Chefs Host Christmas Too Read online

  COVER PAGE

  TITLE PAGE

  INTRODUCTION

  SAMPLE MENUS

  Chef’s little helpers.

  Drinks.

  Snacks + starters.

  Sides (+ salads).

  Showstoppers.

  Desserts + cheese.

  Sweet treats + gifts.

  Remains of the day.

  OYSTERS

  CHOCOLATE

  CHEESEBOARD

  CHRISTMAS MOVIES

  PLAYLIST

  THANK YOU

  WHO’S DARREN?

  COPYRIGHT PAGE

  Introduction.

  Hold on to your Santa hats, Christmas is here! You’ve been counting down the days and you’ve bought all the pressies, and this year it’s your turn to host. All the relatives have already confirmed they’re coming. There’s no need to panic…

  But…what are you going to cook?

  Oh, the stress and worry of it all. Does Uncle Quinn even like seafood? Don’t forget Hannah is now a vegetarian. Is cousin Emma’s new boyfriend coming? Will he eat anything, or is he a fussy so and so, too? Should you make it a traditional or nontraditional lunch? What to do! Are you gonna do roast spuds? Have you even ordered the ham yet? And why bother with the brussels sprouts? No one eats them. Arrrgh! It’s too hard.

  Wait! Stop. Pour yourself a mulled wine and let me help. This book has the lot…and so much more. Take a flick through and find my suggestions for some nibbles to go with that much-needed drink. There’s advice on alternatives to a boring roast turkey and I’ll tell you the secret to the crispiest roast potatoes. Want a showstopping main? It’s all in here. Do you need help on dessert? I know a thing or two about that as well.

  Think of this book as a little survival guide to the holiday season – it has everything you need to totally crush Christmas. Everyone will be thanking you and trying to invite themselves back next year. They’ll be raving about your salads, impressed by your thoughtful edible gifts, and that Christmas trifle will be the talk of the town. Seriously, you are going to look like an absolute superstar! When Christmas is mentioned in years to come, ‘Careless Whisper’ by George Michael will spring to mind, closely followed by your magnificent pavlova.

  It’s the best time of year – I love it, so I wrote a book. Now, Christmas is yours…own it.

  Merry Christmas!

  DARREN

  Sample menus.

  The traditional

  Start

  Oysters mignonette

  Grilled prawn cocktail

  Main

  Turkey saltimbocca

  Cranberry, walnut + whisky sauce

  Cheesy polenta w sweet corn

  Brussels sprouts slaw

  Pork, leek, sage + fennel stuffing

  Dessert + cheese

  The Christmas pudding

  Garlic + rosemary–baked Vacherin Mont d’Or

  Mince pies

  Coffee-infused rum + dark chocolate truffles

  The luxe

  Start

  Sashimi tartare

  Oysters w Champagne + finger lime

  Scotch quail eggs

  Seafood platter

  Main

  Beef wellington

  Duck-fat roasted potatoes

  Fried brussels sprouts w white anchovy, walnut garlic + pecorino

  Cauliflower cheese

  Dessert + cheese

  Christmas trifle

  The cheeseboard

  Salted caramels

  A seafood surprise

  Start

  Grilled prawn cocktail

  Oysters baked with horseradish + parmesan

  Main

  Whole baked snapper w chilli, lime, lemongrass + coriander

  Cucumber, zucchini + fennel w goat’s curd + dill

  Broccolini w anchovy + lemon crumb

  Boiled new potatoes (recipe not included)

  Dessert

  Fruit salad w peach schnapps + Champagne sabayon

  Watermelon + strawberry frosé

  Moscato + raspberry jelly

  Trish’s shortbread

  The celebration

  Start

  Gin-cured ocean trout w blinis

  Oysters mignonette

  Main

  Orange + soy-glazed whole roasted duck

  Mud crab w ginger, spring onion + sesame

  Toasted sesame, honey + yuzu carrot salad

  Steamed rice (recipe not included)

  Charred pea + lettuce salad w bacon, goat’s cheese + mint

  Dessert

  Pavlova

  Barbecued spiced pineapple wedges

  *This book uses 15 ml (½ fl oz) tablespoons; cooks with 20 ml (¾ fl oz) tablespoons should be scant with their tablespoon measurements.

  It also uses metric cup measurements, i.e. 250 ml for 1 cup; in the US a cup is 8 fl oz, just smaller, and American cooks should be generous in their cup measurements; in the UK a cup is 10 fl oz and British cooks should be scant with their cup measurements.

  Equipment.

  The recipes in this book aren’t hard for you to make at home – and you certainly don’t need any fancy kitchen gear. You know, the stuff you rushed out to buy after you watched that cooking show. There is no reason for you to buy a Dewar flask and start googling liquid nitrogen supplier companies. You will need a few bits though. I guess they aren’t essential, but you will get better and more consistent results if you invest in the following pieces of equipment.

  Digital scales

  Leave the guesswork to a Christmas Day game of charades. To make (and nail) these dishes you need to follow the recipe. That means weighing out ingredients correctly; and that means a good set of digital scales.

