Friends (Pre-Christmas) Christmas Dinner

Following the success of last year's Christmas dinner with a small group of friends we thought we should make it annual event. Lat year it snowed so we built snowmen (and rabbits), had a snowball fight before going back inside for mulled wine and dinner, ate way too much, swapped secret santa gifts, drank some fizz and argued over who was cheating at cranium, it was the boys team if you was wondering!

This year we was missing a couple vital things - our expert dessert maker debbie and snow but we improved in other ways - no cheating at board games and guessing the amount of feed we need to feel full but over stuffed.

I was in charge of starter again and even though I like to challenge myself I need something that I can prepare at home as the oven at our friends house would be full of the main, my dualit hand blender and mini processor broke so whatever I choose needed to be created by hand plus I would be hungover so wanted something I could feel confident doing.

I went for Salmon Rillettes which is similar to a coarse pate and baked some poppy seed and dill soda bread to go with it. It was all so easy, delicious and quite light but still felt like a treat, especially as it was served with smoked salmon, a handmade dressing and simple salad. I tried to find some salmon caviar, also known as keta to make it extra special but could not find any.

The plates were scrapped clean but we all eagerly awaited our main. Chris went for beef with a roasted chestnut crust as we will all be eating lots of turkey over the next week or so. It still came with all the trimmings - sprouts, yorkshires, veg and pigs in blankets. All delicious even the burnt parsnips!

We had a little break and then tucked in to the dessert made by our other friend - chocolate and baileys cheesecake topped with crushed honeycomb and butterscotch sauce, the recipe is here. I love homemade cheesecake as you can make a thicker base (which I love) - creamy but not too heavy.

We then even managed to find room for cheese and crackers!

We were all stuffed but nicely so and are already looking forward to it next year.

Salmon Rillettes

Ingredients:

• 500g skinless salmon fillets

• 200g pack Philadelphia cheese

• 1 zest of 1 lemon, and juice of ½ lemon

• 8 slices smoked salmon (approx 300g/11oz pack)

• 50g pot keta (salmon caviar), to serve

• dressed salad leaves, dill sprigs, lemon wedges and soda bread (below) to serve

FOR THE POACHING LIQUID:

• 2 tbsp lemon juice

• few black peppercorns

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 shallot or ½ an onion, sliced

• stems from a small bunch of dill (keep the feathery leaves if you make the soda bread)

FOR THE DRESSING:

• 1 tsp wholegrain mustard

• 5 tbsp crème fraîche

Method:

1. Put the salmon and poaching ingredients into a pan and just cover with cold water. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn down and poach for 4 mins. set aside, off the heat, for 5 mins to carry on cooking. lift out the salmon and break into large flakes with a fork. Allow to cool.

2. Whizz the cheese in a processor, then add the poached salmon and pulse until blended. if you don't have a processor, mash the fish with a fork and stir into the softened cheese. Add the lemon zest, juice and season to taste (if using a processor, do this with a spoon so that the mix doesn't get overworked).

3. Take two dessertspoons, wet with water, then scoop up a generous spoonful of the salmon mix with one. now bring the second spoon over and under the mix, transferring it from one spoon to the other, turning it over as you go. Do this several times until you have an even, egg-shaped portion. Repeat with the rest of the mix, putting them on a plate when done. Cover lightly with cling film. Chill for at least 2 hrs and up to 2 days ahead. Meanwhile, mix the mustard and crème fraîche with seasoning to make a dressing and make the soda bread, see link, right.

4. To serve, lay a slice of smoked salmon on 8 plates and top with the rillettes. Spoon the dressing on the side and top with ½ tsp keta and a sprig of dill. Serve with the toasted bread, lemon wedges and dressed salad leaves.

Dill and Poppy Seed Soda Bread

Ingredients:

• 400ml milk

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 350g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

• 140g wholemeal flour

• 50g butter , straight from the fridge

• 1 tsp caster sugar

• 2 tsp salt

• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• handful dill leaves

• 2 tbsp poppy seeds

Method:

1. Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6 and put a flat baking sheet in the oven to heat. Mix the milk with the lemon juice in a jug to sour it. tip the flours into a large bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until it resembles fine crumbs. stir in the remaining dry ingredients and dill (saving some of the poppy seeds for the top), then make a well in the centre and pour in 350ml of the soured milk. With your hand, or a wooden spoon, draw the dry ingredients into the wet to make a very soft, quite sticky dough. Add the rest of the liquid if you need to. Be careful not to overwork the dough as this will make your loaf tough.

