Recipe & Cocktail of the Month
Seasonal Recipes from Between, Through and Of the Veils of Awen
Cranberry, Hazelnut & Turkey Wellington with Citrus Fig & Cranberry Sauce...
( I know... Its Epic.. You are Welcome!)
It’s hard to believe that we are already approaching the festive season at great speed and I don’t about you, but there always seems to be far too much to do at this time of year and so little time with which to get it all done. However, I think this seasonal recipe is a bit special, worth the extra effort and is a bit of a twist on an old favourite. I think it will make a splendid centre piece at any festive meal, impressing your family, friends, any and all who might sit at your table, should you, of course, feel inclined to invite any of them to share your delicious wares.
So the Beef Wellington, from which our recipe has been taken and given a seasonal twist, is a well known dish thought to have been named for the Duke of Wellington in 1815 after his triumph over Napoleon at Waterloo. However, having dug a little deeper into one of my more fascinating cook books titled, ‘Take A Buttock of Beef’, it might be that the original recipe dates more to the 16th/17th centuries & was made with Beef or Venison, without the pastry but with a mushroom & herb sauce. We might cover that recipe in a later issue.
For our Vegetarian friends a decedent Nut Roast might replace the meat and for the Gluten free peeps amongst us, Gluten free puff pastry is now available at most high street supermarkets, which I for one am most cheery about! Oh I should add that this specific recipe was taken from Rock recipes but there are numerous variations out there.
We understand that there is a little extra work needed for this recipe but we hope you all enjoy making and eating your ‘Cranberry, Hazelnut and Turkey Wellington’. Do change it up of turkey is not your thing, try making it with another meat and or vegetable/nut roast options and Let us know how you get on.
Mistletoe Blessings of the season to you all, have a magical Solstice, Yule & Christmas.
Mistletoe Kiss
INGREDIENTS
10oz (295ml ) Tequila
8oz (236.5ml ) Triple Sec
8oz (236.5ml ) lime Juice
8oz (236.5ml ) Coconut Milk
8oz (236.5ml ) Coconut water
6oz (177.5ml ) White Rum
8oz (177.5ml ) Symple Syrup.
METHOD
Place all of the ingredients into a pre-chilled shaker with lots of ice & then shack baby, shake..
Pour into your chilled glasses and garnish with Mistletoe, a sprig of Holly or Rosemary and a few red berries...Cheers!
Yes you read that correctly we have decided...Well just because we have to be honest...To give you two cocktails for the price of One!.. I know my Lovelies... What can I say.. It is the season of good will etc, etc... So buckle up my Magical Cup-Cakes and start shaking your Cocktails & Mocktails...For it is definitely the season to be jolly.. Ho, Ho, Ho...As always adjust to your personal tastes and if you fancy the Mistletoe Kiss as a Mocktail instead of the Jack Frost, just substitute the Alcohol with Non-Alcoholic equivalents and vice-versa with the Jack Frost Mocktail if you fancy trying that with alcohol. You will most likely find that there are various variation of our choice of cocktails for this issue, so do have fun trying them all out..
INGREDIENTS
2 sheets, (12 x 12 inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed (Change for Gluten Free if Appropriate)
1 & 1/2 to 2 pounds uncooked turkey breast (680.4g – 907.1g)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped hazelnuts
2 cups dry bread crumbs (exchange for gluten free breadcrumbs if required)
A few tbsp turkey or chicken stock
1 & 1/2 tbsp dry chopped fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to season
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 egg + 2 tbsp water, beaten together for an egg wash
METHOD
Begin by sautéing the garlic and onions in the olive oil and butter for a minute or two.
Add the bread crumbs and toss until they begin to brown slightly. Add the hazelnuts, thyme cranberries salt and pepper. Add only enough turkey stock to make the stuffing hold together.
Place the first pastry sheet on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place the turkey breast along the centre line of the pastry sheet. Brush the edges of the pastry with the egg wash.
Place the stuffing on top of the turkey. Place the second pastry sheet over the turkey and stuffing. Trim the edges to form an oval shape. Save the trimmings in the fridge.
Bring the edges of the dough together by pinching them together to seal. Roll the dough from the bottom layer over the top layer and press down all the way around the perimeter of the pastry. This creates a tighter seal.
Brush the egg wash over the entire surface of the pastry. Decorate with additional pastry leaf shapes if desired. Just cut leaf shapes out of the trimmed pastry and score leaf veining into them with the tip of a sharp knife. Cut four 1/2 inch slots in the top of the pastry to let steam escape. Chill for 20 minutes or longer in the fridge before baking. This helps the pastry to puff.
Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Use a meat thermometer to make sure that the centre has reached at least 170 degrees F to be sure the turkey is completely cooked, about 35-45 minutes longer. Let rest for 10 minutes before cutting into individual servings.
Citrus Fig & Cranberry Sauce
INGREDIENTS
Simmer all of the ingredients together slowly for 30-40 minutes or until the cranberries are fully cooked and the mixture reduces and thickens to a jam-like consistency.
Stir the sauce often as it simmers.
Remove the star anise if you used one.
Store in mason jars or in plastic containers in the fridge until served.
‘Mistletoe Kiss’ & ‘Jack Frost’
3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup chopped dried figs
Juice of one orange
Juice of one lemon
1/2 tsp finely minced orange zest
1/2 tsp finely minced lemon zest
1 cup water
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 star anise (optional)
METHOD
Jack Frost
INGREDIENTS
90mls Pineapple Juice
45mls Blue Curaco Syrup or you can use 1/2tsp of Blue Spirulina powder
30ml Cream of Coconut or Coconut Milk with 2 tbsp of Vanilla Coconut Yogurt
30mls of Non Alcoholic White Rum (or Alcoholic White Rum if Preferred).
METHOD
Place all of the ingredients into a pre-chilled shaker with lots of ice & then shack baby, shake..
Pour into your chilled glasses and garnish with Mistletoe, a sprig of Holly or Rosemary and a Pineapple ring..Cheers!