Innholdsfortegnelse for December 2016 i Delicious UK

The easy one... CHOCOLATE AND MARZIPAN CROISSANTS MAKES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 10 MIN, OVEN TIME 8 MIN FOOD TEAM’S TIP Day-old croissants work best in this recipe, as they’re easier to cut and crisp up well in the oven. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4. Slice open 4 croissants (see tip) without cutting through to the other side. Put 100g good quality marzipan, grated, 25g unsalted butter and 30g amaretti biscuits in a food processor and whizz to just combine. Divide the mixture among the croissant cavities, then top with 50g chopped dark chocolate. Put in a baking tray and bake for 8 minutes or until the chocolate melts and the marzipan softens. Drizzle with melted chocolate and crumble over another amaretti biscuit, if you like. For ways to…

RECIPES THAT WORK Every recipe is rigorously tested by our food team, using state-of-the-art Electrolux ovens, so you can be confident they work every time. INGREDIENTS We aim to use easy-to-find seasonal ingredients. We’ll tell you where to find any unusual ingredients and/or what to substitute them with. We use higher-welfare meat for testing, supplied by The Ginger Pig (thegingerpig.co.uk). ✪ This symbol next to an ingredient means there are more ideas for using it on our Loose Ends page. HONEST COOKING TIMES Unlike many magazines, our timings include prep such as chopping. Hands-on time is when you’re chopping, stirring or frying. Oven/simmering time is when you can leave the dish in the oven or on the hob. Indicates a vegetarian recipe. Indicates a vegan recipe. Indicates a gluten-free recipe.…

James Ramsden, our roving trendspotter, searches for London’s upper crust The idea of trying to bake your own bread while running a restaurant could seem a mite de trop (leave it to actual bakers and concentrate on cooking, say some), but it’s increasingly The Thing in London, with many restaurants now selling their own bread by the loaf for punters to take away. Chiswick’s Hedone (hedonerestaurant.com) is seen as the benchmark – its sourdough was named by restaurant critic Fay Maschler as the best in London and the Michelin Man concurred. You can buy their bread through Bayley & Sage (bayley-sage.co.uk). St John restaurant (oft-mentioned here) was of course a frontrunner. The splendid bakery operation at the original restaurant in Smithfield – where you can still buy bread and pastries…

11 DEC Abergavenny Christmas Food Festival The winter edition of the UK’s biggest food festival promises festive fun with recipe demos by top chefs and a firm emphasis on regional food. Stock up on cured meats, chocolates, cheese and other goodies for the Christmas table. Tickets £5; abergavenny  foodfestival.com UNTIL 22 DEC Belfast Christmas Market Celebrate the last month of Northern Ireland’s Year of Food and Drink at this classic free Christmas market, combining Continental treats and Irish specialities. belfastcity.gov.uk/events/  Events.aspx UNTIL 23 DEC York Christmas Festival Set against the backdrop of York Minster, this celebration has two markets, offering traditional chalets with European treats, as well as local Yorkshire fare at the Shambles Market. visityork.org/christmas UNTIL 8 JAN The Winter Gathering Manchester’s Grade II listed fire station…

TEAM FAVOURITE Martine Tinney, art editor “I like to think I’m a sausage roll connoisseur, and these small, tasty rolls were up there with the best. I particularly loved the sweetness of the caramelised red onion” * Cheddar and red onion chutney mini sausage rolls MAKES 48. HANDS-ON TIME 40 MIN, OVEN TIME 20 MIN, PLUS CHILLING MAKE AHEAD Chill unbaked, wrapped in cling film, for up to 24 hours. Glaze, then bake. Freeze unbaked, then glaze and bake from frozen for 30 minutes. Baked, cooled rolls will keep chilled for 48 hours. Warm in a hot oven for 10 minutes to serve. FOOD TEAM’S TIP If at any point the pastry gets warm and softens too much, chill for 10 minutes. •  Olive oil for frying• 1 red onion, finely…

