Mince Pies and Mulled Cider for Christmas Eve

It was the night before Christmas and all through the house wafted the warm scent of cider mixed with vanilla and anise ... OK OK, poetry is not my forte!

Today has been spent in the kitchen getting a head start on tomorrow's feast. I'm sure I'll be very thankful tomorrow but right now I'm exhausted! But I just wanted to share with you some of today's adventures in the kitchen.

Jamie Oliver's Filo and Puff Pastry Mince Pies - My Way!
1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
1 packet filo pastry
Home made mincemeat (I used the Apple, Cherry and Hazelnut mincemeat for this)
Melted butter
Icing Sugar, for dusting

Heat the oven to 180C.

Roll puff pastry to roughly 3mm thick. Cover with a thin ish layer of mincemeat and then roll the pastry up along the long edge, swiss roll style. Trim the edges and then slice the roll into approx 2cm wide slices.

Use melted butter to layer 3-4 sheets of filo together. Use to line a shallow bun tin. Sit a slice of the puff pastry and mincemeat mixture into each bun cavity and then brush more melted butter around the edges of the filo.

Bake for 20 to 25 mins. When you are ready to eat these simply snap the filo sheets into mince pie portions and dust with icing sugar.

Makes 21

If you'd like to see Jamie's original recipe then head over to Ruth's blog for the full ingredient list and instructions.

And if you're not quite fed up with Mince Pies just yet then please try the next recipe - this afternoon was the first time I've ever made them but I've decided this is the best ever Mince Pie recipe, especially for the Vanilla and Rhubarb Mincemeat.

Mincemeat Custard Pies
300g ready made custard
375g ready rolled puff pastry
Homemade Mincemeat (Vanilla and Rhubarb - mmmm)
Icing Sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C. Unroll the pastry, then cut out circles using a 7cm plain round cutter. Gather up the pastry trimmings, re-roll, then cut out more circles. You should get 16-18. Use to line a couple of bun tins.

Spoon a heaped tsp of the custard mix into each tart case, then top with a scant tsp of mincemeat. Bake for about 10 mins until puffy and golden. Cool briefly in the tin, then dust with icing sugar and serve slightly warm.

Makes 16-18 pies
Adapted from BBC Good Food Website

And the last recipe was made for my Hubby to welcome him home on Christmas Eve ;0)

Mulled Cider
2 litres good quality traditional cider (scrumpy)
6 cloves
3 star anise
1/4 nutmeg finely grated into the pan
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla pod, halved
juice of 1 orange
juice of 2 clementines
juice and seeds of 1 pomegranate
4-5 tbsp caster sugar (I've not added any)

Pour the cider into a large pan on a low heat and let it warm through for a few mins. Add all the spices and juices and turn the heat up. Once boiling, turn down to a simmer and leave to tick away for 5-8 mins. Taste and add sugar as you like - you don't want it sweet. Ladle into glasses or mugs and serve while warm.

Serves 15
Jamie Oliver Magazine - Dec 09 /Jan 10

Madam Rosmerta's Butterbeer

I doubt there is a person alive today that doesn't know who Madam Rosmerta is.  Or, for that matter, Minerva McGonagall, or Severus Snape, or even Nymphadora Tonks but the person with the coolest name of the lot has to be Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore!  Love that name!

I was a relative last comer to the Harry Potter phenomenon.  The first time our paths crossed was my first year in America when the Philosopher's Stone was used to try and get first time campers settled for bed time.  By the time I got home I was interested enough to go and buy a copy for myself so I could read the whole story rather than a page here and there.  By Christmas time I had managed to catch up with the rest of the world and then I became one of the people in the queue at midnight just to get my hands on the next release!  It is fair to say that I am a Harry Potter addict!

Oddly, all the food mentioned in the books were never more than a part of the story.  I never yearned to eat a pumpkin pastie or to seek out Berti Bott's Every Flavour Beans (even if I had I'm pretty sure Dumbledore's experience of an ear wax flavoured one would have quashed the urge!) but I was always impressed by the beginning of term feasts held at Hogwarts.  Platters and platters of food overflowing that magically replenished themselves ... well, what can I say?  I wanted in on that action ... until I found it that this was all made possible by the poor House Elves behind the scenes!  I was with Hermione all the way when she created S.P.E.W (Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare).

Anyway, I was lusting after all the food porn on foodgawker the other day when I stumbled upon The Go Lightly Gourmet's post for Butterbeer (click here if you are interested in some more details on this foaming beverage).  Well, to cut what is already a long story short, I decided to have a try.  I modified Madam Rosmerta's recipe slightly!

Madam Rosmerta's Butterbeer
30g butter
500ml good quality apple cider (I used an artisan cider)
8 Werther’s original candies or caramels
1 sachet of mulling spices (a brand that is already wrapped in 'Dragon's skin' saves you work later on!)
650-680ml cream soda

Melt the butter in a medium sized cauldron over a medium fire. Add the cider, mulling spices and the caramels and stir your pot frequently (the caramels will stick to the bottom of the cauldron otherwise)! Cook till the candies are melted. Remove the dragon skin pouch of mulling spices (otherwise you will need to strain it).

If you want your Butterbeer cold, let the mixture cool, then add the cream soda before serving. If you want it hot, add the cream soda to the cauldron and heat till just perfect.

Serves 4

Butterbeer is very, very sweet.  So sweet in fact that I had to leave mine for the House Elf (aka Hubby) to finish off.  One sip was more than enough for me but Hubby happily drank 3 foaming tankards full!

A Girl's Night In!

Hubby was out with the boys on Saturday night which meant two things for me;

1. I could eat something he wouldn't normally like for dinner and
2. The couch and remote control were mine for the night ;0)

Not sure I picked the most couch friendly meal but I enjoyed it greatly just the same!  I halved the mussel recipe owing to it just being me, but the recipe below is for two ... perfect for valentines day (provided your other half enjoys shell fish too!)

Mussels with Red Onion, Cider and Creme Fraiche
1kg rope grown mussels
25g unsalted butter
2 small red onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
150ml dry cider
2 tsp finely chopped dill
150ml half fat crème fraiche

 

Prepare the mussels. Scrum them to remove any barnacles and pull away the beard, the discard any that are damaged or won’t close when tapped.

 

Melt the butter in a large pan and cook the onions for 3-4 mins, then add the garlic. Pour the cider over and sprinkle in the dill, then bring to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook until reduced by half.

 

Add the mussels, cover and cook over a medium heat (shaking the pan occasionally) for 3-4 mins until they have opened. Lift the mussels into a bowl and keep warm.

 

Bubble the cooking liquid in the pan for 2 mins, then carefully blend in the crème fraiche. Heat through and pour over the mussels to serve.

 

Serves 2
Good Food, Feb 11

No meal of mussels is complete without some yummy bread to mop up all the sauce.  I'd had a pretty full on baking day and didn't have the energy left (or the desire!) to bake a yeasted bread so opted for a cheddar and dill flavoured soda bread, owing to the success of the Spotted Soda Bread that I'd made earlier in the day.

 

Cheddar and Sage Bread
Put 200g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda and a large pinch of salt in a bowl. Mix in 100g grated cheddar and a handful of chopped dill. Add 200ml natural yogurt and mix to a soft dough then knead briefly until smooth. Form into a round loaf and make a cross in the top with a sharp knife. Bake at 200C/fan 180C for 20-25 mins until the base sounds hollow when tapped. Best eaten the same day.

 

Serves 8
Olive, June 09