Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook Read online

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  Table of Contents

  About the Author

  Copyright Page

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  Dedicated to

  my Nan

  BETTY MARJORIE PALMER

  AKA TIGER

  26 JANUARY 1920—27 SEPTEMBER 2013

  What a perfect book to remember my dear old Nanny, who was such a kind, gentle soul. This time of year is all about bringing your loved ones together and, of course, remembering those who can’t be with us, and Nan was always on great form at Christmas. One year, she was so excited to get her mitts on the stuffing that her paper crown caught fire on a candle, in turn setting fire to her heavily hair-sprayed blue rinse. I clearly remember recoiling in horror at what Dad had to do to put her out, but we were all relieved when the fire was extinguished, and the meal soon carried on with gusto. And that’s Christmas for you—it never goes according to plan. But as long as you keep laughing, it will all be alright.

  Love you, Nan—merry Christmas xxx

  Happy Christmas

  And thank you so much, dear reader, for picking up this book. My single ambition here is to give you as much inspiration as possible to ensure you have the best Christmas ever, and I’ve put this book together with a great deal of love, thought, care, and consideration.

  In the two decades since The Naked Chef, I’ve learnt a lot from all of you about what it is that can make Christmas stressful when it comes to food, so let me fix that for you. I’m only ever going to do this book once, so I’ve made sure that it’s the absolute best it can be. Have faith that you’re in safe hands with these recipes, every one of which has been rigorously tried and tested to ensure it’ll work for you at home, every single time.

  I want to be there for you not only this year, but for every year going forward. Christmas doesn’t have to be stressful if you delegate to friends and family (see here). Timing, organization, and lists, while perhaps a little boring, are really important. There’s no such thing as luck when it comes to a really well done Christmas meal. Planning ahead will give you not only wonderful, tasty food, but also the ability to surprise and wow people, delivering the unexpected to mind-blowing levels and getting them almost fighting over the best roast potatoes, the perfect stuffing, or the most succulent, juicy bird you’ve ever slapped bang in the middle of your table—turn the page for more of my top advice.

  So down to business. This book contains 17 years of my ultimate, beautifully indulgent, festive recipes—it’s got all my old favorites from over the years, plus loads of new ideas to really tickle your taste buds and ramp things up on the flavor front. This is the food that makes me and my family about as happy as can be, and it provides the perfect excuse to bring all your loved ones together. I’ve got all the bases covered, with everything you need for the big day and any feasting meals over the festive period, as well as party fare, edible gifts, teatime treats, cocktails, and, of course, exciting ways to celebrate those lovely leftovers. Wherever possible, I’ve designed the recipes to be cooked at the same oven temperature, so you can be efficient with your time and oven space, and it’ll be super-easy for you to mix and match the different elements and build your own perfect Christmas meal.

  I haven’t held back. This book is the greatest hits, all wrapped up in one Christmas parcel. Look through, pick your recipes, build your plan, and above all, have a good one, my friends.

  A little pep talk

  Now hopefully you’ve landed on this page having just read the main intro, so you’re already starting to think about the important process of preparation. What I’m saying, guys, is if you can get yourself into the mindset of doing a little pre-Christmas homework, it’s only going to serve you well over the festive period, making your life much easier.

  Throughout this book, you’ll pick up lots of tips and hints on how to get organized, putting yourself in the best possible position for a stress-free Christmas. When there are recipes or elements of recipes you can easily get ahead with, I’ve flagged it on the recipe pages, so you’ll be armed with the knowledge to be super-organized, should you wish to be.

  When it comes to shopping, look out for seasonal offers on pantry staples, dry goods, and heavy items like booze in the weeks and months leading up to Christmas, so you can stock up and spread the cost. Buying online can be helpful, too, as it saves you carting around heavy items. Things like condiments and sauces, spices, olive oil, grains and pulses, nuts, baking ingredients, jams, pickles and preserves, organic bouillon cubes, tins, jars, and bottles, as well as all those things you’re bound to run low on, such as bin bags, paper towel, aluminum foil, and dish soap, as well as containers for your leftovers.

  Meal planning is always a brilliant idea, and I’m not just talking about the big day. Think about where you’ll be and who you’ll be entertaining on Christmas Eve, on Boxing Day, and on those days between Boxing Day and New Year when shops are a bit scarce or, let’s be honest, you don’t want to leave the comfort of your cozy house! Have you got what you need? Can you make stuff ahead and freeze it? If you’ve got family and friends staying, are you covered for all those other bits we tend to forget about, like breakfast? Stock up and plan ahead and you’ll be super-thankful for it come the craziness of the festive period.

  Of course, you should always have room for a bit of flexibility, and that’s where your freezer is your best friend. Be prepared for unexpected guests dropping by for a holiday tipple and a bite to eat. Freeze trays of Mince pies (see here) or Sausage rolls (see here) ready for nibbles, or make a batch of Curry sauce (see here) ready to knock up a quick festive meal with a moment’s notice. Things that keep well in an airtight container, such as Biscotti (see here), Brownies (see here), and Billionaire’s shortbread (see here), will always come in handy and I can guarantee they’ll be gratefully received, too. Good luck!

