Festive Season Recipes

It was really fantastic to showcase some festive season recipes for you, and we are sharing them with you below!

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Turkey & sage sausage rolls with cranberry relish: 
Makes 20 cocktail sized rolls
​
  • 1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
  • 250g minced turkey
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • Black pepper – about 3-4 grinds
  • 3 sage leaves – approx 1 Tbsp when finely chopped (can use 2 tsp dry instead)
  • 2 small eggs (1 for mix, 1 for eggwash)
  • 20g white breadcrumbs + 10g extra 
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin (optional)
  • 20g pinenuts
  • 20g dried cranberries or apricots
  • 5g poppy seeds or sesame seeds (black pref)
  • 20g flour – for dusting
 
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C
  2. Destalk and chop the sage finely and place in a bowl
  3. Chop up the cranberries/apricots finely and add to the bowl
  4. Finely chop the pinenuts and add
  5. Add the mince, cinnamon, cumin, salt, pepper, a small egg and the breadcrumbs
  6. Mix very well  (ideally with your hands using gloves if you prefer) to ensure everything is mixed well
  7. Then, if it’s still too wet, add more breadcrumbs and mix through until you get the consistency you want – it mustn’t be stodgy or too dry
  8. Put a little flour in a small bowl - in case you need for dusting
  9. Break a small egg into a bowl and mix (for an eggwash) - keep until needed
  10. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
  11. Roll open the sheet of puff pastry on the work surface (keep it on its original wrapping paper)
  12. Cut a division lengthways into 2 long strips using a sharp knife – leave on the paper 
  13. Get the filling from the fridge and divide in half, then put a line of turkey filling down the middle of the one strip closest to you – don’t overfill, leave a margin of at least 1cm
  14. Brush the long edges (furthest away from you) with egg and bring the pastry over the filling to join with the egg wash edge, to form a tight sausage roll shape – use the paper to guide your rolling and make sure the pastry covers the filling and no filling oozes out - You can tuck in the ends of the pastry, and gently press down to flatten
  15. Brush the top of the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle with poppy/sesame seeds
  16. Cut the long pastry roll into smaller “sausage rolls” as long or short as you like, and transfer to the baking tray. 
  17. Now turn the paper with the remaining pastry around so the pastry is nearer to you and repeat everything using the remaining filling  
  18. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and the meat cooked through

NOTE: For vegetarian option, you can use quorn mince, or fry chopped mushrooms with garlic and diced onion (cook until all the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms) and allow to cool before proceeding with the recipe. 

For the relish (fresh/raw uncooked - like a salsa):

  • 150g cranberries (fresh or frozen but defrosted)
  • 1/3 cup (50g) caster sugar
  • 1/8th orange
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice (optional)
 
  1. Chop the clementine/orange into smaller pieces, leaving skin on but removing any seeds.
  2. Place in a blender with the cranberries and sugar (and spice if using).
  3. Blitz until a nice chunky consistency - remove to a serving bowl

For the relish (cooked): 
  • 150g cranberries (fresh or frozen but defrosted)
  • 75g sugar (brown or caster)
  • 30ml cider vinegar
  • 30ml orange juice (1/2 orange squeezed in)
  • 60ml water (4 Tbsp)
  • 1/2 tsp mixed spice (optional)
 
  1. Place all ingredients in a small pan and bring to the boil
  2. Then turn down to a simmer and cook (lid on) for 20 minutes
  3. Allow to cool slightly and then blend with a stick blender (or transfer to a small processor)
  4. If  you want you can push it through a sieve to remove the pips etc (I leave in as prefer) 
  5. Transfer to a glass jar and cool (if keeping more than a day or two please sterilise the jar first)
Mini quiches with Brussels, chestnut & EITHER bacon OR mushrooms: 
Makes 12 mini and 24 super-mini
  
  • 1 sheet ready rolled shortcrust pastry OR ready-made savoury tart cases - 12 x mini (approx 6cm diameter) or 24 x super-mini approx 4cm diameter)  
  • 1/2  med onion or 1 small onion (red or white)
  • 100g mushrooms OR 100g bacon (4 rashers)
  • 80g Brussels sprouts (3 large, 6 small approx)
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 leaves sage
  • 50g whole chestnuts
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 10ml olive oil 
  • 1 large egg 
  • 125ml single cream 
  • 25g blue cheese OR parmesan OR gruyere OR cheddar
 
