Hi everyone and welcome to the blog. This week’s blog is all about a stress free Christmas day, where you can sit down with the rest of your family instead of running around like a headless chicken – or turkey. Yes you saw right, it’s OCD time – Operation Christmas Dinner I know what you’re thinking... CHRISTMAS!!! But, it’s MID-NOVEMBER!!!! Why am I reading about preparing for Christmas dinner when it’s not even December yet?! Because it’s now that you do the preparation for the big day, to save you from having to do it all there and then. This week’s Spice of the week is Mustard and the recipe is for
As-You-Like-It Christmas Cake.
This is a Christmas Countdown... with a difference. Here’s a list of what to do and how far ahead to do it.
1 Month: Order the turkey or goose If you don’t want either, decide what meat you’re having and tell your butcher (or your abattoir), so he’ll have a nice piece set aside for you.
3 weeks: Body Count Find out who is coming, then plan the menu and assign everyone a job so they know well in advance what they’re responsible for.
2 weeks: Booze Shopping online for your wine, spirits and mixers is a real time-saver. You don’t want to be rushing out for last-minute prosecco or tonic – or worse, running out of it.
Up to 1 week: Gravy and the rest Your gravy can be made in advance. Finalise what else you’re cooking, write your shopping list and place last orders. Gently remind everyone about their jobs so they’ve got no excuse to turn up empty-handed.
2 days: Do the big food shop: Unless you’ve ordered everything in, there’s no way around this. Make sure you have a list, take a deep breath and go to the supermarket. Also, if your having a very large frozen bird, best to take it out now and let it thaw naturally.
Always check the defrosting instructions on the bird, saves any journeys to casualty on Christmas Day/Boxing Day with food poisoning.
1 day: Start cooking If you’re having goose, make it now, and brine your turkey. You may as well have as many veg done as you can*. Provided you cover them and have somewhere cool to store them (like a garage or secure shed), you can reheat them to piping hot the next day.
The big day Start your turkey and roast spuds. Have a check-list (after all this is a military-like operation) – it’s easy to forget things. Make sure everyone is on track with their task, then leave them to get on with it. If you haven’t, put someone on drinks duty – getting glasses, opening wine and, most importantly, pouring you a glass of fizz.
* Note: Vegetables can be done as far in advance as possible, like now for instance. Blanching your vegetables i.e. your potatoes, root veggies et al, and then freeze them giving you a massive head-start for the big day.
Spice of the Week – Mustard (brassica species
Mustard is a word that, for many of us, draws up an image of backyard grilling, hamburgers, and hot dogs. The word as we know it comes from the Middle English, mustarde, which means "condiment." It, in turn, came from the Old French, mo(u)starde, which is from the Common Romance, mosto. Mosto derives directly from the Latin mustum, from which we get our English term "must" to indicate new wine, or the unfermented juice that is being processed for wine. Originally, the condiment we know as mustard was made by mixing grape juice with mustard powder.
It is believed that mustard was first cultivated in India around 3000BC and came to Britain with the Romans. Although recipes for mustard paste appear as early as 42 AD, the use of mustard as a condiment was not widely practiced in either Greece or Rome.
When it was used, however, diners crushed mustard seed on their plate and mixed it with wine or water to suit their taste. The Romans took the seed to Gaul and, by the ninth century, French monasteries were bringing in considerable income from mustard preparations. By the13th century, mustard was one of the items offered by Parisian sauce-hawkers, who walked the streets at dinner peddling their savoury wares.
Where is this mustard powder obtained? Mustard powder is made from crushing the seed of the mustard plant, native to Eurasia. The tiny seeds, perhaps 250,000 per pound, are very pungent. On their own, they are bitter and biting. There are two main types of mustard seeds: the relatively mild white mustard seed and the extra-strong brown or oriental mustard seed. As a condiment, as we have seen, the seeds are crushed into a powder and mixed with liquids to form a paste.
