Christmas recipes

Roast turkey (fit for a king) (Better Food style)

• Stuff your Better Food turkey then rub the bird liberally with olive oil and season with salt.
• Cover with greaseproof paper and then with tin foil. Make sure both coverings go right round the bird.
• To roast your turkey and ensure you get a really moist bird with all the flavour still inside, place in the middle of a pre-heated oven, gas mark 3-4/140°C.
• Roast for 25 minutes per kilo.
• Remove covering from the bird and return to the oven and cook on very hot for about 20 minutes.
• Leave to rest for 30 minutes before carving.
• Open a bottle of something special, relax, sit down, enjoy…

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Turkey stuffing (Better Food recipe)

100g soft breadcrumbs                                   
1 leek
250g cooking apples, peeled, cored & diced     
1 medium onion, chopped
1½ lbs pork sausage meat                              
200g chestnuts
100g button mushrooms, finely chopped          
zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped                         
salt & pepper
bunch parsley, chopped                                  
2 tsp thyme leaves
10 rosemary needles, finely chopped

Method  

• Sweat the leeks, onions, mushrooms, garlic and apples in a little
  butter or olive oil until soft.  In a big bowl, mix this lot together with
  the other ingredients.
• To check for seasoning fry a little ‘cake’ of the mixture, allow to cool
  and taste. You may need to add more salt and pepper.

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Sage & onion stuffing (vegetarian)
(from www.bbc.co.uk)

4 large onions                                        10 sage leaves
125g breadcrumbs                                 40g butter
1 egg yolk (option)                                  salt & pepper to taste

Method

• Peel the onions and simmer in boiling water for 5 minutes. Add the sage leaves for a minute or two to take the edge of their rawness.
• Chop the onions and sage finely, add the bread, seasoning and
  butter and work the whole lot together with the yolk of an egg just before cooking.
• Press into a baking dish and cook at 180°C for about 10-30
  minutes.

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Cider gravy (vegetarian & vegan)
(from the Better Food Cafe)

4 onions                       2 heads of celery                 small nub of ginger
4 carrots                      1 bulb garlic                         100g plain flour
3 apples                       2 bay leaves                        pepper corns
thyme                          500ml cider                         splash white wine

Ingredients

• Roughly chop all the veg and apples including the apple and ginger.
• Splash some olive oil into a heavy bottomed pot.
• Heat until smoking.
• Put in all the veg, the apples, bay leaves, pepper corns (crushed) and caramalise, but be careful not to burn.
• Sprinkle in the flour and stir into a paste, then pour in the cider and
  white wine.
• Keep stirring until it all comes together, then simmer for about half
  an hour.
• Keep stirring until it all comes together, then simmer for about half
  an hour.
• Pass the liquid through a fine sieve and return to the heat.
• Reduce until the gravy is the required thickness.

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 Vegetarian gravy (vegetarian & vegan)
(from the Organic Cookbook)

45ml/3 tbsp olive oil                                               450g/1lb onions, thinly sliced
45ml/3 tbsp flour (white or wholemeal)         400-500ml vegetable stock
1 sprig fresh thyme                                                   10ml/2 tsp dark soy sauce
sea salt & ground pepper

Method

• Put the oil in a small, heavy pan and heat gently. Add the sliced
  onions and fry, stirring occasionally for 15-20 minutes until the
  onions are soft and beginning to brown.
• Increase the heat slightly and cook for another 20-30 minutes
  stirring until they are a dark, golden brown.
• Stir in the flour, then cook for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
• Gradually stir in 400ml of stock. Simmer and stir until thickened,
  adding more stock if the gravy becomes too thick.
• Add the thyme, season with salt and pepper then cook very slowly stirring frequently for 10-15 minutes.
• Stir in the soy sauce and a little more seasoning if necessary. Add
  more stock if too thick. Remove the thyme and serve immediately.

