It's not too late to put your own Christmas pudding on the menu.
At this time of the year, with the restaurant so busy with Christmas events, lunches and dinners, I pretty much say goodbye to my long-suffering family, knowing that I won’t see them again until Christmas Eve. Unfortunately, that is sometimes the life of a restaurant family.
On Christmas Day, with three sets of family to see, I end up eating brunch with one, then moving on to my mother’s for a roast turkey lunch at which she insists on candles, despite the fact that we are eating at midday. I am always seduced by the sentimental feelings that candles evoke, making life seem better and family squabbles irrelevant. Dinner is yet another roast turkey, more candles, the skin of the turkey crisp and golden in the candlelight, and even more
sentiment.
I contribute Christmas puddings for both these meals and that’s about the extent of my involvement, apart from rescuing the gravy. Everyone insists that I don’t cook, which is a blessing, but I wonder what I would cook if my mother and mother-in-law let me.
Apart from the pudding, I would begin with this salad. It’s simple, light and easy to make, and hints at the promise of summer. My main course would be a roast shoulder of lamb, rubbed with olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and rosemary.
This salad is a variation on the Italian panzanella, in which the quality of the ingredients shines through. You need great bread and tomatoes bursting with ripeness for the best flavour. I remove the crusts before making the salad, but this is not essential.
ITALIAN-STYLE BREAD AND TOMATO SALAD
½ baguette, preferably stale
8 leaves basil
4 tomatoes, cubed, seeds removed
1 red onion, finely sliced
½ telegraph cucumber, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 tsp red wine or sherry vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
Dip the bread briefly into cold water – it should be damp, not soggy – then tear it into pieces. Add the basil, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, garlic and parsley.
Sprinkle with the vinegar and olive oil and toss well. Adjust the seasoning. Let the salad sit for 30 minutes, then dress with the eggs to garnish just before serving.
Makes 4.
THIS RECIPE HAS BEEN a favourite for many years, and it makes an exceptional rich, dark pudding. Although it’s best to make a Christmas pudding in June, it’s not too late to make your own. The ingredient list is long, but making the pudding is not that arduous. If you wrap any extra puddings attractively in calico or muslin, they can be used as gifts.
In my experience, the puddings will keep for five years. My small stock of puddings at home goes back that far. I taste one each year and have observed that the flavour just gets better with age.
When serving the puddings, I first heat brandy for 15 seconds in the microwave oven then pour it over the top of the puddings and set it alight. The dramatic effect adds little in flavour, but your friends will think that you’re dead clever. Each pudding serves six guests.
CHRISTMAS PUDDING
1 cup raisins
150g sultanas
150g currants
100g almonds, blanched and chopped
180g Shreddo suet
1 orange, zest and juice
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 Granny Smith apple, unpeeled, cored
and grated
1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
120g flour
180g raw sugar
3 eggs
pinch of salt
pinch of ground cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
60g mixed peel
120ml brandy
150ml stout beer
Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 48 hours. Preheat the oven to 150?C. Grease 4 x 12cm-diameter pudding basins and divide the mixture between them. Press the mixture down firmly to make sure that it is compact. Wipe the basin rims with a damp cloth to remove any spills. Cut 4 circles of greaseproof paper big enough to fit the top of the basins. Lightly grease the circles then place one on top of each pudding, pressing firmly to form a seal.
Lay a large circle of damp muslin over each basin, stretch it taut and use string to tie it around the rim. Line a deep baking dish with some greaseproof paper and place the puddings on top of the paper. Put the dish into the oven, adding enough water to come halfway up the sides of the puddings. Cover the entire baking dish with foil. Cut a small hole in the centre of the foil to allow a small amount of steam to escape. Close the oven door and bake for 8 hours.
Remove the basins from the oven and let them cool before removing the muslin. Wash the muslin in clean water and allow to dry. Leave the greaseproof paper in place and wipe the edges of the basins clean before stretching the washed muslin back over the puddings. Tie them tightly and seal by brushing the muslin with a little melted butter. If using the puddings as gifts, cover with foil before wrapping them up. Serve with custard, whipped cream and berries.
Makes 4 puddings.