Stopping all the stress.

This will be my last post before the big day and by now I hope you have everything under control. Please remember its only a roast dinner with a few extra bits there is really no need to get in a tiz. If the meal comes out of your kitchen 20 minutes late, who really cares?
Anyway, down to foody matters.
Yesterday I braised some red cabbage, it always amazes me how much one gets from a small red cabbage. The cabbage was finely sliced as was an onion and an apple (the variety was "Rudolf" appropriately). The onion was gently fried in too much butter in a casserole until it was just taking a little colour, the apple and the cabbage was then added and all mixed in. Some seasoning and some nutmeg, clove and cinnamon was then added with a big splash of cider vinegar and most of a can of cider. This was then covered and popped in a medium oven for about an hour and a half. After allowing this to cool it was bagged up in two bags and slid into the freezer. It will reheat perfectly in the microwave tomorrow. (see pics below)

One small red cabbage!

Stirring before the oven

While we are on the subject of vegetables:
 The Brussels Sprouts will be blanched off first thing tomorrow and then refreshed under cold water. Just before serving they will be added to some cooked bacon lardons and the other packet of chestnuts. This glorious gang of three will then be rolled around a pan of hot butter until they are ready for the table.
Most celebrity chefs will tell you that you need to "en-robe" your carrots in an emulsion of cummin juice and larks tongue puree. Don't listen to these people, boil them and simply serve them with butte over them (ok, a little garlic salt as well, if you must) This is not the meal for which to produce glazed carrots - too much faffing.
There is a craze for honey glazed parsnips at the moment. I have never understood this. The humble, yet noble parsnip is wonderfully sweet already, just roast it near the meat to bring it to perfection.
Then there's the potatoes. Everyone has a quirk with their spuds. However, if you need flour to make yours crispy then you are trying too hard. Foe most of the UK, tomorrow will be chilly, this is perfect for roasties. Boil your peeled spuds for just 8 to 10 minutes, drain them and return them to the pan. Put this pan outside in the cold for 2 minutes (yes I am being serious) bring it back in and gently giggle the pan. The cold will mean that the outside of the spuds has dried very fast and the giggling roughs up the edges to catch the fat. Now pop these heroes of the roast into the fat near the beast and turn them once (and I mean only once) during their cooking  - quirky enough for you?
As I sit here in Corner Cottage, this little house is filled with the smell of a gammon which is now cooling from its boiling and preparing to be smeared with marmalade and roasted for just half an hour. This will provide cold cuts and nibbly bits for the next five or six days.
Just a final word, whatever you are doing tomorrow please take just a couple of minutes during the day to count your blessings. A couple of minutes thought, a little meditation or a small prayer of thanks (if praying's your thing) will help you remember that we are lucky to be able to feast on this day.
Have a wonderful, peaceful and calm Christmas among those you love and love you.

Christmas 10 - Carrots

I love carrots, in fact it appears that most of the world loves carrots - if you don't believe me, watch the crudites at the next party you go to, I will guarantee that the carrots will be the first chosen to dip in the humus or other dips. Yet, as with all heroes, the humble carrot is underrated and even abused. This injustice must stop!

As with all greats - don't mess with a classic! Don't even consider par cooking the carrot, there are only two ways to eat your carrots - raw or fully cooked.

For the big day simply boil the carrots (either as rounds or batons) and toss in a little butter and maybe some celery salt. If you must, boil cooked carrots briefly in a little butter and a splash of orange juice, but its really not necessary.

During the 70's and 80's my wonderful mother, who is both indestructible and a fine cook used to mix grated carrot, grated cheese, spring onions and salad cream in a bowl and serve it as a side salad. This all seems a little lacking in finesse now but it did depend on the wonderful natural sweetness of carrots. Below is a bit of and upgrade and would be lovely with cold cuts on Boxing Day!


Carrot salad

Carrots
Lemon juice
Poppy seeds
Sliced almonds

Peel grate the carrots into a bowl, squeeze out some of the water. Add the juice and poppy seeds. Toast the almond slivers in a frying pan until just turning brown and pop in a bowl to cool. Serve the salad with your cold cuts on Boxing Day adding the almonds at the very last moment so they don't go soft. The lemon juice is there to lift the sweetness of the carrots, lime juice would also work as would raspberry vinegar.

If you make only one New Year's resolution for 2011 let it be that you will never again take the humble, wonderful, madly colourful carrot for granted again!