Season’s eatings
With Christmas fast approaching, the team at Booths supermarkets has come up with some tasty inspirations for the festive season that will serve up a treat at any dinner table..
Jerusalem Artichoke Soup with Mushrooms
Cook time 20 minutes. Prep time 5 minutes. Serves 2. Ingredients: 2 shallots; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 250g Jerusalem artichokes; 25g oyster mushrooms; 25g chestnut mushrooms; 500ml vegetable stock; Truffle oil; Olive oil; Salt for seasoning
Slice the shallots and the Jerusalem artichokes – leaving the skin on the artichokes.
Cook the shallots over a medium heat with a little olive oil. Once softened add the crushed garlic. After two minutes add the sliced artichokes. Allow to cook for five minutes then add the vegetable stock.
Bring to the boil and once the artichokes are soft, blend until smooth. Season to taste.
Slice the mushrooms and cook over high heat with a little olive oil and salt.
Pour the soup into a bowl, top with the mushrooms and drizzle on a little truffle oil.
Cheesy Penne Pasta and Spicy Pigs in Blankets
Cook time 25 minutes. Prep time 25 minutes. Serves 4. Ingredients: 200g penne pasta, cooked; 300g Arrabbiata sauce; 12 pigs in blankets, cooked and chopped; 1 mozzarella ball, diced; 50g Lancashire cheese, grated; 20g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/ 392F
Gas Mark 6. In a large bowl mix together the cooked penne pasta, Arrabbiata sauce, chopped pigs in blankets and diced mozzarella.
Place into an oven proof dish and finish with grated Lancashire cheese and Parmesan.
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until golden and piping hot.
Serve with a green salad and garlic bread
■ CHEF’S TIP: This useful, “use up leftovers” idea also works well with chopped
leftover roast potatoes instead of pasta. Spice it up with a few chillies for a
homemade version of the Spanish classic, Patatas Bravas.
Leftover Ham and Apple Rosti with Fried Egg
Cook time 15 minutes. Prep time 5 minutes. Serves 1. Ingredients: 100g ham; 1 Braeburn apple; 1 large Maris Piper potato; 1 shallot; 1 egg; 1 tsp sour cream; Sprinkle of chopped chives
Tear the ham in to bite sized pieces.
Grate the apple and potato and squeeze out any excess liquid. Slice the shallot and mix through the potato and apple.
Cook the potato mix in a medium heat pan with a little oil, shaping it into a disc.
Once browned on the bottom, turn over and continue to cook. This might require turning out on to a plate for ease.
When the rosti is almost cooked, add a little butter to the pan.
Fry an egg to your preference.
Plate as in the photo with a dollop of sour cream on top and garnish with chives.
Robin Red Breast Cake Pops
Chill time 60 minutes. Prep time 60 minutes. Serves 8/10. Ingredients: 1 Booths Madeira loaf cake; 200g tub ready-made; vanilla buttercream; 300g milk chocolate; 100g ready-made red fondant; 100g ready-made white fondant; 50g readymade yellow fondant; 1 pack candy eyes; 1 pack food colouring gels; Paper straws
Crumble the sponge between your fingers until you get a fine breadcrumb consistency.
Add the buttercream and mix until it comes together.
Mould the cake mix into round balls, using a small ice-cream scoop to make them evenly sized. Freeze the balls for 1 hour.
Melt the chocolate in a bain-marie and cool to 30C, use a temperature probe to help you. This will temper the chocolate and give a nice snap to the texture.
Press each cake ball on to a straw and dip into the melted chocolate until they are fully coated, then allow to set (they will set quickly.)
Using some of the white fondant and food colouring gels, create your desired wing colour and cut them out.
Dip the cakes into the melted chocolate again and decorate with the fondant and decorations, using our robins as inspiration.
■ CHEF’S TIP: You can decorate these small cake pops as any of your
Christmas favourites like reindeer, snowmen or Christmas puddings