Tasty Treats & Meals for Christmas
Roast Turkey
Ingredients
1 turkey
Stuffing
Salt
Butter
Rashers of bacon
Water
Port or sherry
Method
Rub inside and out with salt, fill with preferred stuffing, secure opening with skewers or toothpicks, or sew up opening. Tie legs securely against sides and around and over the wings. Spread butter all over the bird and place rashers of bacon crisscross across the breast. Place turkey in baking dish, breast side up. Cover with aluminium foil. Place in preheated medium oven (180 C) for half an hour, then turn down to 150 C. Allow 25 minutes for each 500g if under 6kg or 20 minutes each 500g for larger birds. Baste two or three times. Remove foil and bacon strips 30 minutes before end of cooking time. After removing turkey from pan, pour a little water in, scrape around bottom of pan to mix in all the bits. Thicken with a little flour if liked and add salt if necessary. Give the gravy a lift with the addition of a little port or sherry.
Baked Jewfish
Ingredients
6-8 slices jewfish
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 finely chopped onion
2 slices of bacon, or ham speck, finely diced
1 grated lemon rind
3/4 cup grated cheese
Salt, pepper
2 tablespoons butter
Fresh herbs
Method
Dip jewfish slices into vinegar. Mix breadcrumbs, onion, bacon, lemon rind, salt, pepper and a little of the grated cheese in a bowl. Roll the jewfish in mixture. Place each piece in a flat baking dish, dab fish with butter and sprinkle any of the remaining bread mixture over the top. Cover with remaining grated cheese. Bake in moderate oven, 180 C, for 30-45 minutes. Garnish with fresh herbs, serve with green salad.
Old Fruity Style Ice Cream
Ingredients
Fresh strawberries one pint
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh pure cream
1/2 cup fresh milk
Method
Wash strawberries then mash with a fork. Add the sugar and put aside for around 10-15 minutes. Follow by mixing in the lemon juice, cream and milk then pour entire into a freezer tray. When partially frozen remove all and place in a kitchen bowl and whip to a creamy thick consistency. Pour back into the the tray and re-freeze. Serve with old style wafer biscuits.
Strawberries may be substituted with just about any type of similar berry fruit.
Roast Turkey No. 2
Ingredients
1 turkey, 12 or 14lb with giblets
Stuffing
8oz softened butter
Freshly ground pepper
1 pint stock or water
Method
Truss bird and fill with desired stuffing. Spread softened butter over breast and legs, sprinkle with a little freshly ground pepper. Cover bird with a piece of greaseproof paper and place in a large roasting pan with giblets and stock. Roast in a moderate oven, 180 C) and allow 20 minutes to each 500 g, including stuffing. Baste frequently. Do not let liquid in baking dish reduce too much, there should be about 450ml. Add water if necessary. When turkey is well browned and cooked, remove paper. Transfer turkey to serving platter.
Bread Sauce
Ingredients
˝ pint milk
3 peppercorns
1 small onion, stuck with 1 clove
A touch of mace
1/4 lb fine breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper
1/2 oz butter or 1 tablespoon thick cream
Method
Put milk in saucepan with peppercorns, onion and mace. Cook over very low heat, so it will not boil. Leave until milk is flavoured. Remove flavourings. In a second saucepan place breadcrumbs and strain milk on to them. Cover and leave until breadcrumbs absorb milk. Season with salt and pepper, stir in butter or cream. Heat and serve with turkey.
Roast Duck with Cherries
Ingredients
1 large duck about 6 lb
3 chopped apples
2 tins cherries, stoned
1 oz butter
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped herbs
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
Duck giblets
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
4 cloves
1/4 cup rum
Method
Stuff duck with chopped apples and 1 cup cherries, stitch up opening. Melt 1 oz butter in casserole, brown duck all over, remove from casserole. Add chopped carrot and onions, fry gently about 5 minutes, add herbs. Place duck on bed of vegetables, pour wine and water over, place giblets down the side. Put in medium oven, 180 C, cover with lid or foil, for 30 minutes. Remove cover and cook another hour or more (allow 20 minutes for each pound). Heat up remaining tin of cherries with cranberry sauce and spices, adding rum at the last. Carve duck into pieces, place on heated platter, with stuffing heaped in centre.
