![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.belly.net.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/22122010455.jpg\" "\\"22122010455\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nMerry Christmas and Happy everything, from the Summer Solstice to whatever wonderful feast you are celebrating or using as a thin excuse for getting together with friends and family.\u00a0 On this belly Christmas special we had Carols (yes! not nearly enough!), lots of listeners voices sharing their holiday cooking and eating plans, and the wonderful Alison Drover with lots of ideas to inspire you in your holiday cooking and shopping for food and presents.\u00a0 Also seasonal updates from the farmers markets and the Liberation Larder.<\/p>\n
Alison Drover came on belly a couple of months ago when she organised the first Northern Rivers Regional Food Celebration, part of the 2010 Lismore Show.\u00a0 She has organised many other major food related events.\u00a0 The most entertaining thing for Sister B and myself during the show was watching Alison’s pen flying as I played the short interviews with various people around the community centre and the markets.\u00a0 Each comment sparked up at least 3 new ideas.\u00a0 These are a few of them, and we are still waiting for Alison to forward a few others.\u00a0 For more, go also to her site, The Alison Principle<\/a>. Salads<\/strong><\/span> Dessert <\/strong><\/span> Alcohol<\/strong><\/span>: Sustainable Christmas <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Alison believes in going beyond sustainable to inspirational. packaging and they love seeing what I have done better than the present!”<\/p>\n Giving at Christmas – think about how you can make a Alison got in touch with the Fishermen’s Coop to check on most people’s favourite holiday food, prawns.\u00a0 Local is always better, not imported, as the industry is more controlled.\u00a0 You may see some black on local prawns at the moment because of the excessive rain, this does not affect quality or taste.\u00a0 More info on sustainable seafood in last week’s belly post.<\/p>\n And she brought us some lovely recipes!<\/p>\n CHRISTMAS COUNTRY TURKEY TERRINE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Important: Before you shop for your meat, give your butcher a call and ask 12\u201314 slices rindless smoked bacon \u2013 buy from a Farmers\u2019 Market or find a 1 bunch baby English spinach, stalks removed<\/p>\n 300 g skinless turkey breast coarsely minced<\/p>\n 200 g chicken livers, coarsely minced<\/p>\n 300 g hard pork back fat, minced<\/p>\n 1\u20132 cloves garlic<\/p>\n \u00bd teaspoon cinnamon<\/p>\n \u00bd teaspoon black pepper<\/p>\n 50 ml brandy<\/p>\n \u00bd cup parsley, washed and roughly chopped<\/p>\n 6 sage leaves<\/p>\n 6 sprigs thyme<\/p>\n 1 egg, lightly beaten<\/p>\n Preheat oven to 160\u00baC.<\/p>\n Line a terrine mould, 25cm in length and 10cm high and wide, with baking Using a medium-sized bowl, mix all the ingredients together. If you have Spoon the mixture into the terrine, press down firmly and fold the Place in the oven and cook for 1 hour. Reduce the temperature to 140\u00baC. and Remove from the oven and the ban marie. Place something heavy on top (I use PEACH, DATE AND GINGER CHUTNEY<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Makes about 3\u00bd cups of chutney depending on the size of peaches.<\/p>\n This is a versatile chutney for turkey, venison and chicken, and it is 1 onion, finely chopped<\/p>\n 6 large peaches, peeled, pitted and chopped<\/p>\n 2 cups pitted dates, roughly chopped (not too small)<\/p>\n 1 tablespoon freshly peeled and diced ginger<\/p>\n \u00bd cup packed brown sugar<\/p>\n 1 teaspoon cinnamon<\/p>\n 1 tablespoon mustard seeds<\/p>\n \u00bc cup cider vinegar<\/p>\n 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice<\/p>\n \u00bd teaspoon salt<\/p>\n \u00bc teaspoon white pepper<\/p>\n 1 teaspoon freshly grated ground nutmeg<\/p>\n In a frypan, fry onion in olive oil on a low heat until then are translucent Add the cooked onion and all other ingredients to a slow cooker like a NECTARINE SALSA<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Serves 6.