It’s That Time of the Year: What’s for Christmas/Hanukkah Dinner?

What are we serving for Christmas/Hanukkah dinner?

• Sausage Rolls
• Nigella Lawson’s Butternut & Pasta Soup (recipe below)
• Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington (recipe below)
• Melissa Clark’s Classic Potato Latkes (recipe below)
• Gesine Bullock-Prado’s Maple Syrup Braised Carrots (recipe below)
• Mince Pies
• Christmas Pudding with Brandy Butter

Nigella Lawson’s Butternut & Pasta Soup (modified by CKcurated)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tsp olive oil
• ½ onion (or 1 small onion, peeled and chopped finely)
• 2 cups butternut squash (peeled and cut into ½ inch cubes)
• ¼ cup white wine (or dry vermouth)
• 2½ cups vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• ⅓ cup ditalini (or other soup pasta)
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese to serve

METHOD

• Heat the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan, and cook the onion for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly until it is soft.
• Add the cubes of butternut and turn in the pan for a couple of minutes. Pour in the wine and let it bubble up, then add the stock and bay leaf.
• Bring to the boil then reduce the heat slightly and simmer for about 10 minutes, checking that the butternut is tender and cooked through.
• Take out a ladleful and blend or puree it, then put it back in the pan. Then turn up the heat and add the ditalini or soup pasta, cooking according to packet instructions. This is usually about 10 minutes.
• Ladle into your soup bowl and sprinkle over Parmesan cheese as you wish.

Gordon Ramsay’s Beef Wellington (modified by CKcurated)

INGREDIENTS

• Approx. 1½ pound beef tenderloin
• Olive oil, for frying
• 10 ounces mixture of wild mushrooms, cleaned
• 3½ ounces roasted chestnuts, shelled and mashed
• 1 thyme sprig, leaves only
• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 6 slices of prosciutto
• 2 crepes
• Colman’s mustard
• 2 egg yolks, beaten with 1 tbsp water and a pinch of salt

For the red wine sauce:

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Approx. 7 ounces beef trimmings (reserve these when trimming the beef)
• 4 large shallots, peeled and sliced
• 12 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 thyme sprig
• Splash of red wine vinegar
• 1 x 750 ml bottle red wine
• 750 ml beef stock
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

• Wrap beef tightly in a triple layer of Saran wrap to set its shape (of a log about 3½ inch diameter), then chill overnight.
• Remove the Saran Wrap, then quickly sear the beef in a hot pan with a little olive oil for 30-60 seconds until browned all over and rare in the middle. Remove from the pan and leave to cool.
• Finely chop the mushrooms and fry them in a hot pan with a little olive oil, thyme leaves and some seasoning. When the mushrooms begin to release their juices, continue to cook over high heat for about 10 minutes until all the excess moisture has evaporated and you are left with a mushroom paste (known as a duxelles). Add mashed chestnuts. Remove the duxelles mixture from the pan and leave to cool.
• Place puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle large enough to envelop the beef. Chill in the refrigerator.
• Lay a large sheet of Saran wrap on a work surface and place the slices of prosciutto in the middle, overlapping them slightly, to create a square. Spread the duxelles evenly over the prosciutto.
• Season the beef with mustard, then place them on top of the duxelles-covered ham. Using the Saran wrap, roll the prosciutto over the beef, then roll and tie the Saran wrap to get a nice, evenly thick log. Chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
• Remove the Saran wrap from the beef, then wrap the crepe around the prosciutto-wrapped meat. (The crepe prevents excessive leakage of juice to the puff pastry when in the oven.)
• Brush the chilled pastry with the egg wash. Wrap the crepe-covered meat log with pastry. Trim the pastry and brush all over with the egg wash. (Optional: Decorate the puff pastry with lattice or other patterns – check YouTube for ideas and techniques.) Cover with Saran wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the red wine sauce:

• Heat the oil in a large pan, then fry the beef trimmings for a few minutes until browned on all sides. Stir in the shallots with the peppercorns, bay and thyme, and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots turn golden brown.
• Pour in the vinegar and let it bubble for a few minutes until almost dry. Now add the wine and boil until almost completely reduced. Add the stock and bring to the boil again. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour, removing any scum from the surface of the sauce, until you have the desired consistency. Strain the liquid through a fine strainer. Check for seasoning and set aside.

When you are ready to cook the Beef Wellington:

• Score the pastry lightly and brush with the egg wash again, then bake at 400°F for 20-30 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and cooked. Rest for 10 minutes before carving.
• Meanwhile, reheat the sauce. Serve the Beef Wellington sliced, with the sauce as an accompaniment.

Melissa Clark’s Classic Potato Latkes (modified by CKcurated)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large Russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed and cut lengthwise into quarters
• 1 large onion (8 ounces), peeled and cut into quarters
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp coarse kosher salt (or 1 tsp fine sea salt), plus more for sprinkling
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Safflower or other oil, for frying
• Apple sauce
• Sour cream

METHOD

• Using a food processor with a coarse grating disc, grate the potatoes and onion. Transfer the mixture to a clean dishtowel and squeeze and wring out as much of the liquid as possible.
• Working quickly, transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the eggs, flour, salt, baking powder and pepper, and mix until the flour is absorbed.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat, pour in about ¼ inch of the oil. Once the oil is hot (a drop of batter placed in the pan should sizzle), use a heaping tablespoon to drop the batter into the hot pan, cooking in batches. Use a spatula to flatten and shape the drops into discs. When the edges of the latkes are brown and crispy, about 5 minutes, flip. Cook until the second side is deeply browned, about another 5 minutes. Transfer the latkes to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and sprinkle with salt while still warm. Repeat with the remaining batter.
• Serve with apple sauce and sour cream.

Gesine Bullock-Prado’s maple syrup braised carrots (modified by CKcurated)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb carrots
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp ground sumac
• Salt

METHOD

• Cut carrots into discs or strips, and parboil.
• Braise the carrots in a slow heat with all the other ingredients.