Oxtail again

December 10 th and today's recipe is A casserole of oxtail and prunes

The chapter is headed " Consider the prune "

I remember prunes and custard served at school when we would all count the stones to find out what kind of man we would marry !!! Never liked them then but was made to eat them as we were not allowed to waste food then. 

So this evenings tea already cooked as Mr Slater says a slow cooked dish ".....is better for a night in the fridge". 

The result is a very rich casserole with lots of intense flavour. I can be a bit squeamish about eating things like oxtail but just forgot about where the meat had actually come from and really enjoyed this. Ideal for a cold winter's day. 

A faff ?

I agree with Mr Slater in yesterday's chapter headed "A better canapé" - making canapés is fiddly and a faff. However I do love eating them! 

One of today's recipes - Sunday December 8th - is Rarebit puffs

Little puff pastry parcels filled with a cheesy mixture. Made these for my daughters hen do, well worth the effort. As he said ".......they disappear before you can say rabbit". 

(Some of mine leaked their filling a bit but didn't spoil)

The second recipe was A cheesecake for Christmas.

This cheesecake  - an experiment by Mr Slater "..........to use mincemeat outside its short, traditional Yuletide window........" is well worth a go. 

Made this for a dinner party and it was a great success. Easy to make as long as you have plenty of time as it is an hour baking, an hour sitting in a switched off oven and then overnight in the fridge. 

When I am entertaining I'm a great fan of things which can be done in advance, so for me, a perfect dessert for entertaining. 

Served with lashings of cream and orange slices - divine. 

A rare treat

On Saturday a chapter headed "A fruit for Christmas". 

The pomegranate - a rare treat when we were children, eaten when sitting with the fruit on our knees picking out the seeds with a pin ( no health and safety then!)

I made Orange and pomegranate cake

Mr Slater says ".......outrageously moist, grittily sweet and delightfully tart....."

My verdict - a nice cake but not amazing. 

However not a morsel left by the end of the day!!!

Uggghhhh!!!!!

Dec 6 th and a chapter headed " A big useful casserole". 

A recipe "in" says Mr Slater "....the rich tradition of old fashioned good housekeeping."

Butter bean cassoulet .

When I read this recipe I shuddered - ugghh - having once had cassoulet in a London restaurant ( a well known one in fact ) and hating it. Everything about it, the textures, the look of the pale almost undercooked sausages - again ugghh!!!!!

This, however, must be tried. The sausages cooked "......until golden on all sides...." Before adding back to the " cassoulet" meant this dish looked more inviting. 

Lovely flavours running through and the beans were OK too. 

A success, will make again,  ideal for our British winters. I served with crusty bread to mop up the sauce. ( Much nicer than the posh London restaurant)

In second place ......

Dec 4 th and the recipe is A Christmas posset

Made from clementines - a fruit always reminiscent of Xmas. Always found them in our Christmas stockings alongside nuts and new coins when we were children. 

This was heaven - a close second to Passion fruit creams made back on March 2 nd. 

Can be dishwater dull!!!!

December 2 nd and a new chapter headed " A pasta soup for Xmas". 

Mr Slater says "........chicken noodle soup can be good and it can be dishwater dull...."  

Let's see how mine turns out. 

Angel hair noodles, chicken broth and chives. 

Well this was delicious - (buying angel hair noodles was more difficult than anticipated as they come under various names)

And "A cake is not just for Christmas". 

About Christmas cake Mr Slater says "......almost everyone likes at least one layer of it but few.....like them all". 

How true this is - a fact revealed as one collects the plates with one or another layer of the iced Xmas cake left behind. 

The second recipe today is an alternative to the traditional cake. Chocolate hazelnut slice. 

Chocolate and hazelnuts - a perfect combo for me. 

Apart from having to add a lot more sugar to make my praline this recipe worked like a dream and was so so delicious. Quite spectacular to serve too with its topping of shines hazelnuts in a crisp praline. 

White rabbits

December 1st and white rabbits!!!!

A chapter headed "The start of it all". 

Mr Slater says "...... the festival that is Christmas has begun", and he begins to plan the recipes he will use this season. 

I will endeavor to continue following his recipes but Xmas is the last thing on my mind with a daughters wedding coming up on 21st Dec. 

"Planning is essential......." he says. 

Help  ! Not only have I a wedding but 4 children and partners joining us over the Xmas period. 

The recipe today is Parsnip and potato croquettes

I found these time consuming to make but if you have time they are worth the effort. Very tasty, and they can be made in advance and popped into the oven just before you need them. The accompanying tomato sauce however was quick to make and very good.