I think one of my favourite holiday vegetables has to be Brussels Sprouts. I fear they are a "love it or loathe it" kind of vegetable, with too many people having been served soggy over-cooked sprouts at one time or another. A perfectly cooked sprout is a thing of beauty, but, when done poorly, I don't blame anyone for disliking them!
One of my favourite Christmas sitcom Episodes is the one on the Vicar of Dibley where she gets invited to about 5 different Christmas Dinners and by the last one, she has just about had it, when they announce a Sprout-Eating Contest.
The sight of her trying to cram just one more sprout into her mouth is so funny. I don't think there is anything better on earth than a traditional British Christmas! I gobble it up from the reruns of our favourite Christmas shows, and the Queen's Christmas message, to the Brussels Sprouts!!
Back to the sprouts . . . when properly cooked sprouts have a nutty almost sweet taste, but they can be almost bitter when over cooked. They should be crispy tender!!
Roasting really enhances their natural sweetness and helps to prevent them from being over-cooked. You get gently caramelised edges, mixed with that nuttiness of the sprouts . . .
You will want to trim them really well, removing any discoloured or damaged leaves, and trimming off any woody ends.
Once they are trimmed, you cut them in half and toss them on a baking sheet with some olive oil and salt. Don't waste extra virgin olive oil on roasting. It is not an oil that is meant for roasting. It is an olive oil which is meant to be tasted, on its own, in salads, with bread. Use a light olive oil for things like frying and roasting.
You toss some chopped pecans in with the sprouts during the last five minutes or so of their roasting, so they can get all toasty as well. So now you have the nuttiness of the sprouts and the nuttiness and crunch of the pecans!
Another addition is some plumped dried cranberries . . . sweet and jewel-like with the lovely greens of the sprouts . . . very festive!
You can season them a bit with some cracked black pepper and sea salt, and a lovely drizzle of best quality Balsamic vinegar. Really good Balsamic is a joy and a pleasure and it really helps to enhance the sweetness of the sprouts here.
Finally a light drifting of finely grated Parmesan cheese just as you bring them to the table. Another beautifully festive holiday side dish!
Yield: 4
Roasted Sprouts with Cranberries & Pecans
prep time: 15 minscook time: 25 minstotal time: 40 mins
A delicious holiday side dish featuring nutty roasted sprouts, dressed with toasted pecans, plumped dried cranberries and a drizzle of good balsamic.
ingredients:
1 1/2 pound of fresh Brussels sprouts
2 TBS light olive oil
fine sea salt to taste
50g dried cranberries (1/3 cup)
40g coarsely chopped pecan nuts
1 TBS good quality Balsamic vinegar
60g finely grated Parmesan cheese (1/3 cup)
flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
instructions:
Preheat the oven to 225*C/425*F/ gas mark 7. Line a large baking
sheet with aluminium foil and spritz lightly with some baking spray.
Trim and peel your sprouts, trimming off any woody ends and discoloured
leaves and discarding. Cut the sprouts in half and place onto the
baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss
to coat with the oil.
sheet with aluminium foil and spritz lightly with some baking spray.
Trim and peel your sprouts, trimming off any woody ends and discoloured
leaves and discarding. Cut the sprouts in half and place onto the
baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt. Toss
to coat with the oil.
Roast in the preheated
oven for 20 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through the time. Add
the chopped pecans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Place
the cranberries into a bowl and cover with some boiling water. Let sit
for five minutes and drain well.
oven for 20 minutes, giving them a stir halfway through the time. Add
the chopped pecans and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes. Place
the cranberries into a bowl and cover with some boiling water. Let sit
for five minutes and drain well.
Transfer the
roasted sprouts and nuts to a serving bowl. Scatter the plumped
cranberries over top. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle
with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper as
desired.
roasted sprouts and nuts to a serving bowl. Scatter the plumped
cranberries over top. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and sprinkle
with the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper as
desired.
I know there are some people who don't like and won't like Brussels Sprouts no matter what you do to them, bah humbug!! (Taste is taste I guess!) If you happen to like Sprouts, you are going to love these! Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Ho Ho Ho!
I was recently contacted by IBEHAM Project and asked if I would like to learn more about and try some Iberian Ham and then share my experience with my readers. I am always keen to try new things so I said yes of course! Our Spanish daughter Ariana was very excited when I told her. (Being Spanish, she knows just how good it is first hand!) I was sent two varieties. Jamon Bellota Iberico and Jamon Vebo de Campo
The Jamon comes from The Iberian Breed of pig, PDO certified pigs with dark skin, a fine snout and long, slender hind legs. Reared in freedom, the pigs roam the meadows in search of acorns and grazing, building their muscles and facilitating the permeation of fat into their flesh.
The Meadows:
The meadows are distributed throughout the main native regions that are dedicated to rearing Iberican pigs, (namely Castille and Leon, Extremadura, Castile-La Mancha and Andalusia,) which consistently allows them to select the finest specimens that have enjoyed the acorn feeding season.
The Acorns:
During the acorn-feeding season, holm oaks and cork oaks nourish the pigs with acorns which provide nutrients and healthy fats - mainly oleic acid - which gives their meat that uniquely characteristic taste.
The hams go through quite an elaborate process and lengthy curing period before they make it to the plate.
Reading this I came to fully understand the intense process and the provenance of a quality ingredient. My grandfather used to cure his own hams. I can remember them hanging from the rafters of his shed. How he would have loved to learn more about the Spanish process.
Knowing all of its parts, textures and flavours enables us to make the most out of Iberian ham. It needs to be cut into thin slices with a narrow, long and sharp blade. The cutting temperature is essential. Never below 24 degrees Celcius. It is cut in a smooth movement, without exerting undue pressure, which results in deep intense, red toned, perfect slices of ham. Well balanced in fat, almost transparent, and of the right size, which melts in the mouth.
When buying Iberician Ham check for the Quality Guarantee. (Seal, label and stamp) The PDO Guijeulo seals and labels guarantee the traceability of an Iberian pork product from animals that are raised, fed, processed and cured under the most stringent quality controls. Meeting those standards is an essential requirement before the product can be sold.
I received both a red label and a green label sample with the red being 75% Iberian, and the green being 75 - 100% Iberian, the red being acorn fed and the green being natural range feed.
The green was much darker in colour. It was delicious. The fat melted in the mouth and I could taste nuts. It was not over-poweringly salty.
The red was lighter in colour, but also quite delicious. Again, the fat melted in the mouth and it had a wonderfully unique taste, not being quite as strong flavoured as the green.
In short, I really enjoyed both. Very unique in comparison the hams that we are used to seeing here in the UK, this is truly a premium product. I would say excellent.
It is no surprise that Iberian ham is part of the Mediterranean diet, considered Heritage of Mankind by UNESCO. Thanks to the exceptional breeding and feeding conditions of their Iberian pigs, the meat is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids, containing a high content in quality proteins, potassium, zinc and vitamins B1, B3 and B12, which contribute to a normal energy metabolism. It is equally a source of phosphorus, selenium, iron and vitamins B2 and B6, which contribute to the right functioning of the immune system. Iberian ham is undoubtedly a good source of energy which, along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, is recommended by Doctors and Nutritionists for its health benefits.
The European stamp of Distinguished Quality marks Iberian jam out and confers a distinction of excellence with respect to other Iberian products, sharing a series of values and attributes that differentiate and protect them from lower-quality imitations.
-Deep rooted in the environment and the ecosystem, with its people, their values, the unique climate and its meadows.
- 100% natural product, carefully produced, free from preservatives and artificial additives.
- Traditional production methods, taking great care of the product and giving it the optimum curing time in each case. The secret of natural curing passed down from generation to generation.
-Quality Control systems guaranteed by law and performed by independent inspectors, to which the much stricter ones of the DOP are added to bring an extra guarantee of quality and authenticity.
PDO GUIJUELO Brand of Excellence products are certified under the seal of approval, Protected Designation of Origin always comes with a guarantee of traceability, origin, natural feeding and traditional elaboration processes, as well as the excellence of the end product.
The PDO Guijuelo is made up of family businesses, many of whom are third and fourth generation producers, that are engaged in producing a unique product that meets the most demanding quality standards.
I am so pleased that I was afforded the opportunity to try these fine hams first hand. I have often seen hams such as this in the shops around the Christmas period but have never known anything about them, what they taste like, or how to cut and use them. In short, I knew nothing about them at all, so I admit that I have always kind of shied away from purchasing them. Having tasted them, I can now say with authority that they are very delicious, and I would buy them, especially knowing now exactly what to look for. These were a real treat. Thanks very much to the Ibeham project for having given me this chance.
There are a few rules to follow when roasting a chicken, first one being, buy the best chicken that you can afford to buy. For me it is always a free range organic corn fed chicken. They taste the best. Because there are only two of us, this chicken will easily do us for three meals, and give the dog some treats also. It is affordable for us, but I understand for a larger family this might not be practical, so just buy the best chicken you can afford for your money.
