Christmas for me began as a summertime celebration in New Zealand, with long days and warm evenings. Twenty-plus years on, the wintry cosiness of a UK Christmas has taken hold. Now, my essentials include perfectly crisp roast potatoes with plenty of gravy, and sprouts (non-negotiable). Even my young niece and nephew love them, which is …
I was born in west Africa, and brought up between there, France and the UK in a French-Lebanese-British family. Unsurprisingly, then, our Christmas lunch was more than a bit diverse: my father always insisted on some British and Lebanese elements, while my mother contributed French dishes and technique; west African produce was also a must, …
This is a home-friendly version of one of the drinks on our new cocktail menu. It’s a batch premix that’s packed with the flavours of Christmas, making it ideal for a festive party. Save the excess cordial for breakfast drinks or for puddings, or for another round of bikinis. Bikini Serves 10 For the clementine …
!Spoiler alert! If you load a fork with a bite of garlic-herb butter roast chicken, crispy roasted potatoes, tender, sweet carrots, and a smear of balsamic reduction, you will experience perfection. This meal was inspired by a scene in season 2 of Netflix’s murdery, psychological thriller You. I made this right after it aired to …
PHOTO: JOEL GOLDBERG; FOOD STYLING: LENA ABRAHAM SavePrint Spinach dip is a classic appetizer for all occasions, but come the holiday season, we like to give it a special festive twist. Enter: this cheesy spinach dip Christmas tree. Made with puff pastry (one of our favorite store-bought appetizer hacks), this tree is not only easy …
Christmas lunch in my family is about as traditional as it comes, and is pretty much the same every year no matter who’s house we’re at (including at least three monumental rows about things that happened years ago). Everyone chips in, too, even the kids – well, they’ve got to earn their dinner somehow. Rather …
A recipe box was rifled through, but, alas, much like shopping for a present last minute, nothing leapt to the fore. Out of the corner of an eye I spied an old folder of pudding menus, all stained and tattered. A wonder at how this might have escaped notice was soon dispelled – unsurprising, really, …
Even though our to-do lists are longer and our homes busier than ever, there’s something about Christmas that gives us the extra chutzpah to bake. And not just any baking, but baking for a crowd. So, with this in mind, here are two crowdpleasing recipes – a rich hazelnut “Nutcracker” creme brulee and a resplendent …
Besides a good ol’ chicken dinner, if there’s one weeknight staple we are very familiar with, it’s stuffed peppers. Strong enough to hold their shape, bell peppers are also large enough to hold a decent amount of filling while taking on a variety of flavors—they’re the perfect vessel for countless combinations and ingredients. This versatile …
I’m switching up my usual Christmas pavlova this year for a slightly different but equally delicious meringue-based dessert. Discs of pistachio meringue are baked until crisp, then layered with pistachio cream and cherry compote. The meringue softens a little under the cream as it sits, giving it a pleasingly chewy, cake-like texture. A very good …