Some Christmas Recipes

For a recent Wedding tasting we cooked a lovely Beef Wellington followed by Sticky Toffee Pudding. Posting pictures of these on social media caught the attention of one of our local business heroes, Natalie of Lucy May Lingerie. who said these would be her ideal dishes for Christmas Day and requested the recipes. So here we go!

Starter

Although we did not do a starter for this tasting its only right that there is one on Christmas Day. In order to reduce the work on the big day and eliminate the last minute timings of another hot dish, a cold starter makes a lot of sense. Our suggestion is either a salad with our Sheffield Egg or a smoked salmon and prawn parcel. Both of these can be made the day before and simply plated on Christmas Day.

Recipe for The Sheffield Egg - we featured this in a cook off earlier this year for Kat Cowan’s BBC Radio Show

Salmon and Prawn Parcel
Makes 4
400g smoked salmon
200g cooked prawns
100g Longley Farm cream cheese
Lemon juice and fresh dill

Line four ramekins (or if no ramekins to hand perhaps four round bottom coffee cups) first with cling film then with slices of smoked salmon overhanging the slices so that they can close over the filling. Mix cream cheese, seasoning, lemon juice and chopped dill and use to fill the ramekins. Fold the overlapping smoked salmon over the top and cover with the cling film. These are now ready to turn out of the day the cling film a useful way in which to ensure they come out easily.
Garnish with a small side salad and for a luxury Christmas Day flourish some caviar or lumpfish roe. To really push the boat out you can buy Yorkshire made caviar from KC Caviar

The Main Event

The Beef Wellington takes some care in preparation but again this can be done the day before. The crucial thing on the day is to get the cooking correct so that you can enjoy this prime beef cut in the way that you like. Traditionally it would be pink in the middle but can be cooked more to personal preference. Of course the end pieces will be slightly more cooked so in a family with some rare and some better done fans there is a solution for all. Our key piece of advice is to have a good probe thermometer which can be in the wellington as it cooks. This allows you to have a much more accurate target for when it is done than simply relying on times which can vary fro oven to oven Its alarm will then alert you when the internal temperature reaches your target - see below for temperatures
Heres a supplier of recommended probe thermometers.

Beef Wellington Recipe. We cant beat this brilliant recipe from Raymond Blanc

A generous slice of the wellington

Dessert

The Sticky Toffee Pudding can be made several days in advance to again reduce work on the day. Cut into portions and then simply re-heated quickly in the microwave or back in the switched off oven when the Wellington has come out to warm in the residual heat.

Ingredients:
55g/2oz butter
170g/6oz Demerara sugar
2 tbsp black treacle
1 tbsp golden syrup
2 eggs
200g/7oz self-raising flour
200g/7oz pitted dates
290ml/10fl oz boiling water
1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp vanilla extract

For the sauce:
110 ml/4fl oz double cream
55g/2oz butter, diced
55g/2oz dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsp black treacle
1 tbsp golden syrup

Method:
Butter moulds or a deep baking tray and dust with flour and preheat oven 200C/400F/Gas 6. Using a food processor cream the butter and sugar together. Slowly add the golden syrup, treacle and eggs. Continue mixing until the mixture looks smooth, then turn down to a slow speed and add the flour. Mix until everything is well combined. Add the boiling water to the dates and tip into a blender. Secure the lid firmly and blend to a purée. Add the bicarbonate of soda and vanilla. Pour this into the batter while it is still hot and stir well. Pour into the moulds and bake for 20-25minutes until the tops are just firm to touch.

To make the sauce: Simply place all the ingredients in a pan, bring to the boil, stirring a few times and then remove from the heat. Put to one side until ready to use. Remove the puddings from moulds and place on a plate. Coat with the warmed sauce and serve with good vanilla ice cream.

The Christmas Pudding - an alternative Pudding or an additional pleasure for Christmas Day.

A number of years ago we held a taste of Christmas event where we invited in local suppliers and guests to cook off our favourite Christmas recipes. It was amazing how many people said they didn’t really like Christmas Pudding until they tried this one made with Mrs Beaton’s traditional recipe.

We make plenty of Christmas Puddings each year available in simple to re-heat 400g tubs. You can buy them by contacting us or buying as part of our Special Christmas Hamper

See all the recipes including the Christmas Pudding recipe here.

Mrs Beaton’s Christmas Pudding in the meking