Baste, baste, baste. If you baste your chicken frequently, you will end up with a juicier, more flavourful chicken with a nice crisp skin. Its simple really. You can roast it on a rack, or on a trivet of vegetables. I like the trivet of vegetables because you end up with some really tasty vegetables at the end of it. (Any root vegetable works well. Just peel and place in the bottom of your roaster, cutting them into similar sized pieces and place the seasoned chicken on top.)
Garlic and lemon work with chicken to form a trinity of delicious flavours. In this instance, the chicken itself is filled with four peeled and bruised garlic cloves, a small onion peeled and quartered, one half lemon and its juice, and a nice sprig of fresh thyme. Simple.
You can brush it with either melted butter or some olive oil, and sprinkle it with some herbs.
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme . . . just like the song . . . along with some salt and black pepper.
Sometimes I will push some butter in between the skin of the breast and the chicken, but today I was going for simple without any faffing about.
Roasted long and slow in a moderate to low oven (165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3) and basting every fifteen minutes or so gave us the tastiest results ever, and plenty of lovely juices for making a tasty gravy with. Your chicken is done when the juices run clear when pricked between the thigh and the breast, and then the bone in the drumstick wiggles easily.
Yield: 4 - 5
Roast Chicken with Lemon & Garlic
prep time: 10 minscook time: 2 hourtotal time: 2 hours and 10 mins
Buy the best roasting chicken you can afford and roast it this way, and you will aways be happy with the results.
ingredients:
1 roasting chicken, (1.75 - 2.2 KG) (3 1/2 - 5 lb.) in weight
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
4 fat cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
1 large sprig of dried thyme
1/2 small lemon
1 TBS olive oil or melted butter
1/4 tsp each salt, pepper, and dried thyme, parsley, sage and rosemary
4 tsp flour
250ml chicken stock (1 cup)instructions:
Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.
Remove
any giblets from the chicken and pat dry. Insert the sprig of thyme,
quartered onion, garlic cloves and 1/2 lemon (squeezing in the juice and
throwing in the crushed lemon) into the cavity of the chicken. Tie
legs together. Place onto a roasting rack in a roasting tin Brush the
outsides with the olive oil or melted butter. Mix together the salt,
pepper and dried herbs. Sprinkle over the chicken.
any giblets from the chicken and pat dry. Insert the sprig of thyme,
quartered onion, garlic cloves and 1/2 lemon (squeezing in the juice and
throwing in the crushed lemon) into the cavity of the chicken. Tie
legs together. Place onto a roasting rack in a roasting tin Brush the
outsides with the olive oil or melted butter. Mix together the salt,
pepper and dried herbs. Sprinkle over the chicken.
Roast
in the preheated oven for 1 3/4 to 2 hours (for smaller chicken) or up
to 3 hours (for larger chicken). The juices should run clear and a meat
thermometer inserted in the thigh should register 85*C/185*F when
done. Transfer to a platter, tent with foil and let stand for 20
minutes before carving.
in the preheated oven for 1 3/4 to 2 hours (for smaller chicken) or up
to 3 hours (for larger chicken). The juices should run clear and a meat
thermometer inserted in the thigh should register 85*C/185*F when
done. Transfer to a platter, tent with foil and let stand for 20
minutes before carving.
Skim any fat from the
juices in the roasting tin, and discard. Sprinkle flour over the juices
in the pan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for several minutes. Pour
in the chicken stock and any accumulated juices from the platter.
Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook over low
heat for about 5 minutes. Strain into a gravy boat to serve.
juices in the roasting tin, and discard. Sprinkle flour over the juices
in the pan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat for several minutes. Pour
in the chicken stock and any accumulated juices from the platter.
Bring to the boil, stirring constantly, until thickened. Cook over low
heat for about 5 minutes. Strain into a gravy boat to serve.
Cut through any string holding the legs together. Remove anything from
the cavity (onions, etc.) and discard, tipping any juices into the gravy
pan. Using kitchen scissors, cut chicken in half along backbone and
breastbone. Cut around the natural crease at thigh to make two breast and two
leg portions. Cut the breasts in half diagonally, and cut the thighs
separate from the drumsticks at the joints.
Created using The Recipes Generator
Again going or simple, I served this with plenty of mash, some stove top stuffing and green beans. Everyone was happy. We also got a dinner of hash which I made with cubed potatoes, leftover chicken and leftover stuffing. (I served with baked beans) and I have a lovely carcass to make a soup with. Oh, and Mitzie has gotten two meals from it also. (I mix a few TBS of it with some of her dry kibble. She is in heaven!) You can never go wrong with a Roast Chicken. Never. Bon Appetit!
