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When it gets to that time of year between Christmas and New Year, sometimes known as Betwixmas, it’s not unusual to find yourself surrounded by mountains of Christmas leftovers. With turkey coming out of your ears, and enough leftover pudding to feed all of Santa’s elves, it can feel a bit overwhelming to find inventive ways to use up your Christmas dinner leftovers. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up a selection of tips and tricks that will help you whip up a festive storm and prevent your leftovers from going to waste. Most importantly, these tips and recipes all require minimal effort so that you can focus on the important things from this time of year, like a festive movie marathon and figuring out how to put together the toys that Santa brought down the chimney. Planning is key The number one thing you can do to lower your food waste over Christmas is to plan ahead and resist the urge to impulse buy. Work out how much food you’ll need – especially if you’re hosting (and remember your guests will probably bring some food with them) – and make a shopping list. Planning is especially important when it comes to use-by dates. When buying meat, dairy or other fresh produce, check out that use-by date to make sure you won’t have to throw it away before you need it. It all starts with storage Marie Kondo your fridge to reduce food waste by keeping your ready-to-eat foods at the top, dairy in the middle, and raw meat at the bottom. Pop all your fresh fruit and veg in the drawers, and just like that, you’re a food waste-fighting machine. This will help you reduce any food waste across the festive season. Most fruit and veg will last longer if you store it properly. Stopping your fresh fruit and veg going bad in the first place is an easy way to reduce food waste. Here are two storage blunders that many of us make in the kitchen: Potatoes (for your perfect roasties) need to breathe, so it’s best to store them in a cardboard box or paper bag in a cool, dark place. Never in the fridge! And remember that you can still eat them if they’ve started to sprout. Citrus fruit, especially lemons and limes, will harden when stored in a fruit bowl at room temperature. To keep fresh and juicy for longer, so you can complement your post-dinner gin and tonic, store them in the fridge. Don’t neglect your scraps Once you’ve just finished baking, roasting or frying up a delicious feast, and you’re about to throw away all your leftover food scraps, always take a moment to think about where your waste is going. Here are a few unexpected scraps that you can use up instead of throwing them away. Beetroot tops can be used as a substitute for greens, like spinach, swiss chard and bok choy. They can be steamed, sauteed, braised, added to soups, or even eaten raw. Sautee the stems with a little garlic, orange and shallot to enjoy them tender and crispy – the perfect side to add something different to your Christmas lunch. Just make sure to rinse them well and they’re good to go! Boiling veg for a side of your Christmas dinner? Once the veg is suitably tender, drain over a pot and use the water to make your gravy. This is packed with nutrients to give your festive feast a health boost. If you’re not quite sure how to use up the skins of your potatoes and carrots, cutting them up and roasting in olive oil with plenty of salt and pepper makes delicious vegetable chips, the perfect snack to accompany an afternoon full of Christmas movies and toy building. Bring limp vegetables back to life How many times have you looked in the fridge after Christmas day and seen a few soft carrots and broccoli left over from the roast? Most of us banish limp vegetables to the bin, but you can actually salvage them very easily. You can bring carrots back to life by cutting a bit off the bottom and place upright in a glass of cold water until firmed up. If your carrots are already cut, you can place them in a bowl of cool water. Trim the bottom off a head of broccoli and pop in a glass of water. If you have cut florets, place in a bowl of water until plumped up and crisp. If you reach a point where you’ve exhausted all leftover recipes, why not donate to a local foodbank? It’s worth checking what they need before you turn up, but many will be incredibly grateful for your leftover donations. Christmas leftover recipes These are some festive favourite recipes from Gousto that will mix it up from the usual bubble and squeak. From sweet to savoury, there’s something for everyone. Chocolate orange yule log with leftover Christmas pudding Serves: 8-10 Time: 1 hour Ingredients: 3 eggs (separated into yolks and whites) 75g caster sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder 50g plain flour For the filling: 150ml brandy cream (or double cream) 30g icing sugar 200g Christmas pudding For the topping: 150g unsalted butter (softened) 150g icing sugar 75g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Dark 75g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Milk Extra icing sugar to garnish Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/400F/gas 6. Line a 9 x 13inch baking tray with non-stick baking parchment. Add the egg whites to a stand mixer and beat until stiff peaks form, then turn off and keep to one side. Add the egg yolks to a separate large bowl with the caster sugar and mix well with a wooden spoon or until combined. Sift the cocoa powder into the egg yolks and mix together again. Using a large metal spoon, carefully fold the egg whites through the egg yolk mixture (make sure you don’t knock out too much air!) until well combined. Sift over the plain flour and fold through carefully. Spread the cake mix evenly into the baking tray, then put into the oven. Bake for 10-11 min or until the cake is cooked through. Once cooked, remove the tray from the oven and keep aside for 2 min. Place a clean tea towel over the baking tray, then flip the cake over. Whilst the cake is still hot, use the tea towel to help you roll the cake lengthways into a tight log shape. Leave aside like this until completely cool. Meanwhile, whip the brandy cream in a stand mixer with the icing sugar until soft peaks form then remove to another bowl (don’t bother washing the stand mixer bowl!). Put the Terry’s chocolate segments into a small heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water – make sure the bowl isn’t touching the water! Stir until melted then remove the bowl from the pan and let cool slightly. Into the same stand mixer, add the softened unsalted butter with the icing sugar. Stir with a spoon, then beat until combined. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and beat until mixed. This is your chocolate buttercream. Once the cake has cooled, carefully unroll and remove the tea towel. Spread the whipped brandy cream over the cake, then crumble over the leftover Christmas pudding. Re-roll the yule log lengthways, pushing in any filling that falls out, until the seam is underneath the log. Spread the buttercream all over the cake and use a small knife to make lines to resemble a tree log. Trim the ends to neaten then put in the fridge for at least 30 min to set. Dust with some sifted icing sugar, if liked, and serve to your guests! Leftover Christmas turkey nuggets Serves: 6 Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 250g cooked turkey can be white or dark meat or a mix of the two 2 slices white bread 50ml milk 5g parsley 1 shallot 1 garlic clove 1 egg 50g flour 60g panko breadcrumbs Vegetable oil (for frying) Method