Starters
Main Course
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Desserts
Useful Foods
Christmas Menu A
Christmas Menu B

Avocado Surprise

The surprise is that although it is so quick and easy to make, it tastes really delicious.

• 4 tbsp plain yoghurt
• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 ripe avocado pears (or 1 for every 2 people)

Method:

Thoroughly mix together the yoghurt, mayonnaise and garlic. Cut the avocado pears into equal halves, lengthways, and remove the stones. Put the avocados onto decorative dishes and pour the yoghurt mixture into each one, filling the depression the stone has left. Serve.

Mushroom and Nut en croute with Cranberry Sauce

A really delicious main dish which looks good as it is so colourful. Serve only small portions at a time as it is very filling.

• 50 gm / 2 oz vegetable margarine
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and grated
• 50 gm / 2 oz mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 100-125 gm / 4 oz mixed nuts, chopped
• 50 gm / 2 oz almonds, ground
• 50 gm / 2 oz cashew nuts, chopped
• 50 gm / 2 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 tomato, finely chopped
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 1 tsp dried parsley, or 2 tsp fresh
• 450 gm / 1 lb puff pastry (use vegetable fat, or if buying frozen, check no animal or marine fat is listed in the ingredients)
• 4 tbsp cranberry sauce
• 1 tbsp milk
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method:

Melt the margarine over a low heat in a frying pan. Add the onion, garlic and pepper, and cook until soft - approximately 5 minutes. Add the carrot and mushrooms, and cook for a further 3 minutes, Stirring. Put the mixture into a large mixing bowl and stir in all the nuts, the breadcrumbs, tomato, egg and parsley. Mix together well. The mixture should be moist, but quite firm - if it is too sloppy, add more breadcrumbs.

Heat the oven to 200oC / 400oF / gas mark 6. On a floured surface, roll out the pastry to a rectangle approximately 12” by 10”. Place half the filling in the middle of the pastry and spread over an area about 4" x 8". Spoon the cranberry sauce evenly over the filling, then put the rest of the mushroom and nut mixture on top. Dampen all around the edge of the pastry with water, then bring the pastry up the sides of the mix and over the top, pressing the edges together to seal. Seal the ends like a parcel, then turn the en croute upside down onto a greased baking tray so that the seal is underneath. With a sharp knife cut shallow diagonals into the pastry, taking care not the cut right through.

Brush the pastry with milk and bake for approximately 40 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown. Slice carefully before serving.

• 2 red peppers, cut in half and de-seeded
• 275-300 ml / ½ pint vegetable stock
• 25 gm / l oz butter or vegetable margarine
• 2 tbsp flour
• 3 tbsp single cream

Method:

Place the peppers on a baking tray and roast at 200oC / 400oF / gas mark 6 for 15-20 minutes, then leave to cool. When cool, skin and chop the peppers roughly, then blend them with the stock to make a thin puree.

Heat the butter or margarine, then stir in the flour and gradually stir in the puree with a wooden Spoon. When it is thickened and smooth, simmer gentle for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cream and serve.

Light Gravy

• 275-300 ml / pint water
• 1 heaped tsp vegetable stock granules or 1 cube
• 1 flat tsp Marmite
• 1 heaped tsp cornflour
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp tomato puree

Method:

Put the water, vegetable stock and Marmite into a pan and heat to a fast simmer. Add the cornflour to a small amount of cold water, mixing to a thin paste, then add to the pan, stirring until the gravy thickens. If necessary add a little more paste. Turn the heat down and add the pepper and tomato puree. Keep on a low heat until needed. If the gravy thickens, add a little water.

Brussels Sprouts

• 450 gm / 1 lb Brussels sprouts handful roasted pine kernels
• butter or vegetable margarine

Method:

Peel the outer leaves from the sprouts and cut a cross in each stem. Then simply steam the vegetables until they are tender. Sprinkle the pine kernels over them, and top with knobs of butter before Serving.

Sweet Carrots

This dish can be cooked ahead and reheated in the saucepan, just be sure you leave a little more liquid then is desired, so you have some thing to heat the mixture with.

• 700 gm / 1½ lb carrots
• 50 gm / 2oz butter or vegetable margarine
• 50 gm / 2oz sugar
• 150 ml / 5 fl oz water
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Peel and thinly slice the carrots. Melt the butter and sugar together gently in a saucepan, then add add the remaining ingredients. Bring to the boil, then cook uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender and the liquid has cooked down to a glaze.

Smooth Mashed Potato

• 900 gm / 2 lb potatoes
• 50 gm / 2 oz butter or vegetable margarine
• 100-125 ml / 4 fl oz milk or soya milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces. Cook the potatoes in plenty of boiling water until they are tender, then drain. Mash the potatoes roughly, then add the butter, milk, and seasoning. Next, whisk well with an electric whisk until the potatoes are light and fluffy.

If you wish, you can pipe this mixture into rosettes, and bake at l8O°C / 35O°F / gas mark 4 for about 15 minutes until they are crisp and brown.

Christmas Pudding

• 700 gm / 1½ lb mixed dried fruit e.g. raisin, sultanas, currants
• 75 gm / 3 oz walnuts, roughly chopped
• 75 gm / 3 oz almonds, ground
• 3 tbsp brandy
• 200 gm / 7 oz butter or vegetable margarine
• 200 gm / 7 oz brown sugar
• 2 free-range eggs, whisked
• 4 tsp spices e.g. ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, mixed
• 175 gm / 6 oz flour, sifted
• 175 gm /6 oz wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 4 tbsp beer

Method:

Mix together the fruit and nuts in a large bowl. Add the brandy, and leave to soak for 2 hours. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix thoroughly. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little more beer - the mixture should be of dropping consistency.

Put the mix into a large greased pudding basin, and cover with a lid or greaseproof paper and cooking foil, tied with string. Steam in a large saucepan of gently boiling water for approximately 5 hours. Check the pan occasionally, and top up with boiling water if necessary. Turn out and serve hot with cream.

To make the pudding in advance, leave to cool and store in a cool dry place until required. Steam for another 2-3 hours to re-heat, or microwave for a few minutes (the dried fruit and sugar content of the pudding means that it will heat very quickly in a microwave, so be careful not to over heat).

Mocha Souffle

• 400 gm / 14 oz carton custard
• 2 tbsp drinking chocolate powder
• 5 tsp coffee essence*
• 4 free-range eggs

  *If you prefer a chocolate souffe, you can omit the coffee essence, and use an extra tablespoon of drinking chocolate powder instead

Method:

Pour the custard into a mixing bowl. Add the chocolate powder and coffee essence. Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the custard mix. Whisk the egg whites in a separate bowl, then fold it into the custard mix. Spoon the mix into a greased l5cm/7" souffle' dish, and bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 160-1700C/3250F/gas mark 3 for approximately 50 minutes until lightly set.

Rich Shortbread

• 225 gm / 8 oz plain flour
• 100-125 gm / 4 oz rice flour or ground rice
• l00-125 gm / 4 oz caster sugar
• pinch of salt
• 225 gm / 8 oz unsalted butter

Method:

Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Soften the butter a little, and cut it into cubes. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with your fingers, and when the mixture begins to bind, gather it into a ball. Knead the mixture on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and pliable.

Press the mix into a greased 2Ocm/8" baking tin, and cut into 2.5 cm / 1" strips, then cut across once to make lO cm / 4" fingers. Prick with a fork for decoration. Chill for 1 hour, then bake on the middle shelf at 1500 C / 3000 F / gas mark 2 for approximately 50 minutes. Cut through the slits to separate the biscuits, then leave to cool.

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