Turkey just doesn’t cut it? Shudder at the thought of a heavy Christmas pudding? Can’t face another Brussel Sprout boiled to death? The Seven Thirty Show brings you some fresh festive recipes.
Marc Mallett paid a visit to Liz Moore from Belle Isle cookery school to help perfect his christmas dinner. They prepared an alternative christmas dinner featuring salmon, goose and clementines!
Situated on a small island in the Fermanagh lakelands just outside Enniskillen, the state of the art cookery school runs fun and relaxed courses for people with all levels of cooking ability.
Follow the recipes below for an easy way to prepare a mouth watering Christmas feast yourself.
Smoked Salmon Roulade with Crab
Ingredients:
Serves 6
Roulade:
110g/4 oz white crab meat
½ red pepper, deseeded and very finely diced
2 shallots, finely diced
6 large basil leaves or 1 tbsp. chopped tarragon or parsley
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
½ tsp. chilli powder
Salt and pepper
10 slices smoked salmon
25g/1 oz cream cheese, softened
Caper Tomato Relish:
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped in small dice
2 tbsp. chopped capers
1 tsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. white wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely chopped
Salt & pepper
Yogurt Sauce:
225g/8 oz plain yogurt
2 tbsp. chopped fresh dill
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. finely chopped peeled and seeded cucumber
Method:
- Squeeze excess water out of the crabmeat and place in a bowl. Mix in the peppers, shallot, herbs, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Season the mixture with chilli powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
- Lay the smoked salmon slices on top of a sheet of a sheet of cling film to form a 4 by 12-inch rectangle. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over the salmon. Place the crabmeat mixture down the centre of the rectangle in a long tube shape.
- Roll the salmon into a cylinder using the cling film on the outside. Twist the plastic at both ends of the cylinder to ensure that the salmon roulade is tight and compact. Tie both ends. Refrigerate the roulade for at least 2 hours before slicing.
- Make the two sauces by combining the ingredients for each one in separate bowls.
- Slice into rounds and serve with the yogurt sauce and caper tomato relish.
Butter poached Goose breast with sprout puree and chestnuts
Ingredients
Serves 6
Poached goose:
2 goose breasts
1.8 lt/3 pts 3½ floz chicken stock
450g/1 lb. butter, cold and cut into cubes
4 sprigs fresh thyme
Black pepper
For the sprout puree:
450g/1 lb. Brussel Sprouts
110g/4 oz frozen peas, thawed but not cooked
50g/2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
Salt & pepper
Knob of cold butter
3 rashers of bacon, finely cit into thin strips
Olive oil
450g/1 lb. Chestnuts, peeled
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
- Bring the chicken stock to the boil and then stir in the butter and thyme. Bring back to a simmer. Use a stick blender or large whisk to incorporate the butter into the stock. Replace on the heat but don't allow to boil. Place the goose breasts carefully into the liquid and poach gently for about 30 minutes or until just cooked through. Remove the goose from the liquid and place in the oven for 10 minutes for the skin to crisp up. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place.
- Cook the Brussel sprouts in water for about 12 minutes. Drain. Put the sprouts, peas, parmesan and butter into a food processor then pulse a few times until you have a rough purée. Season to taste.
- Fry the bacon strips in some olive oil with the chestnuts, until golden brown.
- Reduce down some of the cooking liquor from the goose until it thickens. Add the resting juices and thicken with a little corn flour if you prefer gravy to be a little thicker.
- Remove the breasts from the bone and slice. Serve on a dollop of puree, garnished with the chestnuts and bacon and with a spoonful of gravy.
Steamed Clementine Pudding
Ingredients
Serves 8
150g/5 oz butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing
150g/5 oz caster sugar
150g/5 oz self raising flour
½ tsp. baking powder
40g/1 ¾ oz bread crumbs
3 free range eggs
3 tbsp. milk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6, if you don't have a steamer.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs and then the flour, baking powder, breadcrumbs and milk. Beat well until very creamy adding more milk to loosen the mixture if you have to.
- Beat in the zest.
- Grease the ramekins or moulds very well with butter and drop a tbsp. of golden syrup into the base of each one.
- Divide the batter between the moulds.
- Cover each mould or ramekin with a square of pleated, buttered tin foil (the pleat in the middle of the foil will help the foil to expand once the pudding starts to rise). Secure with string or an elastic band.
- Put the puddings in a steamer and steam for 40 minutes, alternatively, place in a deep roasting tin, half filled with almost boiling water and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.
- Once cooked, cool slightly and then turn out. Serve with sour cream.
Note: These puddings can be cooked two days in advance and then reheated for ten minutes. The batter will also be fine left in the fridge for two days.
© UTV News