Sherry Sour (Serves 2)

With Christmas round the corner I thought I’d share this cocktail as it’s perfect for sharing with friends over the festive period. Made with Oloroso sherry, it’s a light cocktail and liked by most – it’s a good all-rounder… and with its ‘snowy top’ it looks very seasonal!..

40ml sugar syrup

120ml Oloroso sherry

60ml lemon juice

1 egg white

Handful of ice

1. Simply put all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds, then strain into two chilled cocktail glasses. Enjoy!

Peppered Fillet of Beef with Port Sauce, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (Serves 4)

This recipe is great for entertaining over the festive period. I first shared it back in December ’20 but I’ve been cooking it for years. I particularly like that the sauce can be made in advance, so there’s no last minute rush. I like to serve it with Dauphinoise Potatoes, I rather like the cheese version for this dish (recipe below), but you could also serve it with my simpler recipe without cheese (recipe here). In addition, a great accompaniment is Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (below) or simply Sautéed Spinach (recipe here).

2 x fillets of beef, 450g each – nice even pieces

2 teaspoons black peppercorns, lightly crushed

Olive oil

400ml port

2 sprigs of thyme

2 cloves of garlic, halved

300ml beef stock

2 teaspoons cornflour made into a paste with 2 tablespoons of the port

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Season the beef with salt and evenly coat it with the crushed peppercorns.
2. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and brown the beef all over, then transfer to a roasting tray.
3. Place the beef in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for about 20 minutes for medium rare (a meat thermometer will read 55’c). Move to a plate to rest.
4. Meanwhile put the port, thyme and garlic in a small saucepan and boil to reduce by half, then whisk in the beef stock and the cornflour paste. Cook, whisking for about 1 minute until the sauce has thickened.
5. Check the sauce for seasoning, adding any juices from the resting beef.
6. Slice the beef into thick slices and serve with the sauce, Dauphinoise Potatoes and Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (recipes below).

Staple Side Dish – Dauphinoise Potatoes with Gruyére Cheese (Serves 4-6)

This is the second recipe that I have posted for Dauphinoise Potatoes on Menu Mistress. This recipe is the richer of the two and is more unctuous. I particularly like it with Peppered Fillet of Beef (above), but if you prefer a simpler Dauphinoise recipe, without cheese, you can find it here.

I found this recipe for Dauphinoise Potatoes with Gruyére in the cookbook, ‘At Home in the Provence’ by Patricia Wells, who in turn took it from renowned French chef, Joël Roubuchon – so it comes well endorsed!

500ml whole milk

250ml double cream

125g grated Gruyere cheese

1 kg firm fleshed potatoes (such as Charlotte), peeled and sliced very thinly

1 plump clove garlic, peeled and halved

45g unsalted butter, diced

Freshly grated nutmeg

Sea salt and black pepper

1. In a large saucepan bring the milk to boiling point. Add the cream and three-quarters of the cheese. Stir to blend and melt the cheese. Season which salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Add the potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon. Cook over a low heat for about 20 minutes until the potatoes are soft.
2. Rub a baking dish with the garlic. Transfer the potatoes and their liquid to the baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese and the butter.
3. Place in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for about 1¼ hours.
4. Serve immediately.

Green Beans with Shallots & Sherry Vinegar (Serves 4)

This turns the humble bean into something really special, and it only takes a few minutes! The recipe is from Rachel Allen’s cookbook, ‘Recipes From My Mother’.

300g French green beans

25g butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

50g shallots, peeled, halved and thinly sliced

1½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Place the beans in a saucepan, cover with boiling water and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender (al dente). Drain and keep to one side.
2. Add the butter and oil to the empty saucepan, when the butter starts to foam add the shallots with the vinegar and cook for a minute or so over a medium heat.
3. Return the beans to the pan and toss in the shallot butter. Season to taste and serve.

Pistachio Roulade with Raspberries and White Chocolate

This is one of those ‘wow’ desserts! It would make a fantastic centre piece on any celebratory table. Naturally it tastes wonderful too, so your guests will be asking for the recipe – we have the talented Mr ‘Ottolenghi’ to thank for this delicious recipe (but put a tag in for ‘Menu Mistress’ too!). Make sure that you follow the instructions to roll the cake when it is still warm as in this way the roulade shouldn’t crack too much!

70g shelled pistachio kernals, plus 15g extra, roughly chopped

4 large eggs, whites and yolks separated

130g caster sugar

2 tablespoons hot water

80g self-raising flour (gluten free if required – I use Doves)

⅛ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon almond extract

20g icing sugar

300g fresh raspberries

For the white chocolate cream:

200g white cooking chocolate roughly chopped into 1cm pieces

75g unsalted butter, soft but not oily

280g cream cheese

270ml double cream

 ⅛ teaspoon almond extract

You will also need: 35 x 30cm shallow baking tray greased and lined with baking paper.

