Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook

MY POMMES ANNA Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook BEST ROAST POTATOES CRISPY, FLUFFY, SQUASHED SPUDS WITH GOOSE FAT, GARLIC & SAGE Simple as roast potatoes are, there’s a handful of tiny, but important, details – picked up throughout my cooking career – that when combined give you this ultimate recipe, which I believe creates the perfect roast potato. What a luxury. SERVES 10 AS A SIDE2 HOURS 2.5kg medium Maris Piper potatoes 4 tablespoons goose fat (see here) or unsalted butter olive oil 1 bulb of garlic ½ a bunch of fresh sage (15g) Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Peel the potatoes, keeping them whole, and ideally all about the same size (8cm). Parboil them in a pan of boiling salted water for 15 minutes – this will ensure that the insides become really fluffy. Drain in a colander and leave to steam dry for 2 minutes – this will help the fat to stick to the potatoes. Give the colander a few light shakes to chuff up the edges of the potatoes, giving you maximum surface area for a crispy exterior as they roast. Place the goose fat or butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in your largest roasting tray. Tip in the potatoes, add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then toss to coat, and spread out in one fairly snug, even layer but with small gaps between them. Squash the garlic bulb, then lightly crush each unpeeled clove and add to the tray – this gives you sweet, caramelized garlic and adds a gentle perfume to the potatoes. Roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are crisp and golden all over. Remove the tray from the oven. We’re nearly there, but we’ve got one last application of love and care, which is the game-changer. Gently half-squash each potato with a fish slice or masher so they kind of push into each other and fill the tray. Pick the sage leaves and – importantly – toss with a little oil (this will transmit the flavour and make them deliciously crisp). Sprinkle the sage over the potatoes and roast for a further 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and amazing. Heaven – you could even serve these on their own in a restaurant, they’re so good. GET AHEAD Parboil your potatoes and dress them with the fat, garlic and seasoning a day in advance. Simply cover and keep in a cool place until you’re ready to roast.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook HASSELBACKS TURKEY DRIPPING, BLUE CHEESE & CRUSHED HAZELNUT CRUMB These sexy little beauties are super-fun to make, look amazing, loads of people will never have seen or enjoyed them before, and the flavour combination here just cooks into the potatoes so, so well. People. Will. Talk. About. These. SERVES 10 AS A SIDE1 HOUR 15 MINUTES 2.5kg Maris Piper potatoes (choose the smallest ones) ½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g) 4 tablespoons turkey dripping or olive oil 50g stale bread 40g hazelnuts 100g blue cheese Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. The fun and unique part of this side dish is that you need to slice multiple times through the potatoes, but – importantly – without going all the way through, giving you a kind of concertina-style potato. This looks beautiful but also makes them wonderfully absorbent of flavour and amplifies their crispiness. Try to choose small potatoes, give them a wash, and if you have any larger ones, cut them in half and use the flat side as a base. To make this process as simple as possible, place a potato on a board between the handles of two wooden spoons, so that when you slice down into the potato the spoons stop the blade from going all the way through. Carefully slice at just under ½cm intervals all the way along. Repeat with all the potatoes, placing them in a large roasting tray as you go. Pick half the thyme leaves into a pestle and mortar and pound with the turkey dripping or oil. Spoon over the potatoes, making sure the fat gets down into the cuts you’ve made, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Roast for 1 hour, or until the potatoes are golden and tender. Meanwhile, tear the bread into a baking dish, add the hazelnuts and toast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool, then tip into a food processor, strip in most of the remaining thyme leaves, add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper and half the cheese, and pulse into coarse crumbs. When the hour is up, sprinkle the crumbs over the potatoes, then finely crumble a little bit of the remaining blue cheese on to each one. Dress the rest of the thyme sprigs with a tiny bit of oil and sprinkle randomly on top. Return to the oven for a final 10 minutes, or until the cheese starts to melt, then serve. GET AHEAD You can cook these in advance up to the point where they’re roasted and sprinkled with the toppings, then just finish them off when you’re ready, ensuring that they’re hot and crisp before serving.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook POTATO AL FORNO COMFORTING CREAMY FENNEL, ONIONS, GARLIC & PARMESAN This is one of my favourite side dishes and, frankly, it’s so good I sometimes just have it for lunch with a big fresh salad to provide a bit of contrast. It’s easy to put together, and always delivers big on flavour, whatever you serve it with. SERVES 8–10 AS A SIDE1 HOUR 50 MINUTES 1kg Maris Piper potatoes 2 onions 2 bulbs of fennel, with herby fronds attached 600ml whole milk 400ml double cream 6 anchovy fillets in oil 8 cloves of garlic ½ a bunch of fresh rosemary (15g) 6 fresh bay leaves 1 whole nutmeg, for grating 50g Parmesan cheese Peel the potatoes and onions and trim the fennel bulbs, reserving any herby fennel tops for later. Finely slice the potatoes, onions and fennel just under ½cm thick, with patient knife skills or, ideally, on a mandolin (use the guard!). Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Pour the milk and cream into a pan. Tear in the anchovies, crush in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher, add the rosemary sprigs and bay leaves and finely grate in half the nutmeg. Bring to a light boil on a medium heat, then immediately turn the heat off and leave to infuse for a few minutes. Fish out and discard the herbs, finely grate and whisk in most of the Parmesan, then taste and season to perfection. In a 25cm x 30cm baking dish, layer up the slices of potato, onion and fennel. Pour over the cream mixture and finely grate over the remaining Parmesan. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 45 minutes, or until tender and nicely golden. Remove from the oven, tear and scatter over any reserved fennel tops, and serve. MIX IT UP Feel free to swap out the fennel and hero other seasonal veg in this recipe, such as slices of celeriac or tender celery heart.