Stray Foodie: Christmas Mince Pies

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Throughout lockdown, I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite seasonal recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.

This week’s recipe is for Christmas Mince Pies

This time of year many households are either purchasing or making their own Mince Pies with their own personal slant. Some people will put orange in their pastry, other people use flaky pastry rather than sweet pastry, and the creative making their own mince meat may leave out beef suet and replace with vegetable suet or even leave out altogether.

It is the suet that actually determines what this traditional dish was once meant to be. It was a small spiced meat pie with dried fruit with brandy added.  The brandy acted as a preservative. These were made slightly in advance for Christmas. As time has gone on there was a shortage of meat, so the suet replaced the meat. Now in these current times why do we need the suet? The fat from the suet will combine the juices, sugar and alcohol, but of course, there are other ways to do this. Why not experiment by using a little flavoured oil or coconut oil rather than suet.

Good cooking is all about creativity and organisation; it is not difficult but can be time consuming. Maybe that is why most people prefer to buy a jar of ready prepared mincemeat. I personally find it much more exciting to think about my own flavours to celebrate Christmas.

Here is a recipe that I hope you will enjoy! For a beautiful festive pairing, try with Bettys Christmas Coffee blend. 

For the mincemeat, you will need:

Method:

Mix all the ingredients together! You could also add a touch of chilli, extra apple or grated ginger. Let this stand overnight.

For the pastry, you will need:

Method:

Rub the fat into the flour and combine the egg and chill. Add splash of water if needed, but handle the pastry as little as possible. I like the lard as it adds a shortness to the pastry, but you could easily substitute that for butter if preferred.

Line your chosen tins with the pastry and add the filling. You can either cover the top for a closed pie or leave open and cover with glazed apple, cinnamon and sugar. For something a little different, you could roll out some marzipan and add some grated orange on top!

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Stray Foodie: an autumn surprise for the taste buds

Stray Foodie Lockdown Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Throughout lockdown, I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite seasonal recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.

This week’s recipe is Wild Mushroom, Coconut Rice, Celeriac, Kale, Turmeric & Humous.

Designed to be a starter, vegetarian main course or a side dish, the quantities are for 1.

For a special occasion I recommend it being partnered with a fabulous quality sparking wine, such as Brut Dunesford Pinot Gris 2018; made just outside of York, it has a refined dryness, is slightly sweet on the palate and well balanced. With the turmeric in this dish, it makes a huge sensation in the mouth. How exciting it is to be able to produce local food partnered with local wine? It is rare and quite special.

The ingredients for this dish

For the recipe I have taken:

The finished dish

Method:

Peel the Celeriac and with a medium size cutter cut out 4 discs.

Poach in a little water (or stock or your choice), butter, salt and pepper until cooked.

Sauté off the mixed mushrooms in a little oil, salt and pepper.

Finely chop the green chilli, taking care to remove the seeds.

Stir the chilli in to the rice with the coconut milk, grated ginger and a sprinkling of chopped herbs.

Mix the grated turmeric in the white balsamic.

Pour the lime juice over the kale.

Build the celeriac, rice and mushrooms on a plate, finishing with the humous and placing the turmeric on top.

Garnish with the remaining ingredients.

This is delicious and can also be prepared in advance which always helps a busy cook!

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Stray Foodie: Lockdown recipes to cheer us up

Stray Foodie is a monthly food review written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

Usually my role at the Stray Ferret is to bring you a monthly review of a local restaurant or café. With the news that restaurants have once again been forced to close, these usual monthly reviews have been put on the back burner.

That doesn’t mean we can’t still support local restaurants. Like so many others in the area, my own business, Paradise Foods, is continuing to provide takeaway food – just come along, see what you would like to eat, and take home that special dish. We also have bespoke hampers for your dinner parties at home.

Hampers by Paradise Foods

Whilst we are all spending more time at home, I will be bringing you a new feel-good recipe each week to hopefully inspire you to try something new.

All of the recipes will be versatile for you to tailor it to your own personal taste. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.

This week’s recipe is Broccoli, Cashew, Parsnip, Maple, Mixed Kales and Crouton.

This dish works well on its own or as a great accompaniment to smoked haddock in a pesto cream, hot smoked salmon or parma ham – or even a lime-based cocktail!

For 1 generous portion you will need:

I also used the last of the season’s Nasturtium seeds, flowers and leaf. These can be substituted with coriander, basil or mint flowers for flavour.

Method:

Place the olive oil in a pan with the parsnips and cook for 2 minutes.

Add the Cashews for 1 ½ minutes.

Add the Broccoli and Kale, Herb Pesto and stir well.

Season with salt and pepper to taste and add the Maple Syrup.

Garnish with the Mixed Herbs, Spring Onion and Croutons.

If you would like to be a little adventurous with the croutons, you can always add Marmite, cream cheese and a squeeze of Lime for that umami taste!

Paradise Foods is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am until 2pm, at Daleside Nurseries, Killinghall HG3 2AY. 

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