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Thread: Christmas recipes

  1. #1
    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Christmas recipes

    Was thinking this morning that I’d like a good recipe for mulled wine (must’ve been the hard frost – bl00dy freezing today!), and was going to ask on here if anyone had one… then I thought why not have a thread to share favourite Christmas themed recipes, or ask for ideas about food or drinks?

    We have people on here with various different Christmas traditions, many of which will involve different foods, so please do share (and if you’ve got a non-Christmas themed idea, please put it here)

    So, anyone got a decent recipe for mulled wine?

    And here’s my vegetarian Christmas dinner offering:

    Take a large field mushroom, fill with brie (or goats cheese), add quartered cherry tomatoes, add sliced (preferably smoked) garlic, top with pesto (ideally homemade, but from a jar will do). Melt some butter, lay out a sheet of filo pastry, brush with butter, lay another one across and brush again, then do the same again with another two sheets at angles, put filled mushroom in the middle of the shape and scrunch pastry up to wrap it – brush with more butter. If the mushrooms are very large, one per person is enough, but if you’re feeling piggy, then two smaller ones might be necessary.

    Bake in at about 180 for 20 minutes or until pastry crisp – serve with usual roasted potatoes, sprouts, carrots, etc.

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    well yes. Go to Tesco and they sell it ready made in a bottle. Pour in a saucepan, heat up slowly but dont let it boil. Pour into a glass whilst wrapping presents and watching star wars. Well thats what me and DTS last weekend. Lovely warm coochy feeling it gives ya. xxxxx

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    Registered User Twirly's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    But it's fun to make your own!

    So does no-one have any decent recipes to share?

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    But it's fun to make your own!

    So does no-one have any decent recipes to share?
    I think I have one at home somewhere - but a bit difficult to check from here

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Nigella's recipe for Brussels Sprouts (Pancetta, Chestnuts & Flat Leaf Parsley) stunned my family into silence last Christmas. It actually made them taste of something, which is always a bonus. The sprouts, not my family. I don't practice cannibalism.

  6. #6
    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Quote Originally Posted by Trouble View Post
    well yes. Go to Tesco and they sell it ready made in a bottle. Pour in a saucepan, heat up slowly but dont let it boil. Pour into a glass whilst wrapping presents and watching star wars. Well thats what me and DTS last weekend. Lovely warm coochy feeling it gives ya. xxxxx
    Nah, the Tesco (or any British stuff) tastes gross!

    Quote Originally Posted by Twirly View Post
    But it's fun to make your own!

    So does no-one have any decent recipes to share?
    Fear not, Little Monkey to the rescue!!!

    Norwegian Mulled Wine:

    250 ml water
    peel of 1 orange
    1 finger thick (at least) chunk of fresh ginger, roughly chopped
    2 sticks of whole cinnamon
    8 cloves
    1 teaspoon cardamom seeds
    (1/2 teaspoon of mixed spice, optional)

    Simmer all the ingredients in a covered saucepan for about 30 minutes minimum. Sieve off all the spices, mix the liquid with 100 ml of sugar and a bottle of red. Heat up until warm, but don't boil. For a more potent brew, add at least 100 ml of either brandy, madeira or port. Enjoy!

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    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    In Norway we don't have Christmas cake. Instead we have lots and lots of home made cookies. My absolute favourite (and a firm favourite with my whole family and all my friends who have ever tasted them) is a type of macaroon called 'Sarah Bernhardt' (named after the French courtesan and actress). I can't give you my recipe (I would be executed), but you should be able to make them if you get a recipe for almond macaroons...

    After making the almond macaroons, make a batch of chocolate buttercream, and spread this (generously!!) on the flat side of each macaroon. Put the macaroons in the freezer until hard. Then cover the buttercream side with melted, good quality dark chocolate.... These macaroons are absolutely to die for!!!!

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Quote Originally Posted by Terpsichorea View Post
    I don't practice cannibalism.
    Typical of today's lackadaisical attitudes.

    How are you going to get any good at it if you don't practise?

