Mince Pies

Paul Hollywood prefers melt-in-the-mouth pastry for his fruity mince pies, so this recipe is nice and short

• Cooking Time Prep 45 mins
  Cook 15 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 16

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  319

• Protein

  4g

• Carbs

  44g

• Fat

  16g

• Saturates

  9g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  26g

• Salt

  0.05g

Ingredients

• 1 large jar mincemeat (about 600g)
• 2 satsumas, segmented
• 1 apple, finely chopped
• zest 1 lemon
• little icing sugar, for dusting
• For the pastry
• 375g plain flour
• 260g unsalted butter, softened
• 125g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 large egg, plus 1 beaten egg for glazing

Directions

1. Place the flour and butter in a bowl and rub together to a crumb consistency. Add the sugar and the egg, and mix together. Tip out onto a lightly floured surface and fold until the pastry comes together, be careful not to over mix. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill for 10 mins.
2. Scoop the mincemeat into a bowl and add the satsumas, apple and zest.
3. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll out the pastry to 3mm thick. Using a round cutter (about 10cm), cut out 16 bases and place them into muffin trays. Put 11?2 tbsp mincemeat mixture into each. Brush the edge of each pie with a little beaten egg. Re-roll out the pastry to cut 7cm lids and press them on top to seal. Glaze with the rest of the egg, sprinkle with caster sugar, then make a small cut in the tops.
4. Bake mince pies for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool before releasing them from the muffin trays and dusting with icing sugar. Serve.

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Watercress & Celeriac Soup With Goats Cheese Croutons

Feed your friends this simple freeze-ahead starter, topped with goat's cheese croutons for added crunch

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  255

• Protein

  16g

• Carbs

  17g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  7g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  5g

• Salt

  1.71g

Ingredients

• 4 leeks, washed and sliced
• 50g butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 celeriac, peeled and diced
• 1½ l vegetable stock
• 2 x 100g bags watercress
• 6 slices toasted baguette
• 100g soft vegetarian goat's cheese
• a few sprigs watercress, to serve

Directions

1. Gently cook the leeks in the butter and olive oil until soft but not coloured. Add the celeriac and stock, bring to the boil and simmer until the celeriac is soft. Add the bags of watercress and blend until smooth, then season. Cool. Will freeze for up to 3 months.
2. To serve, defrost the soup in the fridge overnight, then tip into a saucepan and reheat. Top each toasted baguette slice with some goat's cheese, then add a slice to each bowl with a sprig of watercress.

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Make-Ahead Mince Pies

It wouldn't be Christmas without mince pies, and you just can't beat homemade - these can be cooked from frozen for extra ease

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 20 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  259

• Protein

  3g

• Carbs

  34g

• Fat

  13g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  14g

• Salt

  0.45g

Ingredients

• 500g block shortcrust pastry
• plain flour, for dusting
• 250g mincemeat
• 1 egg, beaten
• granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface a little thinner than a £1 coin. Stamp out 12 circles about 8cm wide, keeping all the trimmings. Use the circles to line a 12-hole, non-stick bun tin. Put a small spoonful of mincemeat in each one, but be careful not to put too much, as the suet will melt and bubble out if it has no room to spare. Re-roll the pastry trimmings and cut out another 12 circles a little smaller than the last. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg, then add pastry lids, pinching the two edges together. Make a small cross with a knife in the centre of each pie. The pies can now be frozen in the trays for up to 3 months and either defrosted and cooked as stated or cooked from frozen.
2. Brush the lids with a little more egg, sprinkle with sugar and bake for 15-20 mins until golden brown. Leave to cool slightly and serve warm.

