2. Holly Berry
Juice ¼ Fresh lemon
1.5oz.of your favorite gin
Raspberry juice
Fresh raspberries (as garnish)
Mixing instructions:
Fill a shaker with ice.Add 1 ½ oz Gin and the juice
of ¼ fresh lemon. Shake and strain into a cocktail
glass.Top with raspberry juice and garnish with
fresh raspberries.
Option:Try a raspberry liqueur in place of the
raspberry juice.
Christmas
Cocktail
Favourites
Christmas Canapes
Christmas Wreaths
120g cream cheese
30g fresh dill (1 small bunch) chopped
1 red pepper very finely diced
Mixture of crackers
Spread cream cheese onto crackers
Make a wreath (circle) with the chopped dill and
decorate with diced peppers.
Chicory With Cashel Blue
2 -3 heads of Chicory lettuce or 1 head celery
100g cream cheese
1tablespoon cream
1tablespoon cashel blue cheese
1teaspoon caraway or celery seed
Beat the cream cheese, cream cashel blue and cara-
way or celery seeds in a bowl.Wash chicory lettuce
or celery sticks if using celery cut into finger length
pieces..Spoon mixture into lettuce or celery. Sprinkle
with paprika.
Christmas Starter
Smoked SalmonTerrine
900g/2lb smoked salmon (finely chopped/
minced in food processor)
16floz double cream whipped
8 oz/ 240g Mayonnaise
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1tsp smoked paprika
Salt to taste
1tablespoon fresh dill finely chopped
½ red onion finely chopped/grated
40g gelatin powder
4tablespoons water
Finely chop smoked salmon or put in food processor. Whip cream and put in fridge.
Add seasonings to smoked salmon. Pour water into a pirex bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over
the surface of the water and let stand for 10 minutes. Place into a pot and pour boil-
ing water in until it comes half way up the bowl
Heat gently until the gelatin has turned to liquid. Fold the whipped cream into the
smoked salmon mixture.Taste for seasoning (salt may not be necessary).Line a 2lb
bread pan with cling film and pour in salmon terrine. Set in fridge for 4 hours or over-
night.Turn out of bread pan and slice with a hot thin knife 12/14 portions.
Serve with Cucumber ribbons & a fresh lemon wedge.
Pickled Dill Cucumber Ribbons
2-3 fresh cucumbers
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
3-4tablespoons white wine vinegar
3-4 tablespoons sugar
With a vegetable peeler peel cucumber into ribbons ( discard the seed core). Com-
bine the dill sugar and vinegar in a bowl.
Toss the cucumber ribbons into the bowl and refrigerate..
Cranberry Martini
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 litre vodka
Mixing instructions:
At least 3 days before serving, bring the sugar and
water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Swirl the
pan occasionally, until the sugar has completely
melted and the mixture is slightly thickened.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries,
and let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Pour
the vodka into a large bowl and add the cooled
cranberry mixture. Let sit for at least 2 days stir-
ring occasionally. Strain the vodka into a bottle
and chill overnight.
To serve, fill chilled martini glasses with the vodka
add a few cranberries to each glass and garnish
with a lime wedge.
3. Honey & Mustard Glazed Ham
Honey & Mustard Glazed Ham
3kg Boned and Rolled Ham
1 onion
1 cooking apple
2 bay leafs
5-6 juniper berries
3-4 peppercorns
4-5 cloves
Glaze:
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons of wholegrain mustard
4 tablespoons of brown sugar
20 cloves
If the ham is salty, soak it in water overnight and then discard the water.
The ham should be covered in cold water with onion, apple, bay leafs, juniper berries,
peppercorns and cloves and brought slowly to the boil, then let it simmer for 40
minutes per kilo (2 hours for a 3kg ham).Add an extra 15 minute to the end of the
cooking time.
Pre-heat oven to 220c/gas 7/425F. Combine the honey and mustard in a mixing bowl.
Remove the cooked ham from the
pot and place on to a baking tray.
Next remove the outer layer of
fat off the meat, but leave the fine
layer that remains underneath.