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Perfect roasties (Better Food style)

6 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
8 tbsp Farrington’s British rapeseed oil, vegetable or olive oil, goose or duck fat
Pinch of salt

Method

• Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and just cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then boil, uncovered, for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, switch the oven to 220C/gas mark 7 and place the oil or fat in a large roasting tin towards the top of the oven to heat thoroughly.
• Drain the potatoes thoroughly (reserving the water for gravy, stock or soup). Return them to the pan in batches and shake vigorously to soften the edges, or you can scratch them with a fork.
• Take the tin from the oven and add the potatoes. Turn them quickly in the oil then cook at the top of the oven for 50-60 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking until crisp and golden on the outside and soft in the centre. Drain and sprinkle with salt. Serve as soon as possible.     

Great roasting potatoes include:
Desiree, Remarka, Romano, King Edward, Maris Piper, Sante, Valor

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Honey-Glazed Carrots

750g carrots, peeled                     
2 tbsp honey                           
25g butter

Method

• Simmer the carrots in a large wide pan until just tender, about 15 minutes.
• Drain off all but a few tbsp of the cooking water then add the honey and butter and season well.
• Turn the carrots over the heat until glazed and golden.

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Red Cabbage with Chestnuts and Red Wine
(serves 6 as a side, from Boxing Clever Cookbook)

900g chestnuts                                                     350ml vegetable stock
3 tbsp olive oil                                                       2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 medium onion, finely chopped                   ¼ tsp nutmeg
900g red cabbage, cut into strips                 salt and black pepper
350ml dry red wine         

Method                            

• Make a cross on the flat side of each chestnut with a sharp knife. Parboil in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and remove outer and inner skins.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• In a large pan, heat the oil and sauté the onion for 5 minutes.
• Stir in the cabbage and cook for 10 minutes.
• Add the wine, vegetable stock, vinegar, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
• Transfer to an oven dish. Cover and place in the oven for about one hour. Check part way through cooking that the liquid is not evaporating too quickly and add more as necessary
• Gently stir in the chestnuts and cook covered for at least one more hour until the cabbage is tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
• Melt the butter in saucepan, add the leeks, cover and reduce the heat, simmer for about 15 mins until soft stirring occasionally.

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Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Hazelnuts
(serves 4 as a side, from www.vegbox-recipes.co.uk)

100g hazelnuts                                            ½ tsp salt                      
700g sprouts, halved                               125ml maple syrup
1 small red onion, cut into wedges      2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil

Method

• Toast hazelnuts for 5-10 minutes until fragrant, then rub off the skins with a tea-towel and chop coarsely.
• In a roasting pan, toss together the sprouts, onion, oil, salt and pepper.
• Roast in a medium oven for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add hazelnuts, syrup and vinegar and toss. Roast for 5 minutes.

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Mushroom & Hazelnut Pâté

350g closed cup mushrooms, chopped                   1 tsp yeast extract
1 med onion, finely chopped                                   400g can butter beans, drained
4-5 tbsp olive oil                                                    ½ lemon, juice only
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped                             100g chopped roasted hazelnuts
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped                                  3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely

Method                                                          

• Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in frying pan. Fry the mushrooms and onions together until soft. Stir in the rosemary, thyme and yeast extract.
• Remove from the heat and drain off any liquid.
• Place about half the mixture into a food processor with the butter beans, lemon juice and enough of the extra olive oil to make a smooth paste.
• Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining mushroom mixture, hazelnuts and parsley. Season to taste.
• Cover and allow to stand at room temperature for about an hour
  before serving to allow the flavours to develop.
• Serve on Melba toast or crackers as a starter or use as a sandwich filling with lots of crisp salad.

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Cauliflower Piccalilli

350 ml white wine vinegar                                       175 g caster sugar
175 ml distilled malt vinegar                                   25g English mustard powder
small cauliflower                                                           2 tsp ground turmeric
½ cucumber                                                                   4 tsp corn flour
1 small onion

Method                                           

• Boil both vinegars together, allow to cool.
• Cut the cauliflower into tiny florets. Peel, deseed and finely dice the cucumber, then peel and finely dice the onion. Place in a large bowl and sprinkle over a little salt.
• Mix the caster sugar, mustard powder, turmeric & corn flour together in a large pan. Stir in half the cooled vinegar. Mix well, and then add the remainder.
• Cook over a low heat, stirring continuously, until the mixture begins to thicken slightly. Let it cook for about 2-3 minutes.
• Pour the vinegar mixture over the vegetables and mix thoroughly. Pack into wide-necked, sterilised jars. Seal, label and store in a cool dry place.

