On air on bayfm 99.9 community radio Byron Bay on 17 December 2012

 

Merry Christmas dear bellysisters, or happy Hannukah, or a joyous solstice, or a lovely gathering with friends and family to you.

Today the bellysisters  tried to help you have a stress free celebration by focusing on some classic elements of the traditional feast that sometimes result in disaster, and by suggesting a few new things to try.  We had the talented help of Gavin Hughes, head chef at the Byron at Byron resort and spa, a delightful man who is not afraid of owning up to liking a mushy carol or two.  He hails from Scotland, so he knows his way around a turkey, but much prefers a relaxed, mostly cold meal that can be prepared ahead, leaving more time for family, beach cricket and sparkling wine.  Miss December made a special return visit to help out with stuffing and gravy, and our baking bellysister Deanna worked her way around the different types of icing over a Christmas drink, and shared little cookies to decorate with the kids.  And we wrapped up the year of the farmer with food historian Dr Adele Wessell from Southern Cross University, who talked about the Landed Histories project.

 

 

GAVIN’S COOL CHRISTMAS

 

“Being Scottish the weather is back to front, re summer here and snowing in Scotland as we speak.  Therefore I have had to change the often heavy traditional dinner for a lighter, healthier, and in fact easier approach to Christmas lunch/ dinner.  This enables us to embrace the healthier lifestyle/ climate to go out doors and often play beach cricket or just a relaxing stroll along the beach.  It also important to have a stress free experience, spend more time with your family/ friends and organise as much in advance ( food) the day before.  It also allows more room for sparkling wine, instead of the Scottish tradition of heavy roast dinner followed by a massive collapse to the sofa to watch a rerun of a movies watched in previous years.”

 

Here are a few of Gavin’s suggestions.

No 1 – cook ahead and not on the day.

On the day, just prepare salads, sliced fruit.  If you do salads try things like the Italian panzanella (tomato and bread) – salads that get better when they sit around for a bit

On previous days, get plenty of local charcuterie, cheeses, prepared nibbles that can be served cold.

Make things like gravlax (more below), pickled vegetables.

Luscious soft summer berries/ strawberries/ blueberries for trifles as well as good old pavlova.

If you do decide to roast a turkey, go on the bone, not too big, rub it well with oil, maybe cover it with bacon, use a meat thermometer to make sure it is cooked inside.  Maybe try local honey macadamia nuts in the stuffing.

 

FROM THE BELLY LAB – WHISKY GRAVLAX RECIPE by Sister T, adapted from dramming.com

 

Gavin Hughes mentioned that he usually makes gravlax at this time of year.  He gave us a few tips on air, since there are a lot of variations on this very simple recipe.  I have tried making gravlax a few times and sometimes it is a bit dry.  Gavin leaves the fish to cure only 1 day instead of the usual 48 hours, then checks it and usually that is enough time.  And he mentioned that he makes WHISKY gravlax as a nod to his Scottish roots.  Now we love a good malt in the belly convent, so I immediately had to experiment.  It’s a sign of an inspiring guest that you have to run off and cook what s/he talked about isn’t it?

I happen to have bought for the first time a lovely light but smoky malt called Ardberg, and the first recipe that comes up on a net search, a very promising website called “Dramming”, recommends that very drop for this recipe.  But any good & at least a bit peaty/smoky malt should work.  You don’t need much, one miniature will be enough for cure and sauce.

 

 

 

WHISKY CURED FISH

original recipe here

 

2 evenly matched fillets of fresh salmon on the skin (or try ocean trout) – 600 to 800 g is plenty for 6-8 entree servings

1 tbs single malt whisky

30 g. raw sugar

30 g. rock salt

a few dill or fennel fronds (dill is traditional, I had fennel available and it worked fine)

 

Tweezer out any bones, rinse & pat dry fish.

In a porcelain or glass bowl that will fit the fish lying flat and sandwiched flesh to flesh, pour the whisky over the fish, leave for a few minutes.

Mix salt and sugar, cover fish all over the flesh, cover bottom piece with dill or fennel, pop the other piece on top, skin outmost.

Cover with plastic wrap close to the fish, then another piece over the top of the bowl (one of the few times I use plastic wrap in the kitchen, you could try baking paper and a small plate on top).  Place a weight on top of the fish – I used a small plate and a bag of rice on the plate.

Refrigerate for 24 hours, swap the top & bottom piece about half way through the cure.

