Chocolate · Dessert · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Italian Christmas Pudding Cake

December 20, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

The best of all the Italian desserts rolled into a gorgeous, moist and boozy cake.
This recipe is Nigella Lawson’s own but at the same time a conflation of a couple of Italian Christmas must-haves: the glorious, fruit-studded panettone and crema di mascarpone, which is best described as tiramisu without the Savoiardi biscuit layer, and sometimes with pieces of chocolate stirred through the mascarpone mixture.
She has brought in a cassata element, which means she adds, along with the chocolate, some crumbled marrons glaces (though any candied or dried fruits could do) and chopped pistachios.
The pomegranate seeds she tumbles over the top at the end are there for their beauty as well as to add a further seasonal touch.

Screen Shot 2019-12-20 at 4.42.31 PM

Makes: 12-14 slices

1½ pounds Panettone (or pandoro)
⅓ cup tuaca liqueur (or a liqueur of your choice)
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
⅓ cup superfine sugar
2 cups mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
½ cup Marsala
⅓ cup marrons glacés (pieces)
⅔ cup mini chocolate chips (or regular chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate)
⅔ cup shelled pistachios (chopped)
2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

Using a serrated knife, cut the panettone roughly into ½ inch slices, then use about a third of these to line the bottom of a 9 inch springform cake tin.
Tear off pieces to fit so that there are no gaps; panettone is fabulously soft and moldable, so this isn’t a hard job.
Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the Tuaca (or other liqueur of choice) over it so that the panettone lining is dampened. It looks like a beautiful golden patchwork made out of cake.

Now get on with the luscious filling.
Whisk – using a freestanding electric mixer for ease – the eggs and sugar until very frothy and increased in volume and lightness.
More slowly, whisk in the mascarpone and heavy cream, then gradually whisk in the Marsala and carry on whisking until the mixture is thick and spreadable. Remove a good cupful to a bowl or other container, cover and put in the fridge; this is for the top layer, which is not added until you serve the cake.

Crumble the marrons glacés into the big bowl of mascarpone cream mixture, followed by ¾ of the chocolate chips and ¾ of the chopped pistachios, and fold in. Use half of this creamy filling to top the panettone layer that is lining the cake tin.

Use another third (approx.) of the panettone slices to cover the cream filling, again leaving no holes for the cream to escape through. Dampen with another 2 tablespoons of liqueur.
Spoon on the other half of the cream mixture and spread it evenly. Then top with a third and final layer of panettone, covering the cream as before, and drizzle over it the last 2 tablespoons of liqueur.

Cover tightly with clingfilm, pressing down on the top a little, and put in the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.

When you are ready to serve, take the cake out of the fridge, unmold and sit it on a flat plate or cake stand, then spread with the reserved mascarpone mixture. Don’t try to lift the cake off the base, as the panettone slices at the bottom are too delectably damp.

Scatter the top – and all around the cake, if wished – with the remaining chocolate chips and chopped pistachios and your pomegranate “jewels”.
These sprinklings also provide beauteous camouflage for any less than aesthetically uplifting edges of the springform base which may be visible.

Appetizer Vegetarian · Appetizers · Holiday Food

Easy warm beet and goat cheese cups

December 20, 2019 Belinda

These great-tasting, no-cook canapés are quick to assemble at the last minute, suitable for veggies and they look gorgeous.
The perfect party food from Delicious Magazine

Screen Shot 2019-12-20 at 8.38.59 AM

Makes 24

4 cooked beets
1 garlic clove
2oz (50g) Greek yogurt
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1.5oz (40g) fresh breadcrumbs
1.5oz (40g) chopped toasted hazelnuts
5.5oz (150g) very soft, fresh rindless goat’s cheese
24 mini croustade cups
Fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

In a food processor, whizz the beets with the garlic clove, Greek yogurt, pomegranate molasses, fresh breadcrumbs, hazelnuts and seasoning to form a coarse paste.
Put the goat’s cheese in a piping bag, then half-fill the croustade cups.
Top with spoonfuls of the beetroot paste, then garnish each with a fresh cilantro leaf.
Serve straightaway, or keep the beetroot paste in the fridge, covered, for up to 2 days, then assemble at the last minute.