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook CHAMP PIE LEEKS, WATERCRESS, CHEDDAR & SUPER-CRISPY POTATO SKINS Champ is a classic Irish potato dish. I’ve evolved that wonderful recipe here to utilize the potato skins, too. They get super-crisp and savoury, and once filled with the creamy smashed potatoes and baked are absolutely amazing. SERVES 10 AS A SIDE2 HOURS 15 MINUTES 10 large Maris Piper potatoes (250g each) 6 medium leeks 25g unsalted butter olive oil 2 fresh bay leaves 1 bunch of fresh thyme (30g) 200ml semi-skimmed milk 100g watercress 150g mature Cheddar cheese 1 whole nutmeg, for grating 3 large eggs 50g breadcrumbs Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Scrub the potatoes clean, then place them in a large roasting tray and prick each one a few times with a fork. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until golden and crisp, but still fluffy in the middle. Leave until cool enough to handle, then halve, scoop the insides into a bowl and mash well, putting the skins aside for later. Meanwhile, wash, trim and finely slice the leeks. Place a large pan on a medium heat with the butter, 1 tablespoon of oil and the bay, then strip in half the thyme leaves. Stir for 1 minute, then add the leeks. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, or until just softened, then pour in the milk. Pick in the watercress, then

ROAST CHICKEN FLAVOURED BUTTERS ROAST DUCK ROAST VENISON MEATLOAF RACK OF LAMB SALMON EN CROÛTE FISH PIE FISH CURRY SALT CRUST SALMON Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook ROAST GOOSE SLOW-COOKED WITH CHRISTMAS SPICES If you’ve never had roast goose before, it’s an absolute must. This method is reliable and will give you an experience you definitely won’t forget, whether it’s the first meal from it, or using up the lovely leftovers it gives you (if there are any!). SERVES 83 HOURS 30 MINUTES 1 large goose (4–5kg), halved lengthways by your butcher 6cm piece of ginger 6 large sticks of cinnamon 6 star anise 2 teaspoons whole cloves olive oil 2 oranges red wine vinegar Get your meat out of the fridge and up to room temperature before you cook it. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Peel and finely slice the ginger, then, keeping everything quite coarse, lightly crush it in a pestle and mortar with the cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Rub into the skin of the goose halves, then put both halves skin side up in your biggest deep-sided roasting tray and drizzle with a little oil. Roast for 3 hours (depending on the size of your goose), basting every hour. After the goose has been in for 2 hours, slice the oranges and carefully add to the tray. The goose is cooked when the leg meat falls easily off the bone. Now you’ve got two choices. Leave it to rest, covered, for 30 minutes, then serve up while it’s hot and crispy-skinned, in which case simply remove the meat to a board, shred the leg meat and slice the breast. Pour all the fat into a jar, cool, and place in the fridge for tasty cooking another day, such as my Best roast potatoes (see here). Stir a good swig of vinegar into the tray to pick up all the sticky goodness from the base, then drizzle over your meat. Serve with spuds, veg and all the usual trimmings. Your second choice is to let everything cool in the tray, then place it in the fridge for up to 2 days, with the goose submerged and protected in its own fat, ready to reheat when you need it, getting you ahead of the game and saving you time and oven space another day. To reheat, put the whole tray back in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and let the goose crisp up for around 30 minutes, or until hot through, then shred, slice and serve as above. LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS They’ll be delicious shredded into a salad or stew, or used in place of leftover turkey meat for recipes in the Leftovers chapter. Blitz any leftover skin with breadcrumbs, then toast, and use as an epic sprinkle.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook ROAST BEEF WITH A DELICIOUS PULLED MEAT GRAVY Forerib is such an exciting and beautiful cut of meat to cook. The subtle seasoning of ground ginger is absolutely sublime, and with tender pulled meat and Barolo gravy on the side, this meal is a real celebration of brilliant beef. SERVES 123 HOURS 30 MINUTES 1 x 4kg forerib of beef, French trimmed, chine bone removed, cap removed and reserved, fat tied back on olive oil 4 teaspoons ground ginger 2 onions 2 carrots 2 sticks of celery 2 fresh bay leaves 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary Worcestershire sauce 1 glass of red wine, ideally Barolo 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour Buy your beef from the butcher, and ask for local, grass-fed, well-marbled meat. Put in your order a month in advance so they can hang the meat for you, for better flavour and tenderness. Ask for a French-trimmed forerib with the chine bone removed and the fat tied back on, and ask them to reserve the removed cap meat for you, too. Get your forerib and cap out of the fridge 2 hours before you want to cook them, to let them come up to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Drizzle both pieces of meat with oil. Mix the ground ginger with 2 teaspoons each of sea salt and black pepper, then rub all over both pieces of meat. Place the cap meat in a large roasting tray. Peel the onions, wash the carrots, then roughly chop with the celery and scatter into the tray with the bay leaves, rosemary sprigs, a good few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, the red wine and the flour. Mix everything up, then place the tray on the bottom shelf of the oven. Sit the forerib directly on the bars above, so the cap tray catches all the flavoursome fat that drips out. Roast the forerib for around 2 hours to 2 hours 15 minutes for medium, or give it up to an extra 30 minutes if you prefer it more well done (if using a meat thermometer, you want to reach an internal temperature of 60ºC or 70ºC). Roast the cap meat for the same time. Remove the forerib to a platter, cover with tin foil and leave to rest for 1 hour 30 minutes before serving. Skim away most of the fat from the cap tray into a jar, cool, and place in the fridge for tasty cooking another day. Pick out and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprigs, add 750ml of boiling kettle water, cover with tin foil and return to the oven for around 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the meat is pullable – the time can vary depending on the animal, so use your instincts. Use two forks to pull and shred the meat in the tray, discarding any sinew and wobbly bits, then either mix the pulled meat back through the flavoursome veggies and gravy, or sieve and serve the gravy in a pouring jug on the side, loosening if needed. Carve the forerib, and serve both meats with all the usual trimmings, particularly Yorkshire puds (see here) and Horseradish sauce (see here).   