Innholdsfortegnelse for Christmas 2020 i Good Food

One thing we’ve achieved this year is seeing the wisdom in accepting – and making the most of – changing circumstances. And now to Christmas, our greatest challenge! We’re here to share recipes that will truly inspire you, and let you plan where you can and adapt where necessary. Two words run loud and clear throughout the magazine: ease and excellence. Take Esther Clark’s simple roast sage & lemon chicken, for example: a familiar dish transformed by a clever trick the night before (p32). And, for everyone who has become a baking whizz, Cassie Best’s cover-star fault-line cake will delight (p26). I can’t wait to see your versions in our BBC Good Food Together Facebook group and on Instagram – be sure to tag us! There’s more, of course –…

Easy and indulgent MENU FOR 4 An easy salad followed by an indulgent wellington and a dessert that can be made ahead, frozen and defrosted on the day Shredded sprout ‘Caesar’ salad, p102 Pork & chestnut wellington, p84 Espresso martini cheesecake, p106 Christmas Eve MENU FOR 4-6 It’s all about comfort with this creamy gratin and festive sticky toffee pudding Haddock & Jarlsberg gratin, p93 Christmas sticky toffee pudding, p56 Veggie Christmas dinner MENU FOR 6-8 Pair this showstopping wreath with colourful sides, then finish with a lighter Christmas pudding spiked with clementine and chocolate Jewelled squash, chestnut & mushroom wreath, p38 Vegan mushroom gravy, p42 Hasselback parsnips with orange & maple syrup, p40 Spiced ginger beer slow cooker cabbage, p124 Lighter Christmas pudding with a twist, p45 Alternative Christmas…

Nadiya’s family traybake Kids can help assemble this easy bake with mince pie flavours Christmas white chocolate traybake SERVES 16 PREP 20 mins plus cooling COOK 35 mins EASY V * 225g unsalted butter, plus extra for the tin 225g light brown soft sugar 4 medium eggs 200g mincemeat, from a jar 1 orange, zested 200g plain flour 2 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg For the white chocolate icing 200g white chocolate, plus extra for grating 100g double cream 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Line and butter a 20cm square brownie tin. Beat the butter and sugar using an electric whisk for about 5 mins until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each one is well…

Say hello to a fun new twist on the classic G&T. Northumberland-based Hepple Spirits has released a Douglas fir (or Christmas tree) sherbet, designed to be used as a garnish for your drink. The flavoured sherbet is made using pine needles from the fir trees that grow around the distillery. We dipped the rim of our glass in lemon juice (or you could use water), then the sherbet, before filling it with ice, gin and tonic water. You can also add some to the drink itself, or use it in cocktails for a festive flourish. The pine is stronger in aroma than it is in taste, so don’t be scared to stir it in. It also makes a cute stocking filler for any budding mixologists. hepplespirits.com…

MAKE IT MAGICAL Spread some Christmas cheer Give special presents and share festive moments with your family this season Homemade gifts Spend an afternoon in the kitchen with the kids making a batch of edible gifts. Jam and chutney make lovely hamper fillers, and they’ll last for months if stored in sterilised jars. I like to make apple & cranberry chutney to give with fancy crackers and a nice cheese. Or, a bottle of gingerbread syrup tied with ribbon and gift tags. Give it in a little package with a special mug and luxury hot chocolate. The gift of food Many charities and food banks collect presents and food parcels for those in need over Christmas. The next time you’re shopping with the family, ask your kids to choose non-perishable…

I didn’t have a clue how to use my freezer properly until lockdown. Up to then, it was a bit like a broom cupboard. ‘I’ll work it out later,’ I’d mutter to myself. And, like a broom cupboard, things would fall out when I opened the door. Peas would skitter across the floor, or a pack of chicken thighs, hastily shoved in, would fall onto my foot. Those frozen packs are heavy! The freezer we had when I was growing up, a big chest model that lived in the garage, was a vast box with ice-lollies, sorbet and frozen Florida orange juice (with bits in), always at the top. In summer, there was a lot of running to the garage to retrieve those lollies. Come lockdown, we started to organise…