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Pan-Fried Duck Breast With Creamed Cabbage Chestnuts & Caramelised Pear

A restaurant-quality dish by Gordon Ramsay made using easily found ingredients

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 40 mins
• Skill Level Moderately easy
• Servings Serves 2

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  1000

• Protein

  41g

• Carbs

  80g

• Fat

  60g

• Saturates

  20g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  59g

• Salt

  2.49g

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts
• 1 garlic clove, left whole with skin on
• couple thyme sprigs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• For the cabbage
• half small celeriac, diced
• 85g smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
• 1 tsp thyme leaf
• half Savoy cabbage, finely shredded (see tip)
• 50ml double cream
• 100g cooked chestnut pieces, sliced
• For the pear
• 1 pear, peeled
• 2 star anise
• 5 tbsp icing sugar
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

1. Lightly score the skin of the duck breasts, then season well. Place a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then lay the duck in the pan, skin-side down. Cook until the fat starts to come from the duck, then add the garlic and thyme. Turn down the heat, then continue to cook for 15-20 mins, depending on the size of the duck breast, until the skin is really crisp and brown. As it cooks, pour the fat into a large pan for the cabbage.
2. Flip the duck over, cook on the flesh side for 3 mins until browned, then turn off the heat (this will result in meat that is pink in the middle-cook for a few minutes longer if you like it well done). Leave the duck in the pan to rest.
3. While the duck cooks, heat 1 tbsp of its fat in the other pan. Add the celeriac and bacon, then gently fry for 5 mins until the celeriac has browned and the bacon starts to crisp. Add the thyme, then the cabbage. Fry the cabbage for 5 mins until it starts to wilt. Add 100ml water and simmer for 5 mins until the water has evaporated and the celeriac is soft. Pour in the cream, stir to coat, then add the chestnuts and heat through. This can be done up to a day ahead-cook the celeriac in 1 tbsp vegetable oil instead of the duck fat and reheat with an extra splash of cream before serving.
4. Cut the pear in half and use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out the core. Place a star anise in the cavity of each half.
5. Place 3 tbsp of the icing sugar in a non-stick pan and heat to make a light amber caramel. Pour in the vinegar and bubble to make a sticky syrup. Dust the pear halves heavily with the rest of the icing sugar, then place the pan back on the heat. Cook the pear for 10 mins until brown and caramelised all over. This can be done up to a day ahead and reheated, adding a splash of water.
6. To serve, slice each duck breast lengthways and dress the watercress in the olive oil and vinegar. Spoon a neat mound of cabbage on one side of each plate. Place a pear half, cut-side up, on the opposite side of the plate and drizzle the sticky sauce around it. Place the outside slices of duck breast on the cabbage and fan the rest of the duck over. Scatter the dressed watercress sprigs around the sides of the plates and serve.

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Cottage Chilli Hotpot

The ultimate make-ahead comfort food dish - if you're spending a weekend in the country this dish will defrost as you travel

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  Cook 3 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  584

• Protein

  38g

• Carbs

  55g

• Fat

  23g

• Saturates

  8g

• Fibre

  8g

• Sugar

  16g

• Salt

  1.27g

Ingredients

• 800g braising steaks, cubed
• 2 tbsp plain flour, seasoned well
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 300ml red wine
• 2 red onions, cut into chunks
• 2 carrots, cut into chunks
• 4 garlic cloves, bashed to remove skin
• 2 red peppers, deseeded, cut into chunks
• 1 fresh red chilli, deseeded and sliced
• few thyme sprigs, plus 1 tbsp leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
• ½ tsp each cinnamon and chilli flakes
• 2 x 400g cans chopped plum tomatoes
• 2 tsp caster or granulated sugar
• 250ml good beef stock
• 400g can red kidney beans, drained
• 1kg potatoes
• knob of butter

