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#52 Sat 11 Nov 06 10:22pm
Elvis Parsley
Occupation Checking your Missus out
- From www.myspace.com/elvisparsley
- Member since Tue 29 Jun 04
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
I always cook my ham in normal coke, then glaze with treacle and mustard.
I daren't try the cherry version, that might be too sickly 
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#53 Sat 11 Nov 06 10:55pm
Dave Barker
Occupation Chef
- From At the stove...
- Member since Tue 29 Jun 04
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
Saving all those sick feelings for boxing bay morning eh Elvis 
Dave
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#54 Sat 11 Nov 06 11:01pm
Dave Barker
-
Occupation Chef
- From At the stove...
- Member since Tue 29 Jun 04
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
Hi Guys,
Last year we served a joint of cooked ham carved and as part of a meat plate, with carved roasted chicken and a carved beef joint, served on a big, rustic wooden platter, with strong mustard,home made pickles, beetroot chutney and still warm home made bread and a few glasses of good robust red wine...an easy way to feed 20!
That was for christmas day evening tea,
Another firm favorite, that will be returning this year
Last edited by DB27 (Sat 11 Nov 06 11:02pm)
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#55 Sat 11 Nov 06 11:20pm
Dave Barker
-
Occupation Chef
- From At the stove...
- Member since Tue 29 Jun 04
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
DB27'S AWESOME BEETROOT CHUTNEY...
INGREDIENTS
450g Onions, Chopped
600ml spiced white wine vinegar
1.5kg cooked beetroot, diced
450g Granny Smith apples, cored and chopped
450g Sugar
2 tsp Maldon sea salt
METHOD
place the onions and vinegar in a non-reactive saucepan. Heat gently and bring to a simmer.
Mix in the beetroot, apple, sugar and sea salt and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently until the chutney thickens.
Pour into hot sterilised jars, cover with a waxed disc, cool and cover tightly. Store in a cool dark place, refrigerating once opened.
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#56 Sat 11 Nov 06 11:36pm
bcrain
-
Occupation Duty Free Lancome and Fragrance sales
- From Greater Vancouver
- Member since Mon 23 Oct 06
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
Lol, was just going to ask for that chutney recipe, thx! Ok, I think I know what treacle is but could you confirm what I have imagined in my head? Is it a dark syrup? What is it made from? I have seen it written so many times but have never seen it. I imagine I will have to hunt it down around here. It's like trying to get the traditional Irish oats, gotta drive for an hour!
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#57 Sat 11 Nov 06 11:47pm
Kaff
- Member since Fri 11 Feb 05
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
Honestly, cherry coke doesn't make the ham sickly. I have no idea why not. But it really works (I love the coke version too - and I hate cherry cola - but I love that ham in cherry coke!)
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#58 Sat 11 Nov 06 11:59pm
Elvis Parsley
-
Occupation Checking your Missus out
- From www.myspace.com/elvisparsley
- Member since Tue 29 Jun 04
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
However much I drink on Christmas Day, I never get drunk. It's bizarre.
Boxing Day is a very different matter though, as some may remember from last year!
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#59 Sun 12 Nov 06 9:10pm
Dave Barker
-
Occupation Chef
- From At the stove...
- Member since Tue 29 Jun 04
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
Hi again guys,
I have posted a couple of ideas on starter courses, roast turkey, stuffing, gravy,roast pots, roast parsnips, flavoured veg, some beef ideas, christmas cake, mincemeat, christmas pudding etc, etc, etc...
Now here is my thoughts on the finale of the day...
THE CHEESE PLATE...
Now last year, I decided that because I had put sooo much effort into the starter course and mains and the sweet, I thought that I would put together the mother of all cheese plates......
I decided to put together as many interesting cheeses as possible, with crackers, soda bread, pickles,nuts,grapes,you name it!!!! the colours and textures and flavours were good, but do you know what? it was all too much...
I have learned quite a bit about different cheeses this year and have realised that really you are better to use 3 or 4 GOOD quality cheeses,
You need to make sure that you show a good variety of cheeses with different flavour and texture, so I now use one semi-hard cheese that is crumbly and tangy, a nice creamy blue cheese which is strong but melts in the mouth, and a nice soft, gooey cheese.
Serve them with flat bread and some nice fragrant ripe fruit, I like ripe juicey pears and figs as they are in season for christmas, and some freshly shelled walnuts.... brilliant!
I am told that it is good to allow 75g of cheese per person and always serve at room teperature...
Enjoy guys...
Dave B
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#60 Sun 12 Nov 06 9:32pm
Montana
- Member since Mon 21 Feb 05
Re: Dave Barkers Christmas Kitchen...
DB, I agree on the cheese plate to have only 3 or 4 (or 5) really nice ones.
Always start with the one with the mildest flavour and move up to the stronger ones. The strongest flavor should be the last one to be eaten.
It's nice to have a goat cheese, a roquefort or blue cheese, and then you could add a lovely fruity Emmenthal and possibly a camembert or a brie...but then there is the lovely aged White Cheddar (one of my favourites), or a Stilton, or Ewe's milk cheese (Ossau Iraty) or any other varieties that exist. No need to have 10, but choose different types of milk, and vary between cooked milk and raw milk cheeses (or soft and hard cheeses, if that's easier to understand).
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