Espresso martini cheesecake SERVES 12 PREP 40 mins plus cooling and 24 hrs freezing COOK 10 mins EASY V * 70g salted butter, plus extra for the tin 100g dark chocolate digestive biscuits 150g almond cantuccini or biscotti 150g dark chocolate, chopped 500g full-fat soft cheese 180g icing sugar 300ml double cream 30ml espresso or strong coffee 50ml coffee liqueur 1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or 1 vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out For the coffee syrup 50ml coffee liqueur 50ml espresso or strong coffee 50g golden caster sugar To serve 200g soured cream 30g chocolate-coated coffee beans 1 Butter a 20 x 25 x 4.5cm loose-bottomed cake tin and line with baking parchment. Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, then pour into a large…

A MONTH AHEAD Sunday 22 November Stir-Up Sunday Make a batch of our traditional mincemeat (p46) to use in mince pies, an extra-fruity Christmas cake (p49) or a lighter Christmas pud (p45) and store for the big day. A WEEK AHEAD Prepare your alternative dessert course in advance with our make- and freeze-ahead espresso martini cheesecake on page 106. TWO DAYS AHEAD Prep and chill the cranberry sauce with gin & rosemary (p120) so it’s ready to reheat on the day. Make our crispy onion bread sauce (p120), then cool and chill to reheat on the day. CHRISTMAS EVE Morning Make the spiced ginger beer slow cooker cabbage (p124) to reheat the next day. You can warm it again on Christmas Day in the slow cooker, or in a pan…

500 years of British cheese hamper This selection honours our past, and helps us feel excited about the future. Eat cheese history with five that will take you from the 17th century to today. £45, finecheese.co.uk Strictly cheese night hamper Great fun for an evening with family or friends, this contains four premium cheeses plus scorecards, so everyone can rate them on texture, looks and taste. £40, paxtonand whitfield.co.uk A cheesemonger’s Christmas selection Experts at Neal’s Yard Dairy offer a virtual tasting along with this box of five artisan British cheeses that includes crackers, tasting notes and pairing suggestions. £50, nealsyard dairy.co.uk The Union Jack cheese box Enjoy four fabulous British cheeses – Lincolnshire Red, Stichelton Blue, Baron Bigod Brie and Vintage Lincolnshire Poacher. £34, lincolnshire poacher cheese.com Christmas cheese…

Wine expert Henry Jeffreys, along with the BBC Good Food team, selects all of the wines on offer to BBC Good Food readers. Henry writes about wine for The Guardian and The Spectator, and on his blog, worldofbooze.wordpress.com. He’s also a judge in the Best Drinks Producer category for the BBC Food and Farming Awards. His book, The Home Bar (£25, Jacqui Small), is out now. Wakefield Shiraz Wine type Heritage Shiraz Characteristics Dark berries and spices Try it with Diana Henry’s Azerbaijani-style lamb with apricots & chestnuts (p93) Ravensthorpe Padthaway Chardonnay Wine type French Grenache with Syrah and Carignan Characteristics Notes of peach and apple Try it with Mustard chicken one-pot (p144) A wine for every dish Ever wondered which white wine to match with your pasta? Or curious…

Have a notepad ready for the ultimate guide to your Christmas food shop. Our expert panel of BBC Good Food judges blind-tasted more than 150 products to find the best buys available in UK supermarkets this season. Also in the opinion section Food lover’s gift guide Melissa Thompson gets into the spirit of giving (p160) My favourite dish Tony Naylor hears about classic African comfort food (p168) The best wines for celebrating Victoria Moore’s picks for making merry, p166…

1 Antica Formula Carpano Vermouth, from £31.13 (100cl), masterofmalt.com and thewhisky exchange.com For the negronilover in your life, this litre-bottle of red vermouth is a great gift. For a stocking filler, get the 37.5cl size at Ocado (£14). 2 Mad Fish Sauvignon Blanc 2020 Western Australia, £9, Tesco This Aussie white is less pungent than one from Marlborough, but still refreshing. Think lemon sorbet, white grapefruit rind and cut grass. 3 Christmas pudding Madeira, £16.50 (37.5cl), Fortnum & Mason A majestic fortified wine that tastes of dried fruit, roasted walnuts, caramel and candied citrus peel. Never mind the Christmas pudding – this makes a beautiful glass with a good hard cheddar or piece of stilton. 4 Ashling Park Estate Cuvée Brut, NV South Downs, England, £29.50, ashlingpark.co.uk English sparkling wine…

