IIt’s the holiday season which, paradoxically, is when everyone shares their “rules”! Contradiction or otherwise, here are mine: 1. When it comes to party food, go for the classics. 2. Serve food that can be eaten by hand or put in a container that can be eaten itself – the dishes, done! 3. When in doubt, spruce up your food: This is the season pomegranate seeds were made for. 4. Take shortcuts where you can (extraction of those pomegranate seeds isn’t for everyone, after all). 5. Dial in the salty-salty ingredients – your mulled wine-drinking guests will thank you. 6. Finally, and above all, never, already underestimate the lasting power of a sausage wrapped in bacon.
Chicory boats with feta, walnuts and pomegranate (pictured above)
The filling can be done two or three hours before assembly, if you want to get ahead. Another option is to serve the filling on its own, as a dip, or spooned into pre-cooked cases (whisper: vol-au-vent).
Preparation 20 mins
To cook 15 minutes
Assembly 10 minutes
serves 15
165g walnuts
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
½ teaspoon of olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper flakes
15g coriander leaves
15g dill leaves
15g mint leaves
6 spring onionstrimmed and finely chopped (125g)
100g of fetacrumbled
165g cream cheese
100g of cucumbergrated and squeezed
130g pomegranate seeds (i.e. from about 1 pomegranate)
4 heads of red and white endivesseparate sheets
Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan)/375F/Gas 5. Mix 65g of walnuts in a small bowl with the maple syrup, olive oil and a teaspoon of sea salt in flakes, then arrange in a single layer on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes, until deeply golden and sticky. Remove, let cool 10 minutes, then coarsely chop.
Put the remaining 100g walnuts in a food processor along with all the herbs and spring onions, and process until coarsely chopped. Pour into a large bowl, add the feta, cream cheese, cucumber, three-quarters teaspoon flaked sea salt and a good ground pepper, and mix well. Stir in 120 g of pomegranate seeds.
To assemble, divide the filling between the chicory leaves – you’ll need a teaspoon or two of the mixture on each leaf – then arrange artfully on a platter. Scatter the chopped walnuts and remaining pomegranate seeds on top and serve.
Pomegranate Pistachio Sticky Pigs in Blankets
For a quick shortcut, use ready-made chipolatas wrapped in bacon.
Preparation 10 minutes
To cook 45 minutes
serves 12-15
24 pork chipolataseach twisted in the middle, then cut in half, to make 2 small sausages
24 slices of smoked baconcut in half widthwise
20g pistachios
1 tbsp parsley leavesfinely chopped
1 tbsp dill leavesfinely chopped
80ml maple syrup
70 ml pomegranate molasses
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon urfa pepper flakesor ¼ tsp. regular chili flakes
Heat the oven to 195 C (175 C fan)/385 F/gas 5½. Wrap a slice of bacon around each half-chipolata and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put the pistachios on a second smaller tray, then put both trays in the oven. After 10 minutes, when the pistachios are lightly toasted, remove them and let cool, but leave the chipolatas in the oven for another 20 minutes, until golden. Once the walnuts have cooled, roughly chop them, mix them with the herbs and set aside.
Meanwhile, put the maple syrup, pomegranate molasses and cinnamon in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cook for a minute or two, then pour into a large bowl and let cool and thicken for 10 minutes.
Once the chipolatas are cooked, place them in the molasses bowl, leaving the fat on the plate. Toss gently to coat the sausages in the molasses mixture, then arrange in a heap on a serving platter. Drizzle with remaining molasses, scatter pistachio herb mixture on top and serve sprinkled with chili flakes.
Mackerel pâté with onion and lemon curry
If you want to make ahead, prepare the butter and the onion pâté the day before; bring both to room temperature before serving.
Preparation 25 minutes
To cook 35 minutes
serves ten
For the curry onion butter
2 large onions (400g), peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
200g unsalted butter
4 teaspoons hot madras curry powder
Salt and black pepper
For the pie
4 mackerel fillets with hot smoked pepper (340g), without skin
120 g fresh cream
2½ teaspoons horseradish cream (store bought is fine)
1¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
4 spring onions (80g), thinly sliced; keep 15g of sliced greens aside
1 large lemongrated zest, to make 1½ tsp, and juice, to make 1½ tsp
10 slices of sourdough 2 cm thickgrilled and cut in half diagonally
For the lemon filling
1 red pepper (20g), cut into thin rounds
1 large lemonpeeled, marrow, seeds and membranes removed and discarded, flesh finely chopped
1½ teaspoon olive oil
First, prepare the curry onion butter. Put the onions, oil, butter, curry powder and half a teaspoon of salt in a small sauté pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. soft and translucent. Let cool for five minutes, then put in a bowl and refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, until the onion mixture has solidified halfway.
Meanwhile, place the mackerel in a medium bowl with the crème fraîche, horseradish, cracked pepper, spring onions, lemon zest and juice, and a quarter teaspoon of salt. Toss until just combined – you want chunky fish – then cover with a plate (or refrigerate, if serving the next day).
Now for the filling: combine the chilli, chopped lemon flesh, olive oil and a quarter teaspoon of salt in a small bowl.
To assemble, divide the onion butter between the toasts, spreading it thinly. Mound the pâté on top, scatter over the reserved spring onion leaves, drizzle with the chili and lemon mixture and serve.
source : https://folobooks.com/
