Festive menu
Usher in the new year in style with our extra-special dinner party menu…
A STYLISH WELCOME
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, put the ingredients in a jug with a handful of ice cubes and stir, then strain through a sieve into glasses.
Makes 1 cocktail • Prep 2 mins
45ml bourbon
10ml orange liqueur
10ml dry vermouth or Noilly Prat
30ml freshly squeezed orange juice or blood orange juice
ice cubes
Put the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice. Seal and shake. Strain into a martini glass and serve with straws. Per serving: 130 cals, 0g fat, 0g sat fat, 5g carbs
Delicious crumbly, savoury shortbread, perfect with a pre-dinner drink.
Makes approx 50 biscuits • Prep 10 mins, plus chilling • Cook 10 mins, plus cooling
125g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
¼tsp baking powder
¼tsp smoked paprika
Pinch cayenne pepper
100g unsalted butter, diced
60g Gruyère, grated
60g Parmesan cheese
1 small egg, beaten
1tbsp pine nuts, optional
1 Heat the oven to 170C Fan/Gas 5. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, paprika and cayenne pepper in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Then add the cheeses and continue to blend until the dough just comes together.
2 Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a disc. Wrap in cling film and chill for 15 mins.
3 Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is 2mm thick. Using a 4cm cookie cutter, stamp out circles, rerolling as necessary. Place on the 2 baking trays.
4 Brush each cookie with a little beaten egg and put a pine nut in the centre. Bake for 10 mins until evenly browned. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with cocktails. Per serving: 36 cals, 2.5g fat, 1.5g sat fat, 2g carbs
TO START
Poach the pears ahead of time then chill until required. You could use chopped, toasted walnuts instead of pickled.
Serves 6 • Prep 15 mins • Cook 10 mins, plus cooling
200ml red wine
50g caster sugar
1 sprig fresh rosemary, bashed
3 firm pears, peeled, cored and quartered
100g mixed salad leaves
125g blue cheese, sliced or crumbled
50g pickled walnuts, drained and thinly sliced For the walnut dressing:
