Tried and tested recipes for Christmas! Paula and Damien Brennan from the Yeat’s Experience Sligo talk new recipes for Christmas. Try them at tome and follow the recipes on OceanFM.ie.
Hot Smoked Salmon Pots (serves 4-6)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Oz butter
- 2 sticks celery peeled and chopped
- I small onion [peeled and chopped
- 8 oz Hot Smoked Salmon Skinned and Flaked
- 2 Tomatoes , skinned , seeded and chopped
- Juice of Half a Lemon
- 2 Tblsp Single Cream
- Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- I oz brown breadcrumbs
- 1 oz Cheddar Cheese finely grated
Method:
- Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the celery and onion until soft and brown
- Cool slightly
- Put the smoked salmon in a bowl, add the tomatoes, lemon juice, cream, pepper, celery and onion
- Divide into 6 small ramekins or place in one large oven proof dish
- Mix together the breadcrumbs and cheese
- Sprinkle evenly over the dishes
- Place in pre-heated oven at 180C / Gas Mark 4 for 20/25 minutes
- TIP: Can be prepared the day before and kept in the fridge.. Add the breadcrumb mix only before heating
- Further Idea: Substitute smoked mackerel in equal amounts if preferred
Moroccan Spiced Carrot Hummus (makes 3 ½ cups)
Ingredients
- I Lb Carrots, peeled and chopped into one-inch batons
- 3 Whole Cloves of Garlic, skin left on
- 4 TBSP of good Rapeseed Oil
- Tin of cooked Chick Peas, rinsed and drained
- ¼ cup of Tahini
- 2 Tbsp of Lemon Juice
- ½ Tsp each of Ground Cumin, Ground Ginger, Salt
- ¼ TSP each of ground Black Pepper, Ground Cinnamon, Ground Coriander, Ground Cayenne and Ground Allspice.
- 1/8 Tsp Ground Cloves
Method :
- Pre-heat oven to 200c
- Toss chopped carrots and whole garlic cloves with 2 Tbsp of the oil
- Scatter evenly on a baking sheet, lined with parchment and roast until the carrots are tender and slightly browned (18-20 mins) Toss carrots halfway through cooking
- Once cool enough to handle squeeze the garlic cloves out of their skins
- In the bowl of a food processor combine everything except the remaining oil
- With the motor running drizzle in the remaining two Tbsp of oil
- Process until smooth
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. If too thick, add a little water or more oil and process until the desired consistency is reached
- Store the Hummus in an airtight container in the fridge for up to seven days
Spinach Bar Recipe (Serves 8 or more)
Ingredients
- 10oz Package Frozen Spinach thawed, chopped and drained
- 4 Tbsp Butter
- 3 Eggs Beaten
- 1 Cup Milk
- ¼ Cup of Self Raising Flour
- 1 Tsp Salt
- 12-16 oz Cheddar finely grated
- 1 Small Onion Chopped
Method
- Preheat oven to 175c
- Melt butter in 13 x 9 Oven Dish
- Mix all other ingredients together and spoon into pan
- Bake at 175c for 35 minutes
- Cool slightly and cut into Bars
Tip: Can be made and refrigerated the day before for gentle reheating. I
Use vegetarian cheese and serve with a fresh tomato sauce for vegetarian guests
Spiced Venison Parcel
- Should make 12 or more parcels
- 12oz Minced Venison
- 1 Tbsp Sunflower oil
- I onion finely diced
- I clove garlic finely chopped
- 2 Cooking Apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 Tsp mild Curry Powder
- 1 Tsp Turmeric
- 2 Tsp Garam Masala
- ¼ Tsp Dried Tarragon
- 1 Heaped Tpsb Tomato Puree
- ½ – ¾ Pint of stock
- 12 teaspoons of breadcrumbs for Phyllo filling
- 2 Packets of Phyllo Pastry
- or 12 mini vol au vent cases already baked
- 5oz melted butter if using Phyllo
Method
- Heat the oil in a pan and sweat onion and garlic until soft
- Lower the heat and add the spices and cook gently for 3 minutes
- Add the minced venison and stir until all the lumps are gone
- Add tomato puree, apple, and stock
- Cook over a low heat until completely dry
- Leave to cool completely in a clean bowl
Phyllo Parcels:
- Take one sheet of Phyllo
- Brush all over with melted butter
- Put a tsp of breadcrumbs in the middle of one half of the pastry sheet
- Fold in two
- Place Tbsp of the cooled mince on top of the crumbed side and fold like an envelope, brushing with butter each time
- Place completed parcels on a baking tray lined with parchment and refrigerate for half an hour (can be covered with cling film and refrigerated overnight)
- Bake at 200c for 15 minutes until golden brown