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Take one Bath Oliver biscuit, about 15 grams unsalted butter, and one slice Long Clawson Stilton cheese.

    Spread butter on biscuit.

    Place Stilton on top.

    Eat in three mouthfuls.

    Repeat. Occasionally replace Stilton with mature, runny Brie. (Of course, it's difficult to slice this, so improvise with a teaspoon.)

    Should be accompanied with a spicy red wine - something with shiraz or syrah grapes, something like a Cote Rotie if you can afford it, other Cotes du Rhone can be good - at the rate of approximately 1 glass per two biscuits.

    This will last you from the queen's speech until bedtime.

    (What's that about getting fat?)

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    I'm looking at a recipe here for Stollen

    I LOVE stollen.. I also love Teebroedchen, Lebkuchen and Pfeffernusse

    I've never tried baking any of them.. but I do eat more than my own body weight in them every Christmas.

    Had a friend of German descent at College who introduced me to these delicacies many many years ago.

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    Take one Bath Oliver biscuit, about 15 grams unsalted butter, and one slice Long Clawson Stilton cheese.

    Spread butter on biscuit.

    Place Stilton on top.

    Eat in three mouthfuls.

    Repeat. Occasionally replace Stilton with mature, runny Brie. (Of course, it's difficult to slice this, so improvise with a teaspoon.)

    Should be accompanied with a spicy red wine - something with shiraz or syrah grapes, something like a Cote Rotie if you can afford it, other Cotes du Rhone can be good - at the rate of approximately 1 glass per two biscuits.

    This will last you from the queen's speech until bedtime.

    (What's that about getting fat?)
    Can I come to yours for Christmas. I promise I'll leave at bedtime, after all the cheese is gone.

  12. #12
    Registered User Katie Kicks Ass's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Every year my mum, my sister and myself make a christmas log.

    Take a jumbo chocolate swiss roll,
    Melt lots of choccy.
    Pour over swiss roll
    use fork to create lines like bark
    when set cover in icing sugar to look like snow
    Job done!

  13. #13
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Cut some slices of Brioche loaf.

    Lightly toast them. (Careful, they toast very quickly!)

    Serve with good quality pate (home made is best) and some fruit chutney.

    A glass of chilled white port goes beautifully with this. Two glasses go even better!

    Bon appetit.

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Glögg has been my favourite mulled wine from the minute I came across it, there are dozens of recipes, this one is amongst the more potent, I can't say I've ever had it made with port or brandy, but essentially it's the spices that make it special.

    Swedish Glögg
    Makes about 1 gallon!
    1.5 litre bottle of inexpensive dry red wine
    1.5 litre bottle of inexpensive port
    1 bottle of inexpensive brandy or aquavit
    10 inches of stick cinnamon
    1 Tablespoon cardamom seeds
    2 dozen whole cloves
    Peel of one orange
    1/2 cup raisins
    1 cup blanched almonds
    2 cups sugar
    Garnish with the peel of another orange


    Notes
    There is no need to invest in expensive wine or brandy because the spices are going to preempt any innate complexity of a fine wine, but don't use anything too cheap. Remember, the sum will be no better than the parts. Do not use an aluminum or copper pot since these metals interact chemically with the wine and brandy and impart a metallic taste. Use stainless steel or porcelain.

    Cardamom comes in three forms: pods, seeds, and powder. Do not use powder. If you can only find the pods, take about 2 dozen and pop them open to extract the seeds.

    Method
    Pour the red wine and port into a covered stainless steel or porcelain kettle. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, orange peel, raisins, and almonds. Warm gently, but do not boil. anything over 60 degrees C and the alcohol will be gone.

    Put the sugar in a pan and soak it with half the bottle of brandy. Warm the sugar and brandy slurry over a low flame. The sugar will melt and bubble until it becomes a clear golden syrup of caramelized sugar. If you wish, you can speed up the process a bit and create quite a show by flaming the brandy. Flaming will create a 2 foot high blue flame, so be sure there is nothing above the stove that can catch on fire. Then, stand back and light the brandy. Turn out the kitchen lights and watch it burn! This caramelization is crucial to developing complexity.