1. Place 70g of the pistachios in a food processor and grind until fine but not oily; don’t worry if there are some medium-sized pieces it will not affect the cake. Set aside until needed.
2. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl and whisk for about 4 minutes until thick and creamy. Add the hot water by dribbling it down the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle over the ground pistachios and gently fold through to combine.
3. Sift the flour and salt together and add to the egg yolk mixture. Fold to combine.
4. Whisk the egg whites in a clean bowl to form soft peaks then fold into the yolk mixture along with the almond extract.
5. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven, 180’c fan, for 15-18 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly touched in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
6. Sift half the icing sugar over the surface of the cake and cover with a clean tea towel. Place a wire rack on top, then flip the cake over so that the wire rack is now underneath the tea towel and cake. Lift off the tray and carefully peel off the baking paper and lightly dust the cake with the remaining sifted icing sugar.
7. With one of the short ends of the sponge facing towards you, roll up the still-warm cake with the tea towel inside. Allow the cake to rest for 10 minutes in the rolled up tea towel (this ‘trains’ the cake for its final roll). Then unroll the cake and set aside to come to room temperature.
8. Meanwhile prepare the white chocolate cream; Place the chocolate in a bowl set over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water. Stir from time to time until melted then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
9. Place the butter a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat until smooth then add the cream cheese and beat again until well combined. Now add the white chocolate and continue to beat until smooth. Finally, add the double cream and almond extract and beat until the mixture forms soft waves (you may want to put the mixture in the fridge to thicken up a little).
10. To assemble, use a spatula to spread about two-thirds of the white chocolate cream evenly over the surface of the cake. Leave a border of about 2cm without any cream at the short end of the cake furthest away from you. Place all but twelve of the raspberries over evenly over the top of the cream, then roll up the cake.
11. Carefully transfer the rolled up cake to a serving plate and spread the remaining cream all over the cake – this can be a little messy, you will probably have to wipe around the plate before serving! Finally, place the remaining raspberries along the centre of the cake and sprinkle with the extra pistachio nuts.

I can’t quite believe that it’s the beginning of December and of course in just a couple of weeks Christmas! On Christmas day I will be cooking a traditional fare (see my menu here) but during the rest of the holiday period, I’ll be preparing more relaxed dishes which won’t leave me in the kitchen while friends and family are relaxing and enjoying themselves in the front room – particularly on New Year’s Eve when I’m feeling totally ‘over’ the whole Christmas thing! So I thought I’d share a couple of recipes which could make it onto my ‘easy dining list’...

Menu One, ‘Chicken Fricassée with Morels’, is one of those dishes which has an air of ‘special occasion’ about it, however, it’s quick and easy enough to cook on any weekday evening. The chicken is cooked in a cream and wine sauce thus creating an indulgent and comforting dish. Menu Two, ‘Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Peas’, is Simon Hopkinson’s take on an Indian ‘Keema Curry’ – a deluxe version; these subtly spiced meatballs are wonderfully moreish. Doubled up, this recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd so is a good option for a casual get-together! Finally, Menu Three is ‘Baked Sausages with Chestnuts’; a great casual supper for those evenings between Christmas and New Year. The Chestnuts give this simple dish a sophisticated finish – it’s definitely not your average tray bake!

Hopefully you’ll get time over the Christmas period to enjoy at least one of these recipes!.. (Recipes for my traditional Christmas Dinner can be found here!).

Don’t forget to pop by next week for my ‘Tuesday Treat’ – it will make a great centrepiece for any festive table!

Menu One

Chicken Fricassée with Morels (Serves 4)

This is one of those dishes which has that air of ‘special occasion’ about it yet is quick and easy enough to cook on any weekday evening. The chicken is cooked in a cream and wine sauce thus creating an indulgent and comforting dish; it will warm up the coldest, darkest winters day! The recipe is from Rick Stein’s cookbook, ‘Secret France’.