  Digital thermometer

  So handy for so many things: making marshmallow, melting chocolate and testing the ‘doneness’ of meat. This is a must-have in my kitchen; I absolutely could not live without one. They are relatively inexpensive as well – and what’s $15 when you have probably spent twice that on assembling a beef wellington. You don’t want to overcook the beef; that would be a shame. So, be good and ask Santa for a digital thermometer.

  Knives

  You’ll need different knives for different jobs. It is well worth investing in and maintaining a set of knives. Carving, chopping, slicing and small paring jobs all need a different knife. Keep them sharp and your food will always look professionally done.

  Microwave oven

  This is perfect for melting small quantities of chocolate. Think of Chef Mike as your own little sous chef.

  Piping (icing) bags

  Disposable or not, these are great to direct creams and mixes onto cakes and desserts.

  Blow torch

  Not strictly essential but they are useful for lightly toasting meringue or marshmallow, or for crisping up that piece of pork crackling.

  Cocktail sauce.

  Makes 450 g (1 lb)

  3 egg yolks

  1 tablespoon lemon juice

  2 tablespoons warm water

  pinch of salt flakes

  250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) light olive oil

  2 tablespoons tomato sauce (ketchup)

  2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

  2 teaspoons sriracha sauce or hot chilli sauce

  1 teaspoon grated fresh horseradish or store-bought horseradish cream

  ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

  1 tablespoon brandy

  1/ Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, warm water and salt in a tall, narrow measuring jug. Process well using a hand-held blender.

  2/ Continue to blend while you add a tablespoon of oil to the jug. Mix until it emulsifies, then slowly trickle in the remaining oil. Continue to blend in an up and down
motion until you have mayonnaise. Add the remaining ingredients and blend well.

  3/ Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve with the Grilled prawn cocktail and as an accompaniment to the Seafood platter.

  Apple sauce.

  Makes 250 g (9 oz)

  30 g (1 oz) butter

  3 granny smith apples, or other tart cooking apples, peeled and chopped into 5 mm (¼ in) dice

  2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

  1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

  finely grated zest of 1 lemon

  1/ Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and add the apples. Stir and cook for 8 minutes. Add the sugar and cook for a further 4–5 minutes.

  2/ Remove from the heat and stir in the vinegar and lemon zest. Cool and serve with the Pork rack w crispy crackling.

  Chilli mayonnaise.

  Makes 350 g (12½ oz)

  3 egg yolks

  1 tablespoon lemon juice

  2 tablespoons warm water

  pinch of salt flakes

  250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) light olive oil

  chilli sauce, to taste

  1/ Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, warm water and salt in a tall, narrow measuring jug. Process well using a hand-held blender.

  2/ Continue to blend while you add a tablespoon of oil to the jug. Mix until it emulsifies, then slowly trickle in the remaining oil. Continue to blend in an up and down motion until you have mayonnaise. Blend in the chilli sauce. Cover and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve with Scotch quail eggs.

  Horseradish crème fraîche.

  Makes 350 g (12½ oz)

  250 g (9 oz) crème fraîche, at room temperature

  2 tablespoons grated fresh horseradish or store-bought horseradish cream

  juice of ½ lemon

  pinch of salt flakes

  1/ Using a spoon, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Serve with Gin-cured ocean trout.

  Quick pickled cucumbers.

  Makes 250 g (9 oz)

  1 French shallot

  80 ml (2½ fl oz/⅓ cup) white wine vinegar

  2 teaspoons caster (superfine) sugar

  1 teaspoon salt flakes

  1 Lebanese (long) cucumber

  1 tablespoon fresh dill fronds

  1/ Peel the shallot and thinly slice using a mandoline or sharp knife. Separate the slices and soak them in a bowl of boiling water. Leave for 10 minutes then drain.

  2/ Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

  3/ Cut the cucumber on the diagonal into 2 mm (⅛ in) thick slices and place in a bowl. Pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the cucumber. Add the shallot rings and dill and then set aside for 20 minutes before serving. Serve with the Gin-cured ocean trout and with Cucumber, zucchini + fennel w goat’s curd + dill.

  Cranberry, walnut + whisky sauce.

  Chef’s note

  Make this using frozen (thawed) cranberries instead of fresh ones if living in Oz, as fresh cranberries are hard to come by. In the US the cranberry harvest is during autumn (fall), and this is the perfect time to make this sauce.

  Makes 4 x 300 g (10½ oz) jars

  185 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) water

  160 g (5½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

  500 g (1 lb 2 oz) fresh cranberries

  100 g (3½ oz) dried cranberries, chopped

  100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) walnut halves, toasted and chopped

  finely grated zest and juice of 2 oranges

  100 ml (3½ fl oz) whisky

  1/ Put the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Bring to the boil and add the fresh cranberries, then continue to cook for about 5 minutes, or until most of the cranberries have expanded and burst open.

  2/ Remove from the heat and add the dried cranberries and walnuts followed by the orange zest and juice. Mix well, then stir in the whisky.

