Christmas 2013

Άγια Νύχτα σε προσμένουν με χαρά οι Χριστιανοί

Kαι με πίστη συνυμνούμε με το Θεό δοξολογούμε
M'ενα στόμα μιά φωνή, vαι με μια φωνή 

And a rough translation:

Christians await joyfully for the Holy Night, and praise and glorify God, in unison.

Christmas is here once again, and our hearts are filled with hope, love, joy and expectations.   We can’t help pondering over the real meaning of Christmas.  Not theologically, but the kind words we could have said, but didn’t, the small acts we could have done, but failed.

Our thoughts and prayers go to all the bereaved, sick, destitute and hungry. Also to the people of Syria, South Sudan, Central Africa and other countries, devastated by the terror of civil war or by the greed and bellicosity of their neighbours. Let us hope that solutions will be found through dialogue and peace and prosperity will soon prevail on all sides.

My family came over for Christmas lunch.  I was extremely happy to see them, especially the ones who live abroad, like my grandson Alexandros, Tina and little Janna who live in Copenhagen, and Joy, my only granddaughter who lives in London.   I missed my son Yiannis, Elpida and the boys who are spending Christmas in New York, but I'm happy, because they are having a great time!

The Christmas menu is nearly the same every year, here it is:

                   

CHRISTMAS MENU

        

Smoked Salmon Torte with Prawn Cocktail Filling 

Try making this recipe as a first dish, it will be a great hit with your guests.

700 g (1 lb 6½ oz) smoked salmon, thinly sliced

Cream Cheese Spread:

300 g (10 oz) cream cheese or more

½ tsp horse radish sauce

1-2 spring onions, white part only, very thinly sliced

1 lemon the grated rind and

½ tsp lemon juice

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 kg (2 lbs) medium-sized prawns, shelled and de-veined or more if preferred

250 ml (1 cup) dry white wine

1 sprig rosemary

1 clove garlic (optional)

Salt

3-4 medium potatoes, boiled in salted water, then peeled and finely cubed

1-1½ cup mayonnaise mixed with

1 tsp or more tomato ketchup

1 tbsp finely chopped gherkins

White pepper

Salt if necessary

½ cup chopped parsley

2 romaine lettuces, the tender leaves only, trimmed, chopped and mixed
1 tsp very thinly sliced spring onion, and
1/2 tsp very finely chopped dill

Garnish: 

2 lemons, finely sliced then halved

Parsley

A few stalks of chives 

First blend all the cream cheese ingredients together, until soft and spreadable and reserve for further use.

Cook the prawns, in a single layer, in wine with the rosemary sprig, for 2 minutes on each side.  Sprinkle with salt, and set aside to cool on kitchen paper.

Gently fold the mayonnaise mixture into the potatoes and sprinkle with parsley.   Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

To assemble line a 30 cm (12 in) diameter, 5 cm (2 in) deep tin, with cling film.  Cover the film with smoked salmon slices, forming an attractive design and leave the excess hanging over.  

Spread the salmon with part of the cream cheese, and cover with the prawns in a single layer.   Then spoon the potato salad over and even with a spatula.  Place the lettuce on top and press gently with your fingers. 

Spread the salmon slices that are hanging over with the remaining cream cheese and fold them over the lettuce. Place extra pieces of smoked salmon to cover possible gaps.  Then cover with the cling film that is hanging over.   Place in a plastic bag and seal.  Refrigerate overnight.

One hour before serving remove the torte from the refrigerator, unfold the cling film and carefully reverse it onto a serving dish.  Garnish with lemon slices, parsley and chives.   Cover and refrigerate.  Serve with a green salad.

Green Salad

 Turkey Rolls with Bacon and Herbs

Braised Quince

 Minced Meat Stuffing with Chestnuts, Raisins and Pinenuts

Baked Smoked Ham with Pineapple and Brown Sugar Glaze

Pickled Beetroots

Baby Potatoes Roasted with Thin Lemon Wedges and Thyme

 Christmas Pudding with Cream

                      

    Chocolate Pie

      Iced Pineapple Dessert

Most of the recipes  for the dishes above are in the CHRISTMAS 2012 post.  The recipe for Iced Pineapple Desert  is in the KARACHI AGAIN.  I'll give you the recipe for the Chocolate Pie in the New Year post.   I am also giving you the recipes for  White Icing  and Marzipan for Decoration to garnish the Christmas cake, that I had promised at a previous post.

MARZIPAN FOR DECORATION

You may triple the quantity to cover a cake. You can also make beautiful flowers or  fruit  with marzipan.

1 cup ground almonds

40 g icing sugar or more if necessary
A small pinch of salt

¼ tsp lemon juice

¼ tsp bitter almond liqueur

1 egg white, beaten

3 drops food colouring

Icing sugar for rolling out

In a bowl, mix the ground almonds with the icing sugar and the salt, well together.  Make a well in the middle, and add the lemon juice, the bitter almond liqueur and then the beaten egg whites and the food colouring.  Mix well, first with a spoon and then by hand, until it starts to come away from the sides of the bowl.  Place the marzipan on a working surface, dusted with icing sugar, and knead, gently until smooth.  Do not over work. 

Roll out the marzipan between two pieces of baking parchment, sprinkled with icing sugar, to the required thickness and cut out the shapes you choose with a cookie cutter.  Decorate your cake by sticking the marzipan shapes on to the icing with very little water.

WHITE  ICING

This is the icing I used for my Christmas cake this year.  It was fun to prepare.

3 egg whites,

A pinch of salt

Vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice, strained

750 g (2½ lbs) icing sugar, sifted

1½ tsp glucose

Icing sugar for rolling out

5 tbsp hot, strained apricot jam for brushing over the cake

Beat the eggs lightly over simmering water, together with salt, lemon juice, a little of the icing sugar and the vanilla, until the eggs reach the soft peak stage.  Remove the bowl from the fire and keep on adding the icing sugar and the glucose, until stiff.  Cover the bowl with a wet cloth to prevent the icing from drying out

Brush the cake over with the apricot jam and then roll out the icing, between two pieces of baking parchment sprinkled with icing sugar, until it has reached an even thickness of 5 mm (¼ inch).   Remove the top parchment and with help of the other, drape the icing sheet over the cake.  Press it gently but firmly over the cake to cover it, and with a sharp knife remove the surplus.  With a small spreading knife, tuck any tiny pieces of icing that are protruding, neatly under the cake. I then garnished it with marzipan shapes.                      

  

       Hark the herald angels sing

       Glory to the new born King;

             Peace on Earth and mercy mild,

          God and sinners reconciled …