Here is our our Number Two Christmas Menu ..... well it's not quite on the table as you can see from the photo but it is certainly in our blog. It’s a more traditional menu than our earlier blog but still has a difference. Read on ....
Entrée:
PRAWN AND CABBAGE SALAD WITH AN ASIAN DRESSING
Main Course:
ROAST, STUFFED CHICKEN ROLLS WITH ARTICHOKES, SAGE AND SPECK
ROAST PARMESAN POTATOES
WITLOF, ROCKET, FENNEL, BROCCOLINI, CHILLI AND GARLIC SALAD
Dessert:
RICOTTA, CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIO CHRISTMAS TREE CAKE
The dressing for the prawn salad can be made the day before and stored in the fridge and the whole salad can be tossed together an hour or two before serving. The prawns will absorb the flavour of the dressing while the vegetables will retain their crunch.
The chicken rolls can be stuffed the day before and stored in the fridge. All other ingredients can be thrown together in no time.
The potatoes are already cooked and can be 'par browned' in the oven before the chicken goes in and, while the chicken is resting, popped back in to finish browning.
All the salad ingredients can be prepared before hand and tossed together at the last minute.
The Ricotta, Chocolate and Pistachio Christmas Tree Cake can be made up to 3 days ahead of time.
Just in case anyone’s still hungry, our Merry Christmas Biscuits are winners and made well in advance too. The recipe will be posted in a separate blog next week.
PRAWN AND CABBAGE SALAD WITH AN ASIAN DRESSING
Serves 8
40 large prawns (1½-2kg) cooked, peeled and deveined
300 gm Chinese cabbage (around ¼ large cabbage)
500 gm white cabbage, (around ¼ large cabbage) thick ribs removed
3 celery sticks, finely sliced
1 carrot, julienned
4 radishes, julienned
10 kaffir lime leaves, finely sliced, ribs discarded
Large handful of mint leaves, torn
4 tablespoons peanuts, roasted and crushed (optional)
1 large chilli (or to taste), deseeded and diced for garnish (optional)
Dressing
2 large chillies, deseeded and diced
1 garlic clove, finely diced
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
Shred cabbages on a mandolin and place in a large bowl. Add celery, carrot and radish along with prawns and herbs. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and toss through the salad.
The salad can be topped with 4 tablespoons of roasted and crushed peanuts and extra chilli, if you like it hot.
The dressing can be made the day before and stored in the fridge and the whole salad can be tossed together an hour or two before serving. The prawns will absorb the flavour of the dressing while the vegetables will retain their crunch.
ROAST, STUFFED CHICKEN ROLLS WITH ARTICHOKES, SAGE AND SPECK
Serves 8
Stuffing
300 gm fresh, gluten-free breadcrumbs
150 mls milk
1/2 bunch sage, finely chopped
1/2 bunch thyme, finely chopped
1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
50 gm parmesan, freshly and finely grated
½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes (optional)
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Moisten the breadcrumbs with milk and squeeze out any excess. Combine all other stuffing ingredients.
Chicken
12 chicken thigh fillets, skin on (around 1.6kg)
12 whole artichokes preserved in oil, drained
250 gm speck, cut into lardons
12 golden shallots, peeled and halved
8 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
1 lemon, halved, each half finely sliced
½ bunch sage
½ bunch thyme
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
750 ml white wine
¼ bunch flat leaf parsley, leaves only
Lie chicken thigh fillets, skin side down on a board and flatten slightly with a meat mallet. Spread stuffing mixture over each one and roll up. Secure with string or toothpicks. Stuffed chicken rolls can be stored in the fridge over night.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Place all other ingredients into one or two baking dishes, (don’t overcrowd) place chicken rolls on top, pour over white wine.
Bake for around 30 minutes, turning chicken once and gently tossing vegetables, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. Remove string or toothpicks from chicken rolls, cut in half widthways. Arrange vegetables on a serving platter, top with chicken rolls cut side up and scatter with parsley leaves.
Skim oil from the pan juices, transfer to a jug, adjust seasoning and serve with the chicken along with Parmesan Potatoes and Witlof, Rocket, Broccolini, Chilli and Garlic Salad.
PARMESAN POTATOES
Serves 8
2 kg chat potatoes, washed
400 mls olive oil
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
100 gm parmesan, freshly and finely grated
Cover potatoes with water in a large saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer until they are cooked through. Drain well.
Preheat oven to 200°C.
Oil one or two ovenproof baking dishes and place the cooked potatoes in one scant layer in each. With the back of a spoon or with gloved hands, squash the potatoes so that the skin is broken and the flesh is revealed. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until golden brown but not quite ready. Remove from oven while you cook the chicken. While the chicken is resting, sprinkle the potatoes with the parmesan and return to the oven to heat through and become crispy and a rich golden brown.
WITLOF, ROCKET, FENNEL, BROCCOLINI, CHILLI AND GARLIC SALAD
Serves 8
2 bunches broccolini, steamed until just cooked
1 clove garlic, finely sliced
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 heads witlof, trimmed and cut into eighths lengthways
2 heads fennel, finely shaved
150 gm wild rocket
extra virgin olive oil
red wine vinegar
Salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
Saute the chilli and garlic in the olive oil for 1 minute. Pour over the cooked broccolini, gently toss and allow to cool. Roughly chop.
When ready to serve toss together the broccolini, witlof, fennel and rocket. Dress with more oil if necessary and red wine vinegar to taste. Season to taste.
RICOTTA, CHOCOLATE AND PISTACHIO CHRISTMAS TREE CAKE
Serves 8-12
Shell and Biscuits
700 gm shelled pistachios, finely chopped
150 gm castor sugar
1 vanilla pod, seeds only
2 oranges zest only
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon or to taste
2 whole eggs
Wooden skewers
Preheat oven to 170°C. Line with non-stick baking paper the base and sides of a 25cm x 5cm deep straight sided cake/tart tin/ring with removable base.
Mix all ingredients together. Roll out, in between two sheets of baking paper, to 5mm thick. Cut a 25cm round and place in the base of your prepared tin. Then cut a strip 5cm wide and approximately 76cm long and place around the sides of your prepared tin. It is easier to handle if you do this in sections. Press down well to seal the sides together and to the base. Place the shell in the fridge while making biscuit shapes and preparing the filling.
Cut the remaining shell mixture into Christmas tree shapes using biscuit cutters in a variety of sizes. Cut wooden skewers in half and gently and carefully slide into the Christmas tree shapes from the base halfway up the trees being careful not to break either surface of the biscuits. Gently place on an oven tray lined with non stick baking paper. Bake 15 minutes approximately until golden.
Filling
800 gm very fresh, good quality ricotta
150 gm castor sugar
3 whole eggs
2 lemons zest only
150 gm dark couverture chocolate, grated
Beat the ricotta and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and beat to combine. Fold in the lemon zest and chocolate and then spoon into the shell. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the tin. Remove to a serving plate. Refrigerate if not using on the same day.
Finishing the Biscuits
1 cup pure icing sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons lemon juice approximately
4 or 5 sheets edible gold leaf
Place icing sugar in a small bowl and drizzle just enough lemon juice to achieve a manageable icing texture. Ice one third of the Christmas shapes.
Use the gold leaf randomly on one surface of a further third of the Christmas shapes.
Leave the last third naked.
Finishing the Cake
300 ml thickened cream, whipped
400 ml pure cream, whipped, for serving
Spread the whipped thickened cream on top of the cake. Imbed the Christmas tree biscuits in the cake, cutting the skewers to size if necessary.
Serve with the extra whipped pure cream on the side.