Kosher festivities! Sticky figgy pudding and special Turkey with apricots!
Denise Phillips cashes in on an alternative festive menu!
Sticky Figgy Pudding
This is a delicious warming winter pudding. It does have quite of list of ingredients but is well worth the extra effort putting them together. For the best flavour, I like to soak the dried fruit in whisky overnight. Enjoy hot cold or warm.
Preparation Time 25 minutes plus soaking fruit overnight. Cooking Time 2 hours. Serves 10-15 people
Ingredients
- 300g dried figs – stalk removed and finely chopped
- 250g dried mixed fruit
- 50g dried cranberries or dried cherries
- Zest of 1 orange
- Juice of 2 oranges
- 100ml whisky, brandy or orange juice
- 150g plain wholemeal flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons mixed spice
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 200g desiccated coconut
- 150g ground almonds
- 125g non-dairy margarine
- 150g dark brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 180g brown breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons clear honey
Method
- Grease 15 mini pudding moulds or one large one and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine figs, dried fruit, and dried cranberries with the orange zest, orange juice, and whisky; set aside or leave covered overnight.
- In a small bowl, stir together flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, bicarbonate of soda, desiccated coconut and ground almonds; set aside.
- Whisk margarine and brown sugar until combined. Add eggs and vanilla and combine well. Stir in breadcrumbs and fruit mixture. Spoon batter into prepared pudding mould; cover tightly with greased foil.
- Place pudding mould on a roasting tray filled with boiling water to a depth of about 4cm (a bain marie) in the oven at 160ºC for about two hours, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the pudding comes out clean. Add more boiling water if necessary. Alternatively, use a steam oven – 100% steam for 1½ hours.
- Remove pudding and cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Loosen edge of pudding from sides of mould; invert pudding onto a serving plate. Brush with honey.
Serve with custard or ice cream.
Stuffed Turkey Escalope with Apricot and Pecans
Preparation Time 20 minutes Cooking Time 40 minutes Serves 6 people
This is a tasty colourful dish that looks more complicated than it is – and there’s a wow factor when you serve it sliced to reveal its amazing filling. I like to serve this with crispy potatoes on a bed of curly kale or spinach.
Ingredients
- 75g dried apricots
- 110g baby spinach leaves
- 110g pecan nuts
- 2 cloves garlic – peeled roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoons ground almonds
- 6 turkey escalopes/uncoated turkey schnitzel
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil – for frying
- 100ml chicken stock
- 100ml white wine
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F/ Gas mark 4.
- Place the apricots, baby spinach leaves, pecans, garlic and paprika into the food processor. Whizz until roughly chopped and there is some texture.
- Remove from the food processor and transfer to a mixing dish. Stir in the ground almonds and season well.
- Place the turkey onto a chopping board covered with baking parchment. Using a rolling pin, flatten the meat so it is evenly thinn. Then using a knife, spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling over the turkey.
- Roll up tightly from the shorter side to form a ‘swiss roll’. Secure with white string.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan. Sauté the turkey roll on both sides until slightly golden.
- Transfer to an ovenware dish and pour over the chicken stock and wine. Cook covered
for about 30 minutes. - When cooked, remove the string and cut into slices.
Serve on a bed of curly kale with crispy potatoes and use the cooking liquid as gravy.
Nutty baked Brussels Sprouts with Pomegranates
Preparation Time 20 minutes Cooking Time 40 minutes Serves 4 people
Brussels sprouts with pomegranate seeds make a beautiful festive side dish. Bright red pomegranate seeds make these delicious, crispy caramelised brussels sprouts pop with festive flair.
Ingredients
450g brussels sprouts – trimmed and halved
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
50g hazelnuts – roasted and roughly chopped
100g skinned chestnuts – roughly chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pomegranate – deseeded
Dressing
2 tablespoons date honey (silan)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
Method
1 Preheat oven to 180ºC (or 180ºC with 60% steam). Line one large baking tray with baking parchment.
2 In a medium bowl, add brussels sprouts and toss with apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil and salt.
3 Transfer brussels sprouts to the baking tray, in a single layer, cut halves facing down. Bake for
25-30 minutes, or until tender and browned.
4 In the meantime, toast hazelnuts by placing them on another oven tray and roast for 10 minutes.
5 Toss brussels sprouts with pomegranate seeds, hazelnuts and chestnuts and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6 Mix all the dressing ingredients and drizzle over the finished dish.
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