FEELING THE HEAT
“Whether you’re a great home cook, whether you’ve never cooked Christmas in your life, there is something for absolutely everyone.
“It will get you into the warmth and spirit of Christmas... There’s fantastic humour, some laugh-out-loud moments.” “With our busy lives, Christmas is the only real time that we actually probably all get together and just switch off, take time out, and really enjoy and embrace being with each other and that’s what I feel is so special about food,” says Paul, chefpatron at Paul Ainsworth at Number 6 in Padstow, Cornwall (it was awarded a Michelin star in 2013).
Being professionals, they have plenty of handy tips
STAR STRUCK
STARS appearing on the show include the likes of actor and panto star Christopher Biggins, and popular presenters such as Chris Bavin, Angellica Bell and Jay Blades.
“I wanted to show Martine McCutcheon the best Yorkshire puddings that she could make,” recalls Paul, a regular chef on BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.
“It’s just about knowing what to do; make a Yorkshire pudding mix the day before and allow it to rest in the fridge overnight, pull it out about an hour before, get your tins nice and hot, know what fat to use, where to fill the mould up to.
“And I showed these really beautiful, creamed mushrooms that we then filled the centre of the Yorkshire puddings with.”
Of other memorable guests, Catherine says: “Debbie McGee was such a wonderful lady and it was Chefs Paul Ainsworth and Catherine Fulvio
so interesting how she tells her story about her life when Paul (Daniels, her late husband) was alive, and how she manages her life and her Christmases now.”
“LONG before I ever thought I’d get the chance to go on television or anything, I always said, ‘You can’t cook a turkey brilliantly by doing the whole thing together’,” Paul says.
He suggests cooking the legs and breast separately.
“I’m going to show people
FROM focaccia to panettone to Christmas Day tiramisu, Southamptonborn Paul and Catherine, from Ireland, rustle up an impressive 64 recipes over the 10 episodes.
Discussing what to expect from the series, Catherine, who is also a food writer and owns a cookery school, says:
for making that time in the kitchen less stressful too.
“Something Catherine said, which I thought was brilliant, she has this golden rule: just have two things left to do on Christmas Day,” reveals Paul. “And actually, that really, really makes sense; you can make your gravy a couple of weeks before.”
■ Watch The Best Christmas Food Ever weekdays on BBC1 from Monday at 3.45pm.