Today, powdered mustard seed is likely to be mixed with wine, vinegar, beer, or water and various spices, such as Tumeric. The leaves of the mustard plant can also be used for food, similar to kale, turnip greens, or spinach. It has been said that there is no part of the mustard plant that cannot be utilized.
Many kinds of prepared mustards can be found on supermarket shelves today, but they all have the same basic ingredients. They range from prepared mild yellow mustard (the hot-dog favourite) to Dijon and Bordeaux mustards which derive their distinct flavours from the French wines they are made with. There are also hot mustards which are peppery and brown: English, Düsseldorf, German, and Bahamian. American horseradish-mustard is also particularly spicy.
Mustard seed is used in pickling, sausage making, and in boiling vegetables such as cabbage. This is the mustard seed that yellow prepared mustard is made from. The finest Canadian mustard seeds, these are great in all kinds of meat dishes, for summer sausage, or to create your own mustard. Mustard is one of the most widely used condiments on the planet. Prized for its oils, mustard plants grow wild in North Africa, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, and is grown commercially in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. During processing, the useful oils are extracted from the mustard plant, leaving mustard seed meal, or MSM, MSM has the potential to be developed as a selective herbicide for annual weed control in ornamental containers and further research could identify additional tolerant and susceptible species of both weeds and ornamentals.
Mustard is a well known spice that has a long history of medicinal use in stimulating internal and external applications. Externally, Mustard Seed causes a mild irritation to the skin, stimulating the circulation in that area, and relieving muscular and skeletal pain. The primary chemical constituents of Mustard Seed include glucosinolates (sinigrin), sinapine, enzyme (myrosin), mucilage, protein and sulphur. When taken internally, the seeds are laxative, mainly because of the mucilage they produce, but only small doses are advised as they may inflame the stomach. The stimulating, diaphoretic action can also be utilized for fevers, colds and influenza. But this well-known herb has its primary medicinal use as a stimulating external application. An infusion or poultice of Mustard will aid in cases of bronchitis and pleurisy, and it is often taken as a tea, or ground and sprinkled into a bath. Large doses of Mustard Seed (many times the recommended amount) should not be taken, especially by those with cardiovascular problems. Children under the age of six and the elderly should not use this product.
My recipe this week is
As-You-Like-It Christmas Cake, courtesy of BBC GoodFood Magazine November 2010 supplement.
This recipe serves
10-12 people, takes
50mins to prepare, plus overnight soaking and takes
2.1/4 to 2.1/2hrs to cook.
1kg x Mixed Dried Fruit (any blend of raisins, sultanas, currants, mixed peel, dried cranberries, glace cherries, chopped dried apricots, dates, dried figs or dried pineapple)
150ml x Sherry, Brandy, Rum or brewed Tea, plus extra for feeding
2 x Oranges - zest and juice (or 4 x Clementines)
2 x Lemons – zest and juice (or 4 x Clementines)
250g x Unsalted Butter – softened, plus extra for the tin
250g x Light Brown Soft Sugar
2 tsp x Vanilla Extract
4 x Eggs
200g x Plain Flour
2 tsp x Mixed Spice
100g x Whole or Flaked Almonds, Chopped Hazelnuts, Walnuts, or Brazil Nuts
Put your chosen fruit mixture into a large bowl with your choice of alcohol or tea, citrus zest and juice. Mix well, cover and leave overnight. Heat the oven to 160C Gas Mark 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.
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 1.1/2hrs. Reduce the oven to 140C Gas Mark1, loosely cover the top of the cake with a double sheet of foil and baking parchment, and bake for another 45mins – 1hr 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 wrapping 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 more of your chosen alcohol or tea.
If you have enjoyed my blog, or have tried out the recipes I have included and wish to comment, please feel free to comment using the comment button or by visiting my guestbook, all comments and suggestions will be gratefully received.
Hope you enjoy!!..... ChefGarfy =D
http://chefgarfy.blogspot.com/
http://chefgarfy.blog.co.uk/