  Check your equipment

  One of the best bits of advice I can give you to avoid big-day stress is to check your equipment a few weeks in advance and make sure you have all the kit you need. I can’t tell you how many stories I hear about people going to cook their turkey and realizing that they don’t have a pan big enough for it, or that they’ve gone the other way and bought a pan that doesn’t fit in their oven! Good, basic kitchen equipment is widely available, so it’s easy to get kitted out. Give yourself enough time to shop around and find the best prices, choosing better-quality items wherever you can—they’ll last much longer, maybe even a lifetime.

  To the right you’ll find a list of everything I think is helpful to ensure all your bases are covered. By no means am I suggesting it’s essential for you to buy everything listed here, but I hope it will help you do a recce of your own cupboards and have a think about the kit that will help you out over the festive period. Happy cooking!

  Food processor

  Blender

  Electric mixer

  Pestle & mortar

  Saucepans

  Frying pans

  Casserole pans

  Grill pans
>
  Roasting pans

  Baking pans

  Tart pans

  Cake pans

  12-cup muffin pan

  12-cup cupcake pan

  Baking dishes

  Mixing bowls

  Measuring cups

  Measuring spoons

  Weighing scales

  Chopping boards

  Chef’s knife

  Paring knife

  Bread knife

  Carving knife

  Knife sharpener

  Mandolin

  Vegetable peeler

  Box grater

  Fine grater

  Colander

  Sieve

  Wooden spoons

  Slotted spoon

  Ladle

  Heavy-duty tongs

  Meat thermometer

  Potato masher

  Slotted spatula

  Garlic crusher

  Pastry brush

  Rolling pin

  Kitchen scissors

  Kitchen towels

  Paper towels

  Kitchen string

  Parchment paper

  Strong aluminum foil

  Quality plastic wrap (non-PVC)

  Smart

  STARTERS

  SHRIMP COCKTAIL

  MARIE ROSE SAUCE, SMOKED SALMON, SHRIMP, & ICEBERG

  An American prohibition classic; I made thousands of these in my parents’ pub in the ’80s. Shrimp cocktail is nostalgic, retro, and just a tiny bit naff, but in a really brilliant way. People love it and, if it’s done well, it’s always memorable.

  SERVES 4

  20 MINUTES

  olive oil

  1 clove of garlic

  cayenne pepper

  8 large raw shell-on jumbo shrimp

  ½ an iceberg lettuce

  1 ripe avocado

  2 ripe tomatoes

  ½ an English cucumber

  2 sprigs of fresh mint

  1 cup sprouting cress

  3½ oz peeled cooked salad-size shrimp

  3½ oz brown shrimp

  6 oz quality smoked salmon

  MARIE ROSE SAUCE

  3 tablespoons mayonnaise

  3 tablespoons plain yogurt

  1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

  1 splash of Worcestershire sauce

  1 splash of brandy

  1 lemon

  Place a large pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and crush in the unpeeled garlic through a garlic crusher. Sprinkle in a good pinch of cayenne and add the jumbo shrimp (butterfly them first, if you like). Cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until cooked through, turning halfway, then remove from the heat.

  To make the Marie Rose sauce, simply mix together the mayo, yogurt, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brandy, then add a little cayenne pepper and lemon juice, to taste, and season to perfection with sea salt and black pepper.

  Finely slice the lettuce. Peel and pit the avocado, then dice with the tomatoes and cucumber and divide between cute glasses, plates, or bowls. Pick and add the smaller mint leaves and snip over pinches of cress. Divide up the salad shrimp, brown shrimp, and delicate waves of salmon, then spoon over the Marie Rose sauce and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne from a height. Add 2 jumbo shrimp to each portion for a grand finish, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over. Some buttered bread on the side is always going to go down a treat, too.

  * * *

  MIX IT UP

  The lovely thing about this recipe is that it’s very flexible. You can use everyday frozen shrimp, which are very delicious, or even get yourself some lobster or freshly picked crabmeat and really dress it up—it’s up to you. Enjoy!

  * * *

  BEEF CARPACCIO

  ROASTED SQUASH, CHESTNUTS, & WINTER LEAVES

  I love this delicate warm salad for a festive starter or lunch. It really embraces winter squash, leaves, and chestnuts, with a fiery mustard dressing that sets it all off nicely. Brilliant served on a big platter to impress your guests.

