Guide to Festive

Published date06 December 2021
Publication titlePaisley Daily Express
E xclusive of fers i nside

8-page special

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elcome to the BBC Good Food Guide to Festive Entertaining, packed with everything you need for your seasonal celebrations. For me, part of the excitement of Christmas is planning special get-togethers with friends and family and deciding what to cook. This year, more so than ever, I'm looking forward to getting all my favourite people together after missing out on social gatherings last Christmas.

Canapés and cocktails (aplenty) will be on the menu, and I've got some clever make-ahead recipe ideas to help you fill the freezer long before party time.

My Christmas dinner sausage rolls are always a hit, with turkey, cranberry, chipolatas, sage and stuffing all wrapped in puff pastry, they taste like Christmas in one bite! I like to serve them with turkey gravy for dunking (make sure you have napkins to hand!) Cheesy bites always seem to disappear in minutes and everyone will love our cheese and onion rolls or kimchi cheese pinwheels, they are incredibly moreish so stick a couple of extra trays of them in the freezer for Christmas movie nibbles.

If you have vegan guests visiting, try our clever twist on smoked salmon, using smoky carrot ribbons served with vegan cream cheese on little toasts, they're irresistible.

As for the drinks, be inspired by the flavours of the season with our Stollen sours, Cranberry margaritas or non-alcoholic cocktails.

Sweet treats are often overlooked at a canape party, but a tray of mini New York cheesecakes or mince pies are the perfect way to round off the evening, a glass of classic eggnog wouldn't go amiss either!

The December issue of BBC Good Food magazine is out now, get your copy in-store or order direct from MagsDirect.co.uk

Honey mustard cocktail sausages (mini toad-in-the-holes) Prep: 15 mins Cook: 35 mins Difficulty: Easy Serves: 12

Enjoy the little sausages in this recipe on cocktail sticks, or serve them in mini Yorkshire puddings for Christmas canapés and other special occasions

Ingredients 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp vegetable oil, plus extra for the tins 12 mini vegetarian sausages, or 6 large vegetarian sausages, halved For the Yorkshire puddings (optional) 120g plain flour 2 large eggs 100ml milk

Method 1 If making the yorkshires, heat the oven to 230C/210C fan/gas 8.

Whisk the flour and eggs together in a bowl with a pinch of salt, then whisk in the milk until smooth. Oil a 12-hole cupcake tin, then put in the oven for 10 mins until hot.

2 Carefully remove the hot tins from the oven and divide the batter between the holes of the tins. Bake for 15 mins until risen and firm. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. When cool, transfer to an airtight container until ready to serve.

3 Reduce the oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Combine the mustard, honey and oil, and season. Pour over the sausages, stirring to coat. Transfer to a baking dish lined with baking parchment and bake for 10-12 mins until the sausages are sticky and cooked, stirring halfway through. Serve with cocktail sticks, or arrange in the middle of the mini yorkshires and reheat in the hot oven for 3-4 mins until warm. NUTRITION: PER SERVING Kcal 128 Fat 6g Saturates 1g Carbs 13g Sugars 4g Fibre 1g Protein 6g Salt 0.5g

These mini Yorkshire puds also make a great vehicle for a slice of rare roast beef or some smoked salmon, topped with a dollop of creamy horseradish sauce.

Christmas dinner sausage roll

Prep:20 mins Cook: 30 mins Difficulty: Easy Makes: 16 Combine the best bits of a Christmas dinner in one moreish bite with these canapés. Ideal for a festive buffet

Ingredients 375g ready-rolled puff pastry 2 heaped tbsp cranberry sauce 200g turkey thigh mince 50g dried stuffing mix 6 chipolatas 1 egg, beaten 16 sage leaves gravy, to serve

Method 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Line a large baking tray with baking parchment. Unroll the pastry and cut in half lengthways. Spread the cranberry sauce down the middle of each half, leaving a 1-2cm border at each side.

2 Combine the mince with the stuffing mix and 1 tbsp water, then season. Spoon the mixture over the cranberry sauce, pressing down slightly, then lay the chipolatas on top in a line across the middle of each pastry half. Brush some of the egg along one edge of each pastry half, then fold up and over the filling, and press to seal to make two long sausage rolls. Turn them so the seams are underneath. Cut both into eight pieces (you should have 16 in total), then transfer to the tray. Brush with the remaining egg, then press a sage leaf on top of each roll. At this stage, you can freeze the rolls on the tray. Transfer to a container to keep frozen for up to two months.

3 Bake for 25-30 mins until golden (or 35-40 mins from frozen). Serve warm with gravy for dunking. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for up to three days.

NUTRITION: PER SERVING Kcal 161 Fat 10g Saturates 4g Carbs 12g Sugars 2g Fibre 1g Protein 6g Salt 0.5g

Kimchi, cheese & spring onion pinwheels Prep: 10 mins Cook: 35 mins Difficulty: Easy Pair the acidity of kimchi with mature cheddar in these fabulous pinwheels. They make great canapés for celebrations such as New Year's Eve

NUTRITION: PER PIN WHEEL Kcal 163 Fat 12g Saturates 6g Carbs 9g Sugars 1g Fibre 1g Protein 5g Salt 0.6g

Ingredients 150g mature cheddar, grated 2 spring onions, thinly sliced 70g kimchi, roughly chopped 320g sheet ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, lightly beaten Togarashi, for sprinkling (optional)

Method 1 Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Combine the cheese, spring onions and kimchi in a small bowl.

2 Unroll the pastry, spread with the cheese and kimchi mixture, then roll up into a tight coil from one of the long sides. Slice into 14 pieces.

3 Arrange the pastry pinwheels, spiral-side up on the baking sheets, well spaced apart. Brush with a little of the beaten egg and bake for 30-35 mins, or until golden brown and puffed up. Sprinkle with some togarashi, if using, and leave to cool for 5 mins before serving.

06.12.2021

Vegan 'smoked salmon' toasts Prep: 15 mins Cook: 10 mins Difficulty: Easy Makes: 14

Make these vegan bites with brined carrot ribbons. Infused with lapsang souchong tea, they're a great alternative to classic smoked salmon canapés Ingredients 2 large carrots 1½ tbsp flaky sea salt 2 lapsang soushong teabags slices of toasted baguette, sliced and toasted vegan cream cheese dried seaweed, to serve

Method 1 Cut the carrots into ribbons with a vegetable peeler and set aside. Pour 500ml water into a large saucepan with the salt and bring to the boil. Add the carrot ribbons and teabags and remove from the heat. Leave to steep for 20...

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