Le Creuset Christmas recipes

Roast Turkey Wrapped with Sticky Green Fig Preserved Glazed Bacon

Serves: 6 – 8

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingredients

Turkey:

3 – 4kg turkey, defrosted thoroughly and rinsed

2 – 3 red onions, halved

1 head of garlic, halved

20g mixed fresh sage and thyme

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

4 Tbsp (60ml) olive oil

2 – 3 cups chicken stock

250g streaky bacon rashers

Green Fig Glaze:

1 cup chicken stock

¼ cup white wine

1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Zest of 1 lemon

¼ cup prosecco vinegar/white wine vinegar

½ cup preserved green fig syrup

4 green figs, finely chopped

Method

To roast the turkey:

Stuff the turkey with halved red onions, garlic cloves and herbs. Using food-safe string, truss the turkey well to keep the wings and legs secure. Season thoroughly with the salt and pepper and drizzle with the olive oil. Place in the Le Creuset 31cm Signature Oval Casserole in Cerise, close the lid and roast for 1 ½ - 2 hours, adding chicken stock to the bottom of the casserole to prevent the turkey from drying out. After an hour, remove the lid completely and begin to baste the turkey with the green fig glaze.

While you are doing this, heat a large pan over a medium heat with 2 tsp of olive oil. Fry the bacon until cooked and just browning.  For the last 15 – 20 minutes of cooking, arrange the bacon on top of the turkey in layered rows. Generously continue to coat with the glaze and turn up the heat to  210°C until slightly caramelised. Allow the turkey to rest for 15 minutes or so before serving.

To make the glaze:

Place the stock, white wine, Dijon mustard, lemon, and vinegar in a casserole. Reduce liquid to half and then add the chopped figs and fig syrup. Reduce by half again until syrupy and glossy, and season to taste.

Cook’s Tip: A guide to roasting the turkey is to work on 30 minutes per kilogram. Start by roasting at 210°C  for the first 15 minutes and then turn down the temperature to 180C° for the remainder of the cook time.

Spinach, Artichoke and Ricotta Stuffed Bread Wreath

Serves: 6-8

Preparation time: 1 hour 30 minutes (plus 1 hour rising time)

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

Dough:

1 cup lukewarm water

3 Tbsp milk

3 tsp dry yeast

4 Tbsp caster sugar

360g bread flour

3 tsp vegetable oil

Filling:

400g spinach or swiss chard, finely chopped

3 – 4 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp (30ml) olive oil

250g smooth fresh ricotta

150g high-fat garlic and herb soft goat’s cheese

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

2 x 280g jars of marinated artichokes, drained

1 free range large egg, beaten for egg wash

Black sesame or onion seeds, to sprinkle

Sea salt, to sprinkle

Method

Heat the water and milk together until just warm. Add the yeast and caster sugar and stir to combine. Set aside for 5 minutes or until the yeast starts to activate and bubble. Place the flour in a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the yeast mixture and oil and stir to incorporate until it comes together to make a dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a dish towel or clingwrap and allow to double in size or rise for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare your stuffing. Heat a pan over a medium heat with the olive oil. Place the spinach and minced garlic into the pan and allow to wilt. Cook until just wilted and bright green, remove and allow to cool. Once cooled, squeeze all excess water from the spinach.  Add to a bowl with the ricotta, goat’s cheese, lemon, salt, pepper, and 1 jar of chopped artichokes (reserve the other jar for serving).  Stir well to combine.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Knock the risen dough back, shape and roll on a floured surface into a large circle of approx. 1 – 1.5cm thick. Place into a  Le Creuset 30cm Signature Buffet Casserole. The dough should just overlap the edges once you have tucked in the sides to line the casserole. Using a sharp knife, neatly trim the excess bread dough away. Place the filling in a circle, along the outside of the dish, leaving the centre completely open so that the stuffing creates a wreath-shaped ring nearest to the edges. In the middle, cut 8 even triangle wedges of the dough as you would for a pizza. Carefully fold the triangles back over the filling and pinch to secure at the top. You may need to put it back in the fridge at this stage if your dough has become too warm and wait for it to become easier to handle. Just before baking, score the edge of the dough, brush over egg wash and top with onion or sesame seeds.

Place into the oven and immediately turn down to 200°C. Bake for 25 – 30  minutes, remove from the oven and serve with reserved artichokes. Add some olives or a delicious hand-crushed green herb pesto.

Deep Fried Bocconcini Cheese Balls with Basil Dipping Sauce

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus 30 minutes chilling time)

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

10g fresh thyme, chopped

5g rosemary, chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

150g panko breadcrumbs

100g flour

300g mini bocconcini balls

2 free-range large eggs, beaten

2 Tbsp (30ml) milk

2 cups vegetable oil, for frying

Sea salt and freshy ground black pepper, to season

Basil dipping sauce:

20g basil, stalks removed and roughly chopped.

