick a clove in each hole.
2.Place the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns in a small saucepan and pour in the milk. Place over a medium heat, bring to the boil, remove from the heat, then cover and leave to infuse for 1 hour.
3.Strain the milk and discard the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns.
4.Return the milk to the rinsed-out pan and add the breadcrumbs. Cook the sauce over a very gentle heat until the breadcrumbs have swollen and the sauce is thick. Stir in the butter and season with salt and pepper, if using.
5.When ready to serve, reheat the sauce briefly, if necessary. Add the nutmeg and stir in the double cream, if using. Pour into a warmed serving bowl and serve immediately, garnished with a bay leaf and grated nutmeg.
Cauliflower Cheese
Delicious cauliflower cheese makes a welcome addition to the Christmas dinner table. Try adding broccoli as well for a tasty variation.
SERVES 4 PREP 10 MINS COOK 20 MINS
1 cauliflower, cut into florets (675 g/1 lb 8 oz prepared weight)
40 g/1½ oz butter
40 g/1½ oz plain flour
450 ml/15 fl oz milk
115 g/4 oz Cheddar cheese, finely grated
pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper (optional)
1.Bring a saucepan of water to the boil, add the cauliflower, bring back to the boil and cook for 4-5 minutes. It should still be firm. Drain, place in a preheated 1.5-litre/2½-pint gratin dish and keep warm.
2.Melt the butter in the rinsed-out pan over a medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually stir in the milk until smooth.
3.Return to a medium heat and continue to stir while the sauce comes to the boil and thickens. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring constantly, for about 3 minutes until creamy and smooth.
4.Remove from the heat and stir in the Cheddar cheese and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt and pepper, if using.
5.Preheat the grill to high. Pour the sauce over the cauliflower, top with the Parmesan cheese and place under a hot grill to brown. Serve immediately.
Rich Christmas Pudding
This pudding is one of the traditional stars of Christmas. Made in advance, it’s like another present to unwrap on Christmas day!
SERVES 10-12 PREP 30 MINS, PLUS SOAKING
COOK 6 HRS. PLUS REHEATING
200 g/7 oz currants
200 g/7 oz raisins
200 g/7 oz sultanas
150 ml/5 fl oz sweet sherry
175 g/6 oz butter
175 g/6 oz brown sugar
4 eggs, beaten
150 g/5½ oz self-raising flour
100 g/3½ oz fresh breadcrumbs
50 g/1¾ oz blanched almonds, chopped
juice of 1 orange
grated rind of ½ orange
grated rind of ½ lemon
½ tsp mixed spice
10 g/¼ oz butter, for greasing
10 g/¼ oz icing sugar, for dusting
1.Put the currants, raisins and sultanas in a glass bowl and pour the sherry over. Cover and leave to soak for at least 2 hours.
2.Beat together the butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour. Stir in the soaked fruit and the sherry with the breadcrumbs, almonds, orange juice, orange rind, lemon rind and mixed spice. Grease a 1.2-litre/2-pint pudding basin and spoon the mixture into it, packing it down well and leaving a gap of 2.5 cm/1 inch at the top. Cut a round of greaseproof paper 3 cm/1½ inches larger than the top of the basin, grease with butter and place over the pudding. Secure with string, then top with two layers of foil.
3.Place the pudding in a saucepan two-thirds filled with boiling water. Reduce the heat and simmer for 6 hours, topping up the water in the saucepan when necessary.
4.Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Replace the greaseproof paper and foil and store the pudding in a cool place for 2-8 weeks. To reheat, steam as before for 2 hours. Decorate with a dusting of icing sugar and serve.
Festive Mince Pies
Nothing says ‘Christmas’ more clearly than the traditional mince pie. Be generous with the mincemeat - these pies should be luscious!