20g dried morels

200ml tepid water

40g unsalted butter

4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on

1 banana shallot, finely chopped

90g chestnut mushrooms cleaned and quartered

100ml Noilly Prat (or dry sherry)

130ml chicken stock

300g full-fat crème fraiche

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Soak the morels in the tepid water for about 15 minutes, then drain them in a fine sieve over a bowl. Strain the liquid and reserve 75ml for the sauce. Rinse the morels under cold water to remove any debris, dry them on kitchen paper and cut them in half lengthways.
2. Melt half of the butter in a large frying pan. Fry the chicken, skin-side down until light golden brown. Turn them over and repeat on the other side. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
3. Add the remaining butter to the pan. Fry the shallot over a medium heat until softened, then add the morels and chestnut mushrooms and fry for a few minutes. Add the Noilly Prat (or sherry), the reserved morel soaking liquid and chicken stock, bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
4. Add the créme fraiche and stir, then put the chicken back in the pan along with any resting juices. Cover the pan and cook over a medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the chicken is just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately with rice or potatoes.

Menu Two

Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Peas (Serves 4)

This is chef, Simon Hopkinson’s take on a Indian ‘Keema Curry’ – a deluxe version. The recipe is similar to his ‘Lamb Kofta Curry with Rice’ (which I shared back in 2021) but the flavours are subtly different; this dish is lighter as it is made with natural yogurt rather than coconut milk. In addition there’s the key ingredient for a Keema curry – peas. I suggest you try both recipes!..

350g onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil (plus a little more to grease)

750g minced lamb

2 tablespoons coriander seeds

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

1 tablespoon garam marsala

½ teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh chopped mint (plus an extra handful, coarsely chopped)

1 egg, beaten

Flour (gluten-free if needed)

50g butter

½ stick cinnamon

4 cloves

4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped

350g frozen peas

150ml plain yogurt

Juice of 1 lemon

1. First of all dry roast the coriander and cumin seeds in a frying pan until fragrant, then grind with a pestle and mortar. Leave to one side.
2. Fry the onions and garlic in the oil until golden brown, allow to cool before mixing into the lamb together with the all the spices, salt, the tablespoon of chopped mint and the beaten egg.
3. Form the mixture into balls the size of a walnut, roll in flour. If time allows, place in fridge for 30 minutes or so to firm up.
4. Melt the butter in a roomy frying pan, add the meatballs, fry until golden brown all over.
5. Add the cinnamon and cloves, stir over a medium heat for a minute or two before adding the tomatoes and peas. Allow the tomatoes to collapse and exude their juices then stir in the yogurt. Cook for a further 20 minutes.
6. Finally add the lemon juice, a handful of coarsely chopped mint and a little salt if necessary. Serve with rice.

Menu Three

Baked Sausages with Chestnuts (Serves 4)

This seriously simple recipe from Diana Henry’s ‘Pure Simple Cooking’. Despite its simplicity it’s not your average sausage traybake – the addition of chestnuts and red wine lift it to higher realms! Simply serve with some creamy mashed potato (recipe below).

8 good-quality pork sausages (gluten free if required)

150g cooked vacuum-packed chestnuts

350g field mushrooms, cut into thick slices

1 large onion cut into half-moon-shaped wedges

1 bulb garlic, cloves separated but not peeled

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 sprigs rosemary

1 bay leaf

250ml red wine

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Put everything except the red wine into a broad, shallow baking dish/ roasting tin. Turn the ingredients so that they are coated in olive oil.
2. Roast in a preheated oven, 190’c fan, for 25 minutes. Pour in the red wine and cook for another 25 minutes.
3. Serve with mashed (or roasted potatoes) and a salad of winter greens.

‘Staple Side Dish’ – ‘Favourite’ Mashed Potato (Serves 4)

There are numerous recipes for mashed potato, and yes, I have tried many, but this one is probably my favourite. It actually doesn’t contain any butter, which makes me feel that it could be healthy, although admittedly it does contain double cream! Don’t be put off by the garlic, you really can’t taste it, it just enhances the flavour of the potato. I must admit I ‘cheat’ when it comes to mashing, I am fortunate to have an amazing kitchen appliance, a Thermomix, this is a serious piece of kitchen kit; I can actually steam my potatoes in it and then mash them in seconds. If you don’t have a Thermomix you can either mash by hand, however,  for an easier option I would recommend doing as Delia Smith suggests in her ‘Winter Cookbook’ – whisk them with an electric hand whisk. When whisking them you do have to be careful – make sure that the potatoes are absolutely cooked, otherwise they will go gluey. Start off with the speed slow to break up the potatoes and then increase to a high speed to quickly whip them until smooth – don’t do it for too long, as again, they will go gluey, which is not good!

1kg potatoes (floury, such as Maris Piper)

100ml full-fat milk

100ml double cream

2 cloves garlic, sliced

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into even sized chunks. Steam until completely cooked through.
2. Put the milk, cream and garlic in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat.
3. Mash the potatoes (see note above) adding the milk mixture a little at a time. Season well with salt and pepper.