Directions

1. Toss the beef in flour, then brown half in a pan, using 1 tbsp oil. Once browned, spoon into a bowl. Add 100ml wine to the pan and scrape up any bits. Reduce a little, then pour into the bowl with the cooked beef. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining beef and another 100ml wine. Meanwhile, whizz the onions, carrots and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped.
2. Add 2 tbsp oil to the pan and tip in the chopped veg, peppers, fresh chilli, thyme sprigs and bay. Fry for 10 mins. Tip in the spices, cook for 1 min, then add the rest of the wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes, sugar, beef, winey juices and stock, season, then simmer for 1½-2 hrs until the meat is meltingly tender. Stir in the beans and allow to cool.
3. Peel and slice the potatoes about 5mm thick, then boil for 5 mins. Drain, then tip back into pan. Add the butter and thyme leaves, season, then toss to coat. Tip the chilli mix into a 35 x 25cm dish, then layer the potatoes on top. Dot with butter. Cover with cling film and cool completely if freezing. Will freeze for 1 month-defrost before cooking. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6 and bake for 50 mins-1 hr, until the sauce is bubbling and potatoes golden. Serve with soured cream and green veg.

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Traditional Mincemeat

Try making your mincemeat well in advance of Christmas to give the flavours maximum time to mature

• Cooking Time Prep 20 mins
  
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes about 2kg (4 x 500ml jars)

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  70

• Protein

  0g

• Carbs

  10g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  2g

• Fibre

  0g

• Sugar

  9g

• Salt

  0.01g

Ingredients

• 250g raisins
• 375g currants
• 100ml brandy
• zest of 1 lemon, juice of ½
• 300g shredded suet
• 250g dark brown sugar
• 85g chopped mixed peel
• ½ small nutmeg, grated
• 1 large Bramley apple, peeled and grated

Directions

1. Soak the raisins and currants in the brandy and lemon juice for 1 hr until plumped up, then drain and set the brandy aside. Mix all the ingredients together in the order given, then pour in the brandy when everything else is well mixed. Spoon and press into sterilised jars, to exclude any air (the easiest way to sterilise jars is to run them through a dishwasher on its hottest setting). Cover and leave for at least a fortnight. Will keep in the fridge for up to 6 months.

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Mushroom Shallot & Squash Pie

A hearty vegetarian main dish that will keep in the freezer for up to two months

• Cooking Time Prep 50 mins
  Cook 2 hrs
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Serves 6

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  610

• Protein

  12g

• Carbs

  51g

• Fat

  42g

• Saturates

  21g

• Fibre

  7g

• Sugar

  12g

• Salt

  1.32g

Ingredients

• 25g dried porcini mushrooms
• 600g shallots, halved
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 100g butter
• 1 butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp finely chopped sage
• 250g fresh mushrooms (such as Portobello or chestnut), sliced
• 50g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 500ml vegetable stock
• 500g pack puff pastry
• 1 egg, beaten

Directions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms in 250ml boiling water. Meanwhile, soften the shallots in the olive oil and a third of the butter for 10 mins. Add the squash and cook for a further 10 mins until softening, then add the garlic and herbs and cook for 2 mins more. Set aside.
2. In another pan, fry the fresh mushrooms in another third of butter until softened. Strain the porcini, reserving the soaking liquid, then roughly chop and add to the cooked mushrooms. Fry for 2 mins, then remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Melt the remaining butter in the same pan, stir in the flour for 2 mins, then gradually stir in the stock and mushroom soaking liquid. Bring to the boil, stirring, and cook for 2-3 mins until thickened. Combine the sauce with all the veg, then transfer the mixture to a 2-litre rectangular pie dish and cool.
4. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface until big enough to cover the pie dish. Cover the pie, trimming the excess pastry, then wrap well in cling film. Will freeze for up to 2 months.
5. To cook, defrost the pie thoroughly in the fridge overnight if frozen. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6, glaze the pastry with a little egg and bake for 30-40 mins or until golden and hot through.