Dairy-free · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Rice · Vegan

Christmas Pilaff

December 13, 2019 Belinda

If you don’t want roast potatoes on Christmas Day (ha!) try this easy and very Christmassy pilaff from Delicious Magazine.
It has pomegranates, pistachios and spices and makes a colorful and tasty vegetarian rice dish.

Screen Shot 2019-12-13 at 1.11.47 PM

4oz (100g) shelled pistachios
2 pomegranates. ( If you can’t get pomegranates substitute for 6oz (175g) dried cranberries)
8oz (200g) basmati rice
14 fl oz (400ml) water or stock, hot
4 garlic cloves, peeled but whole
1/2″ (1cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and halved
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coriander seeds
2 red onions, finely sliced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 large bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Lightly toast the pistachios in a dry frying pan, until toasted. Set aside.

Halve the pomegranates along their equators and, holding the cut side over a bowl, beat the seeds out of them by bashing the skin with the end of a rolling pin. Set the seeds aside. They might let go of a lot of juice while they sit, which you should drain and drink – a cook’s treat and, incidentally, very good for your throat.

Pop the rice and water or stock into a pan and bring just to a simmer. Add the garlic and ginger, cover and cook the rice over a very low heat, stirring halfway, for about 15 minutes, until the rice is cooked and fluffy.

Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. When the butter is fizzing, add the coriander seeds. As soon as they start to pop, add the onions and lemon juice. Stir-fry for about 10 minutes, until the onions color and start to look sticky. Set aside.

Once the rice is cooked, remove and discard the garlic and ginger.
Mix in the parsley, onions, pistachios and pomegranate seeds (or dried cranberries).
Check the seasoning and serve.

Appetizers · Do-ahead · Fish · Holiday Food

Smoked salmon terrine

December 13, 2019September 12, 2024 Belinda2 Comments

A wonderful recipe from Delicious Magazine that everyone should have in their repertoire, this classic salmon terrine comes with a burst of quick pickled celery to cut through the creamy richness. A real showstopper for your festive table or dinner party.

Screen Shot 2019-12-13 at 12.19.32 PM

SERVES 10-12 AS A STARTER
HANDS-ON TIME 45 MIN, PLUS OVERNIGHT CHILLING

Sunflower oil for greasing
1.5lbs (600g) sliced smoked salmon
7oz (200g) tub crème fraîche
2 x 3oz (280g) tubs full fat cream cheese (we like Philadelphia)
Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
1.5 tbsp grated horseradish from a jar
2 fillets (about 200g) hot-smoked salmon
2 bunches chives, finely chopped
1 small bunch dill, finely chopped
2-3 scallions (spring onions), finely chopped
2 tbsp pink peppercorns, lightly bashed in a pestle and mortar

For the quick-pickled celery
1 fl oz (30ml) cider vinegar
1 oz (30g) caster sugar
4 large celery sticks, chopped
Caper berries and toasted baguette slices to serve (optional)

You’ll also need…

A 5 cup (1.25 liter) loaf tin or terrine, another loaf tin/terrine (or piece of card cut to fit the top) and weights (full food tins will do)

For the quick-pickled celery, mix the vinegar and sugar in a glass or ceramic bowl, add 2 large pinches of salt and the celery, toss well, then set aside for 1 hour.

Grease, then neatly line a 5 cup (1.25 liter) loaf tin with cling film leaving lots of overhang (you may need 2 pieces). Neatly cover the base of the tin with smoked salmon slices. This will be the top when it’s turned out. Line the sides of the tin with more slices of smoked salmon, overlapping slightly, so they overhang the sides – don’t leave gaps. Reserve the rest of the salmon slices for the bottom of the finished terrine.

Whizz the crème fraîche and cream cheese in a food processor with the lemon zest and juice, horseradish and one of the hot- smoked salmon fillets. Season well with pepper and a little salt.
Add the herbs, scallions (spring onions) and pink peppercorns to the creamy mixture, then flake in the remaining hot-smoked salmon fillet and mix with a wooden spoon.