TEAM FAVOURITE Karen Barnes, editor “Don’t be put off by the fact that the scotch eggs have a bit of Spanish black pudding in them. Mixed with potato, it creates a far lighter casing than traditional sausagemeat and elevates these beauties to a higher plane.” Mulled pear cider SERVES 10-12. HANDS-ON TIME 15 MIN, SIMMERING TIME 1 HOUR MAKE AHEAD This will sit over a gentle heat on the hob for a few hours. After 2 hours, remove the muslin bag with the spices as they can turn bitter. Alternatively, cool the mulled cider, without the spices, and chill for up to 48 hours before reheating. FOOD TEAM’S TIPS This would also work with a dryish apple cider. If you want to make sure no one accidentally swallows a clove,…

9am Remove turkey from fridge to come to room temperature. 11am Prepare the turkey. Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3. 11.20am Put the turkey in to roast. 1.50pm Assemble the pissaladières. Ask someone to pour the cocktails. 2.20pm • Take turkey out of the oven to rest. • Put the pissaladières in to cook. • Prepare/assemble the pear crisps. • Plate up the canapés, then enlist a helper to hand them round – don’t forget to take a few for yourself. 2.30-3pm • Put the potatoes in the oven. • Prep the sprouts for the oven. • Put the stuffing parcels on a baking sheet. • Put the carrots on to cook. • Reheat the chutney and transfer to a serving bowl. Put on the table. • If you’re…

Peace and goodwill to all? It’s the jolliest time of the year and the liveliest when it comes to domestic debates. So much to decide, so many people to please: cosy up at home or trek to your partner’s parents? Glamorous goose or trad turkey? Post-lunch telly and the joy of elasticated trousers or family games? It can all get more prickly than holly and as heated as the flaming pudding. We’ve taken on the big questions, asked experts (and you!) to give your views, and presented enough evidence to put those arguments to bed once and for all. Read on and make this your most harmonious celebration yet LEG OR BREAST? DARK MEAT V WHITE MEAT It’s a debate that divides. The cognoscenti swear by dark meat. That said,…

“When I was growing up our family lived in London but we spent our weekends in Wiltshire, where my architect father had designed and built a beautiful modernist house. I’d wait for Dad to come home on Friday night so we could pack the car for the weekend, and on Saturday morning at the house, over breakfast, we’d plan a long walk, including a pub visit. My mother is one of those effortless cooks who achieves so much without noticing she’s done anything. She’d put together her beef stew after breakfast and get it slow-cooking in the oven. The walks, mostly on Salisbury Plain, were fun whatever the weather. Humphrey the dog would run nonstop until we got to the pub, where I loved the smell of open fires and…

“There are so many disappointing veggie main course options out there for Christmas. Vegetarian food is wonderful, so it seems pitiful that, for the most important feast of the year, non-meat-eaters seem to be forgotten or fobbed off with a wizened nut roast that tastes of nothing but dried sage. This year I’ve created a beautiful, glossy wellington to grace the vegetarian Christmas table. It does have a few nuts in it but the filling is flavourful and juicy, with not a dried herb in sight, and the brioche crust is a cut above anything you’d see wrapped around a beef fillet. I’d be proud to serve this to my family on Christmas Day, and I hope you will be, too.” Butternut, mushroom and chestnut brioche-crust wellington SERVES 8. HANDS-ON…

“There’s no better time of year to crack open special wines, but special doesn’t have to mean pricey. The important thing is to buy bottles that suit the type of food you’ll be cooking. Here’s my carefully taste-tested selection, all designed to match the key dishes of the season. Cheers!” Turn the page to discover the perfect match for... GREAT BEGINNINGS BEST WINES FOR BRUNCH OR APERITIFS Keep it light and easy for the first tipple of the day. Bubbles always taste refreshingly clean and crisp on the tongue, and sparklers also go well with eggs (I’m thinking scrambled with smoked salmon). Otherwise, German riesling and Portuguese vinho verde, often naturally low in alcohol, take the honours. • Conte Priuli Prosecco NV, Italy (£12, down to £9 until 6 Dec,…

MIDWEEK PROMISE Your guarantee for every recipe in this section: NO MORE THAN… • 10 ingredients • 30 min hands-on time • 650 calories per portion (but many of the recipes have fewer) • 10g sat fat per portion PLUS… • No unnecessary added sugar • Minimal washing up Roast cauliflower, kale and goat’s cheese quinoa salad MAKING USE OF CAULIFLOWER, GREENS & POMEGRANATES SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN •  1 cauliflower with leaves, cut into florets/pieces• 1 red onion, sliced• Extra-virgin olive oil to drizzle, plus 4 tbsp extra• 300g quinoa• 150g kale, roughly chopped• Juice and zest 1 lemon• Bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped• Bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped• 200g pomegranate seeds• 100g goat’s cheese, crumbled 1 Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Put the cauliflower florets (with the leaves) and onion on a…

