Recipes from the Bearded Chef Cook the perfect Roast Potatoes, Yorkshire Puddings and Brussels Sprouts this Christmas

Crispy Golden Roast Potatoes

Potatoes Stock Butter Thyme Goose Fat

1. Par boil your potatoes with some stock, knob of butter and a couple of sprigs of Thyme.

2. While these are getting ready put a baking tray filled with goose fat in a preheated oven at 180’c, this needs to get nice and hot ready for your potatoes.

3. Drain your potatoes and season liberally with sea salt and cracked black pepper. (Now this is the bit you need to be careful with. The potatoes need to go straight into the oil hot from the oven, the potatoes will contain moisture so take care not to splash the oil back on yourself.)

4. Put into the oven for 15 / 20 min’s, take them out and turn.

5. Pop them back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

This should give you an all over golden crispy roast potato perfect for any Christmas Dinner. 32

The Perfect Yorkshire Pudding

For this recipe you will need your favourite coffee mug, a muffin tray, mixing bowl, whisk, wooden spoon, ladle, measuring jug and a sieve.

Pinch of Salt Pinch of White Pepper Beef Dripping, Lard or Cooking Oil Plain Flour Eggs Full Fat Milk

1.

2. You will need to take a level mug (your favourite coffee mug) of plain flour and sieve into the mixing bowl. Fill the mug to the same level as the flour was with whole eggs, take a fork and beat the eggs. Add to the flour.

Fill the mug again to the same level as the flour and the eggs, preferable a high fat content milk however, semi skimmed will work. Add this to the mixture. Add salt and pepper.

Whisk thoroughly until all the ingredients are blended and you have what looks to be a pancake batter.

Transfer from the mixing bowl into a measuring jug passing it through a sieve this will ensure any lumps of flour are taken out.

Allow this mixture to rest in fridge for 30 minutes.

While the mixture is chilling, you need to get your muffin tray and place a sliver of dripping or lard enough to coat the bottom of the mould. Put this in the oven and place it as high as it can go. Get that bad boy smoking.

Once the oil is smoking hot, now is the time to let the magic happen. Get your batter out of the fridge and give it a gentle stir. Carefully fill each muffin mould just over the half way. You will need to work quickly and carefully as the oil will start the cooking process immediately. Get them back in the oven. (Don’t place too high in the oven as once these beauties rise they’ll stick to the top of the oven.) Drop your oven down to about 200’c, leave them for 25 minutes. DO NOT TRY AND SNEAK A PEEK, OPEN THE DOOR. RESIST THE TEMPTATION. Trust me it will be worth it.

Get them out and enjoy!!

These can be made the day before as they will only take a minute or two to reheat on Christmas Day while your oven is full of everything else.

How to get everyone to eat Brussels Sprouts!

Here’s how The Bearded Chef Family turn their sprouts into a family favourite.

For this you will need a frying pan, chopping board, sharp knife and a wooden spoon.

Brussels Sprouts Bacon Chilli Flakes Crushed Garlic Olive Oil Dash of Butter Salt & Pepper

1. Take the left over bacon or trimmings from your pigs in blankets and finely dice. Take your sprouts and cut them in half and to the best of your ability slice as thinly as possible.

2. Take your frying pan and heat a little olive oil, once the oil is hot add the crushed garlic. You want to get the garlic to a lightly golden colour. You do not want to take the garlic too far and allow to darken as this will taste bitter.

3. Once the garlic has started to change colour add your bacon. As your bacon starts to get some colour, add in your sprouts. Now you are going to stir fry this, adding in a pinch of chilli flakes, seasoning and butter. Allow 5 / 7 minutes of a stir fry.

This makes a great side dish and goes with a multitude of meals. A great way of using up left overs. You can also add in left over roast potatoes for a twist on a seasonal bubble and squeak.

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