  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C
  2. Peel and chop the onion finely
  3. Chop the mushrooms OR bacon into small pieces
  4. Peel and chop the garlic finely
  5. Roll up the leaves of sage and finely chop
  6. Chop the chestnuts
  7. Finely dice the sprouts by cutting in half through the root, then slice in towards the root approx four slices and then slice across thinly
  8. Place a frying pan on the heat and add a splash of olive oil 
  9. Fry the onions for a few minutes, then add the garlic and mushrooms OR bacon and cook out. Then add the sage and the sprouts and cook out until softened, finally stir through the chestnuts, taste and then season with salt and pepper as required
  10. Remove to a bowl 
  11. Break the egg into a measuring jug and mix, then add the cream and mix again 
  12. If using ready-made tart cases, lay them out onto a baking tray (see method below if making your own)
  13. Spoon the mixture halfway up the tart cases and add a scattering of cheese to each
  14. Fill up with the egg mixture (don't overfill)
  15. Bake until just set - about 10 - 12 minutes
 
If using ready rolled pastry to make your own tart cases:
  1. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C
  2. Take the ready rolled shortcrust pastry out the fridge 
  3. Spray 12 moulds or a 12-hole muffin tray with non-stick spray or grease with butter. 
  4. Roll open the pastry (leaving on the paper it comes with) and lay
  5. Using a round pastry cutter (larger in size by about 1cm than the tart case moulds), dip the cutter into some flour, and then cut 12 x circles of the pastry 
  6. Gently line the tart cases with the pastry (you can use a little excess pastry rolled into a ball to help push it in. 
  7. Cut a small piece of greaseproof/baking paper and crumple into a ball, then open out and line the inside of the pastry, and then top with baking beans.
  8. Blind bake the pastry cases for 10 minutes, then carefully remove the paper and baking beans and bake another 5 minutes until golden
  9. Allow to cool slightly and loosen from the moulds (though you can keep them in the moulds for the next part, just helps to loosen at this point .
  10. Now, follow recipe as above from point 12. 
​
If making your own pastry:
  • you need 300g plain flour, 150g cold butter, a pinch of salt and 4-5 tbsp cold water.
  • Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl and grate in the cold butter.
  • Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  • Stir in the water and mix to a dough.
  • Knead gently until smooth.
  • Wrap in cling film and chill for 30 mins. then roll out and use as above (as described for the ready rolled)  
Sparkly festive brownies - double chocolate OR Nutty OR whiskey-spiked: 
  • 250g castor sugar
  • 3 large eggs (or 4 med)
  • 180g butter
  • 225g chocolate
  • 30g cocoa
  • 90g self-raising flour
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • Optional - 150g white chocolate chunks (or Pecan/macadamia nuts and/or 1 Tbsp whiskey)
  • Edible glitter 
​
​Chopping board; 1 small pan; 1 heatproof bowl; 1 med mixing bowl; 1 small bowl; electric hand beater/stand mixer; spatula (heatproof); scales; sieve; mixing spoon; baking tray (approx 20cm x 30cm x 3cm min deep); sharp knife; baking/parchment paper

  1. Preheat your oven to 160 degrees Celcius
  2. Grease a 20cm x 30cm x min 3cm deep baking tray/dish, and line with baking parchment paper)
  3. Place a small amount of water into a small pan and bring to a boil, then turn right down
  4. Meanwhile break up the chocolate into small cubes and cube the butter, putting both together in a heatproof bowl
  5. Set the bowl over the pan of simmering water - melt together, stir occasionally – turn off, remove bowl from pan and allow mix to cool to room temp (stir again to assist cooling)
  6. Roughly chop the white chocolate into nice sized chunks
  7. Now put the eggs and sugar into a med bowl and beat until pale and creamy (use an electric hand beater, or stand mixer). This will be ready when the mix doubles in size, and or leaves a ribbon trail (about 3 minutes with electric beater, much longer with hand whisk)
  8. Add in the butter/chocolate, the vanilla extract (and whiskey if using) and mix well to incorporate (can use electric mixer gently on low) or spatula
  9. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, and fold in until thoroughly incorporated
  10. Then mix through white chocolate (or nuts if using)
  11. Pour into the baking tray, spread and level off with the spatula
  12. Bake for about 30-35 minutes (until the top looks papery and the middle is set)
  13. Remove from the oven, allow to cool completely in the tray, then carefully lift out the tray and cut into squares/rectangles/triangles
  14. Sprinkle with edible glitter
  15. Store in an airtight container ​