Recipe(tried): An African Fusion Xmas! Summer Vegetable Salad, Roast Butternut Squash with Lemon and Mustard, Chocolate Orange Pudding

Hello There Everyone,

So now its 2001 I can,t believe it!!!!!!!The years seem to be flying by!!!!!! Either that or I must just admit I,m getting older.,I,ve really enjoyed reading all the Xmas and New years celebration menu,s It certainly was very inspiring and it confirms to me that we have many talented and creative cooks here at TKL .So well done to all.Here is my contribution from Sunny South Africa!
With Xmas falling in Africa,s Summer we tend to combine both Summer and Winter Recipes at one meal to please everyone.As my Family have many ties in The UK I,m actually Welsh born with family(on my mothers side .. still there)and spent quite a few years in Wiltshire and London doing my Nurse training, I feel its nice to combine Tradition with an African Twist! So here we are .An African Fusion Xmas!

XMAS MENU

Smoked salmon drizzeled with fresh lemon juice,freshly ground pepper and a dash of Tabasco!
This was served on pretty white ivy embossed plates with cucumber mousse.

Roast Turkey with a savoury herb Stuffing and bacon wrapped pork chipolata sausages Kebabs topped with a festive red Glace cherry

Turkey gravy infused with Rosemary Sprigs and Red Wine

Cranberry Jelly

Lemon Roast Potatoes

Brussel Sprouts with hazelnut butter

Roast Butternut Squash with Lemon and Mustard

Tiny baby Peas with Dill butter

Summer Vegtable Salad

Granny's Xmas Pud
(this recipe was given to me by my late mothering law who was in her 90,s who got it from her Uncle a master baker in Norwich who,de made it for many years so it must be at least 150 years old!)
I served this with brandy cream

Xmas info on The PUD ..

Did you Know(I found this fascinating!!!)that the xmas pud came into its own in 1714 when George 1 came to the throne of England?
On his first xmas in England George(who was also known as the pudding King because of his love of puddings),sat down to a *modest *pudding which contained 1 1/2 Lbs of suet, 1 Lb of eggs (imagine the cholestrol!!!!!!) and a Lb each of ..dried plums, mixed peel,raisins, sultanas, currants, flour, sugar and brown breadcrumbs - plus various spices and a very large glass of Brandy!!!!!!this pud was boiled for a day and then for 2 hours before it was served.

My children are,t keen on xmas pud so I also served ..

Chocolate Orange Pudding

Here are some of the recipes. I won't give the Turkey one as I,m sure we all have our own way of stuffing and cooking the Traditional Bird!!!!! All I do is cook it on Xmas eve leave it in the fridge over night then carve it cold in the morning as its easier that way as I can,t carve to save my Life!!!!!

SUMMER VEGETABLE SALAD
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1Lb green beans
1/2 Lb broccoli sprigs
1 Lb courgettes (zucchini)
1 Lb baby leeks, trimmed

DRESSING
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1/2 cup virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
2 Tbls red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly milled pepper, to taste
12 sprigs of rocket, fennel or watercress (optional)
15 ml olive oil
extra sea salt for sprinkling

Serves 4-6
Steam green beans, broccoli, courgettes and young leeks in batches or using a layered steamer. Allow about 5-8 minutes for green beans, 10 minutes for broccoli, 12 minutes courgettes, 10 minutes for leeks. After steaming, refresh in cold water to set colour. Remove and drain thoroughly, pat dry if necessary with paper towels. To make dressing whisk together all dressing ingredients until thickened. Layer vegetables on a large platter to make a lattice work of colours, spoon dressing over salad and spread with rocket leaves, fennel or watercress. Drizzle over extra olive oil and a pinch of extra sea salt.

Roast Butternut Squash with Lemon and Mustard
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2 butternut squash
2 lemons, juice and zest
3 tbsp good grain mustard
85g (3oz) butter
10g (1/2oz) flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
75ml (3fl oz) double cream
a little olive oil
salt and freshly milled black pepper

Firstly preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/gas mark 4. Peel the garlic, lemon and the squash with a peeler and cut the squash in half and remove the seeds.

Then chop up the fresh squash into about 1 inch dice and place onto an oven tray with the garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and add about 285g (10oz) of the butter, the fresh thyme, lemon and season well. Place in the oven for about 30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and place in a blender, together with the mustard, parsley, cream and half the remaining butter.
Season well with salt and pepper and blend for about 1 minute.
Remove from the blender, adjust seasoning. and place in a serving bowl, top with the parsley and remaining butter .

Chocolate Orange Pudding
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(By Tessa Bramley, British Cook )

100g self raising flour
1/2 level tsp baking powder
1/4 level tsp bicarb of soda
1 rounded tbsp cocoa powder (choose a dark one)
70g caster sugar
1/2tsp orange oil
finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 extra large egg, beaten
1tbsp golden syrup
100ml milk
100ml sunflower oil

Chocolate orange sauce:
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30g unsalted butter
85g extra bitter dark chocolate
1/2tsp orange oil
200ml double cream
225g sifted icing sugar
To serve:
crystallised orange zest
candied orange peel dipped in chocolate

Preheat oven 150C/gas2.
Grease 4 individual x 5floz pudding tins and pop circles of greaseproof paper or parchment paper in the bases. Grease again.

Sieve all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Beat eggs and add to the well together with the syrup, milk, oil, orange oil and zest. Draw dry ingredients inwards from sides of bowl into liquid ingredients into a smooth batter which will find its own level. Sieve into a jug. Pour into the prepared tins to come 3/4 of the way up the tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until firm and springy in the middle.

Sauce:
Melt butter, cream, dark chocolate and orange oil together gently.

Sieve icing sugar and adding gradually, beat into the chocolate ingredients until a rich glossy sauce is made.

Unmould puddings, trimming tops to form a flat base, onto dessert plates and pour chocolate orange sauce over and around. Serve topped with crystallised orange zest and chocolate candied orange peel.

Well I could't move after all that lot!!!!!! Thank Goodness for the dishwasher or we would have been washing up for ever!

Wishing you all well
Love Julie