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook JERK HAM RUBBED WITH SPICES & GLAZED WITH RUM-SPIKED MARMALADE These days, if I’m going to do a baked ham, it’s got to be this recipe. The contrast of gorgeous juicy ham with the outer crust of incredible jerk flavours and the sweet rummy marmalade glaze that finishes it off is just brilliant. Heaven. SERVES 16–203 HOURS 40 MINUTES 1 x 4kg piece of middle-cut gammon, with knuckle 1 tablespoon black peppercorns 1 bouquet garni 1 onion JERK 3 cloves of garlic 3 red shallots 3 fresh Scotch bonnet chillies ½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g) 3 fresh bay leaves ½ a bunch of fresh chives (15g) 1 tablespoon runny honey 1 tablespoon each ground allspice, ground nutmeg, ground cloves 100ml golden rum 100ml malt vinegar GLAZE 1 orange 150ml golden rum 3 tablespoons quality bitter orange marmalade Get your meat out of the fridge and up to room temperature before you cook it. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325ºF/gas 3. Place the gammon in a deep roasting tray with the peppercorns and bouquet garni. Peel the onion, cut into wedges and add to the tray. Pour in enough water to come halfway up the side of the tray, then cover it with tin foil. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and leave for 30 minutes, keeping it covered. Now, while it’s still warm, carefully remove the skin, keeping the fat attached to the ham. With a Stanley knife, score the ham by making lots of diagonal cuts across the leg. Turn the oven up to 180º/350ºF/gas 4. To make the jerk seasoning, peel the garlic and shallots, deseed the chillies, and place them all in a food processor. Strip in the thyme leaves, tear the bay leaves off the stalks, and add the leaves to the processor with all the other jerk ingredients and 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Blitz it up until smooth, then brush or rub (wearing gloves!) it all over the ham and scored fat. Bake the ham for 1 hour. For the glaze, squeeze the orange juice into a bowl and mix with the rum and marmalade. Remove the ham from the oven, pour over the glaze, then roast for another 30 to 40 minutes, basting with a brush every 10 minutes, or until cooked through, sticky and golden. Remove the ham to a board, ready to slice hot, cold or at room temperature. Pour all the spicy fat into a jar, cool, and place in the fridge for tasty cooking another day. LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS Use them in my Pea soup (see here), serve with my Bubble & squeak (see here), or at a party with pickles, condiments and nice bread

SALMON PÂTÉ BEETROOT CARPACCIO SILKY PÂTÉ GRAVADLAX PORK TERRINE Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook PRAWN COCKTAIL MARIE ROSE SAUCE, SMOKED SALMON, SHRIMPS & ICEBERG An American prohibition classic; I made thousands of these in my parents’ pub in the 80s. Prawn cocktail is nostalgic, retro, and just a tiny bit naff, but in a really brilliant way. People love it, and, if it’s done well, it’s always memorable. SERVES 420 MINUTES olive oil 1 clove of garlic cayenne pepper 8 large raw shell-on king prawns ½ an iceberg lettuce 1 ripe avocado 2 ripe tomatoes ½ a cucumber 2 sprigs of fresh mint 1 punnet of cress 100g cooked peeled little prawns 100g brown shrimps 180g quality smoked salmon MARIE ROSE SAUCE 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 3 tablespoons natural yoghurt 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup 1 splash of Worcestershire sauce 1 splash of brandy 1 lemon Place a large pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and crush in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher. Sprinkle in a good pinch of cayenne and add the king prawns (butterfly them first, if you like). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through, turning halfway, then remove from the heat. To make the Marie Rose sauce, simply mix together the mayo, yoghurt, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and brandy, then add a little cayenne pepper and lemon juice, to taste, and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper. Finely slice the lettuce. Peel and destone the avocado, then dice with the tomatoes and cucumber and divide between cute glasses, plates or bowls. Pick and add the smaller mint leaves and snip over pinches of cress. Divide up the cooked little prawns, shrimps and delicate waves of salmon, then spoon over the Marie Rose sauce and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne from a height. Add 2 king prawns to each portion for a grand finish, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over. Some buttered bread on the side is always going to go down a treat, too. MIX IT UP The lovely thing about this recipe is that it’s very flexible. You can use everyday frozen prawns, which are very delicious, or even get yourself some lobster or freshly picked crabmeat and really dress it up – it’s up to you. Enjoy!   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook BEEF CARPACCIO ROASTED SQUASH, CHESTNUTS & WINTER LEAVES I love this delicate warm salad for a festive starter or lunch. It really embraces winter squash, leaves and chestnuts, with a fiery mustard dressing that sets it all off nicely. Brilliant served on a big platter to impress your guests. SERVES 61 HOUR 1 butternut squash (1.2kg) 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 1 teaspoon coriander seeds ½ teaspoon dried red chilli flakes 1 pinch of ground cinnamon olive oil 150g vac-packed chestnuts 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary 600g piece of centre beef fillet 1 heaped tablespoon Dijon mustard extra virgin olive oil 2 lemons 6 handfuls of mixed seasonal salad leaves, such as mustard cress, radicchio, watercress Parmesan cheese Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Wash the squash and carefully cut it in half lengthways. Remove and reserve the seeds, then cut each half lengthways into six thin wedges and arrange in a roasting tray. In a pestle and mortar, bash the fennel and coriander seeds, dried chilli flakes, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper until fine, then sprinkle over the squash. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to lightly coat everything and toss well. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, sprinkling the chestnuts and reserved squash seeds into the tray to roast for the last 10 minutes. Finely chop the rosemary leaves on a board with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Rub the beef with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then roll it around on the board until it’s well coated in the seasoned rosemary. Put a pan on a high heat and, once it’s screaming hot, sear the beef for 2 to 3 minutes, turning until browned all over, then remove to a board to rest. Remember you’re searing it, not cooking it. Mix the mustard, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the lemon juice in a bowl to make a dressing, then taste and season to perfection. Use a really sharp knife to slice the beef as thinly as you can, then use the flat blade of the knife to flatten out each slice. Arrange the slices on a large platter and season from a height with a little salt. Place the roasted squash wedges on top, then scatter over the roasted chestnuts and toasted seeds from the tray. Drizzle over most of the dressing, then lightly dress your salad leaves with the remainder, and sprinkle them on top. Serve with a block of Parmesan, for shaving over at the table.