  SERVES 6

  1 HOUR

  1 butternut squash (2½ lbs)

  1 teaspoon fennel seeds

  1 teaspoon coriander seeds

  ½ teaspoon dried red chili flakes

  1 pinch of ground cinnamon

  olive oil

  5 oz vac-packed chestnuts

  3 sprigs of fresh rosemary

  1¼-lb piece of beef tenderloin

  1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

  extra virgin olive oil

  2 lemons

  6 handfuls of mixed seasonal salad leaves, such as mustard cress, radicchio, watercress

  Parmesan cheese

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the squash and carefully cut it in half lengthways. Remove and reserve the seeds, then cut each half lengthways into six thin wedges and arrange in a roasting pan. In a pestle and mortar, bash the fennel and coriander seeds, dried chili flakes, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and a pinch of black pepper until fine, then sprinkle over the squash. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to lightly coat everything and toss well. Roast for 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and cooked through, sprinkling the chestnuts and reserved squash seeds into the pan to roast for the last 10 minutes.

  Finely chop the rosemary leaves on a board with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Rub the beef with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then roll it around on the board until it’s well coated in the seasoned rosemary. Put a pan on a high heat and, once it’s screaming hot, sear the beef for 2 to 3 minutes, turning until browned all over, then remove to a board to rest. Remember you’re searing it, not cooking it.

  Mix the mustard, 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and the lemon juice in a bowl to make a dressing, then taste and season to perfection. Use a really sharp knife to slice the beef as thinly as you can, then use the flat blade of the knife to flatten out each slice. Arrange the slices on a large platter and season from a height with a little salt. Place the roasted squash wedges on top, then scatter over the roasted chestnuts and toasted seeds from the pan. Drizzle over most of the dressing, then lightly dress your salad leaves with the remainder, and sprinkle them on top. Serve with a block of Parmesan, for shaving over at the table.

  ROASTED APPLE & SQUASH SOUP

  CHILE, FRESH HERBS, & CAYENNE-SPIKED TOASTED SEEDS

  A bit of an old favorite of mine, this wonderful soup is a real celebration of the humble eating apple. Making the most of the incredible depth of flavor achieved by roasting, this super-comforting soup is the perfect festive bowlful.

  SERVES 6

  1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

  1 butternut squash (2½ lbs)

  3 Cox’s or Braeburn eating apples

  1 large onion

  1–2 fresh red chiles

  4 cloves of garlic

  olive oil

  1 pinch of coriander seeds

  4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

  4 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds

  1 pinch of sweet cayenne pepper

  4 cups vegetable or chicken stock

  optional: 2⁄3 cup heavy cream

  optional: edible flowers or flowering herbs

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the squash, then carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds. Cut the flesh into 1-inch chunks and put them into your largest roasting pan. Peel and quarter the apples, removing the cores, peel and roughly chop the onion, then add both to the pan. Halve, seed, and add the chiles, then squash and add the unpeeled garlic cloves. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, add the coriander seeds and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then strip over the rosemary leaves. Toss well, then roast for around 45 to 50 minutes, or until it’s all cooked through, intensely golden, and delicious. Toss the pumpkin seeds with salt, pepper, a little oil, and the cayenne. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, then put aside.

  Squeeze the soft roasted garlic flesh into a blender, discarding the skins. Spoon in half the roasted veg, add half the stock, put the lid on, cover with a kitchen towel, then, holding the
lid in place, blitz until smooth. Pour into a large pan, blitz the rest of the veg and stock, then add that to the pan with most of the cream (if using). Bring to a simmer on a medium-low heat, then taste and season to perfection, adjusting the consistency with a little more stock, to your liking.

  Divide the soup between warm bowls and add an extra swirl of cream for a retro finish, then sprinkle over the toasted seeds. You can also delicately decorate with flowering herbs or edible flowers, if you like. Good with warm crusty bread.

  SEAFOOD SMÖRGÅSBORD

  A SENSATIONAL SEASONAL CELEBRATION OF THE SEA

  Every part of the world offers up a different bounty of seafood. So embrace the wonderful diversity of our seas and have fun with what’s available where you are, mixing up raw, smoked, pickled, and cured—your taste buds will thank you.

  30 MINUTES

  The glorious page of beauty you see on the right here is a brilliant principle to embrace during the festive season or, frankly, at any sociable get-together at any time of year. There’s not much work involved—it’s all about the art of assembly. It’s beautiful for two or four people, but you can easily scale it up for eight or ten, if you want to.

  Simply buy an interesting mixture of wonderful fresh, raw, smoked, pickled, and cured seafood, which you can find at all good fishmongers—ask their advice on what’s best right now. Get yourself a large rustic board or platter, then take a bit of pride in delicately arranging all your favorite things. Here’s what’s made it onto my smörgåsbord:

  Quenelles of Smoked salmon pâté (see here)

  Freshly shucked oysters, lightly drizzled with cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled with finely chopped Bramley apples, and a pinch of fresh chervil

  Tasty piped lashings of Taramasalata (see here)

  Smoked king shrimp, which you can ask your fishmonger to get in for you, or do yourself by heating a large handful of wood chips in a pan over a medium heat. Pop a wire rack on top, lay in your raw shell-on shrimp, put the lid on, wrap the pan in aluminum foil, and smoke until they’re pink and delicious—do this outside on the barbecue if you can