RECIPE
BEETROOT, FENNEL & APPLE SALAD
Ingredients in bold.
Finely slice 1 medium fennel bulb, stalks and fronds, leaving a few fronds aside to garnish. Slice 3 medium cooked beetroot into slim slivers, and finely slice 2 apples and 4 radishes and add to a bowl. Sprinkle over 2 tbsp of torn fresh mint leaves. For the dressing, add 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp honey and 1 tsp mustard to a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake well. Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients, add a squeeze of half a lemon and gently toss to coat. Booths Rosemary and Sea Salt Almonds make a great addition to add a bit of savoury crunch.
MRS MID SAYS “I like to make this crisp earthy salad to add a bit of zest and freshness to a Boxing Day buffet.”
RECIPE
DEVILLED EGGS
Ingredients in bold.
Boil 12 eggs for 10 minutes and then run them under cold water to chill. Peel and slice the eggs in half and carefully scoop out the yolks and place into a bowl. Mix 4 tbsp of mayonnaise, ¼ tsp of smoky paprika, 1 tsp of English mustard, 3 drops of tabasco and 1 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil with the egg yolks. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Place the mixture in a piping bag with a star nozzle and pipe into the egg white halves. If you don't have a piping bag, a generous teaspoon dollop works fine. Garnish with finely chopped chives, or if you’re luxurious, add a bit of caviar for really good friends!
MRS MID SAYS “In my late 70’s childhood, when these eggs appeared we knew we had ‘company’. My mum called them ‘emergency canapés’ – quickly made with minimal effort and maximum appreciation.”
RECIPE
CRANBERRY, ORANGE & GINGER SAUCE
Ingredients in bold.
In a medium saucepan combine the grated zest of 1 orange, 2 cm piece of fresh ginger (peeled and grated), 1 cinnamon stick, 150ml water, 150ml fresh orange juice, and 30g of sugar. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add 350g of cranberries and mix to combine. Cook for about 7 minutes while the cranberries make a very pleasing popping sound and the mixture has thickened. Cool, remove and discard the cinnamon stick and keep the mixture in the fridge. You can make this up to 5 days ahead and it’s so useful you might want to have another batch in the freezer.
MRS MID SAYS “I like to think of this as the little black dress of festive sauces and it’s so simple to make. The sauce goes with so many things, turkey or goose on Christmas Day, Boxing Day ham, as a relish with pork pies, an absolute must slathered on a leftover turkey sandwich and absolutely delicious with a baked brie.”