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook ROASTED APPLE & SQUASH SOUP CHILLI, FRESH HERBS & CAYENNE-SPIKED TOASTED SEEDS A bit of an old favourite of mine, this wonderful soup is a real celebration of the humble eating apple. Making the most of the incredible depth of flavour achieved by roasting, this super-comforting soup is the perfect festive bowlful. SERVES 61 HOUR 30 MINUTES 1 butternut squash (1.2kg) 3 Cox’s or Braeburn eating apples 1 large onion 1–2 fresh red chillies 4 cloves of garlic olive oil 1 pinch of coriander seeds 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary 4 tablespoons pumpkin seeds 1 pinch of sweet cayenne pepper 1 litre vegetable or chicken stock optional: 150ml single cream optional: edible flowers or flowering herbs Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Wash the squash, then carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into 2½cm chunks and put them into your largest roasting tray. Peel and quarter the apples, removing the cores, peel and roughly chop the onion, then add both to the tray. Halve, deseed and add the chillies, then squash and add the unpeeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, add the coriander seeds and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then strip over the rosemary leaves. Toss well, then roast for around 45 to 50 minutes, or until it’s all cooked through, intensely golden and delicious. Toss the pumpkin seeds with salt, pepper, a little oil and the cayenne. Spread out on a baking tray and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, then put aside. Squeeze the soft roasted garlic flesh into a blender, discarding the skins. Spoon in half the roasted veg, add half the stock, put the lid on, cover with a tea towel, then, holding the lid in place, blitz until smooth. Pour into a large pan, blitz the rest of the veg and stock, then add that to the pan with most of the cream (if using). Bring to a simmer on a medium-low heat, then taste and season to perfection, adjusting the consistency with a little more stock, to your liking. Divide the soup between warm bowls and add an extra swirl of cream for a retro finish, then sprinkle over the toasted seeds. You can also delicately decorate with flowering herbs or edible flowers, if you like. Good with warm crusty bread.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook SEAFOOD SMÖRGÅSBORD A SENSATIONAL SEASONAL CELEBRATION OF THE SEA Every part of the world offers up a different bounty of seafood. So embrace the wonderful diversity of our seas and have fun with what’s available where you are, mixing up raw, smoked, pickled and cured – your taste buds will thank you. 30 MINUTES The glorious page of beauty you see below is a brilliant principle to embrace during the festive season, or, frankly, at any sociable get-together at any time of year. There’s not much work involved – it’s all about the art of assembly. It’s beautiful for two or four people, but you can easily scale it up for eight or ten, if you want to. Simply buy an interesting mixture of wonderful fresh, raw, smoked, pickled and cured seafood, which you can find in all good fishmongers – ask their advice on what’s best right now. Get yourself a large rustic board or platter, then take a bit of pride in delicately arranging all your favourite things. Here’s what’s made it on to my smörgås

ragus, to autumn mushrooms or chunks of roasted winter squash.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook THAI GREEN CURRY ROASTED SQUASH, LEFTOVER GREENS, TOFU & PEANUTS The first time I ever had Thai green curry I was sixteen years old and it blew my mind! This green curry paste is so quick to make, yet the flavours are really complex, refreshing and delicious. With Christmas leftovers, it’s a dream. Boom. SERVES 81 HOUR 15 MINUTES 1 butternut squash (1.2kg) groundnut oil 2 x 400g tins of light coconut milk 400g leftover cooked greens, such as Brussels sprouts, Brussels tops, kale, cabbage, broccoli 350g firm silken tofu 75g unsalted peanuts sesame oil 1 fresh red chilli 2 limes CURRY PASTE 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 cloves of garlic 2 shallots 5cm piece of ginger 4 kaffir lime leaves 2 tablespoons fish sauce 4 fresh green chillies 2 tablespoons desiccated coconut 1 bunch of fresh coriander (30g) 1 stick of lemongrass 1 lime Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Wash the squash, carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds, then cut into wedges. In a roasting tray, toss with 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then roast for around 1 hour, or until tender and golden. For the paste, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes, then tip into a food processor. Peel, roughly chop and add the garlic, shallots and ginger, along with the kaffir lime leaves, 2 tablespoons of groundnut oil, the fish sauce, chillies (pull off the stalks), coconut and most of the coriander (stalks and all). Bash the lemongrass, remove and discard the outer layer, then snap into the processor, squeeze in the lime juice and blitz into a paste, scraping down the sides halfway. Put 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat with the curry paste and fry for 5 minutes to get the flavours going, stirring regularly. Tip in the coconut milk and half a tin’s worth of water, then simmer and thicken on a low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted squash, roughly chop and add the leftover greens and leave to tick away on the lowest heat, then taste and season to perfection. Meanwhile, cube the tofu and fry in a pan on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of groundnut oil for 2 minutes, or until golden. Crush the peanuts in a pestle and mortar and toast in the tofu pan until lightly golden. Serve the curry topped with the golden tofu and peanuts, drizzled with a little sesame oil. Slice the chilli and sprinkle over with the reserved coriander leaves. Serve with lime wedges, for squeezing over. Great with sticky rice. MIX IT UP Veggies win in this beautiful recipe, but, of course, if you wanted to tear in some leftover cooked turkey or chicken meat, that would work a treat, too.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook TURKEY PIE SWEET CREAMY LEEKS, SMOKY BACON & CHESTNUT PUFF PASTRY This amazingly comforting pie has to be one of my favourite ways, and one of the easiest, to use up leftover turkey and stuffing. The simple addition of crumbled chestnuts to the puff pastry means it’s a total game-changer. SERVES 82 HOURS 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon 25g unsalted butter olive oil ½ a bunch of fresh thyme (15g) 1.5kg leeks 500g leftover cooked turkey meat optional: leftover stuffing 2 heaped tablespoons plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 litre turkey, chicken or veg stock 2 tablespoons crème fraîche optional: leftover turkey gravy ½ x 500g packet of all-butter puff pastry (cold) 6 vac-packed chestnuts 1 large egg Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Chop the bacon and place in a large pan on a medium heat with the butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Strip in the thyme leaves and fry for 5 minutes while you wash, trim and finely slice the leeks (it seems like a lot, but they’ll cook down nicely). Toss the leeks into the pan with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cover and cook gently on a low heat for 40 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring regularly. Tear up the turkey meat and stir it into the leeks, adding some stuffing too, if you’ve got it. Stir in the flour, followed by the stock and crème fraîche – any leftover turkey gravy will add great bonus flavour here, too. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, then taste, season to perfection and turn the heat off. Quickly pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan so most of the awesome gravy drips into the pan, then tip the filling into a 26cm pie dish – you want your filling to still be a little bit saucy, so don’t drain it completely. Roll out the pastry, crumble the chestnuts over one half of it, then fold the other half over and roll out again, crushing the chestnuts into it. Brush the edges of your pie dish with beaten egg, then loosely roll the pastry around your rolling pin and unroll it over the pie dish. Trim off any excess, then pinch and crimp the edges to seal. Brush the top with beaten egg, and don’t worry if the pastry tears, just use any pastry trimmings to patch up the cracks. You can also cut out little shapes to decorate the top of the pie, sticking them down with eggwash, however you like. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Reheat your gravy to serve on the side, reducing it, if needed, and everyone’s happy! Good with steamed greens and peas.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook TURKEY FALAFEL SHREDDED CABBAGE, PICKLED RED ONION & CHILLIES, HOUMOUS & WRAPS I love this dish because the flavours couldn’t be more different from traditional Christmas dinner. It makes a brilliant brunch or lunch, and with the bright colours and soft and crunchy textures it will add a bit of freshness to your table. SERVES 435 MINUTES 3 red onions olive oil 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas 300g leftover cooked turkey meat 1 fresh green chilli ½ a bunch of fresh coriander (15g) 1 level teaspoon ground turmeric 1 level teaspoon smoked paprika 50g feta cheese 1 heaped teaspoon cumin seeds extra virgin olive oil 2 lemons ½ a red cabbage (500g) 1 pinch of ground cloves ½ a bunch of mixed fresh flat-leaf parsley and chervil (15g) ½ a tub of quality shop-bought houmous 4 wholewheat wraps 4 pickled chillies Peel and finely chop 1 onion and place in a pan on a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and put them into a bowl, mashing half with a potato masher, then finely chop and add the turkey. Finely chop the chilli and the top leafy half of the coriander and add to the bowl with the turmeric and paprika. Crumble in the feta, add the cooked onions and mix well. Divide into eight equal-sized pieces, then shape and squash together into patties. Place on a tray, sprinkle over and evenly pat on the cumin seeds, then place in the fridge to firm up. Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the remaining onions. Either dry fry or griddle them on a medium heat to reduce the raw edge, then scrunch with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon in a little bowl to make them a vibrant pink. Trim and finely shred the cabbage, then toss with the cloves, a good pinch of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and a few torn parsley and chervil leaves. Loosen the houmous with the juice of half a lemon and a little water to give you a nice drizzling consistency. Drizzle the falafel with a little olive oil. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Lightly warm the wraps through for a few seconds, then lay out, sprinkle over some cabbage and pickled onion and divide your falafel on top, busting them open and drizzling them with houmous. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice, pick over the remaining herb leaves, add a pickled chilli to each wrap, then grab, roll up and enjoy!   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook KEDGEREE SMOKED HADDOCK, WI

bread and butter pudding, with sweet onions and the gentle heat of mustard. SERVES 81 HOUR 10 MINUTES 2 onions 1.4 litres semi-skimmed milk 3 teaspoons English mustard 3 cloves 3 fresh bay leaves 1 whole nutmeg, for grating 25g unsalted butter 1 rustic loaf of white bread (400g) Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Peel and finely slice the onions. Place them in a large pan with the milk, mustard, cloves and bay. Simmer on a low heat for 20 minutes, so the flavours infuse and the onions soften, stirring occasionally. Scoop out and discard the cloves, then season the milk mixture with sea salt and black pepper, finely grate in half the nutmeg and stir in the butter. Tear the bread into 3cm chunks and stir into the pan, then transfer it all to a baking dish (20cm x 30cm). Press it down into the dish and bake for around 40 minutes, or until golden and crispy at the edges, but smooth and silky in the middle. Serve hot or warm. It’s the ultimate accompaniment to your roast turkey on Christmas Day, of course, but it also goes really well with roasted chicken and all game birds, and, to be honest, pretty much anything else you care to pair it with! GET AHEAD This can be put together on Christmas Eve, ready to bake on the big day.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook CRANBERRY SAUCE BURNT BUTTER, MAPLE SYRUP, APPLE, THYME & SPICED RUM Cranberry sauce is a great thing to make at this time of year. It’s not only good with roasted meats, but can be used in gravies, stews or even a sweet dessert, like my Frangipane tart here – leftovers need never go to waste! SERVES 8–1020 MINUTES 4 eating apples 50g unsalted butter 2 tablespoons maple syrup 4 sprigs of fresh thyme 300g fresh or frozen cranberries 50ml quality spiced rum Peel and core the apples, then roughly chop and put aside. Melt the butter in a large pan on a medium heat until golden and bubbling. Stir in the maple syrup and when it’s just beginning to lightly caramelize, strip in the thyme leaves and add the apples, cranberries and spiced rum. Leave to cook and reduce with the lid on for around 15 minutes, or until the apples have softened and the sauce is nice and thick. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally, adding a splash of water to loosen or removing the lid for the last few minutes to let it thicken up – it’s your responsibility to get it to the consistency of your liking. Have a little taste – I like the balance between natural sweetness and acidity, as it really helps to cut through the richness of the meat you’re serving it with, but add a touch more maple syrup, if you want to. Transfer it to a serving bowl, let it cool to room temperature, then cover and chill in the fridge, until needed. GET GIFTING Cranberry sauce makes a great gift – feel free to double or triple the recipe, decant while hot into sterilized jars (see here), and give to family and friends. It’s delicious, and will save them a job, too. It keeps happily in the fridge for a good few weeks.