1 garlic clove, chopped

30 – 50g grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp (30ml) prosecco vinegar/white wine vinegar

4 Tbsp (60ml) olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Method

Add the chopped herbs and lemon zest to panko crumbs, mix to combine. Place the flour, milk and beaten eggs (wet mixture) and herbed panko crumbs in 3 separate bowls. Drain the bocconcini and pat dry. Roll in flour, then egg, then panko, then egg again and panko again. This provides a double crust which will prevent the bocconcini from melting out. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (this ensures that the balls will not burst when fried).

Place the vegetable oil in a Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole and heat. When at a medium heat, fry the bocconcini balls for 1 – 1 ½ minutes until golden brown with a melting middle. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen towel. Season while they are hot and serve immediately.

To make the basil dipping sauce:

Add all ingredients for the basil dressing to a pestle and mortar and pound until a vibrant dressing forms.

Serve the bocconcini hot with the dressing.

Yorkshire Pudding Canapes   

Makes: 20 - 24

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Canola or vegetable oil, to fry

5 free-range large eggs, beaten

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

250g flour

1 cup milk

To serve: Goat’s cheese, steamed prawns, micro herbs and sliced radishes

Method

Preheat the oven to 225°C. Add a little vegetable oil into each cup of the Le Creuset Toughened Non-Stick 12 Cup Muffin Tray. Place in the preheated oven to heat up. This is an important step as the heat is what shocks the batter, resulting in the puff.

Whisk the ingredients together to combine until lump-free and add to a jug so that it’s easier to pour into the hot tray. Fill each muffin cup about ¾ of the way full when the oil is hot (handle with care). Place back into the oven immediately and bake until puffy and dark golden, for about 15 minutes.

Leave to cool slightly before adding a teaspoon of soft goat’s cheese into each cavity. Top with steamed prawns, micro herbs or edible flowers and sliced radishes.

Cook’s Tip: Enjoy with Champagne.

Side of Salmon and Seasonal Vegetables

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 25 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients

Seasonal vegetables (baby beetroots, tenderstem broccoli and green beans)

3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil

6 cloves garlic (whole, in skins)

10g rosemary, chopped

Salmon:

1,5 – 2kg side of salmon

4 Tbsp (60ml) olive oil

150g butter

2/3 cup honey

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

Juice  and zest of 1 -2 lemons

1 lemon sliced

To serve: 100g chopped pistachios, seasonal summer vegetables, horseradish crème fraiche

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Prepare your vegetables: Toss in olive oil, seasoning, garlic cloves and rosemary. Roast the beetroots and harder root vegetables only for the first 20 minutes. Meanwhile, allow the salmon to come to room temperature.

Remove the Le Creuset 37cm Signature Roaster from the oven, line it with the tenderstem broccoli and green beans, and place the salmon skin-side down on top of the roasted vegetables. Mix together the olive oil, butter, honey, salt, pepper, lemon juice and zest, and lemon slices in a pan over a medium heat, until melted together until slightly thickened and syrupy (approx. 5 – 10 minutes). Baste the salmon thoroughly with this honey mixture.

Place back in the oven to roast for 30  minutes, basting every 10 minutes. It should lightly catch on the edges and surface but not burn. The salmon should still be slightly pink and not cooked all the way through (simply roast for longer should you prefer it cooked through).

Serve immediately with sticky lemon slices to garnish, chopped pistachios and seasonal summer vegetables and horseradish crème fraiche (optional) on the side.

To make the horseradish crème fraiche, simply fold 1 - 2 Tbsps. store-bought horseradish sauce into 1 x 250g tub creme fraiche to your liking and season to taste.

The New Christmas Cake

Serves: 8 – 10

Preparation time: 1 hour and 2 hours macerating time.

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup brandy

500g mixed fruit like dried cranberries, sultanas, or raisins

1 Tbsp cinnamon

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp ground cardamom

20g desiccated coconut

Juice and zest of 1 orange

250g butter, room temperature

250g caster sugar

6 free-range large eggs

250g cake flour

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Juice and zest of 1 orange

To serve: custard, icing sugar, gold-dusted fresh berries

Method

Heat the brandy until warm. Add the mixed fruit, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, desiccated coconut, and orange juice. Allow to stand for 2 hours.

After 2 hours, preheat the oven to 160°C fan or 180°C normal. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition.

Add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix until just combined. Add the brandy mixture and fold to combine thoroughly. Spoon into a greased Le Creuset Bundt Cake Tin or a greased and lined 22cm Signature Round Casserole.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes. Leave to completely cool in the tin or casserole before removing to slice. Serve with custard, a dusting of icing sugar and edible gold-dusted fresh, festive berries.

