How to have a stress-free River Cottage Christmas
Forget panicky supermarket trips, piles of plastic rubbish and the pressure to be perfect. The chef who sparked our love of organic food reveals... by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
ChRIStMAS, in recent decades, has become a little stretched out of shape, all of us pulled this way and that by the pressure to buy endless stuff and put on a perfect, sparkling performance of gifting, decorating and entertaining.
At its worst, it descends into a festival of waste, of expense and ephemera, epitomised by panicky supermarket trips, heaps of plastic and fractious tempers.
In our hearts we all want a festive season that’s the opposite of all that, particularly after last year, when we weren’t able to see the friends and family with whom we were hoping to spend Christmas.
For me, the essence of this and every Christmas is best expressed by bringing people together, and giving them just what they need to cast their cares aside and talk, laugh and eat.
Some of this still involves planning and doing and buying — but those activities should always be secondary to the people themselves. A quiet, frosty walk with someone you love, a mince pie and a chat with an old friend, an indoor (or, better still, outdoor) gathering with neighbours to toast the season with a few special snacks laid on — these are the things that will truly comfort and enrich us after a long, busy, stressful year.
If we can frame that with simple gifts and beautiful, natural decorations, then who needs more?
there’s a tendency to hunker down indoors at this time of year. And that is certainly part of the appeal. But a festive bonfire or outdoor Christmas eve drinks are also invitations to covet and ways to host larger gatherings without a sit-down, three-course lunch for 15.
As Lucy Brazier, my friend and River Cottage colleague of 16 years, points out, we must not forget the natural season within which Christmas sits.
the beauty and seasonal abundance of December is all part of the joy of Christmas, whether you breathe it in on rosy-cheeked winter rambles, bring it inside in the form of fresh greenery, or stock up on Brussels sprouts and vivid orange clementines.
Remember the simple pleasures, she bids us — the satisfaction in sending a homemade card or the joy of bottling up preserves and gifting them to others.
If you enjoy meat, now is the time to indulge, with plump poultry and well-aged beef ready to be relished. If you’re clever about it, a turkey can not only provide a sumptuous Christmas Day ‘turkey au vin’ (see recipe below) but a post-Christmas Day curry without any waste.
I hope this is starting to sound like the sort of Christmas you want to enjoy: one that is simple, natural and joyful, rooted in the season as it turns through the solstice, allowing time to celebrate but also time to talk and to rest.
In these few special weeks, let’s put aside our concerns and come together with those we hold dear, to light the candles, pour a drink and share the good things . . .
GATHER ROUND A COSY FESTIVE BONFIRE
GettInG outside at this time of year can mean being wet, muddy and cold. But catch a day when the low winter sun makes the frost sparkle, the air is fresh or the first snowflakes fall and it’s enchanting.
Fresh air at this time of year is good for us, too. Some may need encouragement to hang around outdoors, so give them something as motivation.
the promise of food and drink often does the trick, and an outdoor cook-up, whether in the garden or a winter expedition to a wood or beach, is a brilliant way to catch up with groups of friends without one house bearing the burden of hosting. Bonfires don’t have to be limited to november 5 — there’s no reason why we can’t have family and friends over to enjoy a fire in the garden at Christmas, too. Or spark up the barbecue or a fire bowl.
A one-pot supper you’ve made earlier, such as a stew, curry or soup, can be reheated over the flames. After dark, the most atmospheric time, you can bring your cookout to life with fairy lights, blazing torches and festoons.
Ask guests to come prepared for the weather, with wellies and big coats. It is such a joy to be outside on a cold, clear night, wrapped up around the fire, chatting and waiting for the stars to come out.
COOK UP A NO-WASTE CROWD-PLEASER
ROAStInG the perfect turkey is tricky, with breast meat still succulent yet the dark meat properly cooked. And the bigger the bird, the harder it is. then there’s the giblets and the gravy.
But I’ve found there is an easier way: two dishes from one bird that pleases everyone and gives you a welcome head start on the big feast. Plus, it helps tackle food waste, which can be a particular problem at Christmas time, when there’s a glut of ingredients.
My turkey au vin embraces legs, wings and the neck and gizzard if you like. this leaves the crown (the breast on-the-bone) ready to roast fast and easy on Christmas Day. the all-important gravy is the full-flavoured liquor from the slow-cooked au vin dish.
Just like the classic coq au vin, this is better made the day before and left overnight in the fridge.
Ask your butcher to prepare the
turkey for you: you want the legs as drumsticks and thighs, and the wings whole.
SPEEDY ROAST FOR THE BIG DAY
ON ChRISTMAS Day, fast roast the remaining turkey crown — this takes one hour and 45 minutes based on a 5 kg turkey — allowing perfectly cooked breast meat and golden roast skin to be served with the tender legs in their rich, winey gravy.
On Christmas morning, gently reheat the turkey au vin in the sauce and serve everyone the tender leg and wing meat (on or off the bone), alongside the white carved meat from the crown, with lots of the liquor/gravy/sauce to accompany both.
By getting ahead and cooking the legs the day (or two) before, you have a lot less to stress about on the big day.
If there are fewer people, you can feast on the turkey au vin outdoors on Christmas eve, or if you prefer to use the legs and wings for a curry, you could cook that in advance and either freeze it and save it for New Year’s eve or bring that out for your Christmas eve bonfire.
GUT-SOOTHING ‘KOMBOCKTAILS’
WITh the festive food and party mood that’s buzzing around the house over Christmas and New Year, it can be a little more challenging than usual to squeeze in some alcohol-free days and give an overloaded digestion a rest. So that’s when I ask kombucha, a Far eastern fermented tea brimming with beneficial bacteria, to up its game, by adding it to a number of seasonally oriented and celebratory dry cocktails that your gut will thank you for.
These recipes work best with a tart, homemade green tea kombucha. Or you can use a shop-bought version that is ‘natural’ or subtly aromatised, rather than heavily flavoured with spices.
Chilled Mulled Kombucha
ThIS lightly spiced, tangy kombucha blend is refreshing but still festive — a great ‘dry’ tipple for evenings when you or your guests aren’t drinking. Serves 5–6 l 2 or 3 x 3 cm fresh ginger l 1 cinnamon stick,
broken in half l 2 cloves l 1 scant tsp soft brown
sugar or honey l 500 ml kombucha, chilled l 5 or 6 star anise,
to serve (optional) BASh the ginger with a pestle or rolling pin to release the aroma, then tip it into a heatproof jug or bowl and add the spices. Pour over 500 ml boiling water, add the sugar or honey, stir and leave until completely cold.
Strain out the spices and chill the infusion. Once cold, combine with the chilled kombucha. Serve in tumblers, with a floating star anise, if you like.
Bucha Fizz
RePLACING the sparkling wine in a buck’s fizz with effervescent kombucha creates a fruity, booze-free but nicely dry alternative.
Per person:
l 150 ml kombucha, well chilled l 75 ml freshly squeezed clementine juice or orange
juice, chilled POUR the kombucha into a champagne flute, top up with juice and serve straight away. n ADAPTED by RACHEL HALLIWELL from Christmas At River Cottage by Lucy Brazier and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall published by Bloomsbury, £22. © Lucy Brazier and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall 2021. To order a copy for £19.80, go to mailshop.co.uk/ books or call 020 3176 2937. Free UK delivery on orders over £20. Offer price valid until December 25, 2021.