    Add the caramelized sugar to the spiced wine mix. Cover and let it mull for an hour. Just before serving, strain to remove the spices, and add brandy to taste (about 1/2 pint). You can serve it immediately, or let it age for a month or two. If you are going to age it, make sure the bottle is filled as high as possible and sealed tight.

    To serve glögg, warm it gently over a low flame or in a crockpot, and serve it in a mug. Garnish it with a fresh orange peel, twisted over the mug to release the oils.

    You can easily tailor the recipe to your own tastes by changing the sweetness, potency, or other ingredients. Try brown sugar if you wish. Or Southern Comfort instead of brandy. The orange peel garnish, however, is essential to the fragrance. Drink while seated and give your car keys to a friend.

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Not particularly christmas, but so luxurious it's a once in a year thing.

    half pack ginger nuts crumbled, couple oz unsalted butter melted. Combine, line bottom of 9" sprung cake tin

    200 gms dark chocolate, carefully melted and cooled slightly, ½ cream, whipped. Blend chocolate and cream with minimum of stirring and pour into bottom of cake tin. (Use spatchelor to scrape bowl; if you're good, add to the mixture in the tin. If you're bad, lick the spatchelor...)

    Give the tin a solid tap on the worktop to get rid of bubbles. Put in fridge.

    200 gms white chocolate and 1 pt cream - otherwise same as for first layer above. Pour into cake tin once bottom layer is reasonably cooled.

    Tap the tin again.

    Top layer is identical to the first layer.

    Cool overnight in fridge, turn out of cake tin.

    Light and dark chocolate truffle cake!!

    (I always use the microwave to melt chocolate for cooking; put on lowest power setting and keep cooking for a minute at a time until it's virtually all melted, then a bit of stirring will see the last lumps off. Make sure the bowl is dry - if there's a small amount of water the chocolate will 'curdle'.)

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    Registered User Beowulf's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Quote Originally Posted by Barry Shnikov View Post
    (Use spatchelor to scrape bowl; if you're good, add to the mixture in the tin. If you're bad, lick the spatchelor...)
    Spatchelor? is that an unmarried male Spatula ? I like that word, hehe

    I feel the need to buy myself a new bachelor's spatchelor!

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    Re: Christmas recipes

    A roast leg of venison.

    Serve it with a bright red glazed cherry on top.

  18. #18
    Cheeky by nature Little Monkey's Avatar
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    Re: Christmas recipes

    Quote Originally Posted by Sheepman View Post
    Swedish Glögg
    Makes about 1 gallon!
    1.5 litre bottle of inexpensive dry red wine
    1.5 litre bottle of inexpensive port
    1 bottle of inexpensive brandy or aquavit
    10 inches of stick cinnamon
    1 Tablespoon cardamom seeds
    2 dozen whole cloves
    Peel of one orange
    1/2 cup raisins
    1 cup blanched almonds
    2 cups sugar
    Garnish with the peel of another orange
    Yuck! A whole bottle of aquavit in glögg!

    Apart from that, it's similar to most other scandinavian recipes for glögg (or mulled wine), just with added drama. I prefer boiling the spices in a bit of water separately until you get a really spicy, potent brown brew, then adding the alcohol, as this way you get a much spicier glögg. And as you said, there are dozens of recipes for this - basically it all depends on what you've got in your kitchen cupboards and in your drinks cabinet! I've got one recipe which calls for one bottle of port, one bottle of sherry, one bottle of Madeira, one bottle of red wine, plus some spices...

    Personally I prefer the glögg without the almonds and raisins. The raisins tend to sink to the bottom of the mug, whilst the almonds (often roughly chopped) float on top, and make you choke when you have a sip! Much better to just serve the nuts and raisins on the side to nibble with your glögg. Or even better - serve with proper Scandinavian 'pepperkaker' (spicy bisquits).

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