2. Lightly flour the work surface and tip the dough onto it. With well-floured hands, roughly shape into a round, then turn the dough over to reveal its smoother side. sprinkle a little flour over the hot baking sheet, then lift the dough onto it. Press down slightly, giving a flattened, roundish loaf about two fingertips deep.

3. Using a sharp, non-serrated knife, slash a cross deeply into the top of the dough. scatter with the rest of the poppy seeds, then bake for 25-30 mins until well risen and deep golden. give it a tap on the bottom - it should sound hollow. Cool for a few mins, then transfer to a wire rack. to serve, cut into quarters along the lines of the cross, then slice and lightly toast.

Festive Cupcakes - Crazed Reindeers

It had been a while since we had a bake-off at work and the latest was for a good cause, a couple of girls are running the London marathon next year to raise money for animal based charity - WSPA. I thought I would combine the bake-off theme (animals) with the season (Christmas) and go for some chocolate reindeer cupcakes.

They are not my most elegant of baking efforts but did the job! The crazed looking reindeers sold well and made up part of a great team effort.

Reindeer Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients:

Cupcakes

• 150g softened butter

• 150g caster sugar

• 160g self-raising flour

• 15g cocoa

• 3 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

• 150g plain chocolate, broken into pieces

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 1 tablespoon boiling water

• 50g softened butter

• 125g icing sugar

• 6 glace cherries

• 1 small packet of candy coated chocolate drops (I used M&M's).

Method:

1. Line a 12 hole cake tin with paper cases. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Put all the cake ingredients in a bowl and beat for 1-2 minutes with an electric whisk.

3. Divide the mixture between the cases and bake for 15-20 mins until firm to the touch.

4. For the topping, melt the chocolate. Spoon the melted chocolate into a piping bag with a fine nozzle. Pipe lines of chocolate on to a baking tray lined with baking parchment, pipe on small branches for antlers. Make enough for two per cake (plus extra for breakages) and put in the fridge to set.

5. Meanwhile mix the cocoa with the boiling water. Add the butter, the gradually beat in the icing sugar to make a smooth icing. Spread the icing over the cooled cakes. Add half a cherry for the nose and two sweets for the eyes, piping on the remaining melted chocolate to make pupils.

6. Peel the antlers off the baking parchment and stick at angles into the cakes. The antlers melt so be quick. Store the cakes in a cool place until ready to serve.

Yuletide Munching - The Shaw's Xmas Luncheon

As much as I'd love to host a Christmas Day Dinner I don't think six adults and a baby sitting on a five seater sofa with trays is really the best way to achieve a merry Christmas.

My cute Nephew, Nate, getting into the festive mood.

Instead I opted to host a pre Christmas buffet lunch to get the Shaw Family into the festive spirit. With the Yuletide tunes playing and the Christmas decorations hanging I got stuck into preparing the buffet.

After visiting a total of four supermarkets in one day (and still managing to forget something!) I was finally ready to begging cooking. I had compiled a little menu of treats:

On Arrival

Mulled Apple Juice

Savory Buffet

Hand Carved Turkey, Cranberry and Stuffing Sandwiches

Roast Beef on Rye with Horseradish Creme Fresh

Smoked Salmon Croustades with Dill Creme Fresh

Cheese Board with Fruit Cake

Venison and Shetland Gin Pâté

Pigs in Blankets

Cheese and Branston Pickle Rolls

Feta, Clementine and Winter Leaf Salad

Pork Pie

Pickled Onions

Olives

Crisps

Sweet Buffet

My Mum's Christmas Cake

Raspberry Trifle

To Finish

Tea and Frangipane Mince Pies

A fair bit of the menu was simply shop brought, so it was just a matter of arranging it nicely on a plate. The beef, smoked salmon and salad were easy as it was more about building than cooking. Apart from toasting the bread in the oven it's pretty easy:

Roast Beef on Rye with Horseradish Creme Fresh
- Slice rye bread into small(ish) rectangles, top with roast beef.
- Mixed creme fresh with a little creamed horseradish, salt and pepper.
- Place a small teaspoon full on top of the beef and then finish each with freshly milled black pepper.

Feta, Clementine and Winter Leaf Salad and Beef on Rye.

Feta, Clementine and Winter Leaf Salad
I got this recipe from Good Food, great seasonal dish using fennel, chicory and clementines. Quite a light dish amongst the usual rich foods consumed over Christmas.