  3/ Transfer the sauce into plastic containers and store in the fridge. Alternatively, pour into sterilised jars and store in the pantry for up to 6 months. Refrigerate after opening and use within 1 month. This is a handy sauce to have in the fridge, not only at Christmas for your turkey but throughout the year – as an accompaniment to other roasted meats (either hot or cold), or even cheese, and it is particularly great in cold meat sandwiches.

  Gravy.

  Makes 300 ml (10¼ fl oz)

  60 ml (2 oz/¼ cup) light olive oil

  3 French shallots, sliced

  salt flakes

  1 carrot, peeled and sliced

  2 celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

  3 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

  1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

  1 bay leaf

  200 ml (7 fl oz) white wine

  600 ml (20 fl oz) chicken stock

  2 tablespoons plain (all-purpose) flour

  1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce

  1 tablespoon chardonnay vinegar

  freshly ground black pepper

  1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

  1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage

  50 g (1¾ oz) unsalted butter

  1/ Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium–high heat and add the shallots and ½ teaspoon salt. Fry the shallots for 2 minutes, stirring regularly, then add the carrot, celery and garlic. Fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are soft, then add the thyme and bay leaf and cook for a further 2 minutes.

  2/ Deglaze the pan with the wine, making sure you scrape any ‘caught’ bits on the base of the pan into the sauce. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, then add 200 ml (7 fl oz) of the stock and again cook to reduce the liquid in the pan. Once most of the liquid has reduced, reduce the heat to medium and add the flour, stirring it in well to coat the vegetables.

  3/ Add the remaining stock, the worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

  4/ Turn off the heat and stir in the chopped tarragon and sage. Leave to infuse for 30 minutes, then strain the gravy through a sieve into a small saucepan so it’s ready for reheating. Discard the vegetables.

  5/ To serve, reheat the gravy and whisk in the butter until melted. Check the seasoning and pour into a gravy jug.

  Custard/brandy custard.

  Makes 800 g (1 lb 12 oz)

  275 ml (9½ fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream

  275 ml (9½ fl oz) full-cream (whole) milk

  1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped

  95 g (3¼ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

  20 g (¾ oz) cornflour (cornstarch)

  3 egg yolks

  75 ml (2½ fl oz) brandy (optional)

  1/ Combine the cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds in a saucepan over low–medium heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove the pan from the heat and discard the vanilla bean.

  2/ Put the sugar, cornflour and egg yolks in a bowl and whisk together until the mixture pales and thickens.

  3/ Pour one-third of the hot cream mixture onto the egg yolk mixture in the bowl and whisk well to combine. Pour this back into the pan with the remaining cream mixture and mix well with a spatula or wooden spoon.

  4/ Return the pan to low–medium heat and whisk constantly until the custard starts to boil and bubble. Cook at this temperature for a further 20 seconds, stirring constantly, then stir in the brandy if using. Serve while warm.

  5/ Alternatively, transfer the warm custard to the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the custard on low to medium speed until it cools to room temperature – this will prevent your custard getting lumpy as it cools. Cover and store in the fridge until needed. This is the perfect sauce to serve with your triumphant Christmas pudding.

  Champagne sabayon.

  Makes 500 g (1 lb 2 oz)

  180 ml (6 fl oz/¾ cup) thickened (whipping) cream

  150 ml (5 fl
oz) Champagne or sparkling wine

  5 egg yolks

  70 g (2½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

  1/ Whisk the cream in a bowl until you have a thick ribbon. Refrigerate until needed.

  2/ Put the Champagne, egg yolks and sugar in a large metal bowl. Place the bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, ensuring the base of the bowl isn’t touching the water. Whisk by hand for 3–4 minutes until the mixture becomes thick and pale.

  3/ Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk by hand for a further minute. Chill the bowl in the fridge for 5 minutes and then gently fold in the cream. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve within an hour. Use this for a layer in the Christmas trifle, to serve with the Fruit salad w peach schnapps and with the Moscato + raspberry jelly.

  Hot chocolate sauce.

  Makes 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups)

  150 ml (5 fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream

  150 ml (5 fl oz) full-cream (whole) milk

  40 g (1½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

  200 g (7 oz) chopped dark chocolate, or chocolate melts (buttons)

  1/ Put the cream, milk and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate. Stir until the sauce is smooth and serve immediately. Serve this over ice cream or with the Hot banana, rum + raisin caramel puddings.

  Vanilla sauce.

  Makes 650 ml (22 fl oz)

  250 ml (8½ fl oz/1 cup) full-cream (whole) milk

  200 ml (7 fl oz) thickened (whipping) cream

  2 vanilla beans, seeds scraped

  5 egg yolks

  100 g (3½ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

  1/ Prepare a large bowl of ice and place a medium-sized bowl on top – this is to cool down the custard base once cooked.

  2/ Put the milk, cream, vanilla seeds, egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk to combine. Pour the mixture into a heavy-based saucepan over low heat and add the vanilla bean. Stir continuously with a spatula or spoon and cook to 82°C (180°F); use a digital thermometer to accurately check the temperature.

  3/ Remove the pan from the heat and strain the custard through a sieve into the bowl on the ice.