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Christmas Beetroot

From Ainsley Harriott

6 large raw beetroot
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp olive oil
150ml half-fat crème fraîche
2 tbsp grated horse radish
salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 200C/ gas mark 6/ 400F. Peel the beetroot and cut them into wedges. Tip into a roasting tray and drizzle with the vinegar. Sprinkle over the cumin seeds. Turn occasionally and roast until tender, but with a bite - about 25-30 minutes. Serve with a dollop of horseradish and crème fraîche mixed.

Roast Winter Veg

"Try roasting your vegetables in goose fat, which, if carefully used, can be recycled several times. Vegetables done this way are easily delicious enough to get a solo outing as a supper too". Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

Any of the following vegetables can be roasted in about 2cm depth of rendered goose fat. The fat should be thoroughly heated in a roasting tin in a fairly hot oven (200C/gas mark 6) before you begin. All should be turned once or twice during cooking and seasoned towards the end with salt and pepper.

To serve up, drain on kitchen paper and season again.

Parsnips: peeled and cut as you like, 30-35 mins
Swede: peeled and cut into large chunks, 30-35 mins
Pumpkins and squashes: in chunks, deseeded but not skinned, 30 mins
Shallots: whole, skins on, 30 mins
Garlic: whole bulbs, skins on, 30 mins
Leeks: cut into 5cm lengths, 20 mins
Celeriac: peeled and cut into 5cm cubes, 35 mins

Brussels Sprouts

"Brussels sprouts don't have to be boring: try adding some Christmassy extras such as chestnuts and bacon to spruce them up". Richard Corrigan.

75g unsmoked streaky bacon, cut into lardons
600g small Brussels sprouts, trimmed
sunflower oil
400g vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the grill. Spread out the bacon lardons on a baking tray or sheet of foil and grill them until cooked, stirring occasionally. Blanch the sprouts in boiling, salted water for two minutes or just until tender. Drain and refresh. Heat a film of oil in a frying pan, and add the chestnuts. Add the sprouts and the bacon. Heat through, stirring. Serve.

Chestnuts

To peel chestnuts, use a sharp pointed knife to slice a horizontal slash or a large X along the flat side before roasting or boiling.

To boil, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop out a few at a time and peel off the shell and skin with a sharp knife. As they cool, they become more difficult to peel, so keep them in hot water until you are ready to peel. Use another recipe to complete the cooking.

To boil and cook them completely, simmer for 15 to 25 minutes. This method is best used when you will be mashing the chestnuts or pushing them through a sieve for puree as they tend to break up.

To roast chestnuts, make cuts as above. Place on a baking sheet at 400F for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.

To roast in a fire, take an aluminum pie plate and punch rows of holes. Make cuts as above, and place on a grill over white hot coals.

Braised Red Cabbage

"This is delicious with any kind of game, roast goose or duck. It even works with turkey! You can vary the flavours by replacing the thyme with a few cloves and a pinch of cinnamon, or maybe even a couple of crushed juniper berries. Serves: 6. From Waitrose

½ lemon, juiced
2 thyme sprigs
50ml light chicken stock
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp light brown sugar
1 large red cabbage, finely sliced
2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 medium onions, finely sliced
30g butter

Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3. Melt the butter in a large flameproof casserole, add the onion and apples and cook gently until softened. Add the cabbage, sugar, vinegar, stock and thyme.

Bring to a simmer, cover with a close-fitting lid, place in the oven and cook for about 1 hour 45 minutes, until tender, stirring once or twice during cooking. When the cabbage is cooked, season to taste and add the lemon juice.

Honey Roast Carrots (and/or Parsnips)

1kg Chantenay carrots , or large carrots, cut into big chunks
1 tsp clear honey (optional)
juice 1 large orange (optional)
2 tbsp mild olive oil

Heat oven to 200C/180C/gas 6. Boil carrots for 5 mins util almost cooked, drain. Mix the rest of the ingredients in a small roasting tray, tip in carrots, season and roast for 20 mins until cooked, but still with a little bite.

Alternatively, use 2 tbsp Provender honey and mustard marinade

Candied Shallots

From The Hairy Bikers

30 shallots, peeled
150g/5oz butter
3 tbsp caster sugar
200ml/7fl oz red wine
125ml/4fl oz port crème de cassis
600ml/1 pint beef stock
1 fresh bay leaf
1 lemon, zest only
1 tsp dried thyme

Simmer the shallots gently for 4-5 minutes in a pan of boiling water to soften. Drain.

Heat the butter in a non-reactive frying pan, add the shallots and fry gently until golden-brown, about 3-4 minutes.

Add the sugar and stir until it melts and begins to caramelise and coat the shallots.

Mix the wine, port, cassis and stock together in a bowl. Add a quarter of the wine mixture to the pan with the shallots and bring to a boil, then add the bay leaf and lemon zest. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering, then continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.

Add some more of the wine mixture to the pan and simmer again until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Add the remaining liquid bit by bit, reducing each time, until the shallots are coated in the glaze. Set aside until needed.