Christmas Ham

I bought a magnificent 4kg smoked horseshoe gammon from my good friend Derek Stott of D and D Family Butchers for Christmas.

Here is my traditional recipe for cooking it.

Ingredients

-smoked gammon with a good layer of fat
-juniper berries
-black peppercorns
-bay leaves
-cloves
-demerara sugar
-egg yolk
-English mustard powder
-breadcrumbs

Method

-place an upturned plate in the largest saucepan you have (this stops the base of the ham burning)
-add bayleaves, juniper and peppercorn to the pot
-place ham on plate and fill with water until covered
-simmer for 20 minutes per pound
-remove rind when cooked
-score fat
-stud with cloves
-mix egg yolk, mustard and sugar into paste
-smear paste over fat
-sprinkle with breadcrumbs
-bake for 15 minutes in 180 over

Voila!

Blood marvellous!

Sausage Rolls

Ingredients

- sausage meat (I got mine from my good chum from Derek Stott of D and D Family Butchers)
- mixed herbs
- 250g plain flour
- 250g butter
- 250mg ice cold water
- lemon juice
- salt/pepper
- beaten egg

Method

- sift flour into bowl and season
- add lemon juice
- cube butter
- add to flour and mix roughly with hands
- slowly add water with one hand, mixing with other until dough ball is formed
- put in fridge
- mix sausage meat with herbs and season
- fry off a spoonful to check flavour
- flour working surface
- roll dough into rectangle
- fold 3 ways and turn 90 degrees then roll away from you
- repeat twice more
- roll sausage meat in between hands and place longways down the side of dough
- roll dough over sausage and brush edge with egg
- seal
- score
- cut into size desired
- repeat
- place on baking paper on baking tray
- put into pre heated oven 180 degrees
- cook for around 25 mins until brown

Enjoy hot or cold!

Kudos To English's of Brighton

Kudos and thanks to the good people of @EnglishsoB for a rip roaring evening last night. Great food, booze and cheerful friendly efficient service from Antonio and his colleagues. pic.twitter.com/d4Yxo11m3x

— Ken Frost (@ken_frost) December 18, 2018

Chicken Soup

Here is a simple, quick recipe for chicken soup that will warm the cockles of your heart.

Ingredients

-chicken quarters (sourced from my good chum Derek Stott of D and D Family Butchers)
-bay leaves
-onion
-carrots
-garlic
-celery
-olive oil
-salt/pepper
-water

Method

-Sauté the chicken for a few minutes in olive oil, salt and pepper
-Add the diced carrots, celery, bay leaves, garlic and onion
-Add water to cover the chicken etc
-Simmer for an hour
-Remove chicken and de-bone
-Distress the chicken meat and return to the soup

Voila!

Frosty The Mince Man

You better watch out
You better not cry…@70s_party pic.twitter.com/GknwCBl3uf

— Camilla Cary-Elwes (@The_Copy_Editor) November 19, 2018

Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding

My thanks to my good chum Derek Stott (of D and D Family Butchers) who cut me a magnificent 3.5kg joint of 28 day aged sirloin (with an excellent layer of fat) from the Highlands.

I roasted it with Yorkshire Pudding, which I cook under the meat in its juices and fat. The result being a beef infused "pancake".

Pudding Ingredients

-egg
-flour
-milk
-salt/pepper

Method

Mix the batter at least an hour before needed, and leave to rest.

When the beef has less than an hour to cook, pour the batter under the joint into the fat that has rendered from the joint.

Let the meat rest for 20 mins or so, and then make the gravy in the roasting pan once you have removed the pudding.

The meat was very flavoursome, succulent and tender. The Yorkshire Pudding was superb, and by the way is also great eaten cold with salt!