Christmas Treats
In ancient Rome, 25thDecember was the day of the celebration of the unconquered Sun, marking the return of longer days. The church in Rome began celebrating Christmas on 25th December, in the 4th century AD during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, possibly to weaken pagan traditions.
Traditional Christmas dinner features turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and vegetables. Other types of poultry, roast beef, or ham are also being used. For dessert, pumpkin or apple pie, raisin pudding, Christmas pudding, or fruitcake are staples in a traditional Christmas dinner.
Here are some of my all-time favourite Christmas delicacies to try out.
Stuffed Roast Chicken
Ingredients:
Whole chicken- 1 kg (250 gm at least with skin)
For the marination:
• Oil- ¼ cup
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Mustard paste-1 and a half tsp
• Capsico/ tabasco sauce- 1 tsp
• Mixed herbs-1 tsp
• Honey-2-3 tbsp
• Chili flakes-1 tsp
• Soy sauce- 2-3 tsp
• White wine-1/4 cup
• For the stuffing of the chicken:
• Boiled rice-2 cups
• Boiled eggs- 4-5 nos., cubed
• Boiled cubed potatoes- 1-2 medium sized
• Boiled carrot cubes and blanched peas
• White sauce- 2 cups
• Grated cheese-1/2 cup
• Caramelised onions- 1 cup
Method:
1. Clean, wash and pat dry the whole chicken and prepare the marination in a bowl. Apply it in and out of the chicken and keep the marinated chicken refrigerated for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Pre-heat the oven at 180 degree celsius and grease a roasting tray and place some sliced carrots, sliced onions, celery pieces, bay leaves, peppercorns, and little oil on it. Then place the stuffed tied up chicken on this tray and proceed for roasting.
3. In a saucepan / mixing bowl combine together the ingredients for the stuffing and mix well, while using a spoon to carefully stuff the chicken with the filling; pressing it well inside the carcass. Tie up the legs once done using a twine or cooking thread. Now place for roasting, and brush with the remaining marination occasionally in the oven. Cook it for around 1 hour 10 minutes.Remove and serve the chicken hot with roast veggies, potatoes, roast gravy, brown sauce, breads, etc.
Steamed Christmas Pudding
Ingredients:
- Mixed dried fruits- 350 gm, apricots/sultanas/ raisins/cashews mix
- Apple- 1 no., peeled and cut into small pieces lOrange-1 no., rind grated and juice extracted lBrandy- 2 to 3 tbsp. Some additional brandy for flaming as needed
- Butter-110 gm, salted, plus some butter for greasing
- Sugar-110 gm
- Eggs-2 nos.
- Refined flour- 110 gm
- Mixed spice powder-3/4 tsp
- White bread crumbs- 50 gm
- Almonds/ pistachios- 2 tbsp, chopped lFor serving with brandy, butter sauce:
- Brandy/rum- 3-4 tbsp
- Butter-120 gm; ideally should be unsalted lIcing sugar- 225 gm
Method:
1. Prepare all the ingredients for the Christmas pudding as listed above. Soak the fruits in the brandy/rum for around 45 minutes-1 hour. In a mixing bowl, combine together the butter, sugar, orange rind and cream it using a hand blender until soft and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, beat well and then fold in the flour, spice mix, bread crumbs and nuts. Mix them well.
2. Grease the pudding basin or mould with butter and line it with foil paper and then pour the mixture into it. Cover the mould with a piece of foil, prick to allow steam
to escape, place on the baking tray if using oven (approx. 160 degrees Celsius) and then place water in the tray
or use a steamer to do the needful. It will take around more than 1 hour to get done. Use a toothpick to check whether it is done, and then remove carefully.
3. Lastly, to prepare the brandy sauce to go along the pudding, place butter in a mixing bowl, cream until light; keep adding icing sugar little at a time and mix well.Add in drops of brandy or rum and get the desired texture
to the sauce, and spoon it along with the warm pudding once being served.
