An alternative Burns Night supper for six

Haggis may be traditional fare for Burns' Night but let's face it, it's not everyone's cup of tea. So here's a Scottish inspired menu that I suspect you'll probably enjoy rather more (unless you're born and bred Scots, of course...)

Menu:

Warm mussel, leek and saffron tarts
Venison sausages with red wine and rosemary gravy, celeriac and potato mash and swede and carrot pure
Luxury bread pudding with whisky sauce

Warm mussel, leek and saffron tarts

These easy tarts (just a puff pastry base, in fact) were inspired by a visit to the Isle of Lewis off the north-west coast of Scotland where they grow wonderful small sweet mussels.

Serves 6

1 kg (2.2lb) fresh mussels
1 375g packed ready rolled all butter puff pastry (if you can find it I like the Dorset butter pastry which is available in Waitrose)
50 ml (2 fl oz) dry white wine
A good pinch of saffron (about 20 strands)
1 medium to large leek (about 200g/7oz)
40g (1 1/2 oz) butter
1 1/2 tbsp plain flour
50ml (2 fl oz) double cream
Freshly ground black pepper and sea salt to taste
A couple of sprigs of fresh parsley

Although these free-form ‘tarts’ look very impressive the beauty of them is that you don’t need to be remotely skilled at handling pastry to knock the dish together.

Tip the mussels into a sinkful of cold water and swirl them around. Remove them to a colander, change the water, replace them and go through each one with a small, sharp knife removing the slightly hairy looking ‘beard’ with a good yank. Place each one as you finish in a large bowl of water and leave to soak for at least half an hour. Drain them and discard any that are still open.

Preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Roll out the pastry. Cut lengthways into two then cut each half into three evenly sized squares. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, prick with a fork then bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.

Bring 50ml (2 fl oz) of white wine or water to the boil in a large lidded pan then tip in all the mussels. Give the pan a good shake, put the lid on firmly then cook over a high heat for about 3 minutes shaking the pan a couple of times. Take off the lid and check that the mussels are open. If not replace the lid and cook another minute. As soon as they’re cooked remove the mussels from their shells and set aside. Strain the cooking liquor and measure out 150ml (5 fl oz). Then take another 2 tbsp and soak the saffron strands in a small bowl.

Thoroughly clean and finely chop the leek into rounds. Heat the butter slowly in a heavy bottomed pan then cook the leek for 10-15 minutes or until soft. Add the flour, stir and cook for a minute then add the reserved mussel liquor, bring to the boil, stirring and simmer for 5 minutes until thick. Strain and add the infused saffron water and the cream. Stir, then tip in the mussels and heat through for 2-3 minutes. Check the seasoning adding freshly ground pepper and a little salt to taste.

Place a square of pastry on each plate then spoon over the mussel mixture, dividing it evenly between each plate. Finely scissor snip some parsley over each plate and serve immediately.

Suggested wine match: a lightly oaked Chardonnay or Viognier

Venison sausages with red wine and rosemary gravy

You can cook your sausages in the oven but I prefer to do them slowly in a pan so that they go all sticky and gooey.

Serves 6

3 light olive oil or sunflower oil
900g (2 lb) venison sausages
For the gravy
2 tbsp light olive oil or sunflower oil
25g (1 oz) butter
3 medium red onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
1 rounded tbsp finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 rounded tbsp tomato paste
2 level tbsp plain flour
250ml (9 fl oz) full bodied red wine
250ml (9 fl oz) fresh beef stock or stock made with half an organic beef stock cube
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and tomato ketchup to taste

First put on the gravy. Put a large saucepan over a moderate heat, add the oil and then the butter. When the butter has melted tip in the onions, stir thoroughly then put the lid on the pan and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15-20 minutes until the onions are soft and golden.

Stir in the garlic and rosemary, cook for a few seconds then stir in the tomato paste and flour. Add the red wine and stock, bring to the boil then turn the heat right down and simmer for 15-20 minutes, adding a little water if it gets too thick.

Meanwhile heat a large frying pan (or two smaller ones), add the remaining oil and fry the sausages over a low heat, turning them frequently. These should also take about 20 minutes.

Check the seasoning of the gravy, adding salt and pepper to taste and a little tomato ketchup if you think it needs sweetening. (Yes, really! Serve the sausages with the gravy spooned over.

Suggested wine match: Any robust full-bodied red will do. I'd probably go for a Syrah or Shiraz just as I would for haggis.

Celeriac and potato mash

You can prepare this - and the swede and carrot pure below - ahead and reheat it just before serving.

