Category Archives: Christmas Cookery

Pomegranate duck breasts

December 25, 2013 4:10 pm / Leave a Comment /

Pomegranate duck breasts

I cooked this for the family for Christmas 2012 and it was a hit!  The pomegranate really cuts back the richness of the duck and it was fantastic with a good red.  This year I added fresh pomegranate seeds and it gave that great texture and ‘crunch’ as my brother said!

I served it on my soft polenta recipe here and our traditional ‘Christmas salad’.  It was a perfect Christmas lunch, elaborate and special without being too large a portion or too heavy.  The only problem with this dish is there aren’t any left overs!

Ingredients:  Serves 4

4 duck breasts, scored across the skin a few times
1tbsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp 5 spice mix
¼ tsp black pepper

Seeds from 1/2 fresh pomegranate to serve

Sauce:

1 cup orange juice
½ cup soft brown sugar
1tbsp honey
3 star anise
1tbsp pomegranate molasses

Method:

  1. For duck breasts – combine all the spices and seasoning and rub into breasts that have been scored through the skin across ways several times.  Set aside to reach room temperature.
  2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together except pomegranate molasses
  3. In a small saucepan cook for 10 minutes until reduced by half then add pomegranate molasses and set aside
  4. Put duck into a cold frypan on medium heat with skin side down.  This enables the fat to be rendered off.
  5. Turn after 5-10 minutes, the skin should be golden and crispy.
  6. Place in a 160ºC oven on Fan Forced for 8 minutes until still pink in the middle.  OR, combi oven on Combination mode 190°C + 30% moisture for 6 minutes.  Don’t overcook.
  7. Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve.  You have to rest for this time otherwise it will be tough.
  8. Slice to serve and pour over sauce.
  9. Scatter with fresh pomegranate seeds to serve.

 

 

Posted in: Christmas cookery, Dinner parties, Gluten free, Main Courses

Brandy sauce

December 16, 2013 10:20 pm / Leave a Comment /

large-jug-c-tree

 

This is my family’s version of Brandy Sauce.  It is more like a Brandy Cream but nevertheless we love it and we always serve it with extra cream and berries.  This makes the perfect addition to a beautiful Christmas pudding.  See my Best ever recipe here or my Gluten-free sago Pudding here.  Both can be cooked easily in the steam oven without the worry of the pot boiling dry.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 egg, separated
3/4 cup castor sugar
pinch salt
1/2 cup whipped cream
3 tbsp. brandy

Method:

  1. Separate egg and whisk white separately with a pinch of salt
  2. Add sugar, mixing well with an electric mixer until the sugar has dissolved and stiff peaks form.  Add yolk and mix
  3. Fold in whipped cream and lastly the brandy to taste.  Try not to over do it, it does become stronger on sitting!

Will keep for a few days covered in the refrigerator 🙂

Posted in: Christmas cookery

Gluten-free sago Christmas pudding

December 15, 2013 10:11 pm / Leave a Comment /

Sago plum pudding

My sister used to make this pudding when she was first married.  It was always delicious and I remember enjoying it because it was so light and fluffy and different to a traditional Christmas pudding.  It always intrigued me how it actually worked.  Basically you soak the sago overnight then stir it all together the next day.  You end up with a white mixture with a few raisins in it but once it’s cooked it becomes a ‘dark’ coloured pudding!

I thought that I would change the recipe to allow my gluten-free friends a quick and easy option for their Christmas pudding.  It also has the benefit of being able to be started the night before Christmas and steamed on the day.  If you don’t want to mix it up on Christmas day then start 2 days before and just leave it sitting in the fridge.   So for everyone out there who has just discovered that someone is coming for Christmas who is in fact gluten intolerant then this is the recipe for you.  Quick, easy and economical it is certainly a lot cheaper to make than buying a traditional gluten-free pudding.  Perfectly cooked in the steam oven!

You can substitute the gluten-free breadcrumbs for regular if you wish which was the original recipe.

Ingredients:  Serves 6-8

1/2 cup sago
1 tsp melted butter
1¼ cups milk
1½ cups fresh white gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 egg beaten
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
1 tsp bicarb-soda

Method:

  1. Soak sago in milk overnight.   You do need to do this so don’t try to skip this stage!
  2. Grease a standard size pudding basin well.  It should be approximately 5 cup size to the top of the rim.  If you don’t have a pudding steamer like this then you can use a mixing bowl or a plastic bowl and lid from a purchased pudding.
  3. Add all other ingredients to soaked sago and milk and mix well.
  4. Pour into greased basin.  Make sure you also grease the lid.  If you don’t have a lid cover with double layer of baking paper with a ‘pleat’ in the centre and tie securely.
  5. Cover with lid and steam @ 100°C for 2½ hours.  If you prepared it a day ahead and forgot to take it out of the fridge like I did then cook for 3 hours.

