Category: Holiday Food

Holiday Food · Vegetable-related

Curried cauliflower cheese filo pie

Belinda

Another beauty from Yotam Ottolenghi and the OTK
Serves 4 generously

1 large cauliflower, trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (700g)
2 tsp mild curry powder
3 tbsp olive oil
100g unsalted butter, 50g cut into roughly 3cm cubes and 50g melted
75g plain flour
675ml whole milk
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tbsp English mustard
150g mature cheddar, roughly grated
6 sheets of good-quality filo pastry (we use feuilles de filo)
salt and black pepper
1 tbsp roughly chopped parsley, to serve
1 1/2tsp lemon zest, to serve

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan. Line the bottom and sides of a 23cm springform cake tin with baking parchment.

2. Put the cauliflower on a large, parchment-lined baking tray and toss with the curry powder, half the oil, 1⁄2 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes, until cooked through and lightly coloured. Set aside, and turn the oven temperature down to 170°C fan.

3. Meanwhile, make the béchamel. Put the cubed butter into a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat and, once melted, whisk in the flour and cook for 1–2 minutes – it should start to smell nutty (like popcorn). Turn the heat down to medium and slowly add the milk a little at a time, whisking continuously to prevent any lumps, until incorporated and the sauce is smooth. Cook, whisking often, for about 7 minutes, until thickened slightly. Off the heat, stir in the garlic, mustard, cheese and 1⁄4 teaspoon of salt until the cheese has melted.

4. Keep your filo sheets under a damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out. In a bowl, combine the melted butter and the remaining 11⁄2 tablespoons of oil and keep to one side.

5. Working one sheet at a time, brush the exposed side of the filo with the butter mixture and drape it into your prepared tin (buttered side up), pushing it down gently to fit. Continue in this way with the next filo sheet, brushing it with butter and then laying it over the bottom sheet, rotating
it slightly so the overhang drapes over the sides at a different angle. Do this with all six sheets.

6. Spoon half the béchamel into the base and top with the roasted cauliflower florets. Spoon over the remaining béchamel, then crimp up the overhang so that it creates a messy ‘scrunched-up’ border around the edges, leaving the centre of the pie exposed.

7. Brush the top of the filo border with the remaining butter mixture, then transfer the tin to a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes.

8. Using a tea towel to help you, carefully release the outer circle of the springform tin and return the pie to the oven for another 20–25 minutes, or until the sides are nicely coloured and everything is golden and bubbling. Leave to settle for 15 minutes.

9. Top the pie with the parsley and lemon zest and serve warm.

Do-ahead · Fruit · Holiday Food · Meat

Braised Lamb With Dried Fruit

Belinda

Recipe by Mark Bittman and Sam Sifton

The flavors of North Africa and the Middle East are utilized for this lamb shoulder. Braising the meat in red wine yields a tender cut of meat without a lot of work.

YIELD At least 8 servings
TIME 3 hours, largely unattended

1 lamb shoulder, boned, about 4 pounds. (I know people who have used leg of lamb but the shoulder has more fat therefore is more tender and flavorful)
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced ginger, or 1 teaspoon dried
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon ground cumin ( I roast mine)
2 tablespoons ground coriander
10 allspice berries or a pinch of ground allspice
½ to ¾ bottle not-too-soft red wine
¾ cup dried prunes
¾ cup dried apricots
Chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish

Season the meat with salt and pepper and put it in a pot that will fit it snugly and can later be covered.
Add the spices and a 1/2 bottle of wine.
Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a slow bubble, and cover. Cook about an hour, then add onion, garlic, ginger and dried fruit, and check to make sure the liquid isn’t evaporating too quickly; turn and continue to cook. Add the remaining red wine if the mixture looks dry, but essentially cook this without fuss.
When the meat is very tender — after about 2 1/2 hours — uncover. Check and adjust the seasoning as necessary, and at this point it’s optional whether you remove the cinnamon stick and allspice berries and puree half of the sauce to get it thicker.
garnish and serve.

Baking · Chocolate · Dessert · Holiday Food

Sticky toffee self-saucing pudding

Belinda

A glorious mash-up of two favorite puddings, this rich recipe is the perfect weekend winter warmer
Recipe by Janine Ratcliffe for Olive Magazine

Serves 8

200g Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
250 ml weak black tea
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
85g unsalted butter, softened
175g dark muscovado sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp mixed spice
vanilla ice cream to serve

TOFFEE SAUCE
250 g dark muscovado sugar
250 ml double/heavy cream

Heat the oven to 350F/180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Put the dates and tea in a pan, and bring to the boil. Gently cook for 3-4 minutes to soften the dates. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda.

To make the toffee sauce, put the sugar and cream in a pan with 150ml water. Stir, then put over a low heat and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Cool a little.

Beat together the butter and sugar with electric beaters until creamy, then beat in the eggs, flour and mixed spice. Stir in the date mixture and pour into a buttered 20cm x 30cm ovenproof dish. Pour the toffee sauce over the top. Don’t worry if it looks messy. The sauce will sink to the bottom and a sponge will form on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is just firm to the touch.

