Recipes for you to try and enjoy...

We are all looking for ways to produce healthy food ideas without the hard work involved in the kitchen to get the results! Here are some simple but tasty Christmas recipes using ingredients that are readily available.

Watercress and Potato Soup

             1 litre of vegetable stock

             1 finely chopped onion

             200g peeled and finely chopped potatoes

             250g washed watercress

             1 handful of spinach leaves

 

1. Bring stock to the boil.

2. Add all the ingredients and boil for 10 minutes.

3. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth.

4. Season to taste.

5. Serve with cream or creme freche.

 

Baked Gammon with Christmas Pickle

 

                           Pickling Liquor

                           2tbsp caster sugar

                           5 black peppercorns

                           1 sprig of thyme, dill and tarragon

                                                                      100ml vegetable oil

                                                                      75ml white wine vinegar and 75ml of white wine

 Christmas Pickle

400g of chopped vegetables to include carrots, celery, leek and onion

1 crisp appple cored and cut into 8 pieces

Ham

4-5kg green ham soaked in cold water over night

1/2 a head of celery

4 ;arge peeled carrots

1 leek cut in half

4 bay leaves

12 black peppercorns

Glaze

10 cloves

2 1/2 tbsp mustard powder

2 1/2 tbsp demarera sugar

100ml milk

 

1. Combine all pickling liquor ingredients in a saucepan with 200ml of water.

2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 3 mins.

3. Remove from heat and let cool down.

4. For the Christmas pickle tip all vegetables in to a pan and pour over the cooled pickled liquor.

5. Simmer for 3 mins and stir in the apple. Simmer for a further 30 seconds.

6. Leave to cool, then transfer to the fridge for 1 - 2 days.

7. For the ham, drain the gammon and place in a pot. Add all other ingredients and cover with cold water.

8. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2 hours. Make sure the gammon stays covered throughout cooking time.

9. Once cooked, remove from heat and allow to cool.

10. For the glaze, preheat the oven to 160C gas2. When the gammon is cool, remove from cooking liquor and place on a baking tray. Score the skin and stud with the cloves.

11. Mix the mustard and sugar together and gradually add the milk to form a paste. Spread over the gammon.

12. Bake for 30 - 50 mins or until golden brown.

13. Carve and serve with the Christmas Pickles.

 

Sticky spiced red cabbage

 

 1 red cabbage

 1 finger square piece of finely chopped root ginger

 2 small onions sliced

 1 tsp ground allspice

 1 tbsp ground black pepper

 100g caster sugar

 150 ml red wine vinegar

1. Heat some oil in a large saucepan and add the cabbage, ginger, onions, spice and pepper. Cook for 5 mins or until the cabbage starts to wilt.

2. Scatter over the sugar and pour in the vinegar. Cover the pan and cook for 10 mins.

3. Remove lid and simmer the liquid for around 20 mins. Stir to avoid the cabbage sticking to the pan.

4. Once liquid has evaporated, tip cabbage into a large bowl and serve.

 

Poached Pears in spiced red wine

 1 vanilla pod

 1 bottle of red wine

 225g caster sugar

 1 cinnamon stick, halved

 sprig of fresh thyme

 6 pears, peeled with stalks left on

 

1. halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out seeds and put in saucepan with wine, sugar, cinnamon and thyme. Cut the pod into three thin strips and add to the pan.

2. Poach the pears, covered for 30 mins.

3. Once tender, take the pears from the pan, boil the liquid to reduce. Once it is syrupy, cool and serve with each pear.

4. Decorate with a small sprig of thyme and a pice of cinnamon.