1 bulb of celeriac (about 500-600g/1lb 2oz-1lb 5oz)
A couple of pieces of lemon peel
500g-600g/1lb 2oz-1lb 5oz boiling potatoes (e.g. King Edwards)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 heaped tbsp crème fraîche
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Give the celeriac a good scrub then cut off the tough outer skin. The easiest way to do this is to prop it on a chopping board and cut downwards with a sharp knife. Once you’ve got most of the skin off, cut it in quarters then hold one in your hand and cut off any remaining bits of skin with a small knife. Cut into large cubes, put in a saucepan with a couple of bits of lemon peel and cover with boiling water. When it comes to the boil add salt then cook for about 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain well, reserving a little of the cooking water.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into equal sized pieces. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, add salt and cook until you can stick a knife through them without any resistance. Drain thoroughly and return to the pan to dry. Put the celeriac in a food processor and whizz until smooth, adding a little of the cooking water if it seems too dry and lumpy.Cut the potato into rough chunks then mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Add the olive oil and creme fraiche and beat well. Tip the pureed celeriac into the potato mash, mix well and season generously with salt and pepper.

Swede and carrot purée

Swedes on their own are a bit of an acquired taste so I like to add carrots - preferably organic ones which are much more flavourful - to the mixture.

1 medium swede (about 500-550g) peeled and cut into small cubes
3 medium carrots (about 250-275g), peeled and sliced
1 litre hot vegetable stock made with 1 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder or a vegetable stock cube
25g butter
1 tbsp low fat creme fraiche
Freshly ground black pepper + a little grated nutmeg
Salt and lemon juice to taste

Put the cubed swede and carrot in a medium sized saucepan and cover with the hot vegetable stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 20 minutes until the vegetables are soft. Strain, reserving the cooking water and put the vegetables in a food processor. Whizz them until smooth. Add the butter, creme fraiche and 1-2 tbsp of the vegetable cooking water and whizz again until smooth and silky. Season with plenty of black pepper, a little nutmeg and salt and/or lemon juice to taste. Reheat gently and serve.

Luxury bread pudding with whisky sauce

What you need for this recipe is a old-fashioned loaf with real texture and flavour If you don’t have a good baker nearby go for a healthy sliced loaf such as Vogel’s honey and oat bran with barley). Other ingredients are up to you depending on what have available but include a good selection of dried fruits. I think figs are particularly nice and the apple gives it lightness. The only ingredient you can’t do without is whisky, which makes the most wickedly delicious sauce.

Serves 6-8

100g (3 1/2 oz) dried figs
125g (4 1/2 oz) mixed dried fruit
100g (3 1/2 oz) large seedless raisins
2 tbsp whisky
250g (9 oz) two day old bread from a traditional style loaf
300ml (10 fl oz) full cream milk
1 medium (125g) eating apple (Cox’s are ideal)
The grated rind of half a lemon
2 tbsp coarse cut seville orange marmalade
75g (3 oz) light vegetable suet
2 tsp mixed spice
50g (2 oz) soft dark brown sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
A little grated nutmeg
For the whisky sauce
25g (1 oz) butter
60g (2 1/2 oz) soft dark brown sugar
3-4 tbsp whisky
142 ml (5 fl oz) whipping cream

Chop or scissor-snip the figs into small pieces and place in a bowl with the mixed dried fruit and raisins. Pour over 2 tbsp of whisky, stir well and put to one side. Crumble the bread into another large bowl and pour over the milk. Mix thoroughly and leave to soak for 30 minutes.

Peel and core the apple and grate roughly into the dried fruit. Add the finely grated lemon rind and marmalade and stir well. Mash the bread mixture vigorously with a fork to break down any lumps then add the fruit mixture, suet, mixed spice and sugar. Stir well, add the beaten egg and stir again. Turn into a lightly greased square 12.5 by 12.5cm (7 x 7 inch) baking tin, smooth the top and grate over a little nutmeg. Bake the bread pudding in a preheated oven ( 180° C/350° F/Gas 4) for 1 1/2 hours or until the top is nicely browned.

Just before serving gently warm the butter and sugar for the sauce in a small heavy bottomed saucepan. When the sugar has dissolved add the whisky and cream and bring to a slow simmer. Cook for about five minutes until the sauce begins to thicken. Cut the bread pudding into chunks, pour over the whisky sauce and serve.

Suggested wine match: Well if you're going to drink anything I'd make it whisky rather than wine but with the rich whisky-laced sauce I'm not sure you need it!

photo - obviously not of the original dish (sorry) - ©Artem Shadrin @fotolia.com

Which wine to choose for Thanksgiving

The first thing to bear in mind about Thanksgiving - and for that matter Christmas - is that it’s as much about mood as food. Who you’re inviting, what age they are and how big your party is are factors every bit as important as what you’re eating.

I say this particularly because the main Thanksgiving meal and the meals around it are hard ones to match: what you need is a wine that is going to cope with a whole battery of delicious flavours.

