This recipe for Roasted Bacon & Chestnut Sprouts is my favourite way to eat Brussels sprouts. My friend Sue always says that brussels sprouts are mutant cabbages, and I think that probably represents the level of dislike that people have for the poor Brussels sprout. On the other hand, my friend Dawn absolutely loves them. I’m a bit tired of recipes that claim that THIS recipe will convert sprout haters. Ultimately, if you hate them, you hate them. However, if you’re on the fence, you might like them roasted. I think they taste much better, but really, they are still Brussels sprouts. I just can’t do a Christmas Menu without them.
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Tart Tatin with Barmbrack Pastry
This delicious recipe for Tart Tatin with Barmbrack Pastry comes as a follow up from the delicious bread and butter pudding that Paul Rankin shared with us last St. Patrick’s day. It’s great to have some new ideas to mark our celebration of all things Irish!
Roasted Bacon & Chestnut Sprouts
This recipe for Roasted Bacon & Chestnut Sprouts is my favourite way to eat Brussels sprouts. My friend Sue always says that brussels sprouts are mutant cabbages, and I think that probably represents the level of dislike that people have for the poor Brussels sprout. On the other hand, my friend Dawn absolutely loves them. I’m a bit tired of recipes that claim that THIS recipe will convert sprout haters. Ultimately, if you hate them, you hate them. However, if you’re on the fence, you might like them roasted. I think they taste much better, but really, they are still Brussels sprouts. I just can’t do a Christmas Menu without them.
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Chive Lemon Crème fraîche with Brown Bread & Smoked Salmon
Chive Lemon Crème fraîche with brown bread & smoked salmon is a classic Christmas starter for all the traditionalists. It’s barely a recipe to be honest! Do yourself a favour with this one by serving it on a platter and let people help themselves. I always serve wedges of lemon with it, in case there are any purists, but the cool gently flavoured Chive Lemon Crème fraîche really lets the salmon stand out as the star of the show. This is also a good duo with Burnt Lemon and Feta Dip.
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Burnt Lemon and Feta Dip
This burnt lemon and feta dip has the lovely combination of being familiar and yet a little unexpected – a nice way to kick off a Christmas menu! The feta adds a lovely saltiness and the lemon is fresh. The slightly burnt caramelised flavour makes the whole taste much warmer and more interesting. The idea of eating something burnt might be a bit jarring, but cooking the lemon really intensifies the flavours and cuts through the ‘milkiness’ of the rest of the ingredients. The dip is essentially feta and lemon, using some crème fraiche, natural yogurt, milk or buttermilk to thin it out. You can vary it depending on what you have in the fridge, and how much tanginess you like!
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Christmas menu
So here it is, my Christmas menu. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be posting up recipes that make up a low stress Christmas meal. Here’s how it will look….
Orange, Whiskey and Star Anise Curd
This Orange, Whiskey and Star Anise curd is the newest arrival in my ongoing curd obsession. I love curd. Virtually every cake I make is filled with a curd, whether it’s my mango and lime recipe, a classic lemon curd, raspberry curd or an exotic passion fruit curd. I love how versatile they are. I use them as a snack with yogurt, as a dip, to spread on scones or to fill cupcakes.
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Dark and White Chocolate Straws
Dark and white chocolate straws are like cheese straws except with chocolate. What’s not to like? The base of these is an unsweetened cocoa pastry topped with a mixture of chopped chocolate. The sweetness really comes from the white chocolate, and the time in the oven caramelises the sugar in the white chocolate to give an almost burnt sweetness.
Chocolate and Orange Rugelach
These chocolate and orange rugelach cookies are a twist on a traditional Jewish Sweet treat. They look a little bit like croissant, but I can’t profess to be in any way expert about it’s origins. They are, as I understand, still very popular treats within the Jewish community, although my version steers away from the more traditional spice and nut fillings.
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Chilli Cheddar Corn Muffins
This recipe for chilli cheddar corn muffins is incredibly easy, quick and delicious. It pays homage to the all American Cornbread but plays more on the savoury than the sweet. These muffins are gorgeous as a breakfast with creamy scrambled eggs, on their own or with a delicious blob of melting butter!
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Aztec Banana Pudding
I am fairly confident that someone is going to tell me that Aztec Banana Pudding isn’t an accurate name for this dessert. I was trying to think of something snappy to describe a moist pudding loaded with banana, coffee and cardamom, with a chocolate, orange and pecan gooey filling. Aztec seemed like the best description. (Cue food historians). This recipe was large instigated by having bananas that were looking a bit battered. (I store mine in the freezer and take them out a few minutes before I need them if I don‘t have time to bake. It turns them totally black but they get really sweet). My lovely friend Tom had also given me a gift of cardamom coffee the previous week, and these two food items collided in my head.
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