Category: Christmas

Grease an oven safe dish approx 12″ x 9″. Tear or cut the bread roughly and drop into the dish until the bottom of the dish is covered. Then sprinkle over half of the cheese and dot over half of the caramelised onion. Repeat the layers until all the bread and cheese is used up.

In a large jug whisk together the milk, mustard, eggs and salt & papper just to combine. Pour this slowly and carefully over the dish pressing down gently on the bread to submerge it in the liquid. Allow to soak for at least an hour or preferably cover with cling film and store overnight in the refrigerator.

When ready to cook retrieve the strata from the fridge and allow to come to room temperature. Heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Cook the strata on the middle shelf of the oven for 40 minutes until golden brown on top and beginning to blister on the edges peaking out of the savoury custard. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before eating. Just before eating scatter with the chopped chives,

To make the ketchup. Heat the oil over a low heat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan along with a pinch of salt, cook the onions until soft and they have become paler and almost translucent. Add the can of chopped tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, sugar and salt. Simmer for 10 – 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Blend with a stick blender until smooth. Allow to cool, then either decant to small serving bowls or put into an air tight container and refrigerate until required.

To make the chicken we want to set up a flour, egg wash and breadcrumb station by placing 3 bowls in front of us on the counter. To the first bowl add flour and season well with salt and pepper. To the second bowl crack in the two eggs and whisk together with Dijon mustard, minced garlic, and a pinch of salt. To the third bowl add the panko, cumin, smoked paprika, parmesan and sesame seeds.

Add a little of the chicken into the seasoned flour and ruffle about to coat in the flour. Remove and transfer to the egg wash. Toss it about to coat and then transfer to the panko coat all over with the panko and transfer to a tray. Repeat until all chicken is coated.

Cook the chicken at 200°C for 12 – 14 minutes until golden on the outside and cooked through within. You will need to do this in 2 – 3 batches depending on the size of your fryer’s basket. Alternatively, you can cook in the oven at 220°C / 200°C fan for 20 minutes until cooked through and golden.

Divide the chicken between several small bowls and serve with the fiery ketchup for dipping.

Add the sausage meat and nduja to a large mixing bowl. If using sausage meat season if you are using sausages it will not be necessary to season. Using clean hands, mix and knead the meat together until combined. Then set aside.

Unroll the puff pastry and using a sharp knife cut lengthways down the middle so you have two long sheets of pastry.

Divide the meat into 2 halves. Form each into a long cylinder sausage shape and place in the middle of each sheet of pastry, make sure it goes right from end to end. Brush one side of the pastry with the beaten egg and fold over the other side and seal, the beaten egg works as a glue and helps it stay sealed. Using a fork crimp the edge. Carefully transfer the large sausage rolls to a tray and refrigerate for 20 – 30 minutes which will make them easier to cut.

Heat oven to 200°C/180°C fan. Remove the sausage rolls from the oven and cut each log into 10 small sausage rolls. Transfer to a lined shallow tin and brush with the remaining beaten egg and scatter with sesame seeds before baking for 25 – 30 minutes until golden puffed up and cooked through.

Prepare a shallow roasting tin by lining with foil and greasing with a little oil. (This will make the washing up easier) Heat oven to 170°C/150°fan.

In a small saucepan warm together the honey, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, chopped rosemary, and salt. Just enough that it becomes runny and easy to toss with the nuts and coat evenly.

Spread the nuts on the prepared tin. Pour over the spiced honey mixture and toss together with the nuts. Spread the nuts out into an even layer. Cook the nuts for 15 minutes, remove toss and turn them over. Flatten and even out and return to the oven for a further 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Store in an air tight container for up to 5 days.