Bake for 30 - 35 minutes at gas mark 7, 425F or 220C. Cover with oiled foil for the first 15 minutes to keep the pastry from burning.
Meanwhile, cook shallots in the wine in a covered pan till soft. Reduce the wine to a trickle then, off the heat, add the herbs, cream and the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 10 minutes to develop the flavours. Do not boil.
Check seasoning and sharpen to taste with a little lemon juice.
Serve with boiled new potatoes and a fresh green vegetable such as broccoli.
Dove - when it was just us two we liked lobster for Xmas too but since Possum arrived and was weaned, we have duck breast with red wine and juniper berry sauce. Divine and no leftovers.
Last edited: 07 November 2016 14:43:55
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I have a pudding which has been retrieved from the freezer a few weeks ago, and is copiously "fed" with brandy each week (Tip: get an eye-dropper for squeezing the brandy into holes made with a skewer or very thin knife: much easier).
I have all the dried fruit soaking in brandy ready for the cake to be made tomorrow. It's classic Delia's recipe which never fails. And it will, in due course, be anointed with extra brandy as per the pud.
I will make my own mincemeat: a fatless recipe with all the dried fruits and spices gently heated through in cider, then left to cool and kept in the fridge until required. It also freezes well, and the flavours are much better than shop-bought - and a lot less sweet, since I add only a little soft brown sugar.
The smell of Christmas baking is a treat in itself: cinnamon and spices say it all! Advent Sunday is early this year (27th November) which will be a good excuse to get the Lebkuchen and Stollen out as the Advent candle is lit. I think the run-up to Christmas is almost better than the actual thing.
btw re special diets (veggie/gluten-free etc) I don't have to cater for any of those but an article I read recently said that it was perfectly acceptable to expect those with special dietary requirements to bring their own to the table rather than expecting to be catered for. Not sure how it would work, though - it could be more trouble than it's worth!
Posts
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes at gas mark 7, 425F or 220C. Cover with oiled foil for the first 15 minutes to keep the pastry from burning.
Meanwhile, cook shallots in the wine in a covered pan till soft. Reduce the wine to a trickle then, off the heat, add the herbs, cream and the Dijon mustard and season with salt and pepper. Cook gently for 10 minutes to develop the flavours. Do not boil.
Check seasoning and sharpen to taste with a little lemon juice.
Serve with boiled new potatoes and a fresh green vegetable such as broccoli.
Dove - when it was just us two we liked lobster for Xmas too but since Possum arrived and was weaned, we have duck breast with red wine and juniper berry sauce. Divine and no leftovers.
Last edited: 07 November 2016 14:43:55
Sure Dove
, particularly as my back is killing me from planting up all my bulbs...just yesterday...
I did all mine last week
..... then succumbed to three bags of Tet a Tete for a fiver at The Range this morning 
I'll plant them tomorrow morning when I bubble wrap the little greenhouse - if it doesn't rain - fingers crossed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have a pudding which has been retrieved from the freezer a few weeks ago, and is copiously "fed" with brandy each week (Tip: get an eye-dropper for squeezing the brandy into holes made with a skewer or very thin knife: much easier).
I have all the dried fruit soaking in brandy ready for the cake to be made tomorrow. It's classic Delia's recipe which never fails. And it will, in due course, be anointed with extra brandy as per the pud.
I will make my own mincemeat: a fatless recipe with all the dried fruits and spices gently heated through in cider, then left to cool and kept in the fridge until required. It also freezes well, and the flavours are much better than shop-bought - and a lot less sweet, since I add only a little soft brown sugar.
The smell of Christmas baking is a treat in itself: cinnamon and spices say it all! Advent Sunday is early this year (27th November) which will be a good excuse to get the Lebkuchen and Stollen out as the Advent candle is lit. I think the run-up to Christmas is almost better than the actual thing.
btw re special diets (veggie/gluten-free etc) I don't have to cater for any of those but an article I read recently said that it was perfectly acceptable to expect those with special dietary requirements to bring their own to the table rather than expecting to be catered for. Not sure how it would work, though - it could be more trouble than it's worth!
anyone got a good stollen recipe? I've never tried making it, but I do love it. The shop ones seem to have lots of things OH can't eat
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
A foodie friend who lives in Germany has a brilliant stollen recipe on his blog - it's the one I use - hold on and I'll find it .........
Here it is
http://spotteddick-itsallinthegame.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/christ-stollen.html
Last edited: 07 November 2016 16:11:02
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
....(drums fingers impatiently).....
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
It's behind you Raisingirl ......
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”