Gary Rhodes shares his tips
Vegetables:
To save a lot of time and a lot of headaches, here's a little tip to make the big event an awful lot easier. It gets close to serving that lunch, and what happens, we have pots and pans everywhere with vegetables galore ready to serve with the roasted bird. Virtually all of these can be pre-cooked in advance.
Pre-cook your vegetables, such as carrots, French beans, broccoli, cauliflower or Brussel Sprouts in the morning. These can be refreshed in iced water, buttered, seasoned and placed in covered serving dishes. Microwave or re-heat when needed. (Or, plunge into boiling water to re-heat for a minute or two), and then season and butter.
Christmas Pudding 'leftovers'
We all know that Christmas pudding feeling after this special meal and, no doubt, like most people, there will always be that little bit of leftover pudding that we just can't manage to finish. So, here's a tip to use up that leftover pud!
Divide the pudding into nugget sized pieces. Create a sweet batter, using 4oz Self raising flour, sifted, and mixed into 1oz caster sugar. Whisk the two together, gradually pouring in ¼ pint cider to create a thick batter. (Not all of this may be needed. You don't want the batter to be too runny). Dip the 'nuggets' into the batter and then deep fry in cooking oil at 180ºC until golden brown in colour.
These can be served with fresh cream, ice cream or any remaining rum/brandy custard.
Top Ten Christmas Store Cupboard Ingredients
Medjool Dates – Like eating fresh fruity toffee
Bailey’s (with lots of ice) perfect to help those mincepies digest
Chocolate truffles – Everybody’s Christmas treat
Arborio rice – for a boxing day risotto
Fresh fish – salmon, sea bass, scallops- I really don’t mind – good fresh fish for eating.
Colston Bassett stilton – a good aged port (the perfect Christmas supper)
Pork Scratchings! – An absolute must but only from Elite meats in Lincoln
Home made piccalilli – to spice the cold turkey
Slow honey roast duck – with lots of creamy mashed potatoes
Homemade pate & parfait – For Christmas gifts to give away
Rhodes W1 at The Cumberland
Tagged in Gary Rhodes Christmas Food