Sear this with a knife in criss
crosses or diagonals, and pierce
the entire ham with the cloves.
Pour the honey and mustard
over, and then finish by sprinkling
over the brown sugar. Place in
the hot oven and bake for 20
minutes or until the glaze has
caramelized.This can be served
hot or cold.
Lemon &Thyme Roasted Potatoes
1kg/2½lb floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper
Goose fat
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
Salt & pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
1. Peel the potatoes and cut into large
chunks.
2. Place potatoes in cold water bring to boil,
boil for 2 minutes drain let stand for 5 minutes
covered. Put potatoes into a mixing bowl
3. Add a generous amount goose fat, zest,
thyme, salt & pepper into the bowl, and toss
well.
4. Put the potatoes into a roasting pan and
cook for about 1 hour until the roast potatoes
are golden and crunchy on the outside and soft
in the middle.
Honey Baby Glazed Carrots
Serves: 6-8 people
1 kg Baby carrots
Juice of 2 oranges
4 table spoons honey
Pinch of grated nutmeg
1 bunch fresh chopped coriander (optional)
Salt & pepper
Trim the top of the carrots and scrub them
under running water. In a bowl mix the orange
juice honey salt & pepper.Toss the carrots into
the mixture. Put in a pan and roast for 15-20
minutes at 180oC.
Turkey Gravy
Turkey Gravy
500ml Chicken/ Turkey Stock
4 tablespoons pan drippings
100ml red wine
Sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons corn flour
Cold water for mixing
Salt & pepper to taste
Remove Turkey from Pan, Strain off Juices
skim off fat. Put vegetables back into roast-
ing pan, place pan onto medium heat and
add wine. Reduce wine by half while scrap-
ing bottom of roasting pan with wooden
spoon.Add stock pan drippings, and thyme,
bay leaf, bring to boil and strain. Put into
clean pot and put on to a medium heat.
Make corn flour slurry and slowly whisk
into gravy until desired thickness. Simmer
for 1-2 minutes and season to taste
Christmas Main Course
Weight
Of Bird
10 to 18lbs
4.5 to 8kg
3 to 3-1/2 hours 3-3/4 to 4-1/2
hours
4-1/2 to 5 hours
5 to 5-1/2 hours
5-1/2 to 6-1/4
hours
3-1/2 to 4 hour4
4 to 4-1/2 hours
4-1/2 to 5 hours
18 to 22lbs
8 to 10kg
22 to 24lbs
10 to 11kg
24 to 29lbs
11 to 13kg
Roasting Time
(Unstuffed)
Roasting Time
(Stuffed)
Roasting ATurkey
1 turkey
1/2lb butter
Salt & pepper
3 onions
3 carrots (all chopped roughly)
1 head of celery
250ml white wine
Place chopped vegetables in the bottom of
roasting pan. Place turkey on top of vegetables,
put butter under the skin of turkey breast, legs and thighs. Generously season the outside of
turkey. Bake until the skin is a light golden color, and then cover loosely with a foil tent.After 1
hour baste with half the white wine and dripping from the bottom of the pan. Repeat with last
half of wine after 1 hour and then baste with juices every 30 minutes after until cooked..During
the last 45 minutes of baking, remove the foil tent to brown the skin. Basting will promote even
browning.The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 75oC.To
get an accurate reading, be sure that your thermometer is not touching the bone. If your turkey
has been stuffed, it is important to check the temperature of the stuffing; it should be 75oC.You
can also check your turkey by looking for clear juices running from the leg and thigh area.When
the turkey is done, remove from the oven and allow to stand for 20-30 minutes before carving.
This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, and makes for easier carving.
4. The Feast
Continues...
Sausage,Apple & Cornbread Stuffing
1 recipe cornbread crumbled
500g sausage meat
2 Granny smith Apples diced
1/4lb butter
1 small onion diced
2 carrots diced
4 sticks celery diced
1 tablespoon fresh chopped sage
1 -2 cups chicken stock
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Cracked black pepper & Salt to
taste
Cook the sausage meat in a
pan strain onto a paper towel.