What a miserable horrible lousy rotten day it is out there today. Windy, rainy, cold . . . but at least its not snow!
In any case the lighting for my photos is horrible, but I hope you don't mind too much, and that it won't deter you from making one more holiday square for your cookie trays!
Its an old, old Maritime Recipe from back home. You will find it printed on the pages of many a community or church cookbook.
This is a pretty regular bake for most family celebrations over the holidays.
Its a pretty basic batter . . . a Blondie type of bar, but with white sugar instead of brown. They bake up dense and chewy . . . .
Just like the perfect blondie should be.
It is filled with lots of glace cherries. I have used a mix that I was able to get which had golden, dark and light red and green cherries.
Jewel like! You could use maraschino cherries if you can't get the glace ones.
Whichever cherries you use, rinse them well and dry them so that they don't all sink to the bottom when the squares are baking.
They are slathered after baking and cooling with a luscious butter cream icing. Oh boy . . . so good.
These are so rich and sweet, that only a small square will suffice per serving. I cut them into 1 inch squares.
They do sink in the middle when you take them out of the oven, but don't worry about that. They are supposed to do that.
I just trim off the edges and keep them as cuts to enjoy with hot drinks . . . the centre part is the bit I ice and save for good.
These freeze very well. Even with the icing. Just ice, decorate and cut, then freeze them in an airtight container.
I put baking paper between the layers to keep them separate and from sticking together.
They are a really pretty addition to your holiday baking/cookie trays!
Todd had to enjoy one right away with a hot cup of herbal tea. I will have to hide the others, or they will be gone.
I know enough not to eat these myself. I would be suffering if I did. Far too sweet for me to be able to enjoy, even the offcuts.
Yield: 25
Cherry Cake Squares
prep time: 15 minscook time: 55 minstotal time: 70 mins
An old Maritime recipe from back home. Wouldn't be Christmas without these dense glace cherry filled Blondie type squares topped with a sweet butter cream icing! These also freeze very well and are a great addition to the Holiday Cookie Tray.
ingredients:
225g butter, softened (1 cup)
300g granulated sugar (1 1/2 cups)
2 large free range eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp each soda and salt
280g plain flour (2 cups)
190g glace cherries, quartered (1 cup)
(rise with warm water and dry)
To ice:
260g sifted icing sugar (2 cups)
115g butter, softened (1/2 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 - 2 TBS milk
halved glace cherries to decorateinstructions:
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line an 8 inch square baking tin with baking paper and set aside.
Cream
together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs,
one at at time. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Whisk
together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir into the creamed
mixture until well combined. The dough will be very stiff. Fold in
the prepared cherries. Spread into the prepared baking tin in an even
layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until golden
brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set on a
wire rack to cool completely, before frosting.
together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs,
one at at time. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Whisk
together the flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Stir into the creamed
mixture until well combined. The dough will be very stiff. Fold in
the prepared cherries. Spread into the prepared baking tin in an even
layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes until golden
brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set on a
wire rack to cool completely, before frosting.
To
make the icing, beat together the sugar, butter, vanilla and just
enough milk to give you a thick, fluffy, creamy mixture. Spread evenly
on the cold squares. Decorate with halved cherries. Cut into 1 inch
squares to serve.
make the icing, beat together the sugar, butter, vanilla and just
enough milk to give you a thick, fluffy, creamy mixture. Spread evenly
on the cold squares. Decorate with halved cherries. Cut into 1 inch
squares to serve.
I wish I could show you how lousy the weather looks from my window near where my desk it. Its just horrible. If it was snow, we would be in the middle of a blizzard! Now that would be perfectly charming.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The
English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are
reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you
may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for
visiting. Do come again!
I wanted to make something special for the children of our Ministering brothers (father and son, church thing) for Christmas. They are always so good at visiting us.
They are a lovely family. Their dad was coming over yesterday to pick up our tropical fish which we have re-homed with them and so I thought I would make them some goodies to enjoy over the holidays as well.
I had seen melted snowmen bark all over the internet and so decided to make some for them. It was really simple to make. You just melt white chocolate and spread it out on a prepped pan . . .
I used Dr Oetker white chocolate for bakers, broken into squares. (Melted in the microwave according to the package directions.)
Add halved mini peanut butter cups for the hats . . . some googly eyes . . .
Black candy balls for the buttons. (I picked out the dark balls from the Dr Oetker Midnight magic cake decs)
Yellow and orange candy strands (Again I picked them out of a bottle of mixed candy strands from Dr Oetker) for the noses . . .
And broken pretzel sticks for the arms. In between I scattered white snowflake candies, then popped the tray in the fridge to chill.