Spread one third of the cream cheese mix into the tin, then sprinkle over half the pickled celery, drained of the liquid.
Spread another third of the mixture over the top, followed by the remaining celery. Top with the remaining mixture.

Lay the rest of the salmon slices on the top, then neatly fold over the overhanging salmon.
Cover with the overhanging cling film to enclose. Put the second loaf tin or card on top and weigh down with evenly spaced weights or tins. Transfer to the fridge overnight.
Take the terrine out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving, unwrap the cling film, then carefully invert onto a platter.
Serve with caper berries and toasted baguette slices.

Make ahead
Prepare the terrine up to 48 hours ahead. Keep in the loaf tin in the fridge until ready to use.

Appetizers · Baking · Holiday Food · Meat · Nuts

Stilton, date and walnut sausage rolls

December 13, 2019 Belinda

These cook-from-frozen sausage rolls make entertaining a breeze. Love the combination of salty sausage meat and stilton with sweet dates. Give them a go and watch them disappear in seconds.
Recipe c/o Delicious Magazine

Screen Shot 2019-12-13 at 12.05.58 PM

Makes 24
2oz (50g) walnut halves
18 oz (500g) puff pastry, chilled
Plain flour for dusting
1lb (350g-400g) pork sausage meat or 6 good quality free-range pork sausages, skins removed
(5oz)150g stilton cheese, rind removed and crumbled
3.5oz (100g) (about 5) pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
Butter for greasing

Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and toast for 6 minutes. Remove and leave to cool, then coarsely chop.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 16″ (40cm) x 11″ (26cm) rectangle, then cut in half lengthways to make two long strips.
Put the pork sausage meat, walnuts, stilton, dates and parsley in a mixing bowl, then mix together with your hands until well combined. Divide the mixture in half and shape each half on a sheet of cling film to make 2 long sausage shapes the same length as your pastry.
Lay one sausage down the centre of each piece of pastry, brush 1 edge of the pastry with a little beaten egg, fold over the pastry and press the edges together to seal. Mark along the edge with the tines of a fork. Cut each strip across to make 12 rolls (see Make Ahead) or chill, spaced slightly apart, on buttered baking sheets, loosely covered with cling film, until ready to bake.
Brush with a little more beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Make ahead
Layer the unbaked sausage rolls in lidded freezer-proof boxes, separated with pieces of non-stick baking paper, and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, brush with lightly beaten egg and bake on lined baking trays for 25-30 minutes until golden and puffed.

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Potato, leek and sauerkraut gratin

December 11, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Recipe c/o Yotam Ottolenghi

“Sauerkraut brings a welcome acidity to a rich potato gratin. This is a relatively easy side dish, and it reheats well, too.”

Screen Shot 2019-12-11 at 11.37.22 AM

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 50 min
Serves 6

1/2 oz (15g) unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
22oz (600g) leeks (ie, about 3 large ones), trimmed, cut in half lengthways, then cut into 4cm lengths
Salt and black pepper
1 tbsp thyme leaves, roughly chopped, plus 4 extra sprigs
4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
7fl oz (200ml) double cream
7fl oz (200ml) whole milk
10.5oz (300g) sauerkraut, store-bought or homemade
1oz (20g) chives, cut into 1½cm lengths
2.2lbs (1kg) floury potatoes like Maris piper or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch (1cm)-thick rounds
6oz (150g) Gruyère, roughly grated

Heat the oven to 400F/ 200C (180C fan)/gas 6.
Put a large, ovenproof saute pan for which you have a lid on a medium-high heat, and add the butter and oil. Once hot, add the leeks, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and plenty of pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have softened and are just beginning to color – about eight minutes.
Add the chopped thyme and garlic, cook for two minutes more, until fragrant, then turn off the heat and leave to cool slightly, for 10-15 minutes.
When the leeks have sat for 10 minutes, put the cream, milk and 7fl oz(200ml) water in a small saucepan on a medium heat, bring to a gentle simmer, and keep warm on a low heat.