Serve with Brandy cream, berries and extra cream if desired.  My sister use to live on a farm and serve it with loads of double cream 🙂

 

Just found Stephanie Alexanders recipe – much posher than my old family favourite if you want to give it a go?  I thought about cooking this recipe but my daughter convinced me that she prefers our ‘Best ever’ recipe here.  Of course, it’s not gluten-free.

http://www.goodfood.com.au/good-food/cook/recipe/sago-plum-pudding-with-egg-custard-20111019-29vz8.html

 

Posted in: Christmas cookery, Gluten free, Steam Oven

Spiced beetroot & orange chutney

November 15, 2013 7:05 am / Leave a Comment /

Spiced beetroot & orange chutney

I wanted to make a spicy beetroot chutney for Christmas as it has such a lovely festive colour.  The beetroot has been excellent this year and it was good to find some lovely large ones to make this as there is a bit of chopping involved.  Don’t try it with baby beets!  I was never a fan of the whole glazed ham idea (but it would be great with that)  and it will also be lovely with lunches and cheese platters.  Increase the chilli if you wish, it was lost in the additional spices.

I also wanted to try sterilising the jars in the steam oven, and removing those pesty labels!  It is so easy, just place the jars and lids upside down on the perforated tray @ 100°C for 15 minutes.  That’s it!  If you have a combi steamer like I do you can also turn on the drying program to dry them out at the end.  I don’t know what is worse, messing around with the jars or taking the labels off?  It can all be done at once in the steam oven.  Much easier than the old way but be mindful that some manufacturers have labels that just cannot be removed no matter what you do!  My local brands were fine but one imported brand was impossible….

Ingredients:

  • 1½ kg raw beetroot, trimmed, peeled and finely diced (wear gloves!)
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 3 eating apples, peeled and grated
  • zest and juice 3 oranges
  • 1 large red chilli, seeded and chopped finely
  • 2 tbsp. black mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground cloves
  • 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 500ml red wine vinegar
  • 200ml balsamic vinegar
  • 700g golden granulated sugar

Method:

  1. In a preserving pan or your largest saucepan, mix together all the ingredients well. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 2 hours stirring occasionally, until the chutney is thick and the beetroot tender.
  2. While the chutney is cooking, prepare your jars as above or sterilise in the traditional way.
  3. Once the chutney is ready, let it settle for 10 mins, then carefully spoon into the jars and seal while still hot.
  4. You can eat it straight away but it will be even better after a month. Will keep for up to 6 months in a cool dark place. Once opened, refrigerate and eat within 2 months.

Adapted recipe from BBCGoodfood.com

Posted in: Christmas cookery, Preserves

Cranberry & Pistachio Shortbread

July 12, 2013 9:27 pm / Leave a Comment /

The Miele girls would make these in our store at Winning Appliances when they came for their weekly demos.  We all loved them, they are so short and buttery that you have to make them just so you believe me!  The great thing about this recipe is that it makes two logs so you can bake one and wrap one in Glad Wrap.  Freeze the extra one to use when you have unexpected guests in the future.  Believe me, having things like this in the freezer is what makes a great home chef…

Perfect for Christmas or anytime of the year.

Cranberry & pistachio shortbreadIngredients:

250g butter, softened
½ cup castor sugar
2 cups plain flour
¼ cup rice flour
1/3 cup pistachio kernels, chopped
1/3 cup craisins (dried cranberries), chopped

Method:

  1. Pre-heat oven on Fan Forced @ 160°C
  2. Cream butter and sugar until light and creamy
  3. Sift flours and add to the creamed mixture.  Mix well.  Stir in the nuts and craisins.
  4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface, knead gently to form a soft ball.
  5. Cut in half and roll each into a smooth log.  Wrap in baking paper and refrigerate 30 minutes
  6. Using a sharp knife cut logs into 1/2 cm slices. Place on baking trays.
  7. Bake 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden.  Cool on trays.

Makes approximately 60 so freezing half is a great idea!

 

Posted in: Baking, Cakes and Biscuits, Christmas cookery