CHRISTMAS 2016

Happy Christmas

My warmest wishes to all for Christmas, during these very turbulent and anguished days.   May it be peaceful, tranquil and happy for the whole world.




Here are a few Christmas recipes, which I hope you will enjoy.

                                                           CARROT SOUP

Soup of the Evening ......

Do start a celebration dinner with this wonderful soup!

1 kg carrots, peeled and roughly sliced

2 potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces

2 leeks, white parts only, sliced

1 onion, chopped

2 stalks celery, thoroughly trimmed and thinly sliced

In a piece of cheesecloth place:
1 slice ginger, peeled and bruised +1 tsp coriander seeds, crushed + 2 thyme sprigs + 1bay leaf, and tie with string to form a pouch.                                                                                                                        

1½ litre (6 cups) tasty chicken stock

60 g (2 oz) kasseri or Gouda or bland Cheddar

2 tbsp San Mihalis or Parmesan, grated

1 tsp grated nutmeg

1 liqueur glass Metaxa brandy, optional

125 ml (½ cup) thick cream or yogurt

Place all the vegetables in a large saucepan, pour in enough water to just cover, place in the spice-pouch, cover and cook gently, until tender.

Remove the pouch to cool a little and squeeze it over the vegetables to obtain all the aroma from the spices, and blend the vegetables until smooth.   Pour in the chicken stock sprinkle with freshly ground white pepper and a little nutmeg.  Simmer gently until the soup thickens.  Stir in the cheese, taste and season with salt and extra pepper and nutmeg, if necessary.

Bring the soup to the boil and pour in the brandy, if using.  Simmer for 2-3 minutes more and serve garnished with a tbsp of thick cream or yogurt.

       

                                       FISH MOUSSE WITH PRAWNS

Sole Mousse with Prawns and Asparagus

This is another interesting starter.

300 g (10 oz) prawns, shelled and de-veined, slightly cooked with a twig of rosemary, and sprinkled with a little salt

800 g (1 lb 10 oz) fillets of sole, boned washed and dried

1 large onion cut into chunks

3 cloves garlic

5 large eggs

180 ml (6 fl oz) full cream

3-4 heaped tbsp dried bread crumbs

3 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Melted butter

Garnish

A few prawns cooked through, boiled green asparagus or fresh parsley leaves and thinly cut lemon slices

Blend the sole with the onion and garlic cloves until smooth.   Add the eggs, cream and dried bread crumbs and blend until a light homogenous consistency is obtained.   Fold in the chopped parsley and season with salt and pepper according to choice, it should be very tasty.

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F).  Line a loaf tin with lavishly buttered baking parchment, leaving enough hanging over.   Spoon in half the fish mixture, level the surface and arrange a layer of half-cooked prawns, on top.   Cover with the remaining fish mousse and even the top.  Brush the fish lightly with melted butter and cover with the baking parchment that is hanging over.  Cover the top of the tin with foil.   Place it in a deep baking tin, pour in enough hot water to come half way up the sides of the loaf tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer, inserted in the middle of the mousse, comes out clean.

 Remove the loaf tin from the oven, unfold the parchment that is covering the mousse and reverse it on a pretty dish.  Garnish according to preference, and serve with a flavoursome green salad.

        BAKED PRE-COOKED HAM WITH A WHISKY AND BROWN SUGAR GLAZE

Ham Smoked with Natural Beech Wood

Slice Thinly and Enjoy

This fabulous dish is very easy to prepare.   It will be a great success with your guests.

2½ kg (5 lb) precooked smoked ham

1 can pineapple slices

62 ½ g (¼ cup) whisky

¼ cup brown sugar

cloves

1 tin orangeade

With a sharp knife, remove a thin layer of skin from the ham, to reveal the fat and discard.   Also  remove and discard a darker film from the lean part of the  ham and score the fat into diamond shapes.   

Mix the brown sugar with  the whisky and rub the ham all over, paying special attention to massage the mixture between the scored  fat.  Then stud every second diamond of fat with a clove.   

With toothpicks cover the lean part of the ham with pineapple slices, to prevent it from drying out.  Pour the remaining pineapple juice and the orangeade around the ham and bake in a moderate oven preheated to 180 C (350 F) for 30 - 40 minutes until piping hot and the fat is slightly charred around the edges.   Place the ham in a clean, hot oven proof dish, carve thinly and serve with a good mustard sauce, chutney and apple sauce.

                  A GREEN SALAD WITH ORANGE AND FLAKED CHEESE

      

Orange and Lettuce Salad

This is a lovely salad, that my family loves.

1 large cos lettuce, tender parts only, torn into bite-sized pieces

1 bunch of rocket, cut into bite-sized pieces optional

2 spring onions, finely chopped or snipped chives

1 large navel orange, peeled and filleted

75 g (½ cup) walnuts, roughly chopped

30 g (¼ cup) flaked cheese

Dressing:

125 ml (½ cup) extra virgin olive oil

125 ml (½ cup) orange juice

1 scant tbsp honey

1-2 tbsp wine vinegar or lemon juice

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

¼ tsp salt or according to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Beat all ingredients for the dressing thoroughly.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  It can be stored in the refrigerator for 24 hours at the most.

 In a large salad bowl combine the salad greens with the orange sections, spring onions and walnuts.  Drizzle with 3-4 tbsp dressing (or more if preferred), sprinkle with cheese and toss.

                                       A MOLTEN CHOCOLATE DESSERT

A Delicious Cake Oozing with Melted Chocolate

This is a luscious chocolate cake which I’m sure you will enjoy.

250 g (½ lb) dark chocolate

250 g (½ lb) butter

250 g (½ lb) caster sugar

6 eggs separated, whites whipped stiff with a pinch of salt

Vanilla

200 g (almost 1 ½ cups) self raising flour

Heat oven to 180 C (350 F).   Melt the butter and chocolate over simmering water stir well and cool.

Beat the egg yolks sugar and vanilla until pale and doubled in bulk. Stir in the cool chocolate/butter mixture until well combined.   Sift the flour over and stir very well together.  Fold in the whipped egg whites and stir gently until no traces of white are visible.

Line a tin with a buttered baking parchment and lavishly butter the sides.  Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin, level the surface and bake for 20 – 25 minutes.   Serve the cake hot with a vanilla ice cream or cool sprinkled with icing sugar and garnished with fresh berries.