Stir the sauerkraut, chives, potatoes, half the cheese, three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt and a generous grind of pepper into the cooled leeks, and smooth out the top so the potatoes are lying flat.
Pour over the warm cream mixture, then sprinkle on the rest of the cheese and top with the thyme sprigs. Cover the pan, bake for 50 minutes, then remove the lid and bake for 30 minutes more, or until golden and bubbling.
Leave to rest for about 15 minutes before serving directly from the pan.

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

Butternut squash with orange oil, burnt honey, pecorino and pumpkin seeds

December 11, 2019December 11, 2019 Belinda

Another beauty from Yotam Ottolenghi
“I love the autumnal combination of squash, orange and hard herbs, and this take on the theme is especially fresh. Blitzing orange zest into olive oil is a quick way to infuse it without having to heat it up or wait very long. The oil is also lovely on salads, roast veg or fruit and yoghurt, so make double if you want and keep in a sealed jar.”

Screen Shot 2019-12-11 at 11.20.11 AM

Prep 15 min
Infuse 20-60 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4 as a starter or side

1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half lengthways, deseeded and cut into 1cm-thick half-moons (900g net weight)
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
Salt and black pepper
1½ tbsp runny honey
1½ tsp cider vinegar
2 oz (40g) pecorino, cut into ¼cm-thick shards
1½ tbsp oregano leaves, picked with some stem attached
1oz (20g) pumpkin seeds, toasted

For the orange-infused oil
2 oranges
45ml olive oil

Heat the oven to its highest setting.
For the oil, finely shave strips of zest off the oranges, avoiding any pith, until you have 1/2 oz (15g), then roughly chop.
Put this in the small bowl of a food processor, add the oil and blitz for a minute, until the peel is finely chopped. Pour into a bowl, leave to infuse for 20 minutes to an hour, then strain through a fine sieve and discard the solids.

Peel and segment the oranges over a sieve placed over a bowl, to catch the juice, then set aside the segments and a tablespoon of juice for the dressing.

Put the squash, oil, nutmeg, half a teaspoon of salt and a good grind of pepper in a large bowl, and toss to coat. Divide between two oven trays lined with baking paper – make sure the squash does not overlap – then bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway, until cooked through and nicely browned. Leave to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, put the honey in a small frying pan on a medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, leave to bubble for two to three minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns a deep brown caramel, then take off the heat and stir in the orange segments, the reserved tablespoon of juice and the vinegar, and set aside to cool a little.

Arrange the squash and pecorino on a platter, overlapping the squash slightly, pour over the burnt honey dressing, and scatter over the oregano and pumpkin seeds. Drizzle over the infused oil, and serve.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Whole30 compliant

Butternut “squashed”

December 11, 2019September 7, 2022 Belinda

Fabulous recipe from Jamie Oliver
“This is the easiest method for cooking squash. All the flavor is added at the last minute when you smash it in. Don’t panic if you’re tight for hob or oven space and the squash isn’t piping hot by the time you serve – it’s just as good warm. ”

Screen Shot 2019-12-11 at 9.32.05 AM

2 butternut squash
2oz (50g) pine nuts
a few sprigs of fresh sage
extra virgin olive oil
½ fresh red chili
7oz (200g) vacuum-packed chestnuts
½ tsp ground cinnamon
balsamic vinegar, optional

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/350F/gas 4.
Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.
Scatter the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at the same time – they will only need a couple of minutes to turn golden, so make sure you keep an eye on them to prevent them burning.
Add a lug of oil to a frying pan, then pick in the sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove to piece of kitchen paper to drain, reserving the oil.
Lay the cooked squash on a board, remove the stalks and, using a knife and tongs, carefully slice the squash lengthways, down the middle. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
Finely chop the chili and crumble the chestnuts, then sprinkle over the squash halves with the cinnamon and a good pinch of black pepper. Really mash and chop all the lovely toppings into the squash with your knife, so all the flavors go right through.
Serve the squash halves topped with the crisp sage, the toasted pine nuts, a drizzle of the reserved sage oil and a little balsamic vinegar (if using).