SERVES 16 PREP 30 MINS
COOK 15 MINS, PLUS COOLING
10 g/¼ oz butter, for greasing
200 g/7 oz plain flour
100 g/3½ oz butter
25 g/1 oz icing sugar
1 egg yolk
2-3 tbsp milk
10 g/¼ oz flour, for dusting
300 g/10½ oz ready-made mincemeat
1 tbsp milk, for glazing
10 g/¼ oz icing sugar, for dusting
1.Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 16-hole tartlet tin with butter. Sift the flour into a bowl. Using your fingertips, rub in the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and egg yolk. Stir in enough milk to make a soft dough, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and lightly knead until smooth.
2.Shape the dough into a ball and roll out to a thickness of 1 cm/½ inch. Use fluted cutters to cut out 16 x 7-cm/ 2¾-inch rounds and use to line the holes in the prepared tin. Half-fill each pie with mincemeat. Cut out 16 star shapes from the leftover dough, brush with milk and place one on top of each pie.
3.Glaze the surface of the pies with milk and bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes until the pastry is a pale golden colour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack. Dust with the icing sugar just before serving.
Golden Christmas Cake
This delicious fruit cake is a Christmas favourite. The secret of its success is the long storage before serving, so make ahead for the best results!
SERVES 16-18 PREP 45 MINS, PLUS SOAKING COOK 1½-2 HRS
175 g/6 oz dried apricots, chopped
85 g/3 oz dried mango, chopped
85 g/3 oz dried pineapple, chopped
175 g/6 oz sultanas
55 g/2 oz chopped stem ginger
55 g/2 oz chopped mixed peel
finely grated rind and juice of 1 orange
4 tbsp brandy
10 g/¼ oz butter, for greasing
175 g/6 oz butter
100 g/3½ oz light muscovado sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp clear honey
175 g/6 oz self-raising flour
2 tsp ground allspice
85 g/3 oz pecan nuts, chopped
800 g/1 lb 12 oz marzipan
900 g/2 lb white ready-to-roll fondant icing
silver dragées, to decorate
1.Place the apricots, mango and pineapple in a bowl with the sultanas, ginger and mixed peel. Stir in the orange rind and juice and brandy. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
2.Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Grease a 23-cm/9-inch round springform cake tin and line with baking paper.
3.Cream together the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Add the eggs to the mixture, beating well between each addition. Stir in the honey. Sift the flour with the allspice and fold into the mixture using a metal spoon. Add the soaked fruit and the nuts, mixing thoroughly. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, spreading evenly, then make a slight dip in the centre.
4.Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 1½-2 hours, or until golden brown and firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.
5.Turn out the cake, remove the paper and wrap in clean baking paper and foil. Store in a cool place for at least 1 month before use. Cover the cake with marzipan and white ready-to-roll icing, following the packet instructions, then decorate with icing stars and silver dragées.
Crème Brûlée
This is crème brûlée with a twist - delicious soft fruit lies waiting to be discovered under the crisp caramelized topping and creamy layer beneath.
SERVES 6 PREP 15 MINS COOK 5 MINS, PLUS CHILLING
225-300 g/8-10½ oz mixed soft fruits, such as blueberries and stoned fresh cherries
1½-2 tbsp orange liqueur
250 g/9 oz mascarpone cheese
200 ml/7 fl oz crème fraîche
2-3 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
1.Place the fruit in the bases of six 150-ml/5-fl oz ramekin dishes. Sprinkle the fruit with the liqueur.
2.Cream the mascarpone cheese in a bowl until soft, then gradually beat in the crème fraîche.
3.Spoon the cheese mixture over the fruit, smoothing the surface and ensuring that the tops are level. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
4.Sprinkle the tops with the sugar. Using a chef’s blow torch, grill the tops until caramelized (about 2-3 minutes). Alternatively, cook under a preheated grill, turning the dishes, for 3-4 minutes, or until the tops are lightly caramelized all over.
5.Serve warm or chill in the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Tip
You could vary the fruit according to taste. Soft fruit is best, so use chopped stoned fresh apricots, peaches or plums, or a combination of any of these. Fruits of the forest are also a perfect complement to this luscious and creamy dessert.