Great British Food - Christmas 2025

12 S P I CY SAUSAGEMENT STUF F I NG This sounds strange, but it really works with turkey, and with those leftovers. Grate 1 large onion into 500g sausagemeat with 1 tablespoon medium curry powder. Mix well. Double wrap in foil and bake in the oven for the last 30minutes the turkey is cooking. Can be mixed and wrapped two days before using. 16 BRA I S ED R ED CABBAGE Make up to three days before or freeze in advance. Core and finely slice a large red cabbage. Melt 50g unsalted butter in a large stock pan and add the cabbage, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, 6 cloves, 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 150ml Port or red wine, zest of 1 large orange, and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until hardly any liquid remains. Pour over a pint of the best apple juice you can get (not from concentrate) and top up with a little water. The cabbage should be just covered with liquid. Bring to the boil, then simmer with a lid until the cabbage is tender. It could take up to an hour. Remove the lid, turn up the heat and cook until sticky. Season to taste. 15 STUF F ED ON IONS Peel one large onion per person, leaving the root in place. Blanch in boiling water for 20 minutes. Cool. Remove the outer skin and cut a third off the top. Remove the heart of each onion, leaving two to three layers on the outside. Roughly chop, and fry with 100g smoked bacon and fresh chopped herbs. Combine with 150g fresh white breadcrumbs, stuff into the onion shells, grate over some cheese, and bake for 25minutes. 13 PARSN I P AND PORC I N I GRAT I N Make the day before. Peel and top and tail 1kg parsnips. Cut into 1.5cm thick pieces. In a pan, bring 300ml whole milk and 300ml double cream, 1 halved onion and 2 star anise to the boil. Turn to a simmer and add the parsnips. Cook for 20-30minutes until softened. In the meantime, chop 1 tablespoon dried wild mushrooms, and soak in 3 tablespoons boiling water. Once the parsnips are tender, pour both the mushroomwater andmushrooms into the cream. Season very very generously, decant into a buttered ovenproof dish and bake for 40 minutes to an hour until thick and bubbling. 1 1 ROAST ED B E E T S WI TH CRANB E RRY AND ROS EMARY GL AZE Prepare up to two days before. Roast 1kg small to mediumbeetroots in their skins until fork tender. Once cool, peel and cut into quarters. Glaze with 150g cranberry sauce, 50ml Port, sea salt, several grinds of black pepper and 1 tablespoon fresh chopped or dried rosemary. Set aside until needed. Roast at 210ºC for 10 to 15 minutes until sticky. 10 MI XED GR E ENS Core and finely slice one large cabbage. Finely chop 100g smoked streaky bacon. Fry the bacon in a large frying pan or wok with a little oil until sizzling and starting to colour. Add 100ml stock, 100ml white wine, a few turns of salt and pepper, and the cabbage. Stir and pop a lid on. Turn up the heat to full. Once the cabbage has started to wilt, add a couple of handfuls of peas. Put the lid on for one more minute. Remove the lid and cook until very little liquid remains. Finish with a knob of butter and seasoning to taste. 14 AP R I COT AND THYME GL AZED CARROT S Prepare the day before. Top and tail and peel 750g carrots. Cut into halves if small, or quarters if larger. Bring to the boil in a large pan of water for 5minutes. Drain. Toss in a roasting tin with a couple of tablespoons of oil and cover. On the day, roast the carrots at 200ºC for 20 minutes. Whisk together 150g apricot jam, 2 tablespoons of oil and some fresh thyme. Pour over the carrots, stir to coat, and turn the heat up to 210ºC. Roast for a further five to 10minutes until sticky. greatbr i t i shfoodawards.com 102 FEATURE | FEST IVE S IDE DI SHES