Benjamina Ebuehi Get ahead on your Christmas traditions with Benjamina’s Christmas cake and pudding, plus mincemeat for Stir-Up Sunday (p44). Cassie Best Our food director has sprinkled magic on every page, including her recipes for Christmas dinner sausage rolls (p194) and baked garlic prawns (p146). Hero Hirsh Want to know how to create the perfect cheeseboard? Find Hero’s expert guide to British cheese on page 130. Tom Kerridge Try Tom’s pork wellington (p82), and sign up for our newsletter at bbcgoodfood.com/signup to find out how you can chat with Tom online about The Hand & Flowers Cookbook.…

WHAT WE’RE DRINKING Easy mocktails For an alternative to the usual tipples this festive season, try one of our alcohol-free drinks – they’re quick and easy to make 4 festive mocktails Our resident drinks expert Miriam Nice shares simple, seasonal ideas with zero booze Pineapple & ginger punch SERVES 6-8 PREP 5 mins EASY V 750ml pineapple juice 1 lime, juiced small bunch of mint, woody stalks removed ice 750ml ginger beer To garnish 6-8 mint sprigs 6-8 whole star anise (optional) 1 Pour the pineapple juice and lime juice into a blender. Add the mint and a couple of handfuls of ice, then blitz until the ice is crushed. Pour into tumblers filled with more ice, then top up with the ginger beer. 2 Garnish each glass with mint…

Great British Menu Former Great British Menu champions Jason Atherton, Tommy Banks, Lisa Goodwin-Allen, Tom Aikens and Simon Rogan return to the kitchen with seven other chefs this December to create a Christmas feast for key workers. Watch the seven-part series on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Nigella’s Cook, Eat, Repeat Everyday dishes with added panache, like crab mac ‘n’ cheese and chocolate peanut butter cake, are the focus of Nigella Lawson’s new six-part series. Nigella also shares the vintage cookbooks and social media ideas that inspire her. Starts in November on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Picking round apples A real charmer from the radio archives this month. Steve Carver joins a group of senior seasonal apple pickers who return each year to a Herefordshire fruit farm in their…

Myrtle’s Kitchen orange & whisky marmalade £3.90 (220g), myrtleskitchen. co.uk This luxury marmalade tastes extra-special, with thick pieces of peel, a citrus zing, and subtle notes of whisky. Enjoy on toast in the morning, or gift to any marmalade lover. Matthew’s Preserves spicy mango chutney £5 (425g), matthewspreserves.co.uk A tangy mango chutney with just the right amount of heat, a jammy texture and whole spices. Great with Christmas ham. Rosebud Preserves smoked apple butter £3.95 (125g), rosebudpreserves. co.uk With a nice sweetness and subtle smoky flavour, this apple butter makes a delicious partner for good cheddar.…

Natalie Hardwick, editor, bbcgoodfood.com Natalie is responsible for the everyday running of our award-winning website, which has over 13,000 inspiring recipes that can save and sort in you your My Good Food account. She also oversees all our review content, from Christmas gift guides and taste tests, to product round-ups. ‘One brilliant part of my job is getting to see new food releases and put them to the test. We only recommend products we can confidently get behind, so you can trust us to give you the best. The Good Food team is stridently opinionated about products, which ensures the selection process is always interesting! Seeking out artisan producers, independent retailers and new talents to showcase is also a real privilege.’ There’s a world of Christmas inspiration…

Cake board A 20cm cake board will make the cake much easier to assemble, and transfer to and from the fridge. If you like, you can cover the board with icing so it’s not visible when the cake is fully decorated, then just pop it on a nice stand or serving plate. Cake turntable Icing a cake is so much easier with a turntable, as you can spin the cake in a steady, smooth motion. Icing scraper Get flawlessly smooth icing using a scraper. If you don’t have one, you can make your own by cutting a piece of thick plastic into a rectangle about the size of a passport. Small offset spatula This will make applying icing to the side of the cake much easier.…

Benjamina Ebuehi is a cookbook author, recipe developer and food stylist. She appeared on the seventh series of The Great British Bake Off, and finished as a quarter-finalist. Find more of her recipes on her blog, carrotandcrumb.com. @bakedbybenki Lighter Christmas pudding If you want something lighter to finish off your meal, this pud is for you. It’s packed with all the classic fruits and spices, but uses butter instead of suet and steams in half the time of a traditional pudding. SERVES 10-12 PREP 20 mins plus at least 3 hrs soaking and cooling COOK 2 hrs 30 mins MORE EFFORT V 150g sultanas 50g dried apricots 100g raisins 50g mixed peel 100ml rum 100g unsalted butter, plus extra for the basin 125g light brown soft sugar 1 lemon, zested…

Clementine-printed gift tags Got leftover clementines or oranges? Use them to create bespoke name tags – they’re a beautiful addition to a gift. 1 clementine, orange or other citrus fruit paint brush acrylic paint card hole punch string or ribbon felt tip or permanent marker stencil (optional) 1 Cut the clementine in half and leave it to dry out overnight. 2 Paint a thin layer of acrylic paint over the top of the cut-side of the fruit. Press the painted side onto the card, repeating until the sheet of card is filled with prints – you may have to reapply the paint. Leave to dry completely. 3 Cut the card into rectangles around the clementine prints. Hole-punch the top of each rectangle and tie a 15cm piece of ribbon or…

Tourtiere Dianna Ashworth Inspired by a recipe from chef Robert Bourassa (of Café Henry Burger in Quebec), this French-Canadian meat pie is a must for Dianna and her family, who live in Ottawa. She says, ‘It’s an honour to celebrate the heritage of my grandmothers with this traditional meat pie. It feels and smells like Christmas when it’s cooking in the oven.’ SERVES 4-6 PREP 40 mins plus cooling COOK 2 hrs MORE EFFORT * 11/2 tbsp vegetable oil 175g pork mince 175g lean beef mince 200g veal mince 1 onion, finely chopped 1 large carrot, grated 1 celery stick, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, crushed 175ml red wine 1 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp each ground mace and nutmeg 3 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 175ml beef stock…

For Jess Whitehead and her family, their love of baking is a long-standing family tradition. Jess comes from generations of women with flour-covered fingers handing knowledge down to each other. She was in the kitchen from the age of three and could separate an egg by five. Now at 24, not a week goes by without her getting into the kitchen to apply those skills. Through lockdown, Jess baked with a lot of help from her 85-year-old grandmother, Joan Tidd. She’s also known as Blackberry Grandma because she had them growing in her garden – frequently raided when the grandchildren visited. Even now, Joan signs all of her texts ‘BG’. As for many families, 2020 has been a hard year, and Christmas still has its uncertainties because of the fluid…

Crispy onion & bread sauce Elevate bread sauce with buttery, crisp onions. SERVES 8-10 PREP 15 mins COOK 20 mins EASY V 1 onion, finely sliced 50g butter 400ml milk 1 bay leaf pinch of ground cloves 120g crustless white bread, torn into pieces 100ml double cream or mascarpone black onion seeds and crispy onions, to serve (optional) 1 Heat a dry saucepan until hot and cook the onions for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to char, then add the butter. Sizzle for 5 mins until the onions are soft and the butter is light brown. Pour in the milk, then add the bay leaf and ground cloves. Season. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 5 mins. 2 Turn off the heat, scoop out the…

WHAT IS AN ESPRESSO MARTINI? Created in the 80s by Dick Bradsell, it’s been reworked many times, and its current iteration contains coffee, coffee liqueur, vodka and sugar syrup. When it came to perfecting it for you, I wanted to solve the common issues we see reported to us at Good Food HQ. These include making sure that the foamy top is easy to recreate (see my advice, below), the coffee flavour really shines through, and the drink isn’t overly sweet. I also wanted to ensure the flavours are well balanced. HOW TO GET THAT FOAM You create foam by shaking the cocktail – this whips air into the mixture. But, you need to do that without diluting the drink too much. To achieve this, shake it as quickly and…

This recipe uses ready-made pigs in blankets, along with the kind of veg most of us have in stock during the festivities. You can substitute other veg, just make sure it’s cut to roughly the same size so it cooks properly. Frozen peas can be stirred through about 10 mins before the end of cooking. SERVES 4 PREP 5 mins COOK 1 hr 10 mins EASY * 2 medium carrots (about 100g), cut into thick slices 2 small parsnips (about 80g), woody ends removed and cut into chunks 1 red onion, cut into wedges 2 tsp olive oil 16 chipolata-sized pigs in blankets or 8 larger ones 39g sachet Colman’s Sausage Casserole Mix 2 tsp wine or cider vinegar 2-3 tbsp cream or crème fraîche (optional) 2 tbsp chopped soft…

Curried kale & chickpea soup SERVES 2 PREP 10 mins COOK 25 mins EASY V * 1 tsp rapeseed or coconut oil 1 onion, chopped 1 tbsp grated ginger 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 sweet potato (about 200g), peeled and cut into 2cm cubes 1 tsp turmeric 2 tsp ground cumin 2 tbsp medium or hot curry powder 400g can chickpeas, rinsed 150ml low-fat coconut milk 500ml vegetable stock (see tip, right) 160g kale, chopped 1 lime, juiced 1 red chilli, finely chopped (optional) 1 Heat the oil in a large pan and fry the onion for 5 mins. Add the ginger and garlic, fry for 1 min more, then stir in the sweet potato, spices and chickpeas. Cook for another 5 mins, adding a little water if the spices…

the dilemma We want something that’s easy to make, but still special to eat amid the wrapping of presents and decking of halls ahead of the big day. the solution This seafood dish feels like such a treat, but it’s simple to prepare. To save time on Christmas Eve, you can prep ingredients in advance, only making the gremolata at the last minute before roasting. Christmas has to be one of the most carnivorous festivals around – there’s turkey, ham, sausages wrapped in bacon, and then the leftovers (in my house that usually means turkey pie, soup, curry and a big Boxing Day hash). So, for Christmas Eve, I tend to choose a veg- or fish-based sharing dish. Serving fish on Christmas Eve is a popular tradition. In many European…

FOOD & DRINK Personalised Heinz Beanz (415g), £5.49, heinztohome. co.uk Know someone who loves baked beans? Give them a personalised can (order before 18 Dec). Cabby’s Spiced Rum (70cl), £35, taxispirit.com or thewhiskyexchange. com A unique spiced rum with notes of almond, clove, ginger and cinnamon, with a subtle treacle-like sweetness. It’s delicious sipped over ice or in a dark & stormy cocktail. Willie’s Cacao sea salt caramel pearls (150g), £6.59, williescacao.com These caramel-filled chocolates in 70% dark or 54% milk chocolate are gold-wrapped for an extra touch of luxury. Salcombe Gin Restless – Voyager Series (50cl), £64.95, masterofmalt. com An extra special, blow- the-budget gin, this was made in collaboration with Great British Menu’s Niall Keating, and is herbaceous, zesty and easy drinking. Don’t Look Down…

Your letters Family favourite I adore the reader recipes, as they give us a chance to peer into family traditions. Elizabeth Uwaifo, your West African jollof rice recipe has become a family favourite. When the magazine arrives I know what page I’m heading to first, to see where in the world we’re going today. Andy Midwinter, Wiltshire We asked you... Do you agree that some dishes taste better the next day and if so, which ones? ‘I would say curries and chilli taste better the next day. It seems to allow the spices to become more intense.’ Deborah Cordey-Chown ‘Jewish chicken soup! Has to be served the next day!’ Sharon Traub ‘Tiramisu eaten the day after is divine, the sponges soak up all the flavour and the cream cheese top…