- Serve with a blend of ½ Mayonnaise and ½ Mango ChutneyIf using Vol Au Vent cases: Bake the cases from frozen, when cooked and cooled collapse the puffy middle and fill with mince. Reheat at 180c for 10 mins and serve with a dollop of the Mango Mayonnaise on top
TIP:
We recommend Coopershill Venison (Riverstown, Sligo) Check their Facebook page for availability
Minced Lamb can be substituted for the venison
Phyllo Pastry is available from all good supermarkets or your local Asian outlet
Root Bake
Ingredients
- Serves 10 with other vegetables
- 650-gram Parsnips peeled and cut into even chunks
- 650 grams Swede peeled and cut into same size chunks
- 100gr sour cream
- 1 rounded teaspoon hot horseradish
- 2tbsps fresh thyme leaves
- butter for greasing
- Topping
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 50gram fresh white breadcrumbs
- 50grams butter
- small handful fresh thyme leaves plus extra for scattering
- 25gram Parmesan coarsely grated
Method
- Cook vegetables in boiling salted water until tender( about twenty minutes)
- Drain well and mash together until smooth but with some texture. Stir in sour cream, horseradish, and thyme. Season. Spoon into a buttered shallow ovenproof dish and cover with the topping (below)
- Make topping. Melt butter in a frying pan, add onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until golden. Mix in the breadcrumbs and stir to brown and crisp a little. Season and add thyme.
Tip: Can be cooked the day before and kept in the fridge, keeping topping separate to add before cooking.
Other root vegetables can be substituted ie Carrots, Sweet Potato, Squash etc.
Brussel Sprouts Gratin
Ingredients:
- 1 Lb of Sprouts, thinly sliced
- 3 Cloves of Garlic sliced
- 2 Fresh Tomatoes chopped
- 4 oz Parmesan Cheese
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- ¼ Tsp of Nutmeg
- Knob of Butter
Method:
- Butter a Baking -Dish
- Sautee onion, garlic, and tomato in a small knob of butter in a frying pan
- Toss in the remaining items and stir well, cooking for 3 minutes
- Transfer to the baking dish
- Top up with ½ Chicken stock and ½ cream just to surface of sprouts but not above.
- Cover with foil and bake at 200c in an oven for about 30 mins until sprouts are tender. Remove foil and cook on for 5-10 minutes. Allow standing for ten minutes before serving
TIP:
Top with seasoned breadcrumbs or with chopped chestnuts and fried pancetta
Hot Turkey Salad…perfect for the remains of the Christmas bird! (Serves 4 to 6)
- Cube about 2 Lbs of the cooked turkey
- 2 sticks celery, cooked and chopped
- 1 medium onion cut very small
- 2 slices of toast cut into squares, crusts on
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons pickle or chutney
- Salt
- 1 small tin unsweetened evaporated milk
- 3 drops Tabasco if desired
- For topping…Lots of grated cheese and toasted flaked almonds
Method
- Assemble all ingredients in a baking dish and if not cooking refrigerate without topping. When ready to cook add topping and cook in a medium oven 180c for approx one hour. Serve with a green salad and/or garlic bread
- TIP: Great for other family occasions (Communion, Confirmation etc. ) when it can be made with cooked chicken
Squash, Mustard and Gruyere Gratin
Serves 4 – 6
- Small knob of butter
- I Tbsp of Sunflower Oil
- 2 onions halved and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 300 ml double cream
- 200 ml of full milk
- 2 Tbsp of wholegrain mustard
- 1 Squash or Pumpkin, peeled, seeds removed, quartered and thinly sliced…about 2 Lbs and 2 oz of prepared weight
- 100 grams of Gruyere or vegetarian cheese alternative grated
- 8 fresh sage leaves (if available)
Method
- Heat the butter and oil in a large frying pan
- Add the onions and cook slowly over a low to medium heat, stirring every now and then for 15 minutes until brown and soft.
- Put the garlic and half the sage in a saucepan, with the cram and milk, heat gently for 5 minutes
- Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes
- Strain the mix into a bowl, stir in the mustard and season well
- Heat oven to 160c fan or Gas Mark 4
- Layer the pumpkin slices, onions, most of the cheese and the infused cream into a large baking dish finishing the top layer with cream
- Scatter with the remaining cheese and the four sage leaves and cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes and uncover, increase the heat to 180c Fan/ Gas Mark 6 and cook for a further 20-30 minutes until golden brown and tender through
Leave to cool for ten minutes before serving.
