INovember isn’t solely harvested, the lingonberry additionally appears to be like prefer it belongs on the Christmas tree – every glowing crimson berry is strung on a string between tufts of darkish inexperienced spruce. Culinary tinsel. The piercing seaweed can also be a welcome visitor within the kitchen and units a distinction to the richness of the feast.
This ruby crimson berry deserves higher than ending its days braised with sugar and port wine as a sauce for the massive chook. I squeeze the uncooked berries into the almond filling of a Christmas cake, the place they pop and pop, and their juice colours the pale floor almond filling like lipstick on a mime woman’s lips. Additionally they do quite a bit to make a mince pie.
That is additionally once I rejoice the Brussels sprouts – properly, somebody has to. You possibly can typically win over objectors by retaining your sprouts out of the water. I minimize it in half and fry it within the bacon fats that lives in a mug within the fridge, like my grandma did with beef dip. Throw in a number of pecans or walnuts, or mash them with cream and some chopped anchovies in the event you dare. The neat, dense-leaved mini cabbage can also be a festive salad with pears, stilton and mustard.
I am certain you realize what you are going to be consuming that day your self, so I will not thoughts, however consider this cranberry cake that is perhaps a Christmas breakfast thought. Even higher: pack a number of slices in an outdated toffee can in your Christmas stroll.
Cranberry apple frangipane tart
For 8 or extra folks
For the pastry:
butter 100 g
powdered sugar 100 g
egg yolk 1, simply overwhelmed
plain flour 250 g
baking powder 1 teaspoon
water 2 tbsp
For the filling:
Apples 400g
butter 130g
powdered sugar 125g, plus a bit extra on the finish
Eggs 2, simply overwhelmed
self-raising flour 60g
floor almonds 125g
Cranberries 150g
Flaked almonds 3 tbsp
You want an oblong tart type measuring approx. 30cm x 20cm x 4cm and a provide of baking beans.
For the dough, beat the butter and powdered sugar till creamy – I exploit a mixer with a whisk. Convey within the egg yolks. Combine and add the flour and baking powder, then regularly add the water till a agency batter is shaped. Relying on the flour, you will have rather less or extra.
Place the dough on a flippantly floured board, knead flippantly for lower than a minute (longer time there’s a threat that it’ll harden), roll right into a ball, wrap in baking paper and refrigerate for about half-hour.
After resting, roll out the dough on a flippantly floured board and line the underside and sides of the tart pan with it. Minimize off any extra dough, ensuring there are not any holes or cracks. Chill for an additional half-hour.
Preheat the oven to 190C / fuel mark 5. Place an empty baking sheet or pizza stone within the oven. Fill the batter with foil and baking beans, then bake on the stone or baking tray for 20 minutes. Take away the beans and foil, then place the batter within the oven for about 5 minutes, till it’s dry to the contact and a pale cookie coloration. Take out of the oven and decrease the temperature to 160C / fuel mark 3.
Make the filling: peel and core the apples and minimize into slices. Soften 30 g butter, then add the apples and cook dinner for 7-10 minutes till they soften.
Beat the remainder of the butter and powdered sugar till frothy. Regularly add the eggs to the butter and sugar. When the combination coagulates, add some flour and use a rubber spatula to scrape the perimeters of the bowl often.
Regularly stir within the flour and floor almonds and beat slowly till the flour is combined. Unfold the combination into the batter and clean the floor barely. Place the cranberries and the cooked apples on the almond filling, then sprinkle with the flaked almonds and the extra sugar. Bake for 35-40 minutes, till it feels spongy to the contact. Let relaxation for 20 minutes earlier than reducing.
A salad made out of Brussels, pears and blue cheese
Inexperienced shoots: adequate to transform even sprout refusers. Picture: Jonathan Lovekin / The Observer
The Brussels sprouts are briefly blanched, which softens the leaves and reduces the warmth. Serves 2-3
the Brussels sprouts 350g
Pears 2, huge and crisp
stilton 140g
For the dressing:
Coriander leaves 7g
Parsley leaves 8g
Mint leaves 6g
olive oil 6 tbsp
water 2 tbsp
spring onions 3
Put together the dressing: put the coriander, parsley and mint in a blender, then pour in olive oil and water. Chop the spring onions and add to a thick, inexperienced sauce for a number of seconds earlier than processing. Season with a bit salt and put aside.
Minimize off the sprouts and take away the outermost inexperienced leaves and save. Convey a deep saucepan of water to a boil. Finely grate the remaining sprouts.
Put a bowl of ice and water on the range. Put the outermost leaves of the sprouts within the boiling water, depart for 1 minute, then take away them with a spider or a draining spoon and immerse them within the ice water.
Add the crushed sprouts to the boiling water, let it relaxation for a minute till the colour has lightened, then drain and add to the ice water. Halve the pear from the stem to the bottom, then take away the core and minimize the pulp into skinny slices. Drain the shredded sprouts and leaves (you need to use a salad spinner when you have one). Pan the pears and sprouts within the dressing and place in a serving bowl. Crumble over the stilton and serve.
Observe Nigel on Twitter @NigelSlater