1 With the cavity towards you, hold the wing by the tip, then cut it at the mid-section through the joint nearest you. Put on a warmed serving platter. 2 Hold the leg by the end knuckle, cut through the skin between the leg and the body, then pull the leg away from the breast, twisting to break the joint Use a knife to separate it cleanly, then put it on the serving platter. 3 Cut along the breastbone and, keeping the blade close to the bone, use long strokes to remove the whole breast from the carcass. Cut off the rest of the wing and put it on the platter. 4 If feeding a crowd, repeat for the other wing, leg and breast. Otherwise, leave the meat on the…

“So much time and effort go into making a good Christmas cake: the soaking of the fruit, the long bake and the nurturing as you feed the baked cake with your favourite tipple. That love and attention are obvious when you taste the finished cake. For me, though, it’s the marzipan, icing and decoration that really make a Christmas cake great. I’m the person who sneaks uneaten lumps of icing from people’s plates. The taste takes me back to baking Christmas cake with my mum – snaffling a rum-soaked cherry or a piece of marzipan, and dipping a finger into the bowl of fluffy royal icing before she gave the cake its final gilding. My decorative design here takes a little bit of time (there are up to three days…

GIDLEIGH PARK Chagford, Devon ( gidleigh.co.uk ) BY LES DUNN, MANAGING EDITOR COSINESS FACTOR As we negotiated the long, winding lane to this 1920s arts and crafts house in Dartmoor, we felt a sense of enveloping calm. You step through the heavy oak door to be greeted with wood panelling, crackling fires, elegant lounges with plump tartan wingback chairs and smiley staff who can’t do enough for you. THE FOOD BIT Michael Wignall now fills the chef’s Crocs of Michael Caines, who ended his 21-year tenure in January. He’s done it in style, with the restaurant retaining its two Michelin stars this autumn. The food is what former BMX champ Wignall might have called “radical, man”. The mayo with the smoked octopus was ‘coal infused’, and all the…

“Does your recipient love making bread? If so, a machine will take all the pleasure out of it” Much as I love Christmas and its comforting rituals, there’s one festive tradition I’d like to consign to history: the yearly giving of unneeded kitchen gadgets. Kitchen cupboards up and down the country, as well as shelves in charity shops and countless pages on eBay, are hosting these space-hogging dust-gatherers: smoothie makers (ever heard of a liquidiser?), wine aerators (what?), quesadilla makers (yes, really), the list goes on… Every era has its pointless Christmas gift kitchen gadgets. In the Eighties it was those mini hedge-trimmer electric knives. In the Nineties it was mini doughnut maker/bakers. A few years ago everyone was going bonkers over cupcakes, prompting sales of a dedicated cupcake maker,…

Writing this letter is a special moment. Why? Because we start thinking about this festive Issue Of The Year months ahead. It kicks off with Christmas in July, when the major stores showcase their festive wares on what are guaranteed to be the hottest days of the year. Our job is to see, taste, soak up the experiences – and take copious notes so we don’t forget four months later when it’s time to choose what to feature and how. This year Christmas in July began in June. I’m naming no names… Then comes the big brainstorming day, which I have at my house, once a year. It is sacrosanct. The weather is always hot ; we play carols to get in the mood (sometimes…

STAR EMAIL SUBJECT: I got my cooking mojo back! FROM: Vanda Davies I wanted to let you know how inspired I’ve become about cooking since discovering delicious. I was a longtime subscriber to another food magazine but I’d become increasingly disappointed with the lacklustre recipes and photographs. Sometimes I hardly looked at it, let alone cooked from it. When I picked up a copy of delicious. I was hooked immediately. I cancelled my existing subscription and took out one with you. I eagerly await each issue so I can start planning what to cook next. My family have never had it so good! SUBJECT: Vegan bullying FROM: Rachel Dews Anne Lamb’s vegan letter [November p9] has ruined my reading of delicious. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but this was…

