Christmas

The term mincemeat originated in the fifteenth century, when chopped meat was preserved with a combination of dried fruit, sugar and...

Prep 15mins Cook 12hrs

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We love a sausage roll but it’s hard to get good ones and even harder to know if the pork in them is free-range or organic. Far better to...

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These are perfect for indulging in at Christmas, or for giving as a handmade gift in a presentation box. The flavours are even better if...

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Roast turkey. It is such a difficult thing to get right, what with the size, its tendency to dry out and the bands of sinew and tendon in...

Prep 39hrs Cook 4hrs

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We quite often blitz surplus root veg and cooked greens together. Brussels sprouts blitzed with creamed celeriac and some stock was a...

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This is a rich and elegant soup with a beguilingly velvety texture. A small portion makes a lovely starter, while a larger serving, with...

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John Wright has become a bit of a Chestnut flour bore, insisting that everyone puts it into every conceivable recipe. Certainly if you want...

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We like to spoon chestnut jam into meringue nests and top with cream. Or stir a spoonful or two into chocolate mousse, or dollop on to...

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This soft bread is enriched with butter, orange zest and chocolate. It's sure to be the highlight of any breakfast table, brunch or...

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Another delicious recipe from Executive Chef Gelf Alderson, this pudding is an indulgent winter warmer. Serve with lashings of hot custard...

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Fondants were one of the first desserts I mastered after going gluten free. Oh my goodness, the joy of sinking a spoon into something that...

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Hugh can’t claim to be the first to have mingled chocolate with dried fruit and something nutty, but he does think these simple treats are...

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This is a very simple ‘tiffin’, or chocolate ‘refrigerator cake’. It’s one of the easiest chocolate treats you can make and endlessly...

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"Cooking a whole rib of beef is a tricky affair, the tender centre is surrounded by much tough pieces of meat so getting the cooking right...

Prep 45mins Cook 5hrs

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This moist, lightly spiced, fruit-packed cake, devised by Nikki Duffy, is a bit different from your average fruit cake, with its citrussy...

Prep 30mins

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There are few better partnerships than pork and apple. There are even fewer better than pork and cider, a bit of old English alchemy. This...

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A Christmassy twist on our Coronation chicken recipe from the Channel 4 series, River Cottage to the Core. Photo: Simon Wheeler.

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Large plums are difficult to use for infusions because they tend to rot before they are permeated with sufficient sugar and alcohol to...

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A indulgent dish, ideal for a festive celebration or dinner party!

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A fantastic Christmassy twist on this indulgent dessert

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Soft, sweet and unctuous, these gorgeous sweet-sour onions are more forgiving than traditional ‘naked’ pickled onions. Spiced up with the...

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Mango chutney is such a great standby, not just for serving with curries, but also for adding to sauces and dressings, and making a great...

Prep 10mins Cook 2hrs

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Normally curing relies on large quantities of salt; any fat present in the meat aids the curing process and enhances the flavour of the...

Cook 20mins

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The Dundee cake proudly bears a wreath of golden almonds, like an insignia, denoting its authority in the fruit cake world. Its origins are...

Prep 30mins

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More elegantly known as French toast, this makes a filling breakfast. Serve it plain, or with a dusting of cinnamon, some fruit and perhaps...

Prep 2mins Cook 4mins

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Give this recipe a try and discover just how easy it is to make your own smoked duck at home. It has a beautiful orangey smell which makes...

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Recipe taken from Channel 4's River Cottage: Three Go Mad Christmas special

Prep 20mins

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A succulent frangipane topping makes these generous mince pies a cut above a regular pastry topped pie. Although you may be tempted to make...

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This Christmas cake is delightful and has the added advantage of being totally gluten free. It's a very light cake that should be eaten...

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This is a classic, adapted from The River Cottage Fish Book. The beetroot in the cure is Steve's addition. The vegetable has no real curing...

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