Christmas dinner sausage roll MAKES 16 PREP 20 mins COOK 30 mins EASY * 375g ready-rolled puff pastry 2 heaped tbsp cranberry sauce 200g turkey thigh mince 50g dried stu ing mix 6 chipolatas 1 egg, beaten 16 sage leaves gravy, to serve 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Unroll the pastry and cut in half lengthways. Spread the cranberry sauce down the middle of each half, leaving a 1-2cm border at each side. 2 Combine the mince with the stuffing mix and 1 tbsp water, then season. Spoon the mixture over the cranberry sauce, pressing down slightly, then lay the chipolatas on top in a line across the middle of each pastry half. Brush some of the egg…

Biggestandbest We’re proud to be Britain’s biggest-selling food magazine and the UK’s No 1 food website, bbcgoodfood.com. Our contributors – BBC chefs, our in-house cookery team and confident, outspoken columnists – are experts in their fields. Meet us at the UK’s biggest food shows (visit bbcgoodfoodshow.com for dates and details). Our best-selling cookbooks feature our trusted recipes – you’ll find these in bookshops. Recipesforeveryone There are at least 70 new recipes in every issue – that’s more than any other food magazine in Britain. We always include quick, easy dishes, ideas for relaxed entertaining and more challenging recipes for when you want to take your skills up a notch. Look out for our regular easiest-ever recipes. Testedandtrusted All our recipes are all thoroughly tested by experts to ensure they’ll work…

1 Gisela Graham glass carrot decoration £7.49, Amazon 2 Chilli collection £12, catesbys.co.uk 3 Mini gingerbread houses (set of 3) £14.50, coxandcox.co.uk 4 Post Impressionism banana bauble £7, John Lewis & Partners 5 Lobster tree decoration £10.50, abodeliving.co.uk 6 George Home plastic pickle bauble £1, Asda 7 Mini felt vegetable decorations (set of 4) £9, Sass & Belle 8 Pastel glass macaron decorations £3.49 each, tch.net 9 Ketchup bottle tree decoration £16, ellajames.co.uk 10 Tangerine ornament £12, petershamnurseries.com 11 Fish & chips hanging decoration £5, Paperchase 12 Glass sweetie decorations, £3.99, dobbies.com 13 Milk & cookies glass decoations £20 (without personalisation), blondieskitchen.co.uk and thie.co…

Hackney Gelato mince pie and panettone gelatos £5.49 per 500ml, Ocado These limited edition festive flavours make a great foil for Hackney Gelato’s seriously smooth, creamy gelato. One has swirls of mince pie chunks, while the other boasts toasted pandoro and candied peel. Black Cow Christmas Spirit £25 (50cl), blackcow.co.uk Like Christmas in a bottle, this has harmonious notes of dried fruit, citrus, and brown sugar that meld together like a fine fruitcake, without being sickly or overpowering. Add some fizz and a twist of orange peel, and you’ve got a super-easy holiday cocktail. Bloody Drinks classic bloody mary £3 (250ml), Sainsbury’s This ready-made bloody mary has a kick of chilli, plus umami flavours from pickle juice, soy and Worcestershire sauce. It also has a dash of Amontillado sherry…

Beder is a charity founded in 2019 by Razzak Mirjan in honour of his brother Beder, who sadly took his own life at the age of 18. The charity raises awareness around mental health and suicide prevention, and has partnered with YoungMinds (youngminds.org.uk) and Samaritans (samaritans.org) to further the cause. Beder has published From Beder’s Kitchen (£22, Meze Publishing), a cookbook featuring 90 recipes from some of the UK’s top chefs, food writers, bloggers and more, with stories about their own mental health and how cooking has played a part. ‘From Beder’s Kitchen is a chance for us to normalise the conversation around mental health and suicide prevention, by using food as the connection between us,’ says Razzak. Recipes included range from Yotam Ottolenghi’s tahini chicken schnitzel and MasterChef 2015…

Christmas Q&As Looking for advice on how to make a showstopping Christmas cake? Want to master the perfect roasties? Get the chance to ask our Magic Makers all your burning Christmas dinner questions on Instagram in the run-up to the big day The best Christmas deals Look out for exclusive special offers, hand-picked by us for you Magical Christmas cake reveal We’ll announce the winning drawings from our young readers’ competition in the December issue and showcase the finished cake. Be sure to pick up your copy! Meet the Magic Makers competition Find out which lucky readers won a money-can’t-buy experience with the BBC Good Food Magic Makers in next month’s issue, out 3 December Want to be the first to hear about all this and more? Sign up to…

MAINS DINNER FOR 2-4 Crispy sage & lemon roast chicken A plump roast chicken can serve four on Christmas Day, or two if you want to have leftovers. I rub salt into the skin and leave it overnight in the fridge for a perfectly crisp finish. Sage is a classic pairing with chicken, and I feel it’s quite Christmassy, but if you’re not a fan, try another flavour using our tips, below. Esther Clark SERVES 4 (or 2 with leftovers) PREP 30 mins plus overnight chilling and resting COOK 1 hr 30 mins EASY 1 1/2kg whole chicken 1 heaped tbsp sea salt flakes 2 small lemons, halved 70g unsaltedbutter, softened 2 large garlic cloves, crushed ½ small bunch of sage, finely chopped ¼ small bunch of thyme, leaves picked…

Brookies You no longer have to choose between two of the nation’s most popular bakes. Brookies are a double-layered treat combining a chewy chocolate chip cookie with a rich brownie. Sprinkle with a little sea salt if you like, then fill the cake tin for the festive season. Or cut into smaller squares and package them up with ribbon to give as gifts. SERVES 12-16 PREP 20 mins plus 30 mins chilling and cooling COOK 55 mins EASY V For the cookie layer 120g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin 120g light brown soft sugar 100g dark muscovado sugar 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk 250g plain flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 50g milk chocolate chunks For the brownie layer 185g unsalted butter 185g dark chocolate…

Rum raisin For a grown-up treat, soak 100g raisins in 50ml dark rum the day before making the fudge. Tip the plumped-up raisins into the fudge with the vanilla bean paste and salt in step 3. Christmas fudge Add1/2 tsp mixed spice, 100g mixed dried fruit and peel, and the zest of 1 orange to the fudge mixture with the vanilla bean paste and salt in step 3. Peanut butter fudge Stir 2-3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter into the fudge with the vanilla bean paste and salt in step 3. After putting it in the tin in step 5, scatter over a small handful of chopped salted peanuts.…

As much as I adore this time of year, with its emphasis on eating and drinking all the delicious things, I find myself becoming fatigued. Like most cooks at Christmas, I’m sometimes a little overwhelmed by all the cooking there is to do. To keep things fun, I think it’s important to have some speedy, slightly unusual recipes up your sleeve, for those days when you’re a bit over fish pie and baked ham, or have piles of sprouts, parsnips or cranberries to work through. The ideas on the following pages take seasonal ingredients that you’re likely to have in, and transform them into simple, delightful meals that won’t take all day to prepare, but will leave you smiling and sated. I’m a huge parsnip fan. There’s something wonderful about…

HOW TO prepare lobster  The ultimate luxury ingredient for a Christmas starter or pescatarian main course 1 With a firm grip on the lobster, snap the claw-end away at the point where the last knuckle meets the head, then twist the tail away from the head. 2 Hold the tail in your hand, smooth-side down, and squeeze until you feel it crack. Prise open the shell with your thumbs, then ease out the tail meat in one piece. 3 Cut the tail meat into neat slices using scissors and set aside. 4 Pull off each pincer, then use a heavy knife to crack the claw-end shell. Use scissors to crack into the knuckles of the lobster, then pick out the meat using a skewer. Watch our videos at bbcgoodfood.com/video We…

Spiced ginger beer slow cooker cabbage With sweetness and spice, this makes an ideal accompaniment to a roasted ham. Plus, it can be prepared a day ahead. SERVES 6 PREP 15 mins COOK 6-8 hrs EASY V 1 red cabbage (about 1kg), sliced 1 red onion, sliced 2 large eating apples, each sliced into six wedges thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated 50g butter 100ml chicken or vegetable stock 300ml alcoholic ginger beer ½ tbsp light brown soft sugar 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed 1 star anise 2 tbsp cider vinegar 1 Heat the slow cooker to low. Put all the ingredients in the slow cooker and add a good grinding of black pepper and 1 tsp salt. Stir well, then cook for 5 hrs. 2 Remove the…

British cheesemakers have been hit hard by the pandemic this year, with many forced to throw away stock. The industry responded by hosting online festivals and tasting events, and launching delivery boxes. But, they still need help. Here are a few more reasons why you should consider buying your cheese from independent suppliers this Christmas. 1 RED LEICESTER Unpasteurised cow’s milk hard cheese from Leicestershire. Traditional rennet. While red leicester is somewhat maligned, this one from Sparkenhoe Farm stands head and shoulders above its rivals. Made from raw milk and aged in traditional cloth, it’s sweet, nutty, complex and expressive. £6.25 (250g) 2 STICHELTON Stilton-style cheese made with raw cow’s milk. Traditional rennet. Joe Schneider uses raw milk from cows on the Welbeck Estate in Nottinghamshire to make…

Vegetable biryani with green raita If you want to make this quite spicy, add a halved green chilli with the ginger and garlic. SERVES 2 (easily doubled) PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY V 100g wholemeal basmati rice 2 tsp rapeseed oil 1 large onion, halved and sliced (200g) 2 carrots, cut into small dice (160g) 200g cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces 2 tbsp medium curry powder 1 cinnamon stick, snapped in half 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp finely grated ginger 3 large garlic cloves, finely grated 150g pot bio yogurt 2 tsp vegetable bouillon powder 25g roasted cashews (not salted) 160g frozen peas handful of mint, finely chopped 2 handfuls of fresh coriander, finely chopped 1 Tip the rice into a pan of boiling water and cook…

Rice We eat it every day. No matter what you have for lunch – jollof rice, yassa, ceebu jen with basmati – there’s rice. It’s more expensive than vegetables. Aubergines We often use aubergine in ceebu jen, yassa and superkanja. We char it over the fire outside, or boil it in broth-based dishes. Don’t cook it too long, though – you want it still tender in the middle. Jumbo This is a popular West African brand of seasoning powders. There are many different types, made with salt, garlic, spices or dried shrimp. Seafood Touba’s not far from the sea, so we can get fresh fish daily, such as catfish or sea bass. We fry it or barbecue whole pieces. Seafood that’s expensive in Britain, like crab, is cheap in Africa.…

1 THE HAND AND FLOWERS COOKBOOK by Tom Kerridge (£40, Bloomsbury Absolute, published 12 November) Tom Kerridge opened the Hand and Flowers gastropub in 2005 and it went on to become the first pub in the UK to be awarded two Michelin stars. Fifteen years later comes the long-awaited cookbook, which gives readers a rare glimpse into life at such a successful pub-restaurant, as well as the chance to recreate some of its most iconic dishes. The book features favourites, including slow-cooked duck with duck-fat chips and gravy, and the legendary chocolate ale cake with salted caramel & muscovado ice cream. It makes a great gift for budding chefs or ambitious dinner party hosts. 2 JIKONIby Ravinder Bhogal (£26, Bloomsbury Publishing) The second cookbook by chef, food writer and restaurateur…

Read the recipe before starting. Some ingredients, like salt, aren’t included in the ingredients list. Use standard measuring spoons for accuracy, especially for things like spices, yeast and salt. Where possible, we use humanely reared and produced British meats, poultry and eggs and sustainably sourced seafood. To help avoid waste, we’ve suggested how to use any leftovers you may have from our recipes. Eggs carrying the British Lion mark guarantee that all hens are vaccinated against salmonella. We try to avoid using plastic. You’ll find instructions to wrap or cover, but we won’t specify what to use unless it’s vital to the recipe. Helping you to eat well Our BANT-registered nutritionist analyses our recipes on a per-serving basis, not including optional serving suggestions. You can compare these amounts with the…