Hot in the kitchen... FOR FOXY COOKS Adjustable neck strap, double pocket, cute print – an apron that’s fun and functional. £25, dexam.co.uk FULL OF BEANS One for the aspiring pâtissier: a 500g tin of ceramic baking beans, guaranteed to banish soggy bottoms. £10, Paul Hollywood for waitrosekitchen.com CURRYING FERVOUR A spice tin in the traditional Indian style – known as a masala dabba – just waiting to be filled with aromatic essentials. Masala dabba by Anjula Devi, £14.99 (without spices), Lakeland IT’S A WHIZZ This mini blender comes in a rainbow of colours and has a built-in bottle so you can whizz and go. Ideal for someone with a tiny kitchen. Breville Blend Active Personal Blender, £19.50, amazon.co.uk GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING... POMORA OLIVE OIL Adopt an olive…

“Smell and taste are in fact but a single composite sense, whose laboratory is the mouth and its chimney the nose” JEAN-ANTHELME BRILLAT-SAVARIN (1755-1826) “The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls, ready to remind us” MARCEL PROUST Never before have people captured so many memories in photos and videos. But when it comes to bringing the past to life, smartphones can’t match the power of our natural senses. Is anything more evocative of Christmas than its distinctive flavours and smells? The first whiff of chestnuts roasting over a street vendor’s coals makes the heart of even the most ardent Scrooge warm towards thoughts of the festivities to come. The catalogue of sensual Christmas memories seems almost endless: stockings filled with fragrant tangerines;…

Ham, cheese and chilli beetroot chutney toastie MAKES 2 (WITH LEFTOVER CHUTNEY). HANDS-ON TIME 30 MIN, SIMMERING TIME 30 MIN, OVEN TIME 5-6 MIN MAKE AHEAD The chutney will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Use the leftovers on cheeseboards, with a ploughman’s or in chicken wraps. FOR THE CHUTNEY • 250ml red wine vinegar• 250g caster sugar• 1½ tsp black mustard seeds• 1½ tsp cumin seeds• 2 red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped• 2 garlic cloves, crushed• 2 banana shallots, finely chopped• 1 bunch raw beetroot, peeled and coarsely grated (around 500g prepared weight) FOR THE TOASTIE • 4 slices good bread• Butter for spreading• 2 thick slices good quality ham• 100g mix of blue cheese and cheddar, crumbled or grated• Parmesan for grating 1 To make the chutney, gently warm the vinegar and sugar…

SWEET-SOUR CRUNCH Crisp and sticky kale and butter beans with balsamic vinegar SERVES 4. HANDS-ON TIME 10 MIN, OVEN TIME 15-20 MIN Heat the oven to 220°C/200°C fan/gas 7. Heat a glug of rapeseed oil in a large roasting tin for 2-3 minutes. Add 2 x 400g tins drained butter beans with 2 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar (we used Belazu), 1 tbsp granulated brown sugar and salt and pepper. Roast for 10-15 minutes until starting to turn crisp. Remove the tin from the oven and toss 150g roughly chopped kale with the beans. Add an extra 2 tbsp granulated brown sugar, 2-3 tbsp more balsamic vinegar and a good glug of oil. Return to the oven and roast for a further 5 minutes until the kale turns more crisp…

We wanted to create a warm, luxurious feeling for our Christmas lunch and, to achieve that, chose a colour palette of greens, deep reds, pomegranate and paler pink tones with some festive white accents and layering of textures. We used seasonal flowers to create loose arrangements and added pomegranates as decorations – they look so Christmassy. This styling would also work well with bunches of grapes, clementines or lemons, particularly if you can find them with leaves attached. THE CANDLES Make a feature of your candles by varying the heights and use a mixture of pillar candles and tapered ones in candlesticks. Cluster them together with tealights nestled in metallic glass holders (The White Company and Cox & Cox are good for these). Arrange the candles in groups of odd…

Cook our cover recipe this month and you could win a set of top-quality Stellar Sabatier knives, plus a carving set and carving tray, each backed with a lifetime guarantee. The seven-piece Stellar Sabatier knife set promises top-notch slicing and chopping, with each blade made from a single piece of surgical-grade stainless steel. This produces knives with a fine, strong cutting edge that will stay sharp for a long time. The classic black handles feel satisfyingly weighty in the hand, and the knives look great in their beechwood block. With your special Stellar Sabatier carving knife, carving fork and heavy-duty carving tray to hand, getting to grips with the Sunday roast will be a doddle as the sturdy spikes on the stainless-steel tray hold the joint firmly in place while…

