MY FAVOURITE CHRISTMAS DINNER RECIPES (WHICH ALSO MAKE A MEAN ROAST)

I did a LOT of cooking over the Christmas period (thankfully I also had a mother at my flat that may despise cooking but is excellent in doing the cleaning up after) and also managed to rustle up a whole vegetarian friendly Christmas dinner with all the trimmings!

Ok, ok hear me out before you say "OMG I CAN'T SEE ANY MORE CHRISTMAS FOODS FOR ANOTHER 360 DAYS AT LEAST!.

Let's be real: it's going to be cold and dark and miserable outside for quite some time and what is there better to do on a Winter Sunday than stay in, make a proper roast dinner and wrap up in front of the telly with or without a glass of wine if you are on the Dry Jan vibes, especially if the roast comes with a Stella and veg heavy twist! Trust me on this one!

MUSHROOM & CHESTNUT WELLINGTON

INGREDIENTS

• 1 medium red onion (150g) peeled, cut in half lengthways and sliced
• 1 ½ tbsp olive oil divided
• 1 tsp sea salt divided
• ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp butter
• 300 g chestnut/brown mushrooms, sliced
• 4 cloves of garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh chopped tarragon
• 100 g cooked chestnuts (approx ¾ cup)
• 100 g baby spinach ( approx 3 ⅓ cups)
• 3 tbsp fine breadcrumbs
• 1 x 320g sheet of puff pastry
• 1 medium egg beaten

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 190C.
• Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. 
• Add the onions with ¼ teaspoon of sea salt and cook over medium heat until soft. 
• At least 15 minutes. 20 - 25 minutes if you have more time.
• Once soft add 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and stir well until the liquid evaporates.
• Remove to a large mixing bowl and leave to cool.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large sauté pan. 
• Add the mushrooms and cook until they are soft and they have released their juices. 
• Add 4 minced cloves of garlic and 1 tablespoon of chopped tarragon. 
• Stir well and cook for a minute or two.
• Crumble the chestnuts into the pan and mix well. 
• Remove this mixture to the mixing bowl with the red onions and leave to cool.
• Heat ½ a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, add the spinach and cook until wilted.
• Drain and squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as you can. Transfer to a chopping board then roughly chop.
• Add the chopped spinach to the mixing bowl with the mushrooms.
• Add 3 tablespoons of fine breadcrumbs along with ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper to the mixing bowl. Mix everything together well.
• Roll out the puff pastry.
• Add the mushroom filling along the centre of the pastry and using clean hands shape into a sausage shape.
• Turn one side of the pastry over the mushroom mixture, brush the egg wash then turn the other side over. Use a fork to seal the pastry. 
• Fold up the ends of the wellington and again use a fork to see them.
• Carefully turn the welling over so the seal is on the bottom. 
• Using a very sharp knife score diamonds in your pastry. 
• Start by scoring diagonal line in one direction along the whole wellington then repeat in the opposite direction.
• Brush the whole wellington in egg wash, remembering to do the sides too.
• Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and the pastry is completely cooked.
• Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before transferring to a serving dish or board.

THE BEST EVER CAULI CHEESE 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large (about 1kg) Cauliflower , broken into large florets
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 75g butter 
• 4 tbsp plain flour 
• 400ml whole milk 
• 400ml double cream 
• 150g mature cheddar, grated
• A good grating nutmeg 

METHOD

• Heat the oven to 220c.
• Put the cauliflower florets into a bowl and toss with the olive oil and plenty of seasoning. 
• Tip out onto a large baking tray, ensuring each floret has space around it. 
• Roast for 20-25 minutes until lightly charred and tender to the point of a knife. 
• Cool slightly. Turn down the oven to 200c.
• Put the butter into a pan over a medium heat and, once melted and foaming, add the plain flour. 
• Cook, while stirring, for 5 minutes until the butter turns a deep golden brown. 
• Put the milk and cream into a measuring jug.
• Turn the heat to low and splash in a few tbsp of the milk mixture and whisk vigorously. 
• It will form a thick paste that might look a little split but will come back together eventually. 
• Keep adding the milk, 2-3 tbsp at a time, whisking vigorously all the time, only adding more milk once fully absorbed and the sauce is thick. 
• Once all of the milk and cream are in, you will have a smooth sauce. 
• Simmer gently, while regularly whisking, for 15 minutes to cook out the flour and thicken the sauce some Remove from the heat and stir through the cheddar, grate in the nutmeg and season well.
• Put the cauliflower florets into a deep baking dish then pour over the sauce. 
• Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top is charred, bubbling and golden

GARLIC & HERBS ROAST POTATOES A LA RENÉE (INSPIRED BY A TRUE BRIT AND GREAT FRIEND)

INGREDIENTS

• Maris piper potatoes (a few per person+ a couple extra)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Small bunch fresh sage leaves and fresh rosemary, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• Plenty of garlic cloves, left whole

METHOD

• Preheat the oven to 180°c.
• Peel the potatoes, cut in half and par boil for 12-15 minutes in salted boiling water.
• Meanwhile, add good glug of olive oil to an oven proof dish and place in to the oven.
• Once the potatoes have par boiled, drain and leave to steam in the colander for a few minutes. 
• Give the potatoes a good shake in the colander so that the outer edges break up a little and become beautifully fluffy.
• Take the dish of hot oil out of the oven.
• Carefully pour the potatoes into dish and turn until they are coated with the oil. 
• Season with good quality salt (pink Himalayan or Malden sea salt work a treat), cracked black pepper and add the garlic and herbs.
• Roast in the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Remove from the oven, by this point they should be turning beautifully golden brown but they can still be improved to be extra delicious.
• Turn each potato over. 
• Put them back into the oven for another 20-30 minutes or until perfectly golden brown and crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

ROAST CARROTS & BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH POMEGRANATE SEEDS

INGREDIENTS

• 200g brussel sprouts, trimmed
• 400g chanteay carrots
• Pomegranate seeds to top

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 200c.
• Add carrots and Brussel sprouts to a baking tray and toss in olive oil.
• Roast in the oven for 25 minutes, tossing the veg half way through
• Take out of the oven, add to serving dish and top with pomegranate seeds

AND SERVE WITH PLENTY OFGRAVY!