After 24 hours, check if the flesh looks firmer, taste for delicious light cured flavour & texture.  Wipe excess salt off or leave longer.

Skin and slice the fish, keep a little cure liquid for sauce.

 

MUSTARD SAUCE

 

Adjust to taste a blend of dijon mustard, macadamia oil, lemon juice, the same whisky that went in the cure, lots of chopped fennel or dill, pepper, maybe salt, honey, a little of the cure liquid (filtered).  Serve on top of the fish or in a little bowl separately.

Also goes very nicely with chargrilled carrots for the vegetarian friends.

 

And do check out that dramming website if you like whisky – they even have a whole whisky flavoured Christmas dinner!

 

 

MISS DECEMBER UNSTUFFS THE STUFFING & YUMS UP THE GRAVY

recipes and words by Miss December Alison Drover

 

Grab a box of cherries and make your own Christmas decorations this year from all your old paper even newspaper is great or wander around the garden and see what you can find to dress the home. Please leave the Christmas trees in the ground or create your own from branches or improvised items.

Bake from scratch this Christmas and focus on the process rather than elaborate menus. Real custard, gravy and stuffing from heaven rather than rushing these things take time and work on making these the best your can.

 

 

CHRISTMAS GRAVY– made in advance to save you time on the day

You basically roast some chicken wings with onions, carrots, celery (the holy trinity for flavour) with some star anise, rosemary and sage. Add flour, water, simmer and there you have it… a stress-free Christmas gravy.

 

• 10 chicken wings

• 2 carrots

• 2 peeled onions

• 2 celery sticks

• 2 large rosemary stalks

• 6 sage leaves

• 2 star anise

• salt

• pepper

• olive oil

• 60 ml port or sherry (optional)

• optional 2 tablespoons orange marmalade

 

 

Serves: one turkey or chicken

Roughly chop the celery, carrots and onions. Put them in a roasting tray with some salt and pepper, star anise, sage leaves, rosemary and the chicken wings. If you bash the wings up a bit first the gravy’s flavour will be deeper. Add a good slug of olive oil and roast for 1 hour at 180c. Take out of the oven and put the tray over a medium heat on the hob. Add 3 or 4 tablespoons of plain flour, which will thicken the gravy and soak up the fat. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring all the time. Then add 2 litres of hot water, boil vigorously for 10 minutes and then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the port or sherry if using.

Pour the mixture into a sieve over a bowl and push as much as you can through the holes. Wait until it is cooled to room temperature, put it into containers or freeze bags for the freezer.

Just before you need the gravy….

Take it out of the freezer so it can defrost whilst cooking your turkey or chicken. When the bird is cooked put a carving knife in the cavity so you can lift it up so the juices run out. Spoon off all but 2 tablespoons fat then pour your gravy into the roasting pan with juices. Place it on the stove and bring to the boil making sure you scrape the up all the tasty bits from the bottom of the pan. Taste and then if you like add the marmalade. Once the gravy is hot strain it into a saucepan and then return it to a low heat until you need it. Skim any fat before transferring into a jug and onto the table ready to enjoy.

 

STUFFING LOCAL AND SEASONED – LIMONCELLO, CINNAMON, PECAN AND SAGE

 

**Please note for the vegetarian option omit the bacon/pancetta

Serves 10

 

• butter about 200 grams to cook with

• 2 large leeks washed and chopped (or 2 onion chopped finely)

• chunks of sourdough torn into pieces about half a bread slice in size

• 200g pecans local

• bunch of sage leaves picked

8 sprigs of thyme – leaves removed

• 6 rashers of bacon or pancetta chopped

• 1 lemon juice and zest

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• Limoncello – local lemon liquor available from farmers market about ½ cup to 1 cup depending on you (if you do not want to use this you can use juice or 1 lemon and a tablespoon of honey instead.

• 1 cup currants

• salt and pepper

 

Soak your currants in Limocello or alternative for about 20 mins.

Fry up your leeks in a pan sweating them first so that they do not darken. Remove from the frypan and set aside. Add your chunks of bread frying them and the bacon. Once cooked add the currants, lemon zest, cinnamon, cooked leeks, sage and chopped pecans. Ensure everything is well combined and then remove from the stove ready to stuff the bird.