WHY BOTHER? It’s a genius idea. Push in the Coravin’s needle, press the lever and pour out a glass of wine. Extract the needle and the wine stays fresh. HOW DOES IT WORK? The space left in the bottle is taken up by an inert gas (argon), which lets the wine in the bottle carry on evolving without oxidising. ANY DRAWBACKS? It won’t work with screwcap or synthetic corks. WOULD I BUY ONE? I know I rant about daft gadget gifts on p162, but I’d love this in my cupboard if anyone wants to splash out on me!…

BRANDY BUTTER WHAT OUR EXPERTS LOOKED FOR A traditional ‘hard sauce’ with quality booze, a smooth texture and the ability to melt beautifully on a hot Christmas pudding. WINNER Marks & Spencer Brandy Butter, £2 for 200g Pale caramel-hued with a good-quality brandy kick – satisfying but not too strong. BOOZY CREAM WHAT OUR EXPERTS LOOKED FOR A thick cream with a warming alcoholic flavour and no sickly aftertaste. WINNER Marks & Spencer Brandy Cream, £2 for 300g Out of all the creams we tested, this was the most natural-tasting. The pillowy cream has boozy depth with long-lasting flavour. CRANBERRY SAUCE WHAT OUR EXPERTS LOOKED FOR Plump fruit with bite; balanced, not-too-thin sauce. JOINT WINNERS Lidl Deluxe Cranberry & Port Sauce, 99p for 200g Fruity with a tart edge and…

MARZIPAN 1 Put 370g ground almonds (see above) in a mixing bowl with 185g caster sugar and 185g icing sugar. In a small bowl, whisk 1 large free-range egg, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 2 drops almond extract, 2 tbsp brandy and the juice of a small lemon. 2 Make a well in the centre of the almond mix, then pour in the egg mix. 3 Stir in the liquid, then use your hands to bring the mixture together. 4 Transfer the marzipan to a work surface and knead until smooth. Wrap in cling film, then chill in the fridge until needed. ROYAL ICING 1 Put 4 large free-range egg whites in a mixing bowl. Sift and weigh out 900g icing sugar. 2 Carefully stir in the egg whites, a little…

“This sweet, fragrantly fruity bread originated in Milan (no one knows when), soon became Italy’s favourite Christmas treat and is now conquering the world. Making panettone is a labour of love, but boy is it worth it. You need to set aside a day, but there’s plenty of resting time when you can be doing other things, as long as you’re close at hand when the dough needs your attention. A rainy Sunday is perfect. Be patient – the results are worth it.” A BIT ABOUT OUR GUEST BAKER Richard runs The Bertinet Kitchen Cookery School in Bath, has several books to his name and has over 20 years’ experience as a chef and baker. He regularly creates enticing recipes for delicious. and was the winner of the From the…

Marbled chocolate cheesecake SERVES 12-14. HANDS-ON TIME 35 MIN, PLUS AT LEAST 4 HOURS CHILLING MAKE AHEAD The cheesecake keeps well but it’s best made no more than 24 hours before you plan to serve it. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow it to come to room temperature. FOR THE BASE •  300g bourbon biscuits• 2 tbsp cocoa powder• 50g shelled unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped• 130g unsalted butter, melted FOR THE FILLING •  3 gelatine leaves (we used Costa Fine Leaf, from Waitrose and Ocado)• 300g white chocolate, chopped into chunks• 300ml double cream• 560g full-fat cream cheese• 150g mascarpone FOR THE TOPPING • 100g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks YOU’LL ALSO NEED… • 23cm diameter loose-bottomed cake tin, lightly oiled 1 For the base, whizz the biscuits, cocoa and pistachios to a…

SAUCY! There are few things more tempting than chocolate caramel sauce. Add Christmas pudding flavours and you have a festive stunner. Paul A Young has created a recipe exclusively for delicious. that’s simple to make, as well as being a great way of using up leftover pudding. Serve warm with ice cream and sigh… Find the Christmas pudding caramel recipe at deliciousmagazine.co.uk. CHRISTMAS TO YOUR DOOR A real tree through the letterbox? That’s what M&S are doing this year. The tree is small (obviously) and springs out when unwrapped. It costs £25 and includes a gold pot, lights, moss and baubles. Order in stores and at marksand  spencer.com. AND BREATHE… The rich food of Christmas demands bracing walks to build up appetites before meals – or burn off…