Sauté off onions, carrots and the
celery in butter until slightly soft.
Remove from heat, and add sage
& cayenne pepper. In a large bowl
add cornbread, sausage, apples
and vegetable mixture.Add stock
slowly while mixing until slightly
moist texture and season. Stuff
into Turkey.
Corn Bread
1.5cups medium corn flour
1.5 cups plain flour
2 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup sugar
3tablespoons butter melted
3 eggs
Pinch of salt
Pre-heat oven to 190oC/350Of/gas7. Put cornmeal, flour, baking powder and
sugar into a bowl and mix well. In a small bowl beat eggs and slowly add the
melted butter.Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and mix to a smooth
batter. Pour into a greased baking pan 9 x 13in or 22 x 30cm. Bake for 30 to
40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Green Bean Casserole
700g/1.5lbsFrench Green beans (cut in half if very long)
140g/5oz butter
1 head roasted garlic
50g freshly grated Parmesan cheese
4 shallots roasted & thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add green beans,
and blanch until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Drain
in a colander and rinse with cold water. Drain well and trans-
fer to a medium baking dish. Pre-heat oven to 180oC/350oF
Melt the butter in a medium pan, add the garlic and shallots
and cook, stirring until the butter begins to brown. Pour the
mixture over the beans and mix well. Season to taste with
salt & .pepper and sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top,
place in the oven 5 minute before serving
5. Christmas Desserts
ChristmasTrifle
4 slices Madeira cake
60ml/2floz sweet sherry or Madeira
250g/8oz raspberries
1 jar good quality raspberry jam
4 eggs
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons plain flour
500ml/16oz milk
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
125ml/4oz cream
25g/3/4 oz flaked almonds
Spread the jam on the slices of Madeira and place in a Deco-
rative bowl, sprinkle with sherry.
Scatter the raspberries over the top and crush them gently
into the sponge with the back of a spoon, leaving some of
them whole.
Mix the eggs, sugar and plain flour together in a bowl. Heat
the milk in a pan, pour it over the egg mixture slowly, stir well
and pour back into a clean pan. Cook over medium heat until
the custard boils and thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Stir in vanilla and leave to cool.
Pour the cooled custard over the raspberries and leave in the fridge to
set, it will firm up but not become solid.
Whip the cream and spoon it over the custard.
Decorate with Almonds and raspberries and refrigerate until needed.
Choux Pastry (Profiteroles)
2oz/60g Butter
5oz/150g Water
4g Sugar
2oz/120g Strong Flour
8oz/240g Eggs
Pre-heat oven to 215oC/420F. Pour water into
a heavy based pot add butter and bring to a
boil.
Stir in the strong flour and mix over low heat
until it forms a glossy ball 4-5 minutes. Remove
from heat and cool. Beat eggs in one a time un-
til fully incorporated.The paste should be soft
but retain it’s shape if piped. Place mixture into
a piping bag with plain or star nozzle. Pipe 1
inch balls onto a baking tray (approx 32 choux
balls). Bake @ 215oc/420of 10-15 Minutes until
brown and set.When done remove from tray
and cool completely.
Cinnamon Cream
250ml double cream
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1-2 drops vanilla extract
2-4 tablespoons icing sugar
Chocolate Sauce
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
1 vanilla bean split
450g chocolate
Bring sugar water and vanilla bean to a
boil, and then simmer until all the sugar
has dissolved.
Remove from heat and place a lid on the
pot to infuse the syrup. Melt the chocolate
over a double broiler, and then slowly add
the syrup to the melted chocolate whisk-
ing constantly.
To Serve: Fill profiteroles with cinnamon cream and cover with hot chocolate sauce.
6. Saturday 27th November 2010
Time: 6.30-9.30pm
€50.00 per person - 1 course
Included in the course you are pro-
vided with your lesson plans with
techniques and recipe book.
Sample all food cooked.
Bookings and details call
Kevin or Dawn Farley
at 045-851965 or 087-2828014
Design by: Niamh Kane - M:086 3332763