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19 December 2014

Christmas Recipes from Strategic Resources

We all have different favourite Christmas dishes. Here's what Strategic Resources' staff like most from the Christmas Dinner table.

Ingredients:

 

  • 10 large strawberries

  • 200 g whipping cream

  • 2 tbsp icing sugar

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 20 mini chocolate chips

 

Makes 10 

To make the frosting whip the cream and vanilla extract until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar until the mixture is thick and smooth. Using a spatula, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small star piping tip.

Using a paring knife, cut off the leaf-end of each strawberry to make a flat surface. Cut a 1/2- to 3/4-inch piece from the pointed end of each strawberry and reserve as the hats.

Place the strawberries, wide-side down, on a work surface. Pipe a 3/4-inch-high swirl of frosting on each strawberry. Place the hats on top and pipe a small ball of frosting on top of the hats. Press two chocolate chips, pointed-sides inward, into the swirl of frosting to make eyes.

Strawberry Santas

Ingredients:

 

  • 5 rashers of streaky bacon

  • 5 chipolata sausages

  • 1 tbsp oil

 

Makes 5

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

 

Wrap each sausage in a rasher of bacon. 

 

Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan and add the bacon-wrapped sausages. Fry for a few minutes until lightly browned all over.

 

Transfer sausages to the oven for about 8-10 minutes until golden-brown and completely cooked through.

Pigs in Blanket

Ingredients:

 

  • 3 medium bananas

  • 150 ml Madeira

  • 8 trifle sponges

 

For the butterscotch sauce:

 

  • 150 g golden syrup

  • 50 g butter

  • 75 g soft brown sugar

  • 50 g golden granulated sugar

  • 150 ml double cream

  • a few drops vanilla extract

 

For the topping:

 

  • 500 ml custard

  • 50 g pecan nuts

  • 275 ml double cream

 

Serves 6-8

First of all make the butterscotch sauce, and to do this place the golden syrup, butter and sugars in a small saucepan. Then place over a gentle heat and allow to slowly melt and dissolve, giving it a stir from time to time, which will take 5-7 minutes. Let it continue to cook for about 5 minutes, then gradually stir in the double cream and vanilla extract until well combined.

 

After that, let it cool. While it's cooling, make the custard.

 

To assemble the trifle, begin by first of all splitting the trifle sponges in half lengthways, spread each half with butterscotch sauce, then re-form them into sandwiches. Cut each one across into three and arrange the pieces in the base of the glass bowl. Now make a few stabs in the sponges with a sharp knife and carefully pour the Madeira all over them, distributing it as evenly as you can.

 

Then set aside to allow the sponges to soak it all up – about 20 minutes.

 

Now peel and slice the bananas into chunks about ¼ inch (5 mm) thick, scatter these all around the sponges, then pour the remaining butterscotch sauce as evenly as possible all over. Pour the custard in next, then cover the bowl with cling film and let the whole lot chill in the fridge to firm up.

 

Meanwhile, pre-heat the grill, line the grill pan with foil and toast the pecan nuts carefully for about 4 minutes, watching them all the time, as they burn easily. After that, whip the double cream to the floppy stage, spread it all over the trifle, scatter the toasted nuts on top, re-cover and chill till needed.

 

*The recipe has been adapted from Delia Online.

Butterscotch and Banana Trifle with Madeira

Ingredients:

 

  • 500 g brussels sprouts, trimmed of outer leaves and sliced in half

  • 1/4 tsp salt

  • black pepper, to taste

  • olive oil

  • 1/2 tbsp butter

  • 1/3 cup chopped shallots

  • 2 tsp plain flour

  • 3/4 cup milk

  • 1 tsp fresh thyme

  • 1 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

  • 60 g grated Gruyere cheese

 

Serves 6

Preheat oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Grease an 20 cm x 30 cm gratin dish or casserole with olive oil. Add the brussels sprouts and season with salt and pepper. Spray more olive oil over the brussels and place in the lower part of the oven. Bake 15 minutes, toss and bake an additional 10 minutes.

 

Heat a medium nonstick pan over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt, add the shallots and cook until softened, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Sprinkle the flour over the shallots to make a roux, whisking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the milk and stir with a wooden spoon until the roux is incorporated into the milk. Cook over medium-low heat for about 4 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens. Add fresh thyme, parmesan and half of the grated Gruyere cheese into the white sauce and stir until the cheese is melted and incorporated into the sauce.

Pour over the brussels sprouts, and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 15 minutes until top is lightly browned and bubbly.

 

*The recipe has been adapted from skinnytaste.com.

 

Brussels Sprouts Gratin

Ingredients:

 

  • 30 g dried porcini

  • 150 g prunes

  • 200 ml dry red wine

  • 50 ml brandy or whisky

  • 4 tbsp olive oil

  • 250-300 g stewing beef

  • 2 tsp light soy sauce or 1 tsp dark soy sauce

  • 2 medium onions

  • 1 kg sauerkraut

  • 1 tbsp butter

  • 1 bay leaf, 2 all spice, 3 juniper berries, 1/2 tsp whole cumin, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp black pepper

  • 1 tomato

  • 1 tbsp plum jam

  • 1 small apple

  • 100 g pork sausage or chorizo sausafge

  • pinch of chilli

  • 150 g dried porcini (optional)

  • bread to serve

 

Serves 6

Put dried porcini in a small pot and rise them in cold water by pouring it in the pot. Quickly pour the water out. Pour fresh cold water in the pot and leave to soak.

 

Cut prunes in halves, put them in a small bowl and pour wine and brandy or whisky over. Leave to soak.

 

Heat 1 tbsp on olive oil on the pan, add beef diced in 1 cm pieces and and sear the sides mixing often.

 

Pour 1 glass of water to a big pot, add soy sauce and bring to boil. Add beef fom the pan, cover the pot with lid and cook on a low heat for about 45 min. You may need to add more water while cooking.

 

In the mean time, dice the onions. Rinse the sauerkraut twice under running cold water and squeeze it out.

 

Heat the pan the beef was in, add butter and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add diced onions, bay leaf, all spice, juniper berries and cumin. Fry for about 5 min until onions turn translucent and slightly golden. Add diced tomato and fry for further 2 min. Put sauerkraut in the pan and turn up the heat a bit. Cook for about 2 min stirring constantly, add 1/2 glass of water and quickly bring to boil.  

 

Add the contents of the pan and soaked mushrooms and prunes with the liquids to the pot with meat. Add salt and stir. Cover with lid and cook on a high heat.

 

While the bigos is cooking add the rest of the ingredients: sugar, plum jam, grated apple. Cover with the lid again and cook for about 2 hours stirring from time to time to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot.

 

After about an hour of cooking slice the sausage or chorizo and fry it in the pan. Add it to the bigos along with a pinch of chilli. If you're using more porcini this is the time to add them as well.

 

When the bigos is ready check if it is salty enough, add black pepper and the rest of the olive oil. 

 

Serve with white bread.

 

Note: Bigos tastes better after it rests in a fridge for a few days. It is recommended to cool it down and heat it up again and repeat the process for a few days. After it is potted it can be stored in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

 

Bigos (Hunter's Stew)

Ingredients:

 

  • 225 g Digestive biscuits, crushed

  • 100 g margarine

  • 1 box of After Eight chocolates

  • 2 tins of Nestle Cream (196 g per tin)

Melt the margarine and mix with crushed digestives. Press into tin and leave to set.

 

Melt the After Eight chocolates in a bowl and add the cream. Do not bring to boil.

 

Pour After Eight mixture on top of the base and leave to set.

After-Eight Cheesecake (with no cheese!)

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