FOR LITERARY COOKS Yashim Cooks Istanbul (£25; Argonaut Books) Yashim The Ottoman Detective is a fictional character in Jason Goodwin’s mystery series set in Ottoman-era Istanbul, and food looms large in all five books. The genius of Yashim Cooks Istanbul is how it intertwines brilliant recipes with food-centric passages and nuggets of culture. FOR DASHING BLADES Knife: The Culture, Craft and Cult of the Cook’s Knife (£20; Quadrille) If you think a whole book about cook’s knives might be slumber-inducing, think again. Writer Tim Hayward reveals the diversity of humanity through photographs and tales of knives and the craftspeople who make and hone the most essential of kitchen tools. FOR NORDIC TYPES How to Hygge: The Secrets of Nordic Living (£14.99; Bluebird Books) Hygge: in Britain, it’s a word that’s…

WHEN THE MAGIC BEGAN At 15, I was lucky enough to go on holiday to France and was taken to a restaurant called L’Oustau de Baumanière. I can still picture it vividly. A gigot of lamb was carved at the table, lobster sauce was poured into soufflés and the cheese trolley was the size of a chariot. It was incredible – but it wasn’t just the food, it was the whole sensory experience. Everything was lit up by the sunset, I could hear the crickets and smell the lavender.… That’s when I realised eating can be a magical experience. WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM… Mum was a good cook, but my family weren’t crazy about food. I owe a lot to Harold McGee’s book On Food and Cooking: The Science…

Salted pollock with potatoes, cream and marjoram SERVES 6. HANDS-ON TIME 45 MIN, OVEN TIME 60-70 MIN, PLUS 30 MIN RESTING MAKE AHEAD Assemble the pie in the baking dish up to 12 hours in advance and keep covered in the fridge. Bake as in step 3. FOOD TEAM’S TIPS Salted pollock can be difficult to find. If you don’t want to salt your own, as Gill suggests, salted cod or smoked haddock would work just as well. Instead of fresh marjoram, you could use 1½ tbsp dried marjoram, which is more widely available. Fresh thyme would also work. •  1kg white floury potatoes, such as desiree or maris piper• 1 large onion, thinly sliced• 4-6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced• 2 tbsp chopped fresh marjoram, plus marjoram flower stems to decorate (optional; see…

“There’s no denying Christmas lunch is a challenge. No other meal inspires such trepidation and inner conflict… Should you do something different this year? Will everyone be disappointed if you do – or bored if you don’t? For me, Christmas lunch needs to contain all the traditional elements, but with a few surprising flavours. Most importantly, it needs to work in your kitchen, which means everything cooking at the same temperature, with an even spread of hob and oven dishes. These recipes might look quite fancy, but they’re easy to achieve. I can promise you that, because we cooked the whole menu in a small kitchen for this photo shoot. It works – and it tastes fantastic. I hope you enjoy the planning, that you love the flavours and that…

“Rule number one: choose cheeses of contrasting colours, shapes and textures. My Christmas selection has a practical edge to it, too – I want cheeses I can use right through the holiday period”BY FIONA BECKETT, CHEESE & WINE EXPERT  YOUNG GOAT’S CHEESE such as dorstone or ragstone. If there’s any left over it’s great in salads RIPE BRIE OR CAMEMBERT Tesco’s Finest camembert is a safe bet – or try tunworth, a fabulously mushroomy camembert-style cheese from Hampshire Cheeses A GOOD HUNK OF STRONG, TANGY CHEDDAR My favourites are montgomery and westcombe HARD SHEEP’S CHEESE such as manchego or berkswell (some people can’t eat cow’s milk cheese) A WEDGE OF RED LEICESTER or deep-orange mimolette for some festive colour BLUE, SUCH AS STILTON (how could you not?) If you…

