Christmas comes but once a year… And thank heavens for that, sighs the designated cook injust about every household in Britain: allthose extra hungry mouths to feed for what seems like weeks on end; fridge and freezer so overflowing that it's often impossible even to locate the milk for that much-needed restorative cup of tea;not to mention the extra washing-up. And that's before you've even started on the main event itself, the Christmas lunch that every year seems so fraught with potential pitfalls, but that, fingers crossed, works out fine in theend. But fret not: when it comesto feeding the troops in the days before and after the big day, there's no law that says you always have to push the boat out, or to come over all Delia and calmly feed the 5,000 without so much as breaking sweat. No, at times like this, it pays to have a few quick and easy old faithfuls. I'm not talking cheese on toast here (though, come to think ofit, there's nothing wrong with adding that to the repertoire, too). I'm talking dishes that look and, more important, taste as ifyou've spent a while thinking them up and even longer putting them together, but that in reality are a welcome breeze at this busiest time of year. Dishes much like these, in fact…
Broccoli and Stilton tart
In my book, a cheesy, eggy tart is simple cooking at it's best. This elegant dish belies the amount of time and effort it takes to put together, and it makes an ideal light lunch that's easy on the stomach amid all the excesses of the season. Serves four.
300g broccoli, broken into florets
4 eggs
200ml double cream
1 handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 25cm tart case, baked blind
150g crumbled Stilton
Blanch the broccoli in salted boiling water until just cooked, drain and refresh in cold water, drain again and leave in the colander to dry.
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Mix together the egg and cream, add the chopped parsley andseason. Spread the cooled broccoli over the base of the pre-baked tart case. Add the Stilton to the tart case, packing it into the gaps and making sure the tart is niceand full, then pour over just enough of the egg mixture to reach the rim of the case. Bake for 20 minutes, until just set. Remove and leave to cool slightly before serving with a crisp green salad.
Chestnut risotto
As that guy on MasterChef might say, comfort food doesn't get more comforting than this. Winter food with a touch of class – if your wallet can stretch to it, this risotto is raised to another level with the addition of a few truffle shavings along with the sliced chestnuts at the end. Well, it is Christmas. Serves four.
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely diced
350g risotto rice
200ml white wine
About 850ml hot vegetable stock
250g cooked chestnuts, four-fifths of them crumbled, the rest sliced fine
200g cold, diced butter
50g finely grated parmesan, plus extra for serving
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a large pan over amedium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent; about two minutes. Stir in the rice, cook for another minute, then turn up the heat and add the wine – it should sizzle as it hits the pan. Cook for about two minutes, sothe alcohol evaporates.
Once the wine has reduced, begin adding hot stock a ladleful at a time, stirring the rice all the time and allowing each ladle of stock to be absorbed before adding the next – the rice should always be moist but never swimming in liquid. The process of adding stock and stirring should take about 18 minutes. For the last four minutes of cooking, add the crumbled chestnuts
Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Stir in the parmesan, season generously, scatter over the parsley and serve with the sliced chestnuts arranged over the top.
Brussels sprout and potato bubble and squeak
This is great the morning after the night before. Top it with a fried eggand lots of brown sauce. Your Boxing Day hangover will thank youfor it. Serves four.
50g bacon, finely chopped
1 small onion, peeled and finelychopped
50g butter
2 sprigs fresh thyme, picked
350g cooked brussels sprouts, chopped
450g cooked potatoes, lightly mashed (you can use leftover roast potatoes for this)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Plain flour, for dusting
Olive oil, for frying
In an ovenproof frying pan, lightly sauté the bacon and onion in alittle butter until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the thyme leaves, then the sprouts and potato, and season generously. Set the pan aside and, once the mix is cool enough to handle, use your hands to mould it into four large patties.
Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. Dust the patties in flour, andfry lightly in butter and a touch of oil until golden brown on both sides (the oil helps prevent the butter from burning). Transfer to the oven for four or five minutes, tomake sure they're heated through, and serve hot.
Red cabbage and apple salad
Red cabbage doesn't have to be braised within an inch of its life; it's great raw, too. The colours in this lovely, refreshing dish are a sight forsore eyes, which is just as well, really, at this time of year. This salad is wonderful accompaniment to cold roast turkey, goose or duck – the apple goes particularly well with roast birds. Serves four.
½ red cabbage, outer leaves and core removed
4 red eating apples (braeburn or cox)
50g golden or black raisins
100ml olive oil
25 red-wine vinegar
25ml balsamic vinegar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, picked
Finely shred the cabbage and place in a bowl. Core the apples, cut them into quarters and add to the cabbage. Add the raisins, then the oil and both vinegars. Season to taste, mix well and leave to marinate for an hour before serving. Just before serving, stir in the parsley.
Orange and beetroot salad with watercress and roasted walnuts
Another beauty of a salad – this one's perfect with leftover poached or smoked fish. Serves four.
4 oranges, peeled, pith removed andsliced across into rounds
4 cooked beetroot, sliced
1 bunch watercress
50g walnuts roasted in butter
For the dressing
75ml extra-virgin olive oil
15ml vinegar
A dash of Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper, to taste
Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Arrange the oranges and beetroot on a serving plate. Dress the watercress, stir in the walnuts, scatter over the plate and serve.
Angela Hartnett is chef/patron ofMurano in London.
And to drink…
The conventional match for chestnut risotto would be a barolo or barbera, but you could try fizz instead. The rich, toasty DeCarnot Brut (£21.99, Oddbins, or £17.59 in a mixed case; 12%) is a fairly-priced option. The tart, salads and bubble and squeak, however, are like a lot of Christmas eating in that they involve a range of flavours, so call for a bright, fruity red that'll take them in its stride. Aussie shiraz is being discounted all over right now, and few deals beat the reincarnated Wine Rack chain's offering on Mount Langhi Ghiran's Billi Billi Shiraz 2005 (14.5%), which is £4.99 inits 20 south-east-based branches. Elsewhere, it's £7-8 (check wine-searcher.com). Fiona Beckett
