More Christmas Recipes
Christmas is fast approaching, and I’ve been trying to find more Christmas recipes to tempt our tastebuds. The first one is a slightly unusual but easy starter, Mulled Wine Pears with a Roquefort Dressing, which sounds spicy and warm, with the creamy richness of Roquefort cheese making this a very different starter. The second recipe is a freeze ahead one, a Chocolate and Chestnut Parfait. These two are taken from one of my favourite food magazines, and I’m really looking forward to tasting them. See what you think.
sharingourfoodadventures.com
– More Christmas Recipes – Mulled Pears with Roquefort Dressing – courtesy Good Food
Mulled Pears with Roquefort Dressing Recipe
- 3 firm, shapely Conference pears, peeled, halved and cored, but stalks left on
- 300ml red wine, such as Merlot
- 3 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- handful pecan nuts
- couple of handfuls of watercress
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tsp olive oil
- 100g Roquefort cheese, crumbled
- 125ml creme fraiche
- Seasoning to taste
- Put the pears in a pan large enough to fit them in a single layer on the base. Pour over the wine and 300ml water, sprinkle over the sugar, then add the cinnamon stick. Put a small saucepan lid on top so the pears stay submerged under the liquid, then simmer for 10 mins until tender, but not mushy.
- Cool in the liquid, then chill until ready to serve. This can be made a day ahead.
- Make the dressings.
- First, mix the vinegar and oil with seasoning in a bowl. Make the Roquefort dressing by slowly warming the cheese in a pan with the creme fraiche.
- Toast the pecans in a dry pan, then set aside. Take the pears from their poaching liquid, slice them three-quarters of the way up from the base toward the stalk end, then fan out on the plates.
- Toss the watercress in the vinegar and oil dressing, pile onto the plates then sprinkle over the nuts.
- Pour the warm Roquefort dressing around the pears or serve in shot glasses or mini jugs on the plates for guests to pour themselves.
Now the next recipe in our More Christmas Recipes post is a delicious dessert, made with chocolate and chestnut puree, mixed with oranges and cream. Rich and very ‘yummy’, just perfect to share with friends and family. This second recipe is a freeze ahead dessert, always good for this busy time of year.
sharingourfoodadventures.com
– More Christmas Recipes – Chocolate & Chestnut Parfait – courtesy Good Food
Chocolate & Chestnut Parfait Recipe
- 200g milk chocolate, melted and cooled
- 2 x 250g cans sweetened chestnut puree (or it also comes in sachets now)
- 100g soft amaretti biscuits, roughly crumbled
- 2 oranges, peeled, segmented and roughly chopped, plus zest of 1 orange
- 450ml double cream, softly whipped
- 50g dark chocolate, coarsely grated, to decorate
- Rinse a 22 x10 x 7cm deep loaf tin (about 1.5litres in volume) with cold water, but don't dry it. Line the tin with cling film, smoothing out as many of the wrinkles as you can.
- Stir the chocolate, chestnut puree and the crumbled amaretti biscuits together, mixing really well, then stir though the orange and zest.
- Gently fold in the cream until combined, then spoon the mixture into the tin.
- Smooth the top and cover with cling film.
- Freeze for 3-4 hours until firm.
- Take the parfait out of the freezer 35 mins before serving. When ready to serve, dip the tin briefly in hot water, then turn out onto a serving plate and remove the cling film. Scatter over the grated dark chocolate, and slice.
Well, that’s two more recipes I’ll be making in my brand new kitchen this month. I love finding new recipes, and now I’m lucky enough to have a fantastic kitchen to play around in, I’m sure I’ll be adding More Christmas Recipes for years to come. Hope you enjoy these two delicious dishes.
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