Scoop onto plates and serve with ice cream.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Salad · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Butternut squash and eggplant caponata with burrata

Belinda

Diana Henry’s autumnal dish of chunky butternut squash and fried eggplant with capers and green olives, served with creamy burrata.

Serves 4 as a light lunch or 6 as a starter

1 large eggplant
400g butternut squash, peeled and deseeded
100ml olive oil
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 medium onion, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Pinch of dried chili flakes
400g tin cherry tomatoes in thick juice
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
30g capers
50g green olives, pitted and halved
3 tsp caster sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp chopped parsley
250g burrata or mozzarella
Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Cut the eggplant and squash into 2.5cm(1″) cubes. Heat half the oil in a large heavy-based sauté pan. Fry the vegetables in batches until golden-brown, about four minutes. Transfer them to a bowl. Add more oil and sauté the celery and onion to pale gold then add the garlic and chili and cook for two minutes.

Add the tomatoes and vinegar, stir and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 10 minutes.

Add the fried vegetables, capers, olives and sugar to the pan and season. Add 50ml of water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until the squash is soft and the mixture thick. Remove from the heat and bring to room temperature. Add the lemon juice and parsley and season.

Serve topped with a chunk of mozzarella or burrata. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegan

Roasted beetroot falafels with tahini sauce

Belinda

A delicious beet-inspired falafel recipe. Baked or broiled to maintain a wonderful, healthy, gluten-free, vegan falafel.

Makes 10

2 beetroots (just under tennis ball size)
2 large garlic cloves
250g (2 cups) cooked chickpeas
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt
Tahini Sauce (to serve)

Ahead of time: Slice the rough neck/top off the beetroots and discard. Chop the remaining beetroot into cubes (1.5cm/half an inch cubed in size). Bake in the oven on a baking tray for about 45 minutes on a high heat. When done, take out and leave to cool until you are ready to make the falafels. This can be done ahead of time, or the night before when you are using the oven for something else.

When beetroot is ready…
Add all ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything has broken down. It doesn’t need to be pureed completely, just broken down into tiny pieces so that when you compress, everything binds together.
If it seems a little too crumbly then I recommend adding a teaspoon or two of water or olive oil. Moisture depends on how much the chickpeas have been drained or how the moisture level of the baked beetroot.
Roll into balls (a little smaller than golf balls in size).
Press the balls down into mini patty shapes.
Place onto a broiler tray and broil on a medium/low heat for about 8 minutes on each side. (You can also bake these in the oven as an alternative to grilling).
Serve right away.

This is really good served with this tahini sauce

Tahini Sauce

100ml tahini
50ml spring or filtered water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 heaped teaspoon ground coriander
1 clove garlic

Crush the garlic.
Blend all ingredients together with a hand blender.
If you prefer to mix with a spoon, it works best by mixing a little water at a time. It might take a little longer to come together by hand, say 30 seconds, but is well worth the effort.

Appetizers · Fish · Holiday Food

Salmon tartare with beet, orange and pear

Belinda

This delicious salmon, beet and pear tartare makes an excellent Christmas Day starter, as it can be prepared in advance and is fuss-free to plate up on the day. Ensure you buy the best quality fish you can to make the dish really sing.

400g of salmon fillet, as fresh as possible, pin-boned and skinned
150g of cooked beets, peeled
1 pear
1/2 banana shallot, finely diced
1 bunch of chives, very finely sliced
80g of créme fraiche
1/2 orange, zested
1 lemon, zested and juiced
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Equipment
8cm metal rings

Dice the salmon and beets into 1cm cubes and place in a mixing bowl. Peel the pear, dice it into 1cm cubes and add that too
Add the shallot and about a quarter of the chives, reserving the rest for garnishing the top
Mix in the créme fraîche, orange zest and lemon zest, until everything is well combined. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper
Use a metal ring to plate up neat piles of the tartare and sprinkle a layer of chopped chives over the top. Serve with buttered toast or on its own for a lighter starter

Accompaniments · Holiday Food · Uncategorized

Stovetop Christmas potpourri

Belinda

You cannot eat this recipe but oh my, if you celebrate Christmas this is a fabulous, easy way to fill the house with Christmas aromas for days on end.
You can really add any spice or citrus fruit to the pot that reminds you of Christmas

2 large sliced apples
2 large sliced oranges
A bag of cranberries
2-3 good sized sprigs rosemary
5-6 good pinches of nutmeg
4-5 cinnamon sticks
4 star anise
8 whole cloves
1 tsp ground cloves
some powdered or fresh ginger
1 tsp mixed spice or all spice

Put everything in a large pot, cover with water and simmer gently.
I plan on turning off the heat every night and simmering gently again the next day from about Dec 21st through the 26th.

Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Celery root and tahini potato gratin

Belinda

Marcus Wareing’s delicious twist on dauphinois includes celery root and tahini. Serve the creamy gratin as a main with a crisp salad, or as a side dish to go with roast meat.

