Christmas dinner is unlike any other. This meal is a symbol of continuity and conjures up memories from past feasts.
Nearly all the foods we select for our big day have a family connection. These unique rituals and tastes are what make it special.
For me, I follow the example of my mother. Although not always in the same way, I do what my mother did, especially when it comes her incredible fruity turkey stuffing that has survived to this day long after her death.
It’s not only about the main dinner. Other specialties that she influenced are still treasured by me. Some are posh, such as Elvas plums which you can buy in Fortnum & Mason, others are a little trashy: in the run-up to Christmas I comb shops for cheese footballs, with diminishing success.
Smoked salmon was a huge treat in my 1970s upbringing — not like now when you can buy it in every supermarket with varying degrees of quality.
UK-based writers including winner of The Great British Bake Off in 2016 Candice Brown (pictured) share festive memories and recipes to inspire you to create your own at home
Christmas Day morning began with a glass of bubbly for the grown-ups and a little smoked salmon on brown bread for everyone; squeeze of lemon juice and a turn of black pepper — utter luxury. Somehow, after blinis blew into our party food lingo, I began to experiment, taking my childhood treat and turning it into something new, which has, in turn, become an integral part of my daughter’s Christmas experience.
After making thin, rich, but still chewy buckwheat pancakes, I roll them with cream cheese and baby lettuce leaves. Then, I cut them into small colorful coils. My daughter fell in love with them, and they have been made on every Christmas Day since — always with her help.
From gingerbread houses to Christmas Eve curries, read on to discover more festive memories — and recipes to inspire you to create your own at home.
MY SHOWSTOPPER TO TOAST NAN’S MEMORY
CANDICE Brown, 36, was the winner of The Great British Bake Off 2016. With her brother Ben, she runs The Green Man pub in Eversholt (Military Keynes). She said:
Margaret Florence, my dad’s mum, was my favourite person in the world. She was the best cook and the greatest baker. Everything was done by her hand.
One of my earliest memories is when I was young and dragged my chair across to Nan’s kitchen, where she made pastry. Nan taught me how to cook and gave me the confidence I needed. She taught me how to bake biscuits. She gave me my ‘taste’ for baking.
For 25 years, my parents owned a pub. Christmas was always celebrated at their pub. Nan and Grandad would usually arrive just a few days prior and then it would take continuous preparation. Nan would bake the Christmas cake. It was a boiled fruitcake that my grandfather loved. My grandfather would make the Christmas cake, which was a boiled fruit cake with crosses. I remember loving it. We would then poach salmon on Christmas Eve.
Nan didn’t drink, but she’d have a tiny glass of Glayva (whisky liqueur) while we were cooking.
I was devastated when my mother died suddenly at the young age of 84. All of that changed. Then I took on the responsibility of doing what she did. My mother’s recipe book contained many notes and shopping list. Some of the recipes could be divided into cups or grams. There were references to cooking at ‘blood temperature’, a phrase I love.
It was seven years ago that I started cooking Christmas dinner for our family. I found it a refuge when my brain began to be a bit unkind.
Nan is the inspiration for my gingerbread house. It’s a great idea to have people sit with their family, friends or children with grandparents and build walls using icing. They can also sneak sweets into the house instead of putting them there. It’s a joyous thing.
When I’m baking it, I’ll have a glass of Glayva and toast Nan’s memory. It feels like she’s still with us.
Gingerbread house
SERVES: 4-6
- 700g of plain flour
- 1 tsp chopped cinnamon
- 3 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- 500g unsalted butter
- 700g brown, dark sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100g of stem ginger, in syrup. Finely chopped
- 1x Bag of Coloured Bobble Sweets. This will provide enough sweets to make 6-10 windows. However, you may want to have some for decorating!
- 200g of caster sugar
FOR DECORATIONS:
- 200g dark chocolate (minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids)
- 300g icing sugar
- Food colouring gels of your choice
- There are many sweet choices, including jellies and sugar-coated chocolates as well as milk and white chocolate buttons and jelly beans.
- A selection of nuts such as hazelnuts and almonds
- Coconut is a popular choice
1.Turn the oven on to 160C Fan (180C/350f/gas 4), and then line a baking tray using greaseproof paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the flour with salt and spices. Next, use an electric mixer to combine butter and brown sugar. Mix until smooth. Then add the eggs. Next, mix the dry ingredients with the stem ginger until everything is well combined.
3. Make a small ball of dough using your hands. Cover the dough with clingfilm and place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
4. Use two pieces of greaseproof paper to roll out the dough until it is 5-6mm thick. Cut out two sections in the shape of the front and back of a house — it should look like a rectangle with a triangle on top. With the long edges measuring 18cm in length and 16cm at the shorter ends, the triangle sides should measure 13cm. The point can be formed by sloping the triangle sides to create a point. Two 16cm x18cm rectangles should be made for the side walls, and two 18cm-x15.5cm rectangles should be made for the roof.
Move to a baking tray and cut the window and door sections from both the front and the back. Put in the refrigerator for between 30-45 minutes.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on how big the portion is. Place a colored boiled sweet about halfway through the baking process (after eight minutes).
6. Take out of oven. While still warm and soft, use a knife to trim the edges. Let cool on a wire rack.
7.Put the caramel in a saucepan and heat on medium. Stir and let the sugar dissolve. Watch the caramel until it reaches 160°C (325f). Turn it over until it turns a uniform colour. Then, remove it from the heat.
