4 make-from-scratch recipesfor you!
We know it, you know it. Every Christmas you think this is the year you’ll try everything new for the big feast, but a lot of what you end up cooking is the same as it always is: tried and trusted family favourites – if for no other reason than to prevent uproar at the table. That’s why I’ve taken four key elements – cranberry sauce, gravy, stuffing and mincemeat – and improved them to the max, without changing the essence of what makes each one popular. Welcome to the four stars of Christmas that are ALWAYS worth making from scratch…
1 THE SAUCE Flambéed cranberry and almond sauce
Serves 6 Hands-on time 15 min
MAKE AHEAD
This will keep in the fridge for a week or for 2 months in the freezer – take out on Christmas Eve and defrost in the fridge overnight.
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter or duck fat
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 star anise
• 300g frozen cranberries
• 75ml brandy
• ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp marmalade
• Finely grated zest and juice 1 orange
• 1 heaped tbsp almond butter
1 Put the butter or fat in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Sprinkle in the sugar, add the star anise and wait for the sugar to dissolve into the fat.
2 Add the cranberries and stir quickly, ensuring all the berries get covered in the fat, then cook fast and hot like a stir-fry for a few minutes until the berries start releasing their juices. Pour in the brandy, then very carefully set it alight with a long match. Wait until the flames die down, then remove roughly a quarter of the berries with a spoon and set aside on a plate.
3 Add the vinegar, marmalade, orange juice, almond butter and 50ml water to the pan. Cook for a few more minutes, crushing the berries with the back of your spoon so they burst, until the liquid in the pan thickens into a syrup. Remove from the heat, discard the star anise and stir in a pinch of salt. Transfer to a food processor, whizz until smooth, then stir in the reserved cranberries and the orange zest to serve (see Make Ahead).
Per serving 109kcals, 4.3g fat (1.5g saturated), 1.1g protein, 8.4g carbs (8.2g sugars), 0.1g salt, 2.7g fibre
WHY IT’S SO GOOD
• Almond butter adds richness, with a flavour that’s perfectly matched to the berries
• Including duck fat or butter helps to round out the flavour of the sauce, mellowing the tart edge of the cranberries
• Flambéeing the sauce and cooking it hot and fast in a wide pan ensures ma