<\/p>\n Perfect for leftover turkey, summer fish, barbecue prawns or chicken skewers<\/p>\n 6 ripe nectarines \u2013 you can pop these on the BBQ beforehand for a few 1 red onion, diced<\/p>\n \u00bd red chilli, seeded and finely chopped \u2013 optional<\/p>\n 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar<\/p>\n handful mint \u2013 about \u00bd cup<\/p>\n Slice nectarines in half and remove stone. Slice and cut into evenly shaped Remove stalks from the mint and tear mint into strips<\/p>\n Mix together all ingredients in a bowl, however, pay attention not to mash Alison is sending us a couple more party recipes soon.\u00a0 You can contact her at :<\/p>\n E:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <mailto:contact@alisondrover.com> info@thealisonprinciple.com<\/p>\n W:\u00a0\u00a0 www.thealisonprinciple.com<\/a><\/p>\n MARKET UPDATE<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n A few fruit and veg in season from Don, Byron Bay\/Bangalow Farmers Market manager.<\/p>\n Corn – very sweet this time of year
\nWaste – quality over quantity at Christmas
\nLeftovers – there should not be any – plan and don’t be greedy buy less.<\/p>\n
\nGreens, roasted zucchini,
\nNectarine, mint salads – great with seafood
\nBrown rice, currants, macadamia nut, cinnamon perfect for turkey for the
\ntraditional dinners<\/p>\n
\nLast minute ideas which are not the pudding – Passionfruit roulade or
\nblueberry and strawberry summer pudding with double cream<\/p>\n
\nMake a punch, you can control the amount of alcohol and include a variety of\u00a0 ingredients, even beer<\/p>\n
\n“For example I make my nephews pillowcases , decorate them differently every year saves on<\/p>\n
\ndifference at Christmas in some way and how rewarding this is.
\nI.e. – if you are making a Christmas Cake make another and take it in to a
\nrefuge of shelter.\u00a0 Thinking about the people who made the things you are buying this Christmas\u00a0 and in landfill where they will go<\/p>\n
\nthem to reserve it for you so it is ready and minced which will save you
\ntime You can do this when you order your Christmas turkey.<\/p>\n
\nlocal butcher which will do a free range pork bacon<\/p>\n
\npaper cut to size, and then layer with the strips of bacon lengthways to
\ncreate rows. Let the ends of the bacon hang over the edge of the terrine as
\nthese will form the base.<\/p>\n
\ntime, leave the mixture for a few hours to marinate.<\/p>\n
\noverhanging bits of bacon over the top like you are wrapping a Christmas
\npresent. Cover the terrine with foil and place the dish in a bain marie
\n(water bath).<\/p>\n
\ncook until the internal temperature is 70\u00baC. If you do not have a
\nthermometer put a skewer in and the juices should run clear which will
\nindicate that the meat is cooked through.<\/p>\n
\na house brick wrapped in foil) until it cools. This ensures all the contents
\ncome together.<\/p>\n
\nespecially good with the Country Turkey Terrine. It also makes a lovely gift
\nbottled for when you pop into Christmas parties, summer barbeques or
\npicnics. If you are fortunate enough to be near a farmers\u2019 market which has
\ndried, chemical-free apricots and peaches you can add some of these
\napproximately \u00bd cup.<\/p>\n
\ncooked through.<\/p>\n
\nstockpot which does not have a sticky bottom.\u00a0 Leave uncovered\u00a0 bringing it
\nto\u00a0 the boil, then reduce heat. The mixture will form a sticky mass and the
\ndates will soften. Stir to combine the ingredients but pay attention not to
\novercook or squash the ingredients as part of the appeal of the chutney is
\nits chunky ingredients. Remove the lid and let it cool.<\/p>\n
\nminutes if you want to increase the flavor of the salsa.<\/p>\n
\npieces so that they are about double the size of a dice.<\/p>\n
\nthem so you retain the appearance of the nectarines slices, the texture of
\nmint and the onion.<\/p>\n
\nBlue berries- wonderful taste and high in anti oxidants, Bananas
\nCapsicums – yellow variety especially flavoursome
\nEgg plant,\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Beans – very crisp
\nMacadamia nuts and chocolate coated make a great gift
\nBeetroot – superb roasted and heaps of vitamin C<\/p>\n