Butter to grease
800g floury potatoes, peeled
1 large celery root (about 700g), peeled
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 thyme sprigs, leaves picked, plus extra to garnish
200g tahini
600ml good-quality vegetable stock, warmed
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp ground white pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
Handful grated mature cheddar to cover

Heat the oven to 325F/160°C fan/gas 4 and grease a large casserole (about 26cm) with butter.
Using a mandoline or food processor with a slicer function, thinly slice the potatoes and celery root 1-2mm thick (or slice carefully by hand with a knife). The celery root is tricky to handle due to its size and shape, so cut it into half or quarters first for easier slicing.

Arrange a layer of sliced celery root in the bottom of the greased baking dish and season with a little of the salt and pepper. Follow with a thin layer of sliced onion and thyme leaves, then a single layer of potatoes. Season again. Repeat the layering of vegetables and thyme until they’ve all been used, ensuring the final layer of potato is arranged neatly as this will be visible when you serve the dish.

Whisk the tahini and vegetable stock together in a jug until evenly combined, then mix in the remaining salt and pepper and the garlic powder. Pour the tahini mixture over the layered vegetables, allowing it to sink in between the layers, then cover with foil.

Bake the gratin in the oven for 1¼-1½ hours. To test if it’s cooked, push a small knife into the centre – the potato and celery root should be soft all the way through and the knife should meet no resistance. If necessary, cover with foil again and return to the oven for 15 minutes more until soft (before adding the cheese).
When the gratin is cooked, remove the foil, sprinkle with grated cheese and return to the oven for 15 minutes to brown. Sprinkle with extra thyme and wait a few minutes before serving – it will be very hot.

Baking · Breakfast · Holiday Food · Vegetable-related

Parsnip, scallion and thyme gratin

Belinda

You’ve had potato gratin, well now there’s creamy parsnip gratin, flavored with nutmeg and fresh thyme then topped with sourdough croutons – it’s the ultimate side dish for roast meat.
Recipe adapted from Delicious Magazine

250g sourdough bread, torn into 1/2/2cm pieces
3 tbsp olive oil
10 fresh thyme sprigs
2 long sprigs fresh rosemary
2 banana shallots, finely sliced
6-8 scallions, trimmed and cut into thirds
1 tbsp plain flour
300ml heavy whipping cream
350ml whole milk
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
500g parsnips, quartered and any woody cores removed, cut into 1/4″/1cm chunks
300g Yukon Gold potatoes (halved if large), cut into 1/4″ /1cm slices
6oz Gruyère or mature cheddar, coarsely grated

You will need a 1.4 liter baking dish

1/ Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Put the sourdough pieces on a large baking tray, then toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, the leaves from 4 thyme sprigs and the rosemary leaves, chopped. Season with salt and pepper, then bake for 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Set aside.

Turn down the oven to 350F/180°C/160°C fan/gas 4.

2/ Heat the remaining oil in a large pan or casserole over a medium heat, then cook the shallots and spring onions for 7-8 minutes until soft. Add the flour and stir for 3 minutes, then turn the heat to low-medium and add the double cream, milk, nutmeg and 2 thyme sprigs. Heat until just steaming. Add the parsnips and potatoes and cook for 10 minutes until softening. Season with salt and pepper, remove from the heat (discard any woody thyme sprigs), then stir in a third of the cheese.

3/ Pour the vegetables and creamy liquid into the prepared baking dish, sprinkle half the remaining cheese on top, then bake for 30 minutes. Scatter the croutons on top of the gratin with the rest of the thyme and cheese, then bake for 15-20 minutes more until the top is golden brown and the gratin is bubbling. Serve with a sharply dressed green salad.
delicious. tips
You could use other crusty breads such as ciabatta or baguette for the topping.

Prepare the gratin to the end of step 2 a few hours in advance, cool and keep in the fridge until ready to bake.

Store the herby, baked sourdough croutons in a sealed container.

Chocolate · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Christmas rocky road

Belinda

Tom Cenci’s crunchy treat made with festive fruit, nuts and ginger nut cookies.

Filled with crystallized ginger, cranberries and mixed nuts then scented with a hint of rose, this is a perfect way to indulge yourself with something a little different this Christmas.

Makes 15 slices

600g dark chocolate
150g unsalted butter
50g dried cranberries
50g rose Turkish delight
100g crisp ginger cookies
50g crystallized ginger
40g toasted pistachios
20g toasted hazelnuts
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp mixed spice
A few drops of rose essence
2 tsp dried rose petals

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir often so it can melt evenly.
Cut the Turkish delight into smaller pieces and crush the ginger nut biscuits then mix together with all the dried ingredients.
Once the chocolate and butter has melted, pour it over the dried ingredients, add the rose essence, and mix all together until everything has been coated in the chocolate
Line a 30cm x 20 cm baking dish with parchment paper, pour in the rocky road mix and spread out evenly with a spatula
Allow to set in the fridge for at least 4 hours then take the rocky road out of the dish and cut into squares