Festive Food (With A Twist)

Lorna Mason gives some easy recipes, using traditional ingredients, that are a little bit different.

Christmas Upside-Down Cake (Serves 4)

This is one of the easiest things that you can do with your left overs.┬á The recipe is really adaptable, so you can substitute the toppings listed or instead of wraps use tacos.┬á ItÔÇÖs a little bit more interesting than living off turkey curry and reheated roasts until mid-January.┬á HereÔÇÖs what you will need:

Ingredients:

For sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion

1 garlic clove

1 tin Chopped tomatoes

1 tsp oregano

› tsp black pepper

 

For filling:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove

1 red onion

1 red pepper

1 courgette

170g turkey

85g cheddar cheese

4 tortillas

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. To make the sauce heat the olive oil in saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saut├® for 4-5 minutes, until softened.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes, oregano and black pepper. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for ten minutes.

4. For the turkey, heat the olive oil in a separate pan over a medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, red pepper and courgette. Fry for five minutes then add the turkey. Cook for around 5-7 minutes.

5. Add half of the cheese to the turkey mixture and continue to cook until the cheese has melted.

6. Divide the turkey mixture between four tortillas and roll up into parcels. Place into an ovenproof dish, spoon over sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Place into the preheated oven to bake for 15-20 minutes, until golden. Enjoy!

 

Turkey Enchiladas (Serves 10)

This is perfect for anyone like me who doesnÔÇÖt like the traditional Christmas cake. It is a traditional sponge base topped with caramelized fruits and a sugar glaze; it should satisfy anyoneÔÇÖs sweet tooth.┬á ItÔÇÖs much easier to make than a traditional Christmas cake and takes much less time too.┬á The topping listed here can be substituted for any fruit, pineapple, plum and apple all work well, or you could even use chocolate.

Ingredients: 

Cake:

225g butter

225g caster sugar

4 eggs beaten with 3 tbsp milk

100g ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

150g plain flour

 

Topping:

125g butter, plus extra for greasing

150g light brown soft sugar

600g dried fruits and mixed nuts

 

Method:

1. Start with the topping. Grease a round cake tin, and then melt the butter in a pan. Stir in the sugar for about 2ÔÇô3 minutes until the mixture is foamy and pale. (If it starts to separate, take it off the heat and keep stirring.) Pour into the cake tin and spread evenly. Arrange the fruit and nuts in the bottom of the tin, then put to one side.

2. Preheat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Cream together the butter and sugar and beat in the eggs. Stir in the baking powder and vanilla extract and fold in the flour.

3. Pour the cake mixture over the fruit and nuts. Place the cake tin on a baking tray and bake for about 1 hour or until golden and a skewer comes out clean.

4. Rest the cake on a wire rack for 2 minutes before sliding a knife around the edge to loosen it. Place your serving plate over the top of the cake and carefully slide onto the plate. Gently remove the tin. Serve with custard or ice cream!

5 thoughts on “Festive Food (With A Twist)

  1. Thank you so much for wonderful recipes! What I love about your website most of all is that you post not only great recipes and descriptions but also stunning photos of food! Have a nice day!

  2. This is brilliant! I just had spaghetti squash at a restaurant last night ÔÇô and I couldnÔÇÖt think of how they cooked it so well! This must be how! So glad to have read this ÔÇô perfect timing!

  3. Yum! Now I am craving chicken! I love roasting whole chickens on Sunday evenings, and I always use the bones to make a broth. ItÔÇÖs a great way to have a surplus of broth in the freezer, and itÔÇÖs so handy when anyone in my house gets sick! I will try this recipe the next Sunday I roast a chicken

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