This Christmas Is BRIGHT RED!
by Cheryl Goodenough
That time of the year againChristmas is just around the corner, and if you havent given a thought to the meal that youre going to serve on the day then here are some ideas.
Our Christmas this year is full of bright colours especially red. These dishes are particularly user-friendly as most of us dont want to spend long hours in the kitchen on this family day.
Curried Butternut and Prawn Soup
Serves 6 to 8 people
You can start to make the soup the day before it is going to be eaten. Blend it and keep aside in the fridge. Just add the prawns and heat up the soup when youre almost ready to serve starters.
600g prawns, peeled (keep the shells)
1 TBSP oil (for frying prawn shells)
3 to 4 parsley stalks
2 cups water
Salt and milled black pepper
1 TBSP red Thai curry paste (or to taste)
1 tin coconut milk
350ml fish stock (made from the prawn shells)
3 stalks lemon grass, cut up and bruised
3 lime leaves
2.5ml tumeric
1kg butternut, peeled and chopped into chunks
2 TBSP brown sugar (or to taste)
Juice of half a lime
Coriander to serve
Make fish stock using the prawn shells by placing a little oil in the pan and then frying the shells until they are pink.
Cover with 2 cups of water and add bruised parsley stalks, salt and milled black pepper.
Simmer for 20 minutes and then drain.
In a wok or pot, add the curry paste and cup of coconut milk.
Whisk together and heat through.
Add the rest of the coconut milk and 350ml of the fish stock made with the prawn shells.
Add the lemongrass, lime leaves and tumeric.
Bring to the boil and add the butternut.
Cook for about 15 minutes or until the butternut is soft.
Remove the lemon grass and lime leaves.
Blend the soup until smooth.
Return to the pot and add the prawns.
Simmer until just cooked, add the brown sugar, season and add lime juice to taste.
Add a handful of fresh coriander when serving.
Glazed Ham
Serves 6 to 8 depending on the size of the ham
Although it may appear somewhat daunting, cooking a gammon is a simple procedure. People often prepare gammon differently, but this recipe is simple and ensures that the meat is not overdone.
1 deboned smoked gammon
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 bay leaf
Fresh parsley stalks
Peppercorns
Handful cloves
1 tin of pineapple rings (keep the juice)
Cherries
cup brown sugar
1 tsp mustard
Place the meat in a large pan of fresh, cold water and add the onion, carrot, bay leaf, parsley stalks and peppercorns.
Bring slowly to the boil, cover and simmer for 40 minutes per kg.
Leave the joint to cool slightly in the stock.
Lift out and carefully pull off the skin without removing the fat.
Using a sharp knife, cut a lattice pattern across the gammon through the fat. Put a clove into each diamond segment, or into the cuts where the lines cross. Decorate with pineapple rings and cherries.
Mix the sugar, mustard and some pineapple juice together and press it all over the joint to form an even coating.
Heat the oven to 220C and bake the joint for about 20 mins, or until brown and slightly caramelised.
Watercress and Camembert Salad
Serves 6 to 8 people
2 bunches fresh watercress
2 handfuls mixed lettuce
1 punnet strawberries
1 round camembert cheese, cut into chunks
1 cup apple, cut into slices and grilled
1 cup pecan nuts, roasted
2 cups croutons
Dressing:
cup apple juice
3 TBSP cider vinegar
1 tsp whole grain mustard
1 garlic clove
cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Toss all the salad ingredients together.
Mix the dressing ingredients together.
Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving.
Beetroot Bake
Serves 6 to 8 people
800g beetroot (about 2 bunches, or 10 beetroot), peeled and thinly sliced
600g medium potatoes (about 4 medium sized), peeled and thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2 TBSP fresh thyme leaves
2 cups cream
Salt and milled black pepper
40g grated pecorino cheese
Layer the beetroot and potato slices in a large oven proof dish.
Sprinkle the garlic and thyme over the vegetables.
Season the cream with salt and pepper and pour over the vegetables.
Sprinkle the pecorino cheese on the top.
Bake at 180C for about 45 minutes to one hour until the beetroot and potato is cooked through.
Cover with foil for the last 15 minutes or so to prevent the vegetables from drying out.
Serve warm garnished with thyme.
Christmas Mince Log
Serves 6 to 8 people
The fruit mince recipe below can be used in mince pies as well as in this log. It is delicious and can keep for up to six months. It is best made about 10 days in advance.
You can put this dessert together the day before and cook it on the day, or even cook it the day before and warm it up shortly before serving. Reheat it at 150C for about 15 minutes until it is warmed through.
250g fruit cake mix
60g butter, grated
tsp grated nutmeg
tsp ground allspice
tsp ground cinnamon
50g blanched almonds, chopped
1 tsp grated orange rind
1 TBSP orange juice
2 TBSP chopped apple
1 TBSP lemon juice
1 tsp grated lemon rind
125g soft brown sugar
2 TBSP brandy or rum
Mix all together and keep in an airtight container until ready to use.
3 sheets phyllo pastry
Melted butter
Place the phyllo pastry on the counter and brush with butter between the layers.
Spread the fruit mince mixture over three-quarters of the pastry, leaving a gap on the sides and at the end.
Roll the pastry up like a Swiss roll, but fold in the sides as roll.
Place in the oven to bake at 200C for 20 to 30 minutes.
Sauce
cup sugar
1 TBSP honey
cup water
1 TBSP brandy
TBSP lemon juice.
Boil together for 10 minutes. Pour over the log when ready to serve.
This can be made the day before and poured over the log and warmed up together.
Serve the log warm and dusted with icing sugar, together with freshly whipped cream.
Meryl Haley from Meryls School of Cooking in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa has published Culinary Inspirations, which was written with Sabona editor Cheryl Goodenough. The filo-book is a great Christmas present and is available at http:www.sabona.com.au.
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