What with all those Christmas work lunches and dinners and those seasonal send-offs, you’re fast running out of time to think about what to cook for Christmas. And you’re beginning to regret your spur-of-the-moment flash of genius a few weeks ago (although it now seems like months) when you decided to invite the whole family or gang of friends over for a whopping Christmas meal. Now there are only a few days to go and you refuse to stoop to ordering a meal from a fancy restaurant and then pretending it’s all your own creation. After all, one of your new year’s resolutions is to be more honest. So, you’ll be cooking. You might be late, but it will be all yours. And you’ve always said you work best under pressure, right? So here’s a Christmas menu to impress. (By the way, there’s no need to mention you whipped everything up at the last minute.)
Appetisers:
– Parmesan sticks
Ingredients to serve 4:
300 g grated Parmesan
50 g mixed herbs (oregano, basil, tomato powder)
Method:
Spread out a layer of grated Parmesan on some baking paper and shape into a circle using a biscuit cutter. Place a lolly stick in the middle and microwave it all for 40 seconds. Wait for it to solidify, remove carefully and sprinkle the herbs on top. A true marvel.
– Minted peas
Ingredients to serve 4:
400 g fresh peas
200 g fresh mint
150 g sweated onions
150 cl young white wine
A dash of aromatic olive oil with lemon rind
Method:
Put the peas in a transparent microwave bag together with the mint, sweated onion, wine and aromatic olive oil. Seal the bag and microwave for 1 minute. The idea is for each guest to open their own bag at the table.
– Foie micuit morsels with corn nuts
Ingredients:
200 g foie micuit
200 g corn nuts
Modena balsamic vinegar reduction
Method:
On a tasting spoon, arrange a piece of foie micuit, some chopped corn nuts and a dash of Modena balsamic vinegar reduction.
Main course:
– Honeyed lamb shoulder
Ingredients:
1 lamb shoulder
4 cloves of garlic
A sprig of parsley
300 g whole white potatoes
A glass of dry white wine
A soupspoonful of honey
Aromatic olive oil with fresh rosemary
Two teaspoonfuls of herbs de Provence
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200º C. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and place on an oven tray together with the parsley, wine, aromatic olive oil with fresh rosemary, garlic and herbs de Provence. Arrange the peeled potatoes around the meat.
Roast for about 1¼ hours, turning the meat every now and again. Then baste the meat with the honey and roast for another 20 minutes, until the meat turns golden. Ready to serve!
