A refreshing - if frustrating - dessert for winter

Today I made Mr Slater's Refreshing dessert for winter served with Brandy snaps

The fruity dessert  consists of clementines and pomegranate - very healthy, but a desert is a treat and we all need a little bit of naughtiness! Hence the brandy snaps. The addition of pistachios to the brandy snap mixture adds texture and flavour.

I had a disaster with my first batch, leaving them to cool for 5 mins as instructed by the recipe, they became too cool to shape. Learning by my mistakes the second batch fared better. 

I also made the Potato and onion sauté from page 507 for lunch to accompany - yes - left over turkey. 

Quick to prepare, very tasty accompaniment to any meat or fish. 

Forgot to post the picture

This is the photo of the soup

It was not one of my favourites but it was OK

My husband didn't like it, and it was the first Nigel Slater recipe he didn't finish eating!!!!

Getting days all mixed up

The Kitchen Diaries suggest Roast goose with chickpeas, lemon and stuffing for Christmas dinner, but as I had nine for dinner I decided a turkey might be a better option as it would be difficult to find a goose big enough. We did however have Mr Slater's wonderful  Brussels sprouts with bacon and almonds. 

So the goose will be cooked for a New Years dinner party instead. 

Yesterday I cooked Sweet soup and a sizzling salad. These recipes came under Boxing Day so you can see I am getting a little behind with recipes but Christmas just seems to take over. 

Following a wonderful party at our friends Gilky and Richards I decided something light for supper would be good so I cooked the sizzling salad which fantastically was also a way to use up left over tukey. It was spicy, very asty and quick to make. The salad was refreshing and a nice change from the indulgence of Xmas.

The soup - Sweet potato soup, potato skins and coconut we had for lunch. 

Boxing Day

Today for lunch I served my marinated salmon and terrine with a freshly made Salad of celeriac, soured cream and mustard. 

Went extremely well together and was enjoyed by everyone 

Christmas Eve

This is how my marinated salmon looked when it had been refrigerated for four days.( The accompanying Salad of celeriac, soured cream and mustard not yet made as we will have this on Boxing Day )

Yesterday I made the Mincemeat and orange trifle just topping it with the cream this morning ready for Xmas Eve supper.  December 23rd and the chapter is headed " A long day in the kitchen" and of this recipe Mr Slater says " this is probably the longest and most complex recipe I have ever included in a book". 

It is time consuming to make but not that complex. The result is a very rich but quite different trifle, the addition of mincemeat giving it a Christmassy feel. Definitely worth a go. 

No left overs here!!!

Getting ready for Christmas

Today I have started getting ready for Christmas - a rest from the wedding preparations!!!

I have made A coarse and fruit terrine - well two actually.

Here they are in their water bath ready for the oven. Will report their success or failure at a later date!!!

I also made  Salmon marinated with beetroot, dill and orange.

Here it is awaiting being pressed with a heavy weight. Again I will report on its success or failure later. I have never cured fish before, always buying ready done. In fact my husband couldn't understand why I wanted to do this when I could buy it ready done saving a lot of time and energy!!!! 

The salmon will now rest for 4 days. 

Bring on the wedding !!!!!

  

Clementines in your Christmas stocking

The recipe yesterday was Roast Duck with apples, clementines and prunes. 

Mr Slater reminisces about the arrival of Christmas oranges when he was little. I remember they were always put in our Christmas stockings along with new coins - can you imagine the faces of children today if that is what they found in their stockings!!!!

I made this for my husband and daughter and wow , what a success. They both loved it and want me to make it again - soon !!! The accompanying gravy is a delight, full of flavour and texture - don't blend it. I also followed the recipe for the duck stock so this probably added to the rich rich flavour of the gravy.