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CREAMY GRUYERE & LEEK & WALNUT TARTLETS

 

 

These little tartlets look impressive with light puff pastry cases and a creamy filling and, take my word for it, they are quite delicious to eat.

Serve as a starter or light lunch with a crunchy salad and crusty bread.  If you are catering for vegetarian for your Christmas dinner these can be served with all the trimmings. The little cases could be used for all sorts of tartlets. Try other fillings such as roasted peppers & tomatoes or caramelized onions just remember that the filling must be cooked before you put it into the cases. Pair your filling with any sort of melting cheese such as Brie or Camembert Continue reading “CREAMY GRUYERE & LEEK & WALNUT TARTLETS”

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FESTIVE PORK AND PISTACHIO TERRINE

 

This terrine is favourite ‘make ahead’ Christmas dish of mine as it freezes very well and I like to have a stash of ready-made meals to whip out when I am too busy enjoying the Christmas festivities to spend too much time in the kitchen. You could have it as a starter or as a light lunch. It’s a poor photo but you can see how to construct the terrine and what it looks like before you cook it in the oven.

The secret of a good terrine relies on plenty of fat and plenty of seasoning. Pressing it down after cooking makes for a more compact terrine in which the juices are well spread through the pate and it is much easier to slice. Leave it for at least a day before serving to allow the flavours to develop.

And here is the finished terrine looking splendidly festive!

Pork & Pistachio Terrine

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MY FESTIVE CHERRY BERRY PECAN CAKE

 

I’m not keen on the traditional Christmas cake so this is my alternative one -my Festive Cherry Berry Pecan Cake. Not surprisingly it is packed with cherries, berries and pecans. It’s also one for marzipan lovers that don’t like icing -me! I only make it a few days before Christmas but it keeps well loosely wrapped in foil and in a cake tin. I love to eat this on boxing day afternoon with a glass of something fizzy or perhaps a sloe gin. Lovely.

Loathe marzipan? -Let me convert you with my homemade marzipan…it’s very different with a more nutty flavour rather than the tongue tingling aftertaste of artificial almond flavour. This amount of marzipan will give you lots of stars, crescents, holly leaves or whatever you have cutters for. If you leave them dry a little they will pack into bags as presents for your favourite marzipan lover.

Have a lovely Christmas and a very peaceful New Year.

 

MY FESTIVE CHERRY BERRY PECAN CAKE

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ZABAGLIONE TRIFLE SLICE FOR CHRISTMAS

Zabaglione Trifle slice

It is all very well Nigella swanning around her Christmas kitchen looking gorgeous and sparkly and I do dream that this could be me….one year but to be honest it rarely (I’ve had my moments….) works out this way.

I love to make delicious food for all my family and friends and not spend all my time in the kitchen (who wants to anyway?). There is only one solution -PLANNING and help from the best Christmas helper of all -THE FREEZER.

Squirrel away some lovely dishes now for Christmas and then you really can put on your sparkly dress, have a glass of champagne, relax and enjoy some delicious meals. I am starting off (as I mean to go on) with a favourite pud-Zabaglione Trifle slice. A trifle is a Christmas must have and this one is based on the Italian zabaglione pudding. It is easy to make and freeze and makes a great alternative to Christmas pudding for those that don’t care for it. Have a go, pop this in your freezer and relax that’s one ticked off the list-spend the extra time shopping for something sparkly to wear.

ZABAGLIONE TRIFLE CAKE

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FESTIVE PORK WITH ORANGE AND CRANBERRIES

 

Festive Pork with orange and cranberries

 

 This is one of my favourite festive dishes and it always appears some time over the Christmas holidays. The mix of warm spices, cranberries and orange go well together with the tender pork and it looks stunning on the festive table.  You can make it ahead of time or well ahead and freeze it.  I like to have a few dishes tucked away ready to be whisked out at the last minute so that I don’t have to miss any of the Christmas fun and this is perfect.  Like lots of dishes it is even better re-heated the next day.

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