Serves 4 as a veggie meal or 8 as an accompaniment to Turkey
 

1 clove garlic, crushed
1 small onion, chopped
15g butter
2 tsp Rapeseed oil
1 tbsp sherry
225g shelled mixed unsalted nuts, chopped
125g fresh breadcrumbs
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
2 eggs, beaten
75g Stilton Cheese
75g cranberries, fresh or frozen
salt and black pepper  

Try this as an alternative to Christmas Pudding – quick and easy to make and lighter in texture then a traditional Christmas  pudding.

Serves 6-8

225g Pannetone, thinly sliced
250mls milk
50g sultanas
50g fresh or frozen cranberries
2 large eggs
1 egg yolk
25g golden caster sugar
142mls double cream
½ tsp nutmeg
To serve – Double cream or Custard flavoured with Brandy, Cointreau or Baileys Cream Liquer and icing sugar for dusting

Cote de Boeuf can be a single rib cut from the centre of a full rib of Beef. It is grilled or fried and often served with a Bearnaise sauce and chips. It is also sometimes called a beef chop. Or it can be a traditional Beef Rib Steak Joint on the Bone made into a fabulous traditional Sunday lunch. Cooking beef on the bone helps to control the transfer of heat during cooking and helps stops meat from shrinking or toughening.

1 x 2.5 kg Rib of Beef with Bone, trimmed
vegetable oil for brushing
salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 200oC Gas 6.
2. Place the joint on a rack in a large roasting dish. Brush with the vegetable oil and season.
3. Cook for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170oC Gas 3 and cook for 10-12minutes (rare) 15 –18minutes(medium) – 20-22minutes (well-done) per 500g.
4. Leave to rest, covered in foil for 15 minutes, before carving.

Put a selection of blanched root vegetables such as potatoes, parsnips and carrots and add quartered red onion and red pepper under the meat rack so that the fat from the meat drops onto the vegetables as they cook.

Cote de Boeuf is great served with a Red-Wine sauce.

For a red-wine sauce place 5-6 diced shallots into a pan, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil and gently sauté until softened, then add 2-3 cloves garlic, cook for 1 minute and add I bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 500mls red wine, 300mls port and 300mls chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes or until reduced by two thirds. Sieve, add the meat juices or a small knob of butter, whisk and serve with the cooked meat.

Top Tip - place 3 garlic cloves into a small dish and microwave them for approximately 20-30seconds. The skins will slip off really easily.

Goose fat is normally associated with Christmas Dinner and the perfect roast potato but it can be used all year round.  Due to its high burning point foods can be cooked at a high temperature without the fat burning or breaking down. 

Goose fat has many uses, read on…

To make the ‘ultimate’ roast potatoes
Pre-heat the oven to Gas Mark 7 or 220°C. Par-boil potatoes for 8-10 minutes; drain and then put back into the pan, shaking to roughen the edges. Measure 1 tbsp of Goose Fat for every 450g potatoes into a roasting tray and heat until the fat is smoking.

Place the potatoes in the tray and roast for 45 minutes, or until crisp and golden, basting and turning frequently. All root vegetables are good roasted with goose fat, especially parsnips.

• Other potato recipes: oven chips - par-boil potatoes for 5 minutes and then roast them for 30 minutes, use goose fat instead of butter in mashed potato or sauté potatoes in a little goose fat.
• Frying onions: heat a little goose fat over a high heat, add the onions and cook over a low to medium heat until the onions are softened.
• For a posh canapé spread goose fat on rye bread and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Top with some pickled red cabbage.
• Fried bread: Spread goose fat generously on pieces of bread and put them into a hot frying pan for an even coating and golden colour.
• Fried eggs and omelettes: If you like a crispy edge to your fried egg, fry it in really hot goose fat. Omelettes will have a richer flavour too.
• Roasting poultry and game: brown the birds in hot goose fat in a frying pan to colour and seal them before cooking, or just spread goose fat on the breasts of the bird before roasting it. Good for keeping turkey breast tender.
• Stuffings: fry chopped onion, celery and garlic in goose fat to soften, before adding the rest of the ingredients.
• Risotto: a recipe that normally uses a lot of butter for frying the onions and coating the rice grains, goose fat gives depth and richness without adding as much fat.

For more  information and recipe ideas go to www.goosefat.co.uk

We are beginning to get into the time of year when courgettes are multiplying faster than we can cook them - I am contstantly trying to find new ways to fool my husband into eating them.  I came accross this recipe for a savoury courgette cake that is absolutely delicious and has so many uses.  It can be a delicious starter, makes a fine addition to any picnic, cut up small can be a delectable canapé and is perfect for a summer lunch with salad.

Do you have any exciting seasonal recipes to share with us?  Please let us know!

Courgette, Bacon and Pine Kernel Cake

300g firm small courgettes, washed, dried and coarsley grated
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
100ml milk
100ml olive oil
180g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
80g Gruyere or Emmental cheese, grated
20g Parmesan, finely grated
100g bacon, cooked lardons or diced streaky bacon (optional)
100g pine kernels, toasted
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh chives
Salt and Pepper

Preheat the oven to 180C, butter and line a 10×24cm loaf tin.

Pour the eggs, milk and oil into a jug and whisk lightly.  Season with salt and pepper.

Sieve the flour and baking powder into a medium sized mixing bowl and gradually whisk in the liquid until you have a smooth batter.  Fold in the courgettes, grated cheese, pine kernels, bacon (optional) garlic and chives then spoon the mixture into the tin.

Bake for around 45 minutes until firm and golden.  Test with a skewer to make sure the cake is cooked in the middle.  Leave to cool in the tin for around 15 minutes then turn out carefully.