Pears, clementines and campari
Embrace all the simple joys of this wonderful time of year
Hello to you my lovely subscribers and so good to be here with you again. How are you? Are you feeling festive yet? I feel I am spinning in a slightly giddy way into my most favourite time of year. It is easy to get overwhelmed and feel under pressure to be perfect. Make it the Christmas you love, with the traditions and rituals that are dear to you, whatever that looks like to you and your family. This week I am sharing with you two festive pudding recipes which are great for entertaining over the Christmas period. A favourite of mine, and the perfect palate cleanser, my clementine and Campari sorbet, plus spiced pears with Riesling (or a sweet wine) and cranberries which I will be demoing at the Padstow Christmas Festival.
Padstow Christmas Festival is one of the most wonderful weekends in my calendar. I have been a contributing chef for the last 10 years and it is where I have slowly built my career going from cooking on the smaller festival stage and in the last few years to the main chefs theatre stage. I am so looking forward to taking part and I will be there to sign copies of my books too.
I will be cooking at two demos this year one alongside chef Ben Prior from Porthminster Beach Café who will be cooking a Smoked Haddock Risotto, and I will be cooking Spiced Pears in Riesling with Cranberries and then a demo on my own showcasing the ultimate Prawn Cocktail plus Scallops baked in their shell with Clementine butter and topped with Endive.
Fish and shellfish are wonderful to bring to your table at this time of year. Quick and easy to prepare, perfect for your feasting table. Embrace using new ingredients, just always keep it simple. Stay tuned as tomorrow I will be sharing my Ultimate Prawn Cocktail recipe as my recipe for the weekend.
Recipe: Spiced Pears, Riesling and Cranberries
Warm as toast in my kitchen with the delicious scent of Christmas filling the air. Pears poached in Riesling with cinnamon, cloves, star anise, allspice berries and bay. I love a poached pear and at this time of year it offers something a little lighter with all the spirit of Christmas. I love poached fruit, there is something very beautiful and this is a dish that will dazzle at your table.
Serves 6
Ingredients
300ml Riesling wine (or a sweet wine)
900ml water
1 tbsp orange blossom honey
100g golden granulated sugar
5 allspice berries
5 whole cloves
5 whole cardamom pods, split
1 vanilla pods, split
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay
1 litre water
6 pears
1 lemon
1 clementine peel
150g cranberries
Method
In a medium-sized heavy based pan bring the sugar and water gently to the boil. Carefully peel the pears in the same direction, cut them in half from stalk to base rubbing them with lemon juice as you go. Squeeze the lemon juice into the sugar syrup, add the pears and simmer gently.
Poach the pears until the pears are tender 10 - 20 minutes to the point of a knife (they turn slightly translucent) they should be tender but still retain their shape. Add the cranberries so they gently cook with the pears in the syrup.
Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and transfer to a serving bowl. Reduce the sugar syrup to 200ml, add the honey and the riesling, then pour over the pears and chill thoroughly for several hours. Place the pears, cranberries and spices in a serving bowl. Spoon the riesling syrup over the pears.
Cook’s note - Delicious eaten on their own or with pouring cream or ice cream.
I will see you tomorrow (to my paid subscriber community) at 10am for my *Recipe for the weekend* “My Ultimate Prawn Cocktail” a wonderful starter for Christmas time.
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