8.The caramel can be used to dip each corner of the wall that is being joined. Keep the walls straightened until they adhere. Use a pastry brush to brush the caramel on one side of each roof section (where it joins the other). Then, place the wall covering over the caramel. Then, repeat the process with the next roof piece.
9.To create a thatched-roof effect, melt dark chocolate.
10. To make a pipeable paste, combine icing sugar, water, and food colouring. Use a pipette to decorate the cake with nuts, coconut, and sweets. Let cool.
- Recipe from Happy Cooking by Candice Brown (£22, Ebury Press).
A SPECIAL FISH DIET THAT MIXES NEW WITH OLD
CLODAGH McKENNA, 46, is an Irish chef and TV presenter on ITV’s This Morning. Harry Herbert, her husband, lives in Broadspear House on the grounds of Highclere Castle in Hampshire. She said:
It was tradition to have fish for Christmas Eve in Ireland as a child. Cork is a port city so I grew up with fresh seafood.
In the morning, we’d all go to the nearby English Market to pick up a fish for dinner, plus the turkey, ham and cheese for the next day. Then we’d eat lunch on a terrace overlooking the indoor market.
Clodagh McKenna (pictured), who cooks every night with husband Harry, revealed they will be making her recipe for Goan fish curry this Christmas Eve
Six years ago my father passed away. I still miss him a lot — and Christmas is such a sensitive time. Everything about the festive period reminds you of the years before, so it’s about keeping those memories of family and closeness going.
However, this year, I’m also excited to be creating new memories with my wonderful husband Harry, whom I married in August. In 2017, we met at a lunch and instantly knew that this was the right place for us. It felt easy. In 2017, we relocated to Broadspear House on the grounds of Highclere castle. Every night, we cook together. Harry is just as passionate about food as I am. It’s amazing when you find your ‘one’ and can create a home together.
My life has been dominated by cooking. I can’t imagine eating separately.
This Christmas Eve, we’ve decided to make my recipe for Goan fish curry again. We did it last year and Harry loved it, so it’s become our new tradition. You can make it with any white fish, and it’s a lovely light, fragrant dish that’s a nice break from the heaviness of Christmas Day.
It’s a simple recipe, so only takes half an hour to make.
Goan Fish Curry
SERVES 4
- 300g Basmati Rice, well washed
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oils
- Finely chop 1 medium brown onion
- 2 chopped green chillies deseeded.
- Three garlic cloves roughly chopped
- Fresh ginger, 3cm pieces
- 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- Ground cumin: 1 teaspoon
- 2 TSP ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- Garam masala 1 teaspoon
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- 400ml coconut milk
- Sea salt, black pepper
- 350g of haddock cut in 2.5-inch chunks
- 250g King Prawns. Peeled
- 150g sugar snappeas
- 2 Tbsp chopped coriander leaves
1. Cook the rice in salted boiling water for about 10-12 minutes or until it is tender. Rinse with hot water.
2. While the rice cooks, heat the oil and butter in a large ovenproof pan or casserole. Fry the onion for 10 minutes.
3. Stir in the ginger, chillies and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes and stir constantly until aromatic. Stir in the diced tomato, and cook for another 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the coconut milk, add a pinch of salt and some pepper and simmer for 8–10 minutes until the sauce has thickened nicely.
5. Gently mix in the haddocks, prawns, and sugar snappeas. Let the mixture simmer for another 5 minutes. Season the dish with salt and pepper and then add the rice cooked and garnished with coriander leaves.
- In Minutes by Clodagh McKenna (£20, Kyle Books).
CARAMELISED EARTART FRIENDS LOVE THE BIG DAY
AINSLEY HARIOTT (64), is a television chef. His books include more than 20. According to him:
Ainsley Harriott (pictured ) stated that his cooking style changed drastically after having children. He felt it brought him back to his childhood.
My 11-year career as a chef began when I was a teenager. In my 30s, I was able to start my own family.
Clare, my partner, was pregnant with our first child Jimmy. She is now 31. How my life has changed. Maddie was 28 when we got married. My days were filled with Christmas joy. Everything has changed in terms of cooking. This brought me back to my childhood. My house was buzzing.
Now, with the turkey I serve my late mum’s baked ham (rubbed with mustard and sugar) and shred Brussels sprouts and saute them with herbs.
Clare and I split in 2012 after 23 years of marriage, but we’re still good mates. Christmas Day, my partner and i invite our friends to lunch.
It is so easy and delicious! I made three to four of these and they were great as starters and main dishes.
Caramelised pear, pecan & cheese tart
SERVES 4
- 25g butter
- 2 tablespoons runny honey
- 2 firm pear cored and sliced
- ½ lemon, for squeezing
- 1 x 500g ready-made puff pastry
- Plain flour, for dusting
- 125g soft goat’s cheese
- 100g dolcelatte cheese
- A large quantity of pecans/walnuts chopped
- Leaves of 3–4 thyme sprigs
- 1 egg, beat (or little milk).
1. Pre heat oven at 200°C/180° fan/gas 6. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets.
2. Melt butter and honey in a large skillet over medium heat. Toss in the pear slices and squeeze of lemon juice. Cook for two minutes per side to caramelize. Season the pears, and then reserve honey caramel.
3.To make a pastry rectangle measuring 28x38cm, roll it into a 5mm thick. Place on a baking sheet with a 2-inch border.
4. Place the pears in the borders. Dot with cheeses. Then add the pecans. Sprinkle the thyme over and then brush with the beaten egg.
5. Bake for 15–20 minutes. Sprinkle with the remaining caramel and season.
- Ainsley’s Good Mood Food (Ebury Press, £20).