Food & Drink section.qxp_Layout 1 18/11/2021 17:42 Page 16
MENDIP TIMES
The most wonderful time of the year – for me!
With KATY BEAUCHAMP
I love entertaining and I love Christmas. Always have done. . . always will . . . from wrapping presents and writing cards to decorating the house and, above all, cooking for the festive period!
SEVEN VEG TERRINE
A versatile dish for all tastes
A VERSATILE layered terrine which can be served as a main course (with sprouts and roast potatoes) for vegetarian guests on Christmas Day or as an accompaniment to fish or meat.
METHOD (THIS IS A FOUR-STAGE RECIPE) For the cauliflower layer: boil the whole head of cauliflower for ten minutes, drain and cool. In a bowl mix the mayonnaise, the cheese, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, add salt and pepper and a teaspoon of garlic granules. Heat oven to 170°C. Spread mixture over the cauliflower and bake for 15-20 minutes. Tip away most of the liquid from the bottom of the dish, chop cauliflower and use a potato masher to achieve required consistency. For the carrot and sweet potato layer: Dice veg and saute with the onion in 75gms of butter, add ground coriander, salt and pepper and a teaspoon of garlic granules and cook for a further five minutes. Add boiling water until the veg is just covered. Cook until the veg is tender and all the liquid has evaporated. Mash to taste. For the green layer: cook broccoli until tender. Add spinach and half of the peas for a further two minutes. Drain and blend with the remaining 50gms of butter, garlic granules, salt and pepper and grated nutmeg, add the juice of a half of lemon and remaining peas. To assemble: Take a 3lb loaf tin and brush with butter. Lay first sheet of pastry so it comes up over the sides, brush INGREDIENTS with butter and sprinkle (Makes 8 generous slices) 1tsp of stuffing mix over. One medium head cauliflower Repeat twice. Spread the Two large carrots cauliflower layer on first, One medium sweet potato then the green layer, then 300gms broccoli the orange layer. Spread 150gms frozen peas cranberry sauce on top and 200gms fresh spinach fold edges of pastry over Half a diced onion (preferably the top. Take last sheet of white) pastry and slightly 3 heaped tbsp mayonnaise “rumple” over the top. Heat 150gms grated cheddar oven to 170°C. Brush Juice of one lemon terrine with butter and bake 1tps ground coriander for approximately 30 1tps grated nutmeg minutes until golden 125gms butter brown. Salt and pepper Serve hot straightaway Garlic granules or allow to cool and store 4 sheets filo pastry in the fridge for a few days 3tps stuffing mix before reheating. Cranberry sauce (homemade or shop-bought) PAGE 16 • MENDIP TIMES • DECEMBER 2021
FOOD & DRINK
CHRISTMAS DOUBLE DIPPERS
Chicken dippers – finger licking good!
THIS double dipper recipe is great for a Christmas party!
INGREDIENTS (Makes 20 balls) 4 chicken sausages 2 tsp herbs 1tsp lemon zest 1 tsp garlic granules Black Pepper Breadcrumbs Cranberry sauce
METHOD Squeeze the meat from the sausages into a bowl and add lemon zest, one teaspoon of the mixed herbs and garlic granules and mix. Heat the oven to 180° Celsius. Divide the mixture into 20 balls and bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, gently fry some breadcrumbs (or stuffing mix) in butter with the rest of the herbs and salt and pepper until crispy. To serve, put the chicken balls into a bowl (provide cocktail sticks), put cranberry sauce (homemade or shop-bought) into a second bowl and the crispy crumbs into a third. Encourage guests to dip the balls into the sauce, then the crumbs.
MINI CHRISTMAS CAKES INGREDIENTS (Makes 3 small cakes) 200gms dried fruit and nuts (of choice) Liquid to soak fruit (of choice) 1tsp cinnamon 1tbsp black treacle 100gms vanilla ice cream 1tbsp lemon curd (or marmalade) 100gms plain flour
I’VE been making these miniature cakes for years and gifting them to friends and neighbours. I use empty cleaned tuna tins (but anything similar will do) to bake them in. I also make miniature cake boards by covering squares of recycled cardboard with shiny paper or look for nice plates in a charity shop.
METHOD Soak fruit in liquid of your choice (I use a blackcurrant cordial), add cinnamon and treacle and soak overnight. Strain the fruit in a bowl and combine with melted ice cream and lemon curd or marmalade. Mix in the flour and divide between the three tins. Heat oven to 160°C and cook uncovered for 30 mins. Cover with foil and cook for a further 20-30 mins. Turn out and leave to cool and decorate as you wish.