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook HORSERADISH SAUCE FIERY FRESH HORSERADISH, VINEGAR & CRÈME FRAÎCHE SERVES 1210 MINUTES Finely grate 100g of fresh horseradish on to a plate. Add 200g of half-fat crème fraîche. Season really well with sea salt, add a splash of red wine vinegar and mix together well. Taste, adjust the seasoning and the fieriness, then spoon across the plate to cover. Finely grate over a little more fresh horseradish, drizzle with good extra virgin olive oil and serve.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook MINT SAUCE FRAGRANT FRESH MINT, RED WINE VINEGAR, SALT & SUGAR SERVES 1210 MINUTES Pick the leaves from 3 bunches of fresh mint (30g each) into a blender. Add 2 good pinches of sea salt and 2 teaspoons of golden caster sugar, pour over 100ml of boiling kettle water and leave for 1 minute. Add 50ml of red wine vinegar, then blitz to the consistency of your liking. Taste and season to perfection, adding good extra virgin olive oil to taste.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook PIGS IN BLANKETS GONE CRAZY … Pigs in blankets are genius, but lots of clever combos, when wrapped in bacon, are equally delicious. Why don’t you mix it up this year and get people talking? I’ve given you lots of ideas here, so pick your favourites and have fun with them. EACH COMBO MAKES 1 PARCEL30 MINUTES Lay 1 rasher of smoked streaky bacon – and it must be smoked – on a board and run the side of your knife along it to flatten it out, meaning you can chop it in the middle and use half a rasher for each blanket. Place your filling on top, then roll and wrap it up, lining them up in an oiled roasting tray as you go. Cook in a preheated oven at 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for around 20 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, then serve. TEAM ½ A RASHER OF BACON WITH … ◆1 knob of Brie-style cheese – 1 shelled walnut half – 1 fresh thyme tip ◆½ a cleaned chicken liver – 1 fresh sage leaf – ½ a dried apricot ◆1 freshly shucked oyster – 1 slice of pickled onion – 1 pinch of dried red chilli flakes ◆1 destoned dried prune – a crumbling of blue cheese – 2 chopped fresh rosemary leaves ◆1 fresh sage leaf – 1 small slice of black pudding ◆1 fresh sage leaf – 1 cocktail sausage ◆1 cube of crustless bread – 2 fresh rosemary leaves ◆1 destoned date – 2 crumbled blanched hazelnuts – 1 drizzle of runny honey ◆1 piece of torn ricotta or firm goat’s cheese – slices of fresh red chilli ◆1 wedge of ripe pear – a few dried cranberries – 1 fresh thyme tip ◆½ a torn ripe fig stuffed with pine nuts – 1 drizzle of runny honey ◆1 little quenelle or ball of stuffing – 2 scrapings of nutmeg   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook MEAT STUFFING SWEET ONIONS, LEEKS, SAGE, SMOKY BACON, CHESTNUTS & PORK SHOULDER Everyone loves a good stuffing. The flavour from free-range pork shoulder is far more delicious than sausagemeat – any good butcher will be able to mince this up for you, and with the slow-cooked onions and leeks, it’s a total joy to eat. SERVES 101 HOUR 15 MINUTES PLUS COOLING 2 onions 2 leeks 1 bunch of fresh sage (30g) olive oil 50g unsalted butter 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon 1 whole nutmeg, for grating 400g stale bread 200g vac-packed chestnuts 1kg minced pork shoulder 1 x 400g tin of peaches, in juice 1 clementine Peel the onions, wash and trim the leeks, then finely chop them (saving the green leek tops for soup or stew). Pick the sage leaves, keep 2 nice big ones aside, then finely slice the rest. Place a large frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter. Finely slice and add the bacon, fry until lightly golden, then stir in the sliced sage, followed by the onions and leeks. Finely grate in half the nutmeg, add a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper and cook for 15 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool. Toast the bread, then whiz it to crumbs in a food processor with the chestnuts and tip into a large bowl. Add the cooled onion mixture, the minced pork shoulder and drained peaches. Using your hands, really squash and squidge everything until well mixed. Put 250g of the stuffing mixture aside to stuff the neck of your turkey (see here), then pack the rest into an appropriately sized oiled baking dish. Flatten it down and use your hands to almost tuck the stuffing into the dish, so it mounds up in the middle. Halve the clementine, then push the halves into the top of the stuffing, cut side up, placing 1 reserved sage leaf on each half. Drizzle with 1 more tablespoon of oil and, when needed, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/gas 4 for 50 minutes, or until golden, gnarly and cooked through. MIX IT UP Feel free to add some minced game to this story, or even a handful of chopped chicken livers, for a nice variation. LOVE YOUR LEFTOVERS Use them in my epic Toad in the hole (see here), or slice almost like a terrine and serve with cheese, bread and pickles.   Jamie Olive

CUPCAKES AMALFI CAKE GINGERBREAD Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook CHOCOLATE LOG SWEET CHESTNUT PURÉE, HONEYED CREAM & CRUSHED HONEYCOMB FILLING This Yule log brings back loads of happy memories for me – it was one of the first desserts I ever made as a kid, at Christmas time, of course! This is my slightly more grown-up version, which is really good fun to make and decorate. SERVES 12–141 HOUR PLUS COOLING SPONGE 4 large eggs 75g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 75g self-raising flour 2 tablespoons quality cocoa powder 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste 2 tablespoons caster sugar FILLING 1 x 250g tin of sweetened chestnut purée 1 pinch of ground cinnamon 200ml double cream 1 tablespoon runny honey 1 Crunchie bar or 40g Honeycomb (see here) BUTTERCREAM 150g quality dark chocolate (70%) 150g unsalted butter (at room temperature) 150g icing sugar Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. For the sponge, line a 25cm x 30cm baking tray with greaseproof paper. Separate the eggs. In an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of sea salt. Gradually whisk in the icing sugar, then, one-by-one, whisk in the egg yolks until really pale and light. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder, add the vanilla bean paste, then fold everything together with a large metal spoon so you keep in as much air as possible. Spoon the mixture into the lined tray, gently and evenly spread it out, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until just cooked through and springy to the touch. Place a large sheet of greaseproof paper (35cm x 45cm) on a flat surface and evenly sprinkle over the caster sugar from a height. While it’s still hot and flexible, turn the sponge out on to the paper. Peel off and discard the baked piece of greaseproof. With one of the longest sides in front of you, fold up the excess paper, then roll up the sponge with the paper inside (as it cools, this will set the shape but prevent the sponge from cracking). Leave to cool. For the filling, mix the chestnut purée and cinnamon together. In a separate bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks, then fold in the honey. To assemble, unroll the sponge so it’s flat, removing the paper. Spread all over with the chestnut purée, followed by the cream, then smash and sprinkle over the Crunchie bar or honeycomb. Re-roll and pop into the fridge. Meanwhile, make your buttercream. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, then remove and leave to cool. Beat the butter in an electric mixer until pale, then, with the mixer still running, gradually add the icing sugar and cool melted chocolate. Take the log out of the fridge, chop off a quarter at an angle – that’s the branch – and position it on your serving board like in the picture, using a splodge of buttercream to keep it in place. Evenly cover the whole log with buttercream, then use a fork to decorate it. Dust with extra icing sugar and a pinch of sea salt, shaved chocolate, sprinkles, plastic Bambi figures, whatever you like – go to town!   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook MY VICTORIA SPONGE ORANGE BLOSSOM CHANTILLY CREAM, STRAWBERRY JAM & SPRINKLES Embracing orange blossom in the vanilla Chantilly cream and spiking our strawberry jam with just a little touch of fragrant rosewater creates a wonderful tutti-frutti-flavoured evolution of the classic Victoria sponge – you’ll love it! SERVES 1250 MINUTES PLUS COOLING SPONGE 225g unsalted butter (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing 225g golden caster sugar 4 large eggs 1 orange 225g self-raising flour 1 heaped teaspoon baking powder FILLING & TOPPING 1 vanilla pod 300ml double cream 2 tablespoons icing sugar orange blossom water rosewater 4 tablespoons quality strawberry jam 150g naturally coloured hundreds and thousands Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Grease two 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with greaseproof paper circles. For the sponge, by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until super-light and fluffy. One-by-one, beat in the eggs, then finely grate in the orange zest and fold in the flour and baking powder. Divide between the prepared tins and spread out evenly. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden, risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool a little in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For the Chantilly cream, halve the vanilla pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds, place them in a bowl with the cream, then sift in the icing sugar. Whisk until you get soft peaks, then add just a few drips of orange blossom water, to taste. Mix just a few drips of rosewater into your strawberry jam. Place your scruffiest sponge on a cake stand and spread the jam over the top, followed by a thin layer of cream. Place the other sponge on top, then, dipping a palette knife into a bowl of boiling kettle water as you go, spread the rest of the cream all over the top and sides of the cake, smoothing it out nice and evenly. Rotate the stand as you go to help you, but try not to overwork the cream. Place the cake stand in a large roasting tray and sprinkle your hundreds and thousands on top, flicking and gently patting them up the sides of the cake until you have an even coating. Hopefully all the ones that miss will fall into the tray, allowing you to scoop them up and put them to good use, too. Decorate with candles, sparklers or bunting, if you want, and serve with a good cup of tea.   Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook MY CHRISTMAS CAKE PACKED WITH DRIED FRUIT, COCOA, STOUT & SPICE If I’m completely honest, I’ve never been a massive Christmas cake fan, but my mum insisted I put one in the book, so I spent months developing this, which I do like! It’s lighter than most – have fun decorating it, like I did with Buddy. SERVES 16–243 HOURS 30 MINUTES PLUS COOLING & DECORATING 200g unsalted butter (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing 150g mixed Medjool dates and prunes 500g mixed dried apricots, cranberries, peel, currants 1 apple 1 clementine 100ml stout 200g soft light brown sugar 4 large eggs 200ml whole milk 300g plain flour 1 level teaspoon baking powder 3 tablespoons quality cocoa powder 1 teaspoon each ground ginger, mixed spice, ground cinnamon Preheat the oven to 150ºC/300ºF/gas 2. Grease a 20cm square cake tin with butter and line the base and sides with greaseproof paper, lining the sides high. Tear the stones out of the dates and prunes, then place all the dried fruit in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Decant the mixture into a large bowl, coarsely grate in the apple, finely grate in the clementine zest and squeeze in the juice. Pour in the stout, mix well and leave aside to soak for a few minutes. Meanwhile, blitz the butter and sugar together in the processor until pale, smooth and fluffy. With the processor still running, one-by-one crack in the eggs, then pour in the milk in a steady stream, blitzing until smooth. Scrape this mixture into the bowl of fruit and fold together with a spatula. Sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa and spices, then fold together again. Transfer to your prepared tin and bake for around 2 hours, or until cooked through and an inserted skewer comes out clean – if it needs a little longer, simply cover the top with greaseproof paper to prevent it from catching. Leave to cool for 30 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Now the fun bit, the decoration. You’ll see from the following pages that my lovely mum likes to keep things traditional – she brushes her cake with warm apricot jam, covers it with marzipan, then uses fondant icing to finish it off nice and smoothly. I, on the other hand, prefer to go a bit more to town. I do brush my cake with warm jam, too, preferably a sour variety, then embracing my inner Mary Berry, I make proper royal icing, and all my old toys come out (for decoration only, of course, so watch those little hands)

PINK PEPPER NEGRONI WINTER OLD FASHIONED ROB ROY HOT TODDY FESTIVE BELLINI PARTY PROSECCO FROZEN GRAPES & GRAPPA Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook WHITE RUSSIAN 50ml Grey Goose vodka 25ml coffee liqueur 25ml double cream Shake the vodka and coffee liqueur together over ice, then strain well into a glass with more ice. Vigorously shake up the double cream, then gently pour it into the glass over the back of a spoon so it forms a layer on top. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook HOT BUTTERED RUM 10g unsalted butter 100ml unsweetened cloudy apple juice 50ml Bacardi 8 rum 25ml apricot brandy 3 whole cloves 1 whole nutmeg, for grating 1 orange Melt the butter in a small pan on a low heat, stir in the apple juice, rum, brandy and cloves, then finely grate in 1 scraping each of nutmeg and orange zest. Pour into a heatproof glass, discarding the cloves, and serve warm with extra grated nutmeg and zest. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook FISH HOUSE PUNCH 25ml Bacardi 8 rum 25ml Earl Grey tea (cold) 12.5ml Cognac 12.5ml apricot brandy liqueur 10ml spiced sugar syrup (see below) ½ a lemon 1 orange SPICED SUGAR SYRUP 4 tablespoons demerara sugar 1 cinnamon stick 1 star anise 2 cloves What’s great about this recipe is that it’s super-easy to scale up, so it’s perfect if you want to make a big bowl of punch for everyone to enjoy at a party. To make the spiced sugar syrup, place the sugar in a small pan with 2 tablespoons of water, the cinnamon stick, star anise and cloves. Place on a medium-high heat and bring to the boil, leave bubbling away until the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat and leave to cool, discarding the spices. This quantity will give you enough syrup for roughly six cocktails, but you can easily scale up, keeping the syrup in an airtight jar for a few weeks. For your punch, simply stir the rum, tea, Cognac, liqueur, 10ml of sugar syrup and the lemon juice together over ice for 10 seconds, then strain well into a glass with more ice. Use a speed-peeler to add a strip of orange peel to garnish, and enjoy. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook MANHATTAN 50ml rye whiskey 12.5ml Martini Rosso (red vermouth) 12.5ml dry vermouth 2 dashes of orange bitters 1 orange Stir the whiskey, vermouths and bitters together over ice, then strain well into a chilled Martini glass. Use a speed-peeler to add a strip of orange peel to garnish. As the main cocktail mixture here is entirely made up of booze (we like that), it means this is the perfect cocktail recipe to batch up, either to get ahead for a party or to give as a gift to some lucky friends or family. If you’re serving up multiple drinks at once, just remember that ice melts quickly and it’s still advisable to stir it up in smaller batches, so you don’t dilute the mix too much. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook PINK PEPPER NEGRONI 25ml Bombay Sapphire gin 25ml Martini Rosso (red vermouth) 25ml Campari or bitter liqueur 5 whole pink peppercorns 1 blood or regular orange These quantities make one delicious cocktail, but as you need to leave this to steep overnight, it’s well worth making a big batch to get ahead for a party, or for gifting. And, of course, if you want to make a classic Negroni, leave out the peppercorns and steeping stage. To flavour your Negroni, simply mix the gin, vermouth, Campari or bitter liqueur and peppercorns together and leave overnight, or for a couple of days, so the flavours infuse, leaving you with a light, sweet, bitter, spicy dimension to your cocktail. Stir into a glass of ice and add a nice slice of orange to garnish. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook WINTER OLD FASHIONED 60ml quality bourbon 1 teaspoon maple syrup 2 dashes of chocolate bitters 1 orange Simply place the bourbon, maple syrup and bitters (you could also use Angostura or orange bitters, if you prefer) in your glass with some chunky ice and stir gently for 25 seconds, or until combined, being mindful not to shard the ice. Use a speed-peeler to add a strip of orange peel to garnish. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook ROB ROY 50ml blended Scotch whisky 20ml Martini Rosso (red vermouth) 1 dash of Angostura bitters 1 or 2 ripe cherries Simply stir the whisky, vermouth and bitters together over ice, then strain into a glass. Garnish with a cherry, or two. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook HOT TODDY 1 lemon 50ml blended Scotch whisky 15ml runny honey 1 stick of cinnamon Squeeze 20ml of lemon juice into a heatproof glass, add the whisky and honey, then stir in 100ml of boiling kettle water until the honey has dissolved. Serve garnished with a cinnamon stick and a slice of lemon. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook FESTIVE BELLINI 20ml peach purée or crème de pêche (peach liqueur) 20ml orgeat syrup (almond syrup) ½ a lemon Prosecco Shake the peach purée or liqueur, orgeat syrup and 15ml of lemon juice together over ice, then strain into a Champagne flute. Top up with chilled Prosecco. Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook PARTY PROSECCO LOTS OF FUN & FRUITY IDEAS Bubbly Prosecco is the perfect party drink and can easily be pimped in all sorts of fruity ways to create a bounty of enticing cocktails to impress your guests and liven up the party. I hope this page will give you lots of inspiration. 5 MINUTES PLUS CHILLING If you want a super-simple way to keep your party interesting on the drinks front, whether you’re entertaining a handful of people or a bigger crowd, then look no further than this colourful page of joy. Prosecco is super-popular, and as such you’ll often find it on offer in the shops these days. Look out for the best deals, take advantage of its popularity and stock up ahead of the party season, ready to rustle up drinks as the host or to take with you when you get invited elsewhere. Just be sure to take along something from the list below to pimp that ride and get the party started with a bang! First up, as host, as well as chilling the Prosecco you’ll get a lot of thanks for popping your glasses in the freezer for about an hour before you use them, so they’re super-chilled and keep your drinks nice and cold, too. When you’re ready to serve up, simply line up your glasses and get squeezing, spooning and pouring with fresh fruit or liqueurs. You can go bold with one flavour in each, or mix and match to find your favourite combos. THINGS THAT WILL ALWAYS WORK A TREAT ARE: ◆Freshly squeezed clementine, blood orange or grapefruit juice ◆The sweet, tangy flesh scooped out of a wrinkly passion fruit ◆Pomegranate seeds or a fresh squeeze of their juice ◆Fresh seasonal berries for garnish or smashed into a tasty purée ◆Fruity liqueurs, such as St-Germain elderflower, crème de cassis or Cointreau ◆A splash of sloe gin or a dash of Campari ◆A few dashes of interesting bitters, such as lavender, pomegranate or citrus blends Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook FROZEN GRAPES & GRAPPA GOOD-QUALITY CHOCOLATE & A SMILE 5 MINUTES PLUS FREEZING My mate Mr David Loftus, my food photographer for a long time, obviously loves food as he spends half his life taking pictures of it. When we were in Italy shooting a few years back, he said I should freeze my grapes – which immediately made me think he was a raving heathen! God knows what my friends the grape-pickers would say. Why on earth would you get beautiful fresh grapes, then freeze them? But … of course, it was a fantastic idea and I admit I was completely wrong! When David brought the frozen grapes outside for us to eat, it was an incredibly hot and sweltering day and just what we needed to cool us down. And that's the brilliant thing about this amazingly simple dessert, it's super-refreshing, so it works a treat at any time of the year, particularly during the festive period when you may be in need of a pud that provides a cool contrast to the rich indulgence of all that wonderful Christmas food. To be honest, you could even serve up the grapes on their own as an interlude bet