“When the plump fruit of the tropical tree Myristica fragrans is yellow and ripe, it opens to reveal two spices: the nutmeg seed and its lacy red covering, mace, which turns orangey-brown when dried. For me, nutmeg is the superior spice with a more intense flavour. (On the Caribbean island of Grenada, where nutmeg graces the national flag, the locals also use the yellow fruit to make jam.) Indonesia is the world’s biggest producer of nutmeg. The tree originally grew only on a few inaccessible islands there and, in 17th-century Europe, nutmeg was more valuable than gold. The Dutch and British fought hard over the area, with the British only ceding their claim in return for an island in North America called New Amsterdam – which…

“The festive season has always been special for me – a magical, beautiful time. I go home to Maman Blanc and my family in Besançon, where I grew up, and memories of childhood Christmases hit me the moment I step through the door: walking to midnight mass on Christmas Eve, then going to bed eager for morning to arrive – and with it, presents! Food, of course, played a central role in our celebrations, and it was a time of frantic activity in the kitchen. Back then, we didn’t really have Christmas nibbles. So when I came to the UK I had a lot of fun creating canapés – I soon realised a party isn’t a party without them… I hope you enjoy these three favourite recipes of mine, which…

THE SCANDI WAY… “Our café, ScandiKitchen, was born out of homesickness and a need to find a space where we could meet up with people for a cup of coffee and a bite of something sweet to eat – a tradition we Danes call fika. We wanted the café to be a place where we could meet with family and friends, enjoy being together and escape the bustle of day-to-day life. It feels as if the world is waking up to the wonders of remembering to turn off the noise from our busy everyday routines, and while we’re sure they could have done that without Scandinavia’s help, having the words to describe this feeling is important. We hope you enjoy this selection of our favourite autumn and winter treats.” Hazelnut…

At this most frenetic of times, is it really worth fussing with shakers and muddlers? Before I started mixing drinks at home, I’d have agreed that it’s a bit too much like hard work. But with the right ingredients and a few basic rules, it’s easy to make cocktails – and it’s worth it when you see how delighted friends and family are when you present them with a sensational drink for festive sipping. First, some advice from expert bartender Oskar Kinberg, who runs Oskar’s Bar at Michelin-starred Dabbous restaurant in London. “Variations on sours are a good place to start, using 50ml spirit, 20ml lemon juice and 15-20g sugar (see formula, far right). Think of lemon and sugar as seasoning,” says Oskar. “It’s good to use a recipe at…

FOR A QUICK STARTER OR DIP TO SHARE 1 This Taste The Difference Smoked Scottish Haddock Chowder is cheesy, full of fish chunks and tastes very good indeed. Spoon it or dip in hunks of fresh crusty bread – either works. £3.75 for 2, Sainsbury’s. 2 A whole Camembert, which comes with a honey and fresh thyme glaze. You score the top, dollop over the glaze, bake it in its wooden box until oozy, then dip and go. Baking Camembert with Honey and Thyme Glaze, £2.50 for 290g, Tesco. THE MOST MOREISH READY-MADE CANAPÉ Posh Fish Fingers With Salt & Vinegar Snow; heat, arrange on a platter with the pot of minty pea dip, dust with ‘snow’ and serve. £5 for 250g, M&S. TOP CRACKERS FOR CHEESE 1 Fudge’s Melty…

• Wrap pieces of stilton and pear in parma ham/ prosciutto. Or replace the pear with medjool dates or soft prunes. Serve drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. • Toss 300g finely sliced raw wild salmon in a dressing of the juice of 3 limes, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp each puréed garlic and ginger, 1 chopped red chilli, ½ thinly sliced red onion and a pinch of sugar. Leave for 10 minutes, then mix in a few coriander leaves. Spoon into gem lettuce/chicory leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil to serve. • Cut a cucumber into 3cm thick slices and make a hollow in the centres using a teaspoon. Fill with cream cheese mixed with garlic and chopped fresh parsley, mint or coriander, topping with a herb leaf or…

“I attempted to make mincemeat several years ago without following a recipe (‘How hard can it be to mix together some dried fruit and booze?’ I thought) and it was an unmitigated disaster. The mixture tasted of raw alcohol; the fruit was clumpy and tough. A kitchen disaster can put you off for a long time, I find. Turns out mincemeat is simple to make, given the right recipe, and so much more wonderful than the cloying, slightly acidic, suspiciously viscous stuff you buy in jars. The suet is essential as it mellows out the highly concentrated flavours of both the dried fruit and the rum, as well as providing a protective coating that enables the mincemeat to last for months once it’s been put in a jar. Half the…