Yes, it’s time to prepare for a Ludlow Christmas

We’re mid-way through November, and ‘Stir up Sunday’ – when traditionally the Christmas pudding is made – is ‘nigh and marks the time to start planning for Christmas. Woo hoo!

Here at Colliers Cookery School, we’re kickstarting prep time with the ‘Christmas Catering’ course on Thursday, 17 November, and we already have a few ideas up our sleeve. With some top tips on the main event and some recipes to prepare for those extra days of entertaining, I am feeling more prepared.

I’m expecting many family members to come and go over the festive period, and I want to enjoy it. My son is away for the first time over Christmas, and I’ll miss him. As the host, I will ensure everyone is fed and watered, but I plan to dish out lots of cuddles to my children, nieces and nephews, as well as spend time with my guests. In addition, the 27 December will be the first time my Mum’s side of the family will all be together since Covid, and I desperately want to catch up with everyone properly.

Christmas ‘prepper’

What to do? I’m getting organised and begin to write a list. First item is to make the Christmas pudding. Stir Up Sunday is the 20 November this year. Make sure you have all the ingredients to hand and a day spare to keep an eye on it whilst it cooks. No matter how far in advance you do this, remember to keep feeding it some brandy!

I’m going ‘off piste’ here, but I have some leftover cream and eggs, and whipped up a batch of gingerbread ice cream to store in the freezer.  I found a recipe for a vanilla ice cream base and folded in some gingerbread (I adore the McVitie’s Jamaican Gingerbread brand ). I also made up some chocolate macaron biscuits with the leftover egg whites, which I’ll freeze. Once defrosted, I can make up a batch of chocolate buttercream to sandwich together and, voila, I have fresh patisseries for guests.

You can freeze a lot of the Christmas lunch side dishes in advance:

• Pigs in blanket
• Gravy
• Bread Sauce
• Stuffing or cashew & pistachio nut stuffing for vegetarians
• Roast Potatoes
• Red Cabbage, braised
• Mince Pies
• Pudding

I like to do a chocolate log as well as a Christmas pudding. The sponge for the roulade will freeze easily, and once defrosted, add the filling of your choice (chocolate cream, in our case).

Remember that if you’re using a microwave to heat your Christmas Pudding, wait to insert those magic coins until afterwards. The server usually slips them onto the children’s plates in our household.

Before and after Christmas ease

Christmas Eve for us is always Canapés & Fish Pie. Something nice and easy to make ahead and pop in the oven after the carol service. I never feel that mashed potatoes freeze well, so I tend to top mine with breadcrumbs and a sprinkling of parmesan. Daren has come up with some mouthwatering canapes for our Christmas Course. 

We spend all of Boxing Day outdoors, typically shooting and beating, which means a hearty but speedy breakfast is required as everyone tries to find their wellies and dog leads amongst all the Christmas wrapping paper.   

Chef, Steve Lyons, one of our amazing teachers at the cooking school, shares a recipe for the best-baked egg in the world, Shakshuka, with the addition of a sweet, earthy-tasting pheasant. A Middle Eastern and North African dish traditionally served for breakfast or lunch, this can be made entirely on the stove or finished in the oven. However, bread for dunking/mopping is not optional! This recipe can use either Pheasant breasts cooked and shredded down or Pheasant sausage.

Another alternative is to use leftover shredded beef/turkey/ham and add at the last couple of minutes to warm through.

Pheasant Shakshuka 

by Steve Lyons

Serves (Yield): 4                              Difficulty rating: ●○○
Preparation time: 10mins      Cooking time: 15mins

Ingredients
4 skinless pheasant breast 

Or 

8 Pheasant sausage cut into 1/2cm chunks

4 tbsp Extra Virgin Rapeseed oil

1 red onion, finely sliced

1 red pepper, diced

1 green pepper, diced

6 garlic cloves, crushed or grated

2 tsp sweet paprika

½ tsp cumin seeds

½-1 tsp cayenne pepper

2x 400g tinned tomatoes (or ripe tomatoes in season)

2 tsp sugar (optional)

1 tbsp lemon juice

4-8 eggs, depending on hunger

A small bunch of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Salt

Method

If using pheasant breasts:

1. Start by placing the pheasant breasts in a bowl and adding 1tbsp of oil and 1tsp of sweet paprika and season with a pinch of salt and Cayenne pepper. Mix well and leave to marinade for 10 minutes.

2. Heat a skillet or griddle pan over a medium heat and add the pheasant – cook for 2 minutes turning halfway through cooking. At this point, we want some colour on the breast for flavour. Remove from the pan and reserve.

3. Place a large lidded frying pan over a medium heat with the remaining oil. Add the onion and cook until golden before adding the peppers. Fry until the peppers are soft, then stir in the garlic and spices and cook for another couple of minutes.

4. Add in the tomatoes and roughly mash, followed by the lemon juice, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. While cooking the base, slice the Pheasant breast in half lengthways.

5. Taste and season, adding more cayenne if you prefer it spicier. If the tomatoes are not ripe enough, add the sugar to sweeten slightly.

6. Mix in the pheasant breast before making 4-8 divots in the sauce and break in the eggs. Season them lightly, turn the heat down as low as possible, and cover and cook for about 8 minutes until they’re just set. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.

If using pheasant sausage:

1. Place a large lidded frying on a medium heat with 2 tbsp of oil. Add the diced sausage and brown quickly. Once nicely coloured but not cooked through, remove from the pan and reserve until needed.

2. Place a large lidded frying pan over a medium heat with the remaining oil. Add the onion and cook until golden before adding the peppers. Fry until the peppers are soft, then stir in the garlic and spices and cook for another couple of minutes.

3. Add in the tomatoes and roughly mash, followed by the lemon juice, bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. While cooking the base, slice the Pheasant breast in half lengthways.

4. Taste and season, adding more cayenne if you prefer it spicier. If the tomatoes are not ripe enough, add the sugar to sweeten slightly.

5. Mix in the pheasant sausage before making 4-8 divots in the sauce and break in the eggs. Season them lightly, turn the heat down as low as possible, and cover and cook for about 8 minutes until they’re just set. Sprinkle with coriander and serve.