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Garlic Bites

These garlic bites are a simple variation on the traditional cheese straws. If you can make pastry then these are very easy. Serve either as a pre-dinner appetiser or as a party snack. This recipe makes about 64 garlic bites. That sounds a lot but they disappear quicker than a vampire on midwinter’s evening!

120g self-raising flour
60g butter
60g cheese, grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ tsp dry mustard powder
1 tsp cold water
Salt

Method

• Sift the flour into a bowl. Mix in the mustard powder and the crushed garlic.
• Cut the butter and slowly rub into the flour. Add a little cheese now again as you go along. Continue to combine the ingredients, adding a little cold water at the end if necessary to get a nice lump of pastry dough.
• Place the pastry in the fridge to rest for 15 minutes or so. Meanwhile heat the oven to 200 C (400 F).
• Roll out pastry on a lightly floured board to form a square about 16 cm each side. With a sharp knife divide the pastry into eighths in each direction to give 64 small squares.
• Transfer the squares to a greased baking tray, arranging the garlic bites with a little space between them. Grind a little salt across the tops.
• Bake for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove and allow them to cool.
• Transfer the garlic bites to an airtight container, they’ll keep for a day or two.

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Cheddar Crackers

115g butter or margarine
225g  Shipton Mill or other unbleached flour, sifted
½ tsp salt
1tsp baking powder
dash of cayenne pepper
250g strong cheddar cheese, finely grated – plenty of local ones in store 

Method

• Stir the dry ingredients into a bowl and then cut in the butter to resemble breadcrumbs.
• Add the cheddar cheese with a fork until well blended.
• Mix in the remaining ingredients and shape into 5cm rolls.
• Chill for 30 to 40 minutes then slice each roll into slices about 1cmthick.
• Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 200oC for about 10 minutes.
• Remove from cookie sheet and let cool. Store the cooled crackers in airtight containers in a cool place. They will keep for several weeks this way and if you freeze them, they will last indefinitely.

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Brandy Butter

3-6 tbsp brandy                
75g soft unsalted butter                  
75g soft brown sugar

Method

• Blend the butter and sugar together till pale, soft and creamy, either in a food processor or with an electric hand whisk.
• When you have a pale smooth mixture, slowly add the brandy a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Taste and add more brandy if you think it needs it!
• Put the mixture in a container and chill thoroughly before serving.
• Serve cold. It will keep for 2-3 weeks in the fridge.

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Mince Pies

560g mincemeat   
a little milk                        
350g plain flour
75g lard  
75g butter  
icing sugar  
pinch of salt 
one (or two) 6cm patty tin   
one fluted 7.5cm pastry cutter
one 6cm cutter

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and rub the fats into it until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
• Add just enough cold water so that the mixture leaves the bowl clean.
• Put the pastry in a plastic bag or bowl and leave in the fridge for half an hour.
• Roll half of the pastry out as thinly as possible and cut it into twenty four 7.5cm rounds, gathering up the scraps and re-rolling.
• Do the same with the other half of the pastry, this time using a 6cm cutter.
• Grease a patty tin lightly and line them with the larger rounds. Fill these with
• mincemeat to the level of the edges of the pastry.
• Dampen the edges of the smaller rounds of pastry with water and press them lightly into position to form lids, sealing the edges.
• Brush each one with milk and make three snips in the tops with a pair of scissors. Bake near the top of the oven for 25-30 mins until light golden brown.
• Cool on a wire tray and sprinkle with icing sugar.

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Ginger biscuits

170g self-raising flour 
70g butter/margarine
70g sugar             
115g golden syrup 
1 tsp ground ginger         
pinch of salt       
¾ tsp bi-carbonate of soda 

Method                                                        

• Preheat oven to 160°C.
• Put flour and salt in a bowl and rub in margarine until it forms fine breadcrumbs; add sugar, ginger and bi-carbonate of soda and mix together. Add golden syrup and stir all together.
• Lightly grease a baking tray with butter or margarine. Make small balls with the mixture (they will spread a long way, so do not make balls too big), flatten them slightly and space them well on tray.
• Bake in moderate oven, 160°C for about 15 minutes, or until they are nice and brown. Cool on wire rack.