Hint: Lift the skin on the turkey or Give your turkey a good wipe, inside and out, with paper towels, and place it on a board, with the neck end towards you. Find the edge of the skin that’s covering the turkey’s breasts and gently peel it back. Work your fingers and then your hand under the skin, freeing it from the meat. If you’re careful you should be able to pull all the skin away from the meat, keeping it attached at the sides. Go slowly and try not to make any holes! Lift the loose skin at the neck end and spoon the stuffing between the skin and the breast, tucking the flap of skin underneath to stop anything leaking out. At the other end, starting at the side of the cavity just above the leg, use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat.

 

 

Gluten free version with Nimbin [if available] brown rice.

Follow the recipe above however omit the sourdough bread and instead boil up 2 cups of brown rice  until the rice is about 3-4 minutes from cooked. Drain and add another teaspoon of cinnamon and mix all the above ingredients with the rice. Stuff inside the bird and cook as according to your time.

 

Vegetarian stuffing

The rice version or the gluten free version can be used as a stuffing for capsicums or as a side dish for other vegetarian dishes. It is fairly rich stuffing so choose a dish that is fairly simple to complement it.

 

HOLIDAY BAKING WITH DEANNA

 

 

SUGAR COOKIES

 

 

1‭ ½ ‬cups flour

‭¼ ‬tsp salt

‭½ ‬tsp baking soda

‭½ ‬cup unsalted butter-room temperature

‭½ ‬cup sugar

1‭ ‬large egg beaten

1tsp vanilla

 

Beat butter and sugar.‭ ‬Add egg and vanilla and beat.

Mix flour,‭ ‬salt and baking soda in separate bowl.‭ ‬Add to butter and sugar and mix until smooth.

Heat oven to‭ ‬170‭ ‬degrees

Line baking trays with baking paper

Roll out dough until‭ ‬1cm thick-keep turning on floured surface so it doesn’t stick

Cut into shapes and chill in fridge on baking sheet for‭ ‬15‭ ‬min.

Bake in oven‭ ‬8-10‭ ‬minutes

 

ROYAL ICING

 

2‭ ‬large egg whites

2tsp lemon juice

3‭ ‬cups icing sugar

 

Beat egg whites and lemon juice.‭ ‬Add sugar and beat on low until combined.

Add food colouring to separate portions and mix.‭

Can spread with a knife over cookies,‭ ‬or can put into piping bag for decorating.‭ ‬If you do not have piping bags or tips,‭ ‬can put icing into small ziplock bag and cut small tip off corner to squeeze icing through‭ (‬this is what I do with my kids when they ice cookies‭)

 

BELLY BULLETIN

 

Best possible news – a lot less people are dying from hunger, according to a report financed by the Gates foundation and co-ordinated by the University of Washington. Over the last 20 years, there has been a sharp fall in deaths from malnutrition & diseases like measles & tuberculosis, reflecting an improvement in sanitation, health services and access to food in the developing world. Infant mortality is also down. On the other hand, more of us are dying from rich country diseases like cancer & diabetes. Maybe the next step is for more of us to be able to choose what to eat, and help counter those diseases too.

 

My other bulletin item is more of a Christmas present idea – if you are into giving experiences rather than objects, have a look at the many cooking classes & eating experiences available locally, from your local cafes and restaurants to one off dinners. Maybe give someone the chance to try out vegan food for the first time with Anthea Amore, of Organic Passion.

Or go to one of the Indian pop up dinners hosted by Matt % Chris, inspired by travels through India. The next feast is scheduled for Sunday‭ ‬20th of January‭ ‬6pm bookings can be made by phoning:‭  Matt-‭ ‬0402‭ ‬235‭ ‬435‭ ‬or Kris-‭ ‬0429‭ ‬456‭ ‬299

For classes, check out Byron College,  or the Bangalow Cooking School, or the Burringbar hall.  Deb Allard has cheesemaking classes there in early January, & remember, blessed are the cheesemakers, & their friends.

www.facebook.com/CheeseMakingClasses

If you know of other classes or events, send us an email on belly@belly.net.au & I will put the info online

& of course, there are lots of fabulous locally produced edible gifts, try the markets or a local shop, and cookbooks by local authors.

 

Love and chocolate covered elves (just start pouring from the tip of their pointy little hats – they will naturally keep their mouths and noses clear by licking),  Sister Tess

 

or if you prefer, love & rum cream stuffed, chocolate covered panettone (it went tropical this year).  The recipe is in sweets.