Smoked Salmon Croustades with Dill Creme Fresh

- Take white sliced bread and roll as flat as you can with a rolling pin.
- Take a pastry cutter and cut circles (big enough to fit in a cupcake tin)
- Place the bread circles into the tin and gently press them down to achieve a cup shape.
- Melt butter in a pan and then brush over the bread.
- Place in a pre heated oven, 180c, for 15 minutes.
- When cooled top each with smoked salmon.
- Mixed lemon juice, chopped dill and creme fresh together
- Place a small teaspoon full on top of the salmon and then finish with a small dill sprig.

Smoked Salmon Croustades.

Frangipane Mince Pies
The most labour intensive part, though they were though much easier than I had thought, and they tasted really good so were worth the effort. They are a lot lighter than a traditional pastry topped ones - means you can eat more! hanks goes to my Mum for giving me the recipe.

Frangipane Mince Pies and Raspberry Trifle.

Homemade Trifle
A Christmas traditional in the Shaw household, but it's the first time I've made one. I layered Madeira cake followed by fresh raspberries and raspberry jelly, topped with Birds custard and freshly whipped cream.

Everything looked and tasted really good, with exception to the rye bread, I just don't dig it!

Even the Christmas crackers were good, the jokes weren't too lame and the scratch cards I had stashed in them came up with a few winners, Sue won £5, Mum won £2 and I won £1, I felt like a bad host as may Dad was the only person to miss out :( going to buy him another one with my winnings!

Ed's Diner - Selfridges Birmingham

As Christmas work dinners go Mario's suggestion of Ed's Diner wasn't the most authentic, there wasn't a turkey or sprout in sight, no crackers, tissue paper hats or rubbish jokes and nor was there a Christmas tune in ear shot, but yet we stuck to the golden rule of yuletide merriment - we ate waaayyy too much!

After being shown to our table (we did have to wait 15 mins as they were so busy) our waitress introduced herself and she continued to be friendly throughout or lunchtime visit, the menu transported me to 1950's America and the location amongst the hustle and bustle of Christmas shoppers enhanced the atmosphere.

The strawberry shake I had to start (and it's like a meal in it's own right!) was so good, not to sweet or rich but really creamy and slightly addictive - I couldn't stop slurping. I love the little bit of theatre when the waitress brings it over in the big metal jug and pours it into you old school diner glass.

I went for the Classic Hotdog, Mario opted for the Slick Dog (severed with BBQ sauce, bacon and cheese sauce) and then we shared a portion of Atomic American Fries (served with jalapeno jelly, chilli, sour cream, cheddar cheese sauce and guacamole on the side) and Onions Rings. It's all cooked fresh and you can see it being created in the open Kitchen at the back of the Diner, and all the shakes are also made to order.

As well as the awesome food, the addition of the mini jukebox on each table is a great touch, not only does it gives you some thing to do while you wait for your meal, but the 20p fee goes to charity. After much deliberation we manged to agree on Fats Domino's 'Blueberry Hill', and although I was a little skeptical it came on straight after the song that was currently playing.

If I had to find a negative about Ed's Diner it would be watching Mario wiping cheese sauce off his face on multiple occasions - there's no way you can eat a Slick Dog and, well, er, look slick.

Cheat's homemade pizza

On a friends recommendation I picked up Jus-Rol Pizza Dough kit from the supermarket, it contains two pre-rolled and ready to bake rectangular pizza doughs and a jar of tomato sauce and then it is up to you what you want to pop on the top.

I was a bit skeptical about this because I wondered if I should just buy a complete ready made pizza instead, which are easy but often dry and limited on the toppings, unless you spends more and a pricey one such as by Pizza Express. Or should I just make one from scratch, dough and all but sometimes I just want an easy life, so this was actually a great compromise.

The dough tasted surprisingly fresh as did the toppings - the first was a classic mature cheddar, pepperoni and mushrooms, the cheese was laid on thick and then covered pretty much completely with the toppings.

The second was covered in feta, thin prosciutto and pine nuts, this tasted creamy and light but was maybe a bit salty due to the choice of cured meat and cheese.

I will definitely be using this kit again even if it is cheating!

Busaba Eathai

This restaurant chain has been around for a while, but I only managed to go to Busaba Eathai at the weekend as a lunchtime treat whilst taking a break from shopping at the new shopping centre - Westfield in Stratford.

The restaurant concept is one of Alan Yau's, the genius behind Wagamama (which he sold in 1997), the Michelin starred Hakkasan and one of my favourite restaurants in London and Yauatcha - a French Asian patisserie to name a few. The thing that links all his restaurants are Asian flavours (often taking influences from elsewhere) and a very aesthetically pleasing and welcoming environment.

The name of the restaurant 'Busaba' is a thai flower and 'Eathai' a combination of the words eat and thai, it is a relaxed environment with some communal tables and some benches facing the window. Lots of dark wood and die cut screens are balanced with large windows that let in lots of natural light.

I love thai food so was excited to see that the menu had some variations on the classics such as green curry and pad tai as well as soups, noodles and grilled options. I went for a mango lassi to drink which included yogurt, rosewater, honey and cardamon - surprisingly refreshing for something with a smoothie texture and not too sweet, I could have drunk a gallon of the stuff.

I then went for a green curry (which I know is the safe option but I hadn't had one in ages and I think you can judge a place on their green curry) with stargazer monkfish and pea aubergine and corn, something I have never had in a green curry but the texture and flavour worked. Served with jasmine rice.

My friend went for stir fried ginger beef which was also delicious, and we shared Goong tohd prawn in breadcrumbs served with a perfectly balanced and yummy chilli lime sauce.

It wasn't the best thai food I have eaten (but living in Bangkok whilst at university for two and half months I sampled a lot of good stuff) but it was still pretty damn good and I would definitely go back. The service was attentive, the environment welcoming, the food was tasty and quick and that mango lassi..... mmmmm.

This weeks cheap eats....

Beef Ox Cheek

Image via Paradise to Plate

This cut isn't always easy to find but it's becoming a little more popular. It's usually minced in with other cuts to make beef mince, but on it's own it's a delicious and cheap alternative to more pricey stewing cuts like Braising Steak, I bought one large cheek and it coast me £2.61 and it was more than enough to feed two hungry adults.

The solid cut of meat needs long slow cooking to gain a melt in the mouth meal, but it requires little effort to prepare so it's well worth the wait. I created my own version of a Beef Stifafo and it worked really well, if you see some on sale and fancy doing the same here is my quick to prepare mid-week dinner:

Cut the Ox Cheek into hearty chunks, toss in seasoned flour and brown in a slizzingly hot pan. Remove the meat from the pan and then fry off some chopped onion, garlic and then once softened add in the meat again. Add some beef stock, can of tomatoes and then a cinnamon stick, bay leaf, grate of nutmeg and and a sprig of thyme. Season with salt and paper and then just leave to simmer gently for 2 hours with the lid on the pan ( I used my Tagine which is perfect for this type of cooking). If you have any add a splash of red wine too.

Serve it with crusty bread, potatoes or rice (anything you fancy really). A great dish that reminds me of the sunshine yet feels strangely festive because of the mix spice aromas.

Gran Canaria - foody highlights

With influences from Spain and the African coast the food in the Canaries is packed full of flavour and sunshine. Our hotel, The Suite Princess, went to great lengths to promote the areas food both in cooking us deciduous lunches and dinners and also by inviting us demonstrations so you could learn the recipes first hand.

I attended one of the Paella demonstrations where I watched and learnt how to make the perfect traditional Paella from the Head Chef.

His top tip was that you should always use fish stock, as this is more traditional as the overriding flavour should be of the sea.

As part of this demonstration we got to don plastic aprons and hair nets and make a Mojo Canario (Mojo for short) which is a moorish sauce packed full of chilli, garlic, cumin and paprika. This a a Canaries speciality and tasted amazing considering it takes little effort, it's traditionally served over skin-on new potatoes. The best was of describing it is that it tastes similar to Patatas bravas and when I find a decent recipe I'll stick it on the blog as it's definitely worth a try.

They hotel also made  real effort at dinner time offering a mouth watering selection of food, one night we were in seafood heaven where I got to gorge myself on freshly cooked shell on prawns and mussels and something that I'd never had before - octopus. To my surprise it was delicious, it was served in a copped salad and wasn't slimy or rubbery at all, just need to work up the confidence to cook it myself at home.

As well as the delicious savoury dishes they also had an impression array of tarts - think I managed to pretty much work my way through them all! My top three were:

No. 3 Lemon Meringue Pie

No. 2 Fresh Raspberry Tart

No 1 (aka Top of the Tarts) Musical Tart.

I'm not sure where the name comes from but it was yummy, it's a sweet pastry tart was filled with a egg custard  delicately infused with orange then topped with plump raisins and chopped nuts and finished off with a sweet glaze.

Whist the quality and taste of the food we got to eat while we were away on holiday was a pleasant surprise the post holiday weight gain was not - worth ever pound though!