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As-You-Like-It Christmas Cake

Use your choice of dried fruit, nuts, citrus zest and booze (or even tea) and get your cake made up to six months in advance

• Cooking Time Prep 50 mins
  Cook 2 hrs - 2 hrs, 30 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Cuts into 10-12 slices

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  681

• Protein

  8g

• Carbs

  112g

• Fat

  24g

• Saturates

  14g

• Fibre

  3g

• Sugar

  97g

• Salt

  0.26g

Ingredients

• 1kg mixed dried fruits (any blend of raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, dried cranberries, glacé cherries, chopped dried apricots, dates, dried figs or dried pineapple)
• 150ml sherry, brandy, rum or brewed tea, plus extra for feeding
• zest and juice 2 oranges, 2 lemons or 4 clementines
• 250g pack unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 250g light, soft brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 200g plain flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 100g whole or flaked almonds, chopped hazelnuts, walnuts or brazil nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Put your chosen dried fruit mixture into a large bowl with your choice of alcohol or tea, citrus zest and juice. Mix well, cover and leave overnight.
2. Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter and double-line a deep cake tin-20cm round or 18cm square-with enough baking parchment to come about 2.5cm above the top of the tin. Wrap the outside of the tin with a few sheets of newspaper, securing with staples or string.
3. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy, then beat in the eggs one by one. Tip in the flour, mixed spice, soaked dried fruit and any liquid from the bowl, plus your chosen nuts, if using. Stir everything together, then scrape into the cake tin. Using the back of your spoon, make a slight dent in the centre of the mixture, then bake for 1½ hrs.
4. Reduce oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1, loosely cover the top of the cake with a double sheet of foil or baking parchment, and bake for another 45 mins-1 hr or until a skewer poked right to the bottom comes out clean. Cool in the tin, then lift out and wrap in greaseproof paper or baking parchment. Keep in a cake tin with a tight-fitting lid, or wrapped in a large sheet of foil, in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. Open the cake every week or two to feed by poking with a skewer in several places and dribbling over a little more of your chosen alcohol or tea.

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Fruity Mincemeat With Almonds

Give your mince pies an edge this year with a nutty filling - ready in just 20 minutes

• Cooking Time Prep 15 mins
  Cook 5 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes just over 3 x 450g/1lb jars

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  80

• Protein

  1g

• Carbs

  13g

• Fat

  3g

• Saturates

  1g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  13g

• Salt

  0.01g

Ingredients

• 4 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and grated
• 350g light muscovado sugar
• zest and juice 1 orange
• zest and juice 1 lemon
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ¼ tsp allspice
• 100g dried cranberries
• 100g sultanas
• 100g raisins
• 100g currants
• 100ml brandy
• 85g flaked almonds
• 100g shredded suet or light shredded vegetable suet

Directions

1. Put the grated apple and any juices, sugar, and orange and lemon zests and juices into a large saucepan. Bring gently to a simmer, stirring until the sugar has melted. Turn off the heat and stir in the spices, dried fruit and brandy. Set aside until cool.
2. Once cool, stir in the almonds and suet. Divide between sterilised jars or plastic containers for the freezer. Will keep unopened in the fridge for up to 3 months, or freeze for up to 6 months.

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From-The-Freezer Mince Pies

Keep these festive favourites nice and simple or spice things up with some imaginative twists

• Cooking Time Prep 30 mins
  Cook 22 mins
• Skill Level Easy
• Servings Makes 12

Nutrition per serving

• Kcalories

  272

• Protein

  2g

• Carbs

  37g

• Fat

  14g

• Saturates

  5g

• Fibre

  1g

• Sugar

  20g

• Salt

  0.22g

Ingredients

• 500g pack sweet or dessert shortcrust pastry
• little plain flour, for dusting
• about 300g/11oz mincemeat
• splash of milk, for glazing

Directions

1. Roll out a little over half the pastry on a flour-dusted surface to about the thickness of a £1 coin. Stamp out circles of pastry to line the holes of a 12-hole bun tin-an 8cm cutter should be about right. Re-roll the trimmings until all 12 holes are lined.
2. Spoon a little mincemeat into each, then roll out the remaining pastry with a little more flour. Use a 6cm fluted or plain round cutter to cut out 12 lids. Top the mincemeat with the pastry lids, push around the edges to seal, then poke 1-2 small holes into each to allow steam to escape. Wrap the whole tray well in cling film. Will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
3. To cook, heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Remove the mince pies from the freezer and brush the top of each with a little milk. Bake for 20-22 mins or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the filling piping hot.

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