For the Rudolf bark, I used Dr Oetker milk chocolate for bakers, broken up . . . which I melted in the microwave and spread out on the prepped pan.
Make sure you don't overheat your chocolate or it will seize. I do it for one minute, then let it sit, stir, and if it needs more then reheat at 10 second intervals. Just what the package says.
For the antlers I used white chocolate coated smallish pretzels. You can easily cut them in half without breaking them by using a sharp knife and carefully sawing down through the centres.
I put the googly candy eyes on first . . . and then I placed the antlers above, trying to place them with the cut edges outwards, rounded edges in the middle/bottom . . .
Don't look too closely as I messed up a few by putting them on backwards, lol
I used red smarties for the noses. I actually bought tube of "Rudolf noses" to use for this. They worked perfectly.
You could use any kind of red candy that you can find so long as it is size appropriate.
Once again, in between I scattered some candy snowflakes, which really added a lovely festive touch and a bit of contrast with the darkness of the chocolate.
Altogether they turned out really nicely. I think they did at any rate, and the children's father was oohing over them when he came to pick up the fish. I really think that the children will love them. I can't imagine any child not enjoying something like this!
Yield: 2 different kinds
Chocolate Christmas Bark
Children love this. Its fun to make together. There are two kinds. Melting snowman using white chocolate and Rudolf using milk chocolate. This also makes fabulous gifts!
ingredients:
For the Melting Snowmen:
300g white chocolate, created for bakers (26% cocoa butter) (10 1/2 ounces)
6 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, carefully cut in half
24 candy eyes
Orange or yellow sugar strands
(you will need to pick them out of a container of mixed strands)
36 small dark navy candy ball decs
Pretzel sticks
small candy snowflake decs
For the Rudolf:
300g milk chocolate for bakers ( with 35% cocoa solids) (10 1/2 ounces)
24 candy eyes
12 white chocolate covered pretzels, carefully cut in half through the middle
12 red smarties
small candy snowflake decs
instructions:
Line two separate baking trays with baking paper or
waxed paper or aluminium foil. I like to make one batch first and then
the other batch after.
waxed paper or aluminium foil. I like to make one batch first and then
the other batch after.
Melt the white chocolate
for the snowmen in the microwave according to the package directions,
in a microwave appropriate bowl. Pour onto one of the baking sheets and
spread out to a 1/3 inch thick layer. Place all of the snowman parts
onto the chocolate spreading them out and building one at a time. The
half peanut butter cup is the hat, then the candy eyes, a sugar strand
nose, navy candy ball buttons and broken pretzel sticks for the arms.
Repeat until you have used them all up. Scatter snowflakes in between.
Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the other one.
for the snowmen in the microwave according to the package directions,
in a microwave appropriate bowl. Pour onto one of the baking sheets and
spread out to a 1/3 inch thick layer. Place all of the snowman parts
onto the chocolate spreading them out and building one at a time. The
half peanut butter cup is the hat, then the candy eyes, a sugar strand
nose, navy candy ball buttons and broken pretzel sticks for the arms.
Repeat until you have used them all up. Scatter snowflakes in between.
Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make the other one.
Melt
the milk chocolate for the reindeer in the microwave according to the
package directions, in a microwave appropriate bowl. Pour onto the
other prepared baking sheet and spread out to a 1/3 inch thick layer.
Build your Rudolf's as follows and one at a time. Put the googly eyes
on, followed by a red smarties nose just below. Place two pretzel halves
(rounded side in and loop towards the eyes) on top to resemble
antlers. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients. Scatter small
snowflakes in between. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
the milk chocolate for the reindeer in the microwave according to the
package directions, in a microwave appropriate bowl. Pour onto the
other prepared baking sheet and spread out to a 1/3 inch thick layer.
Build your Rudolf's as follows and one at a time. Put the googly eyes
on, followed by a red smarties nose just below. Place two pretzel halves
(rounded side in and loop towards the eyes) on top to resemble
antlers. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients. Scatter small
snowflakes in between. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
Carefully
break into pieces, using a knife to guide the breaks. If you are
giving as gifts, leave whole and present on a board wrapped in
cellophane and tied with a ribbon.
break into pieces, using a knife to guide the breaks. If you are
giving as gifts, leave whole and present on a board wrapped in
cellophane and tied with a ribbon.
Created using The Recipes Generator
If you are keeping this you can break it up. I find it best to mark lines with a sharp knife first and then break it on the lines. If you are gifting this, pop it onto a small cutting board, wrap in cellophane and tie up with some coloured ribbons. Very festive!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
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