Christmas Tips from The Chefs & Stylists at The Butler’s Pantry.Kitchen tips
- Gravy: For flavoursome gravy, place some prepared root vegetables, (onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, bay leaf, fresh springs of thyme garlic) under your turkey. These will add great flavour to the juices from the turkey for your gravy
- Roasties: For the best in crispy roast potatoes and roasted roots we recommend to use goose fat for the roasting.
- Turkey cooking tip: To keep the turkey breast nice and moist, lift skin before cooking and rub with a herb butter (herbs, salt, cracked pepper)
- Turn the bird upside down thus allowing the juices go back into the breast
- Get our gravy a few weeks before hand and freeze. This can then be defrosted and added to the turkey juices just before serving.
The Christmas Table
- Napkins wrapped with simple red velvet ribbon and little bells are very cute and cost effective.
- Make your own Christmas crackers and fill with your own edible delights or gifts. Two options here: start holding onto those finished toilet paper rolls or you can buy a cheap cracker and fill with little gifts and then finish in your own style.
- If you are making your own Christmas crackers they can also double up as a name place setting
- A simple Christmas tree decoration that you can make your self whilst watching TV is popcorn and cranberry garland. This will thrill children and grandchildren alike and the colour contrast too is simply amazing.
- When making your Christmas wreath don’t forget some food ideas to add to it:
Clove popped into Satsuma/mandarin oranges.A Christmas wreath can double up on the door as well as a centrepiece for the table.If placing on the table it is very easy to add some candles to the wreath and Viola!
Gift-wrapping
- Wrap each present and attach a little jingle bell to each. These are available in fabric or art and craft shops.
- Use the ribbon of your choice but velvet ribbon makes it very ‘Santa like’
- Keep all the boxes from now till Christmas to put gifts in. We all love the unwrapping part. So something wrapped and in a box adds extra suspense. It also allows you to ‘posh up’ a present if needs be in this time of recession. They are also ‘squeeze’ ‘ and ‘little pepping eye’ resilient
Entertaining tips for over Christmas
- Canapé style starters keep people nibbling while having their pre dinner drink and it also saves on the washing up!
- The same also applies to canapé deserts Pretty cake stands with canapé deserts as well as looking pretty, keep guests mingling
- The good old reliable casserole in the freezer for that last minute entertaining is a lifesaver at Christmas. Old favourites like coq au vin, beef bourguignon and navarin of lamb get better after time so they are always a good choice.
- Meringues, small and large can finish off just about any meal. Serve them piled high on a cake stand or a lovely old plate and place them in the middle of the table and just wait for the ooh and aaah’s. Meringues are delicious with fresh cream and fruit as well all know. Alternatives would be:
Boozy berry compote and crème fraicheChocolate cream and garnacheEton MessStrawberries with an orange cream with a little dash of Pimms added and topped with crushed amaretto
- Quince jelly or balsamic jelly transforms a cheese board from something ordinary to something special. When purchasing your cheese source local and source ‘au lait cru’ as much as possible
Drink ideas
- Sparkling water with elderflower cordial and passion fruit has almost an exotic sound and taste to it. Serve with lots of ice in a tall thin glass.
- A bottle of Elderflower or Framboise is always handy to fancy up a pre dinner drink. Either added to chilled white wine, prosecco or champagne. Add a raspberry or fresh cranberry for a real festive feel
Recipes
Our Cookery book, The Butler’s Pantry Recipes For All Seasons have some lovely ideas for Christmas day starters and alternate deserts.
Our Executive chef Niall Hill always has numerous tricks up his sleeve, some of which he is sharing here. And remember our Chef’s are always at the end of a telephone if you need any tips for Christmas. His latest Christmas recipes are on our web page so have a look.
NIALL’S ULTIMATE HAM GLAZE
Boil/bake the Ham as normal. Remove the outer skin leaving just approx quarter inch of fat evenly all over the joint.
Score the fat with a sharp knife into diamond shapes. Brush the fat with maple syrup (100% natural product). Glaze in a hot oven. As glaze starts to catch, glaze again and replace in the oven until golden. This is a sugar free and healthier option. To add a festive touch to this glaze you can grate some Clementine zest onto the first layer of glaze.
