Stray Kitchen is our column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie is a champion of food produced in the UK and particularly in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district. 

 

 

As Christmas is a reindeer’s breath away, here are some quick ways to bling up your Christmas dinner with some simple store cupboard staples that can really enhance your Christmas meal.

In a year where many people are having a smaller Christmas than planned, I’ve also included some ideas for how to use up the rest of your turkey – as sadly, turkeys do not come in small sizes!

Add some sparkle to your food

Turkey – why not give your stuffing a twist this year? Smokey bacon and roasted shallots, sage and onion with apricot, you can choose whatever you like

Roast potatoes – try cooking in goose fat… once you try it, you’ll never look back, especially with the addition of some garlic and fresh thyme on the roasting tray

Brussel sprouts – some say balsamic, some say cut into four and roast with chestnuts. Vegans swear by Yeast Flakes (which are particularly good, I must say), but I love sprouts with chestnuts and redcurrant jelly, so they are glazed and nutty.

Yorkshire puddings… or no Yorkshire puddings? Let’s not open the door to that discussion, or we will be here all day!

Proper gravy – it’s delicious and I always add lashings of it

Christmas pudding –flambéing the pudding is a brilliant idea. Make sure you place it on a strong dish to withstand the heat and warm the alcohol gently before igniting. One ladle will do, light it on the ladle then spread the liquid over the pudding and it will look amazing- dim the lights for extra effect! Rum or brandy are the best kind of alcohol for this, but others work too. If you are adding a shiny penny to your Christmas pudding, remember to warn people!

Jazz up your drinks

For ice with a difference, add some pomegranate seeds to your ice tray and fill them up with water or cranberry juice – even simply freezing your lemon/ lime segments instead of ice is great.

Mulled wine is very tasty with an extra shot of Cointreau or Grand Marnier and it really gets the party started! If you have drivers celebrating with you, mulled cranberry or apple juice is a nice touch, so they can feel part of the party

For curing that Boxing Day hangover… a smoothie! Bananas, milk, a few porridge oats, and a splash of maple syrup is delicious!

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Read More:

• Stray Kitchen with Stephanie Moon: Did somebody say cheese?


• Stray Foodie: Christmas mince pie recipe

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What to do with the extra turkey

Here are a few tips for going international with your leftovers…

• A biriyani curry makes a great change to simple curry, and is incredibly tasty


• Schnitzel - slice the cooked turkey slightly thicker and coat in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs


• Ramen is simple but delicious


• Enchiladas with a festive feel

Enjoy this festive time as best you can and always remember… let your turkey rest well before carving!

Happy Christmas
Steph x