Tomato Chicken
Ingredients
1 chicken about 2 lb
Cooking fat or oil
1/2 lb sliced leeks
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 pint plain goat’s milk yoghurt
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 teaspoon oregano
Method
Divide chicken into 8 pieces. Brown pieces in fat or oil in saucepan. Cover pan, continue cooking for 20 minutes on low heat. In another pan, lightly brown leek rings, then transfer them to the base of an ovenproof dish. Place chicken pieces on leeks, season with salt and pepper. Stir in tomato puree with yoghurt until mixed and add oregano. Pour this on chicken pieces in dish. Bake in a moderate oven, 180C for about 10 minutes, until surface is lightly golden. Serve with rice.
Chicken with Honey Curry Glaze
Ingredients
1 chicken about 3 lb
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
Pepper
1 sliced onion
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons curry powder
Method
Cut chicken into serving pieces. Combine salt, ginger and pepper, sprinkle over chicken pieces. Place sliced onion in overlapping slices on base of well greased baking pan. Arrange chicken pieces over top, skin side up, dot with butter. Pour wine over. Bake in moderately hot oven, 190 C, for 50 minutes. During the last 20 minutes of baking, brush several times with combined honey and curry powder.
Coconut Ice
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
Pinch cream of tartar or 1 teaspoon glucose
1/2 cup milk or water
1/2 cup coconut
Cochineal
Method
Place sugar, cream of tartar, and liquid into a saucepan, boil to 236o F, stirring occasionally. Remove from fire and pour equal quantities into two basins. When cold, colour one half with cochineal, add coconut to both and beat till thick. Put into a greased tin, pressing into shape, allow to become quite cold before cutting.
Smoked Trout
Ingredients
2 smoked rainbow trout
1 large onion
6 egg yolks
1 large tomato
Fresh dill or watercress
Freshly grated horseradish (or jar of horseradish cream if preferred)
Method
Skin and fillet fish and place a small serving on individual plates. Peel and slice onion and separate into rings. Place a ring on each piece of fish, and place an egg yolk inside each onion ring. Garnish with a piece of fresh dill, a slice of tomato, and a large spoonful of horseradish. For extra garnish, a little grated carrot may be added.
White Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
3 cups self-raising flour
1 cup unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs
1/2 lb. candied pineapple
1/2 lb. candied cherries
1cup raisins
1/2 lb. almonds
1/4 lb. citron peel
2 oranges
1/2 lb. desiccated coconut
1 teaspoon rose-water
Method
Shred pineapple, cherries, and blanched almonds and cut citron peel into thin slices. Mix fruits, cover them with 3 tablespoons orange juice and allow then to stand overnight to soften. Cream butter and sugar, add well beaten yolks of eggs; then the coconut to which was added 30 minutes previously the rose-water. Beat in 1/2 cup orange juice alternately with sifted flour. Fold in stiffly beaten egg whites. Add fruits and nuts and if desired a cupful of raisins, chopped and dredged lightly with flour. Pour into a well greased tin and bake slowly 3 to 4 hours in a moderate oven, 350 degrees F. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees after the first hour. If cake is browning, cover with brown paper and continue cooking.
Easy Cherry Cake
Ingredients
2 fresh eggs
4ozs butter
1 cup white sugar4ozs cherries
2 cups self raising flour
2/3 cup fresh milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Method
Chop cherries and mix in approximately 1/3 cup of self raising flour out of 2 cups. Combine lightly beaten eggs, softened butter, sugar, sifted flour, milk and vanilla into mixing bowl. Beat at a low speed until well blended then on high for two minutes. Add the cherries and beat for one more minute. Prepare an 8" square cake tin and fill with the mixture. Bake in a moderate oven for 30-35 minutes or until cooked.
Chicken Croquettes
Ingredients
6 oz cold fowl
1 oz dairy butter
2 oz ham
1 gill of stock
1/2 oz plain flour
1 farm egg
1 teaspoon finely chopped parsley
1 eschalot
Little pepper
Method
Mince the fowl and ham, chop the parsley and eschalot very finely. Put the butter in a saucepan and fry the eschalot in it, but do not let it get brown. Take it off the fire, add the flour, mix smoothly, pour in the stock, and cook it well for about 10 minutes. To this sauce add the mince, chopped parsley and pepper, and the yolk of the egg. Stir the mixture over the fire a minute or two to set the eggs but do not let it curdle. Turn the preparation on to a plate to cool. When stiff, shape it into corks or balls, and then egg and crumb them. Fry in very hot fat till a golden brown. Croquettes should be completely covered with hot fat when being fried. The white of the egg can be used for the outside of the croquettes.