Individual Festive Panettones

Makes: 4 individual panettones

Preparation time: 1 hour (plus 2 hours resting time)

Cooking time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

250g butter

150g caster sugar

1 vanilla pod, split

Zest of 2 oranges

4 Tbsps. (60ml) milk

8g dried yeast

3 Tbsps. (45ml) brandy

80g dried cranberries

5 free-range large eggs

550g white bread flour

1 pinch of salt

80g dark chocolate, chopped

100g candied citrus peel

Topping:

30g flaked almonds

1 Tbsp (15ml) caster sugar

1 Tbsp (15ml) egg white

1 Tbsp (15ml) icing sugar

Method

Grease and line four Le Creuset 10cm Mini Cocottes with a double-layer baking paper collar.

Cream the butter, sugar, vanilla seeds, and orange zest. Warm the milk (do not boil or scald otherwise it will be too hot and kill the yeast). Add 1 Tablespoon of sugar and the yeast and set aside to activate. Heat the brandy in a small saucepan and add the cranberries and vanilla pod. Set aside to macerate and absorb all the flavour.

Once the butter and sugar are pale and fluffy, add the flour, a pinch of salt, and the yeast mixture. Knead the dough until it comes together and is soft and stretchable. This is best done in an electric mixer with a bread dough hook attachment. Place the dough, covered, in a warm place and prove until doubled in size. Add the macerated cranberries and brandy, the chopped chocolate, and the candied peel. Using the dough hook again, knead until the fruit and chocolate are well combined. Portion the dough into roughly 290g balls. Place the weighed dough into the lined mini cocottes and lightly cover with cling film. Place in a warm spot and prove for a further 50 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Once the dough is doubled in size, make the topping by mixing all the ingredients together. Gently brush the topping on each panettone. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Best served warm with a dusting of icing sugar or used the next day toasted in a pan with butter.

Cheesy Creamed Baked Potatoes

Serves: 6

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 – 6 medium potatoes, peeled

2 shallots or brown onions, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 Tbsps. (30ml) olive oil

1 ½  - 2 cups cream

200ml vegetable or chicken stock

10g rosemary, finely chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

200g mozzarella, grated

150g white cheddar

60g Parmesan cheese, grated

40g butter

A sprinkle of store-bought beetroot salt

To make the mixed green herb and garlic butter:

2 – 3 cloves garlic, sliced

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to serve

30g parsley

20g basil

100g butter

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Evenly and thinly slice your potatoes. A great tip is to keep your sliced potatoes in a bowl of water to keep them from discolouring or browning while you are preparing them. Drain the potatoes of any excess moisture.

Fry the shallots and garlic in olive oil until softened and fragrant for about 5 – 8 minutes and set aside. Mix together the cream, stock, and rosemary. Check the seasoning, as the stock may be salty enough. Layer the potatoes in a single layer on the bottom of a Le Creuset 26cm Heritage Rectangular Dish. Top with a spoonful of garlic onions, mixed cheeses (reserve some for the top), and repeat until the dish is full. Pour the cream mix over the potatoes (only the top layer of potatoes). Place the butter cubes and reserved mixed cheese on top of the potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes to achieve a beautiful golden crust, reduce the heat to 180°C and continue to bake for another 40 – 60 minutes until a knife can easily be inserted into the middle of the bake without resistance. Serve hot with a sprinkle of pink beetroot salt and a mixed green herb and garlic butter.

To make the mixed green herb and garlic butter: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium to low heat and add the garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice. Cook for 3 - 5 minutes until melted and fragrant. Blanch 30g parsley for a few seconds in boiling water until the leaves are bright green, drain and refresh in iced water. Squeeze out any excess water. Transfer to a blender and blend with the fresh basil and melted butter mixture. Keep in the fridge until needed.

Whole-Roasted Cauliflower with Butter and Wine

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 – 2 whole heads of cauliflower, or Romanesco or broccoli

2 red onions, cut into wedges

Half a head of garlic

100g butter

10g fresh thyme

2 Tbsps. (30ml) olive oil

1 cup white wine

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season

1 – 2 cups vegetable stock or chicken stock, as needed

Heirloom radishes, to serve

Method

In a Le Creuset 26cm Signature Skillet, gently fry off the onions and garlic with thyme in butter and olive oil for about 5 minutes until golden and silky. Season and then increase the heat slightly. Add white wine and bring to a simmer to burn off somewhat before adding the stock and allowing to simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Add the vegetable heads, halved if you need to fit more into the skillet, and baste with the buttery white wine sauce. Roast for an hour or until tender, basting every 15 minutes until caramelised. If the sauce reduces too much, simply add some more butter and warm stock. Serve with pan-roasted radishes and a sprinkle of beetroot salt as the perfect side to roast pork belly, beef sirloin roast or turkey.