Personally I always like to start a celebratory meal like this with a glass of sparkling wine which gets everyone into the festive spirit. It doesn’t have to be Champagne (though in our house it usually is!) - there are many good substitutes available from cut price cava (good for parties) and crémants to Champagne lookalikes that come from premium sparkling wine-producing areas such as California and New Zealand.

If you’re starting with a soup such as a pumpkin soup or a creamy chowder as you may well be I’d suggest a smooth dry unoaked or lightly oaked Chardonnay or a Chenin Blanc. That might sound like a bit of a cop-out - everyone drinks Chardonnay but that’s because everyone likes Chardonnay - and for festive family meals what you’re looking for are crowd pleasers. Smooth dry whites are also just about the best available match for soup.

If you’re planning some kind of seafood starter Sauvignon Blanc is generally a safe bet though if it incorporates Asian flavours you could serve a dry or off-dry Riesling.

For the turkey itself I would offer a choice of white or red - a full-bodied Chardonnay or Viognier for the more adventurous and a ripe fruity red - something like a Zinfandel, Merlot, Carmenère, Shiraz or a full bodied Pinot Noir (lighter styles may get swamped by the big flavours of typical turkey accompaniments). These wines will work with a Thanksgiving ham too.

Your instinct may well be to bring out a much treasured old bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion but I would save it for a smaller gathering and a simpler menu. What you need with turkey and its trimmings is a wine that is vibrantly fruity not one that’s faded and delicate. If you don’t already have a favourite bottle in mind it’s a good idea to visit a local wine shop or merchant that has regular tastings so you can try a selection of different wines before you buy.

Desserts again can be a bit of a minefield for wine, particularly if you’re serving more than one. Pumpkin pie, I’ve found is particularly good with a southern French Muscat or Spanish Moscatel, wines which would also work with a traditional apple pie.

If you’re serving a chocolate dessert however I’d suggest a sweet red wine such as a sweet Shiraz. or, again for adventurous guests, iced shots of a raspberry-flavoured liqueur or a cherry brandy. The basic rule to bear in mind is that your wine should be sweeter than your dessert - and served well chilled.

You may also find this post useful on the difference between the Thanksgiving turkey and a Christmas turkey when it comes to choosing wine and this longer post on drink matches for pumpkin pie.

Photo by Jed Owen on Unsplash

A winelover's New Year's Eve dinner

After the tradition-bound cooking of the Christmas period (from which the family will never let you deviate . . .) it’s good to branch out a bit with your New Year’s Eve meal and also pick some dishes that will allow you to drink some serious wines. Note you need to start the beef two days in advance.

Warm scallop salad with crispy pancetta and parsnip crisps

An extravagantly indulgent starter from my book Cooking with Wine which can be rustled up just before you sit down at table.
serves 6

2 tbsp olive oil + a little extra for dressing the salad
150g diced pancetta
18 large fresh scallops, preferably diver caught
100ml full bodied dry white wine such as a Chardonnay or Viognier
3 tablespoons fish stock or water
2 tbsp double cream or crème fraîche
A small bag of mixed leaf salad
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the parsnip crisps
1 medium parsnip (about 200g)
Vegetable oil

To make the parsnip chips, peel the parsnip and cut off the root end to leave you with a piece about 10cm (4 inches) long and 3-4 cm (1 1/2 inches) wide at its narrowest point. Shave off fine slices with a mandolin or vegetable peeler. Fill a wok about one quarter full with vegetable oil and heat until very hot (about 190°C/375°F or until a cube of bread turns golden in 40 seconds). Fry the parsnip slices in batches, a few at a time, removing them as they brown with a slotted spoon and drain them on kitchen towel. Sprinkle them lightly with salt.

Season the scallops on both sides with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a separate frying pan and add a tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the pancetta until crisp then remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.

Pour off the fat from the pan, return it to the hob, reheat for a minute until almost smoking then lay the scallops in the pan. Cook them for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes depending how thick they are then turn them over and cook for the same amount of time the other side. Set aside and keep warm. Pour the white wine into the pan, let it bubble up and reduce it by half. Add a splash (about 3 tbsp) of fish stock or water and keep bubbling away until you have about 3-4 tablespoons of juice. Return any juices that have accumulated under the scallops to the pan and stir in the cream. Check the seasoning, adding pepper to taste and a little more salt if you think it needs it, warm through for a few seconds then turn off the heat.

Divide the salad leaves between six plates and scatter over the pancetta. Drizzle the leaves with a little olive oil and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Lay 3 scallops on each plate and spoon the pan juices over them. Arrange the parsnip crisps over the top.

Wine suggestion: a good Chardonnay would be perfect with this dish. Other smooth, lush whites like white Graves, other blends of Sauvignon and Semillon or southern French blends of Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier would also be good.

South African sugar-cured chateaubriand

This unlikely-sounding recipe comes from one of my latest books, Steak. It’s a version of one I tried in a stunning restaurant called Le Quartier Francais in Franschhoek and is one of the most successful ways I’ve found of cooking beef fillet. A perfect dinner party dish - everyone will ask you for the recipe! Note that you have to start the preparation two days ahead though.

Serves 6

1 kg châteaubriand, cut in one piece from the centre of the fillet
For the cure
30g coarse sea salt
4g each of black peppercorns, Sichuan peppercorns and coriander seeds
1 1/2 tsp herbes de Provence
1 clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
50g light muscovado sugar
50g dark muscovado sugar
To finish
2 tbsp light olive oil
15g butter

Put the salt, both lots of peppercorns and the coriander seeds in a mortar and pound with a pestle until coarsely ground. Add the garlic and pound again. (Or you can do this in a food processor but don’t reduce it to a powder.) Tip into a shallow dish and mix in both sugars. Trim any external fat off the châteaubriand and pat it dry. Place it in the dish and rub thoroughly with the sugar mixture. Cover with a double layer of cling film and put in the fridge for 48 hours, turning the meat occasionally. (The moisture in the meat will dissolve the sugar, creating a rich marinade).

When you come to cook the meat, heat the oven to 225°C/425°F/Gas 7. Rinse off the marinade and pat the joint dry with kitchen paper. Heat a cast iron oven-proof frying pan or dish, add the oil, then, when that has heated, the butter. Once the butter has melted place the meat in the pan and brown well on all sides (about 5 minutes in total). Transfer the dish to the oven and roast for 12-15 minutes for a rare joint and up to 20 minutes for a slightly better done one (you don’t want to overcook it). Set aside on a warm plate to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Carve the meat into medium-thick slices, arrange 2 or 3 slices on each plate and serve with a spoonful of Essential steak sauce (below) to which you can add any juices that have run off the meat. A smooth French-style potato pure and lightly steamed vegetables like asparagus or green beans go well with this.

Wine suggestion:
Because of the spicing, this is the perfect dish to partner a vibrant young, new world red. As it’s South African inspired, I suggest a Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon or other classy Cabernet or Cabernet blend from e.g. Western Australia, Coonawarra or the Napa Valley.

Essential steak sauce

A simple way of making the rich ‘demi-glace’ that forms the basis of many professional kitchen sauces

1 tbsp olive oil
10g butter
110g shallots, peeled and roughly sliced
125ml red wine
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
150ml fresh beef stock
1 tsp butter paste*
Salt, pepper and a little Worcestershire sauce

Heat the oil in a pan then add the butter. Once it has melted add the shallots, stir and cook for about 10 minutes until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add the red wine and balsamic vinegar, bring to the boil, turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquid has reduced by about three-quarters. Add the stock and simmer for another 5 minutes. Strain, return to the pan and whisk in the butter paste with a wire whisk. Bring back to the boil and simmer until thickened. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce.
* to make butter paste mash together equal quantities of soft butter and plain flour until you have a smooth paste.

Eton Mess with Chestnuts (aka Vacherin)

I’m having one of my period infatuations with an ingredient. Currently it’s chestnuts, not least because I’ve discovered that creamy, chestnut-based puddings are the most brilliant foil for certain styles of sweet wine (see below)This is a really easy recipe you can put together from store cupboard ingredients.
Serves 6

1 medium-sized (about 435g) tin of sweetened chestnut puree (or unsweetened puree and 2-3 tbsp sugar syrup)
2 tbsp Frangelico (hazelnut flavoured liqueur) or rum (optional)
150ml single cream
284 ml double cream
1 tbsp vanilla sugar or caster sugar and 1/2 tsp of vanilla
6 medium-sized meringues or meringue nests
6-8 marrons glaces (candied chestnuts), roughly chopped

You will need 6 sundae dishes or other dessert glasses
Tip the contents of the tin of chestnuts into a food processor. Add the Frangelico and rum, if using, and the single cream and whizz together, adding a little extra sugar if you think it needs it. Add the vanilla sugar (or sugar and vanilla essence) to the double cream and whip lightly until it holds a soft peak (just holds its shape). Just before serving, break up the meringues roughly by hand. Put a little of the meringue in the bottom of each glass, cover with a layer of the chestnut cream then spoon over a layer of whipped cream. Repeat twice, finishing with cream then scatter a few chopped pieces of marrons glaces over each glass. Voila!

Wine suggestion:
I drank a glass of Vin Santo with a similar dish in Paris recently (see The Best Food and Wine Matching on the Planet) so can strongly recommend that. Good alternatives would be a Hungarian Tokaji, a Passito di Pantelleria or Samos Muscat from Greece.)

Photograph by: William Lingwood