Mincemeat pate-a-brique with ice cream Festive with a twist

WHEN you think of mincemeat at Christmas you think of mince pies. This recipe comes with a twist. I wanted it to be something a wee bit different but still in keeping with the festive feel. Christmas usually comes with the same old stories – we ate too much and drunk too much, overindulged with the Christmas pudding and can’t face another bit of turkey on Boxing Day. Still, we wouldn’t change it – tradition and all that!

This recipe is all about the mincemeat, a lot of prepping with the weighing and mixing of the mincemeat, but you will see it’s all very worth it when you eventually get to sit down and taste the fruits of your hard work.

Ingredients 120g dried dates (stoned) 100g dried prunes (stoned) 100g sultanas 50g seedless raisins

25g chopped walnuts 25g chopped almonds 2 tbsp dark rum ½ zest of lemon ½ zest of orange

Pinch ground cinnamon 80g light brown muscovado sugar 30g unsalted butter 12 sheets brick pastry/filo pastry Icing sugar (to dress)

150g caster sugar Double cream Preheat the oven to 200C.

After weighing all the ingredients, soak all the prunes, dates, sultanas and raisins in hot water for about 20 minutes until they are all nice and plump, then drain and dry well with a clean cloth.

Using a large knife, chop the fruit and nuts, trying not to make them too fine. Add the zest of both the oranges and lemons, then add the rum, spices and muscovado sugar, cover and leave to steep for at least 2½ hours, tossing occasionally.

Use the fruit and nut mix for the stuffing. Roll them into cigar shapes about 10-12cm in length.

Lay the sheets of brick/filo pastry flat and place the fruit and nut mixture on them, then roll, making sure the roll is nice and tight, seal the edges with a little water.

Place on a baking tray, preferably non-stick, and bake in the oven at 200C for about 12-15minutes until it’s a nice golden brown colour and looks nice and crispy.

Leave it to cool slightly before dusting with icing sugar.

Cut the golden fruit cigars in half and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

When dressing the plate, place the fruit cigars on the top part of the plate with the vanilla ice cream at the bottom, then drizzle with a little butterscotch sauce all around. (To make this, put sugar in a pot and melt down until a light brown colour is formed, then add double cream very carefully and, as the cream boils up, add a little butter, whisking all the time. Then pass through the sieve to eliminate any lumps you gather along the way, and keep warm.)

Brian Maule at Chardon d’Or Restaurant, 176 West Regent St. Glasgow, G2 4RL Telephone 0141 248 3801 email: info@ brianmaule.com website: www.brianmaule.com