Hot Chicken Salad
Ingredients
2 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 large stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup soft fresh breadcrumbs
15g butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 C. Combine the chicken, almonds, mayonnaise, lemon juice, celery, onion, salt and pepper in a bowl. Place the mixture in an ungreased 1 litre casserole dish. Combine the breadcrumbs with the melted butter. Top the casserole with the buttered breadcrumbs and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Honey Curry Chicken
Ingredients
90g butter
1/2 cup clear honey
1 1/2 teaspoons mild curry powder
4 tablespoons German mustard
salt and pepper
8 chicken breasts, skinned
Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the honey, curry powder, mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring until well blended. Arrange the chicken breasts in a roasting tin in one layer and pour over the honey mixture. Turn the chicken breasts to coat on all sides. Roast in a preheated moderately hot oven, 190C (375F) for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through, turning the chicken halfway through cooking. Serves 4.
Apricot Honey Duckling
Ingredients
1x2kg oven-ready duckling
1 cup apricot jam
1/2 cup clear honey
2 tablespoons brandy
Watercress to garnish.
Method
Truss the duckling and prick the breast all over. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast in a preheated moderate oven, 180C (350F), for about 1 1/2 hours or until the duckling is nearly cooked. Mix together the jam, honey and brandy. Pour off all the fat from the roasting pan and place the duckling in the pan, without the rack. Coat the duckling with the apricot mixture. Raise the oven temperature to hot, 230C (450F) and roast the duckling for a further 10 to 15 minutes or until the glaze caramelizes. Serve garnished with water cress. Serves 4.
Apricot Surprise
Ingredients
18 sponge fingers
1 1/2 dessertspoons gelatine
4 eggs separated
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 cup whipped cream
16oz can apricot halves
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
4oz cream cheese
Extra whipped cream
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
Method
Grease an 8-inch springform pan and arrange sponge fingers around the edge. Drain the apricots, reserve 3/4 cup of syrup and mash apricot halves. Soak gelatine in 1/4 cup of syrup then combine remaining syrup, half the sugar and egg yolks in a double boiler. Stir constantly until mixture is slightly thickened and remove from the heat. Add to this the softened gelatine, vanilla essence, lemon juice and cream cheese and whisk until quite smooth and then cool. Beat egg whites until stiff, gradually adding remaining sugar and beat until peaks form. Fold into cream cheese mixture with whipped cream and mashed apricot. Pour into pan and chill until firm. Top with additional whipped cream and chopped walnuts.
Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
1 lb. self-raising flour
1/2 lb. plain flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon spice
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb. butter
3/4 lb. brown sugar
8 eggs
3/4 lb. raisins
3/4 lb. sultanas
1/2 lb. currants
1/2 lb. dates
1/4 lb. chopped dried figs or ginger
1/4 lb. blanched almonds
1/4 lb. mixed candied peel
2 oz. crystallised cherries
1 tablespoon warmed treacle
1 wineglass rum
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon boiling water
Method
Sift both flours, cinnamon, spice, ginger, and salt together. Cream butter and brown sugar, add eggs one by one, beating well each time. Mix in raisins, sultanas, currants, dates, dried figs, almonds, candied peel, and cherries, add alternate cupfuls of sifted flour and mixed fruit to the butter, brown sugar, and egg mixture. Mix well together, add warmed treacle, rum, and baking soda dissolved in boiling water. Mix well together, bake in a moderate to low oven, about 300 degrees F. 3 to 4 hours.
Frozen Fruit Mince
Ingredients
1/2 lb plain sweet biscuits, crumbed
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 oz chopped walnuts
3oz melted butter
˝ pint cream
2 oz chopped glace cherries
1 tablespoon preserved ginger, chopped
4 tablespoons mixed fruit
1/4 teaspoon almond essence
2 teaspoons rum
Method
Mix together biscuit crumbs, brown sugar, walnuts and melted butter and place half the mixture over the base of a greased ice cream tray. Whip cream and fold in fruits, essence and rum. Pour mixture over the crumb base and cover with remaining crumb mixture and freeze until firm. Turn out on a flat dish to serve.
Special Roast Fowl
Main Ingredients
3 Small Chickens around 8-10
One halved lemon
Salt and Pepper
Method
Cut each cleaned fowl in half removing as many cavity bones as possible. Rub inside fowl with lemon and season on top with salt and pepper. Place all in a prepared baking dish or tray and bake skin up in an oven, pre-heated to 350 Fahrenheit, for 15 minutes.
Chicken Topping
Topping
Topping Ingredients
3 fowl livers
4oz butter
1/4 cup diced onion
4oz finely diced ham
4oz diced fresh field mushrooms
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
Method
Wash fowl livers and saute' in half of the butter in a frypan over a medium heat. Remove from pan and dry any excess oil off and chopped finely. Add the remaining butter to pan and saute' onion and ham for five minutes. Return chopped livers with mushrooms and wine and simmer for three minutes. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Invert chicken halves and spoon topping onto each, pressing firmly. Return to the oven and continue cooking for a further 20-30 minutes. Place fowl with skin side up on heated serving platter and spoon over sauce.
Sauce
Sauce Ingredients
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
Add wine to hot pan drippings and bring to boil, stirring quickly. Mix in cream and add ample seasoning to taste.
Meal for 4-6 persons
Thank you and Happy Christmas to Mrs Bailey from Adelaide Australia. From an old book she has.
Brewer's Natural Christmas Meaty Salad
Ingredients
4 medium tomatoes sliced
2 apple cucumbers peeled and sliced
Small fresh white onion finely sliced
16 oz fresh cubed pineapple
Small cup finely cubed cheese (your choice)
One cup cooked (cold) firm cubed potato
One cup finely diced Honey Ham
One cup (cold) bacon, finely cut, cooked crispy and dried fat free.
4 hard boiled eggs, neatly sliced
4-6 nice fresh and washed lettuce leaves
Salt and Pepper
A little sugar
Method
In a large glass bowl, line with lettuce leaves. In a another bowl carefully toss together all other ingredients except the eggs, seasoning with salt, pepper and a little sugar. Now add all carefully to the lettuce lined bowl, presenting nicely. Finally place eggs around top of salad again displaying perfectly and seal. Serve just lightly cooled.
Note-In separate serving bowl offer sliced beetroot.
Note-Do not add any dressings, this salad is natural. Ample amounts of salt and pepper should be added.
Brewer's Fresh Christmas Fruit Salad
Ingredients
2 cups chunky diced fresh watermelon, with seeds removed (not seedless)
2 cups fresh chunky diced rock melon
2 cups fresh chunky diced pineapple
2 cups fresh chunky diced paw paw
The pulp of 4 fresh passionfruit
Sugar to taste
Method
In a large clear glass bowl, carefully mix together all ingredients (accept passionfruit) adding a little sugar if required. When suitably presented in bowl, add passionfruit pulp evenly on top. Serve chilled with home made ice cream or a large dollop of fresh dairy cream on top.
Note-All ingredients must be fresh.
The Greengrocer's Fruit Salad
Ingredients
All ingredients must be fresh
2 cups mandarin quarters) white veins removed)
2 cups valencia orange quarters (or similar)
2 cups diced peaches
2 cups diced mangoes
2 cups diced strawberries
A sprinkle of sugar
Squeeze of 1/2 lemon
Method
Carefully toss all ingredients (except strawberries, juice and sugar)) together, presenting nicely in a large glass serving bowl. Place strawberries in a pattern on top, squeeze lemon over and sprinkle sugar on top to taste. Serve with creamy home made custard.
Mum's Christmas Plum Pudding
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain flour
4 oz brown sugar
2 eggs
4 oz copha or White Vegetable Shortening
1 lb mixed fruits
1 tablespoon boiling milk
1/4 level teaspoon salt
1/2 level teaspoon spice
1/2 level teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
Grated rind 1 lemon
1 tablespoon brandy
Method
Wash fruits well, then dry thoroughly. This is best done the day before required. Cut copha into a basin, add warmed sugar and hot milk and cream all thoroughly together. Add eggs one at a time and beat in well. If mixture starts to curdle, add about half the plain flour. Sift flour, salt, spice and bi-carbonate of soda. Add flour to creamed mixture, then add breadcrumbs, mixed fruit and grated lemon rind. Lastly, add the brandy. Place in a well-greased pudding basin. Basin should not be filled more then two-thirds full. Place a piece of greaseproof paper which has been greased on both sides over basin. Scald the pudding cloth and tie on securely. Tie the corners of cloth across the top of basin. Place in a saucepan of boiling water, being sure that water level is about half-way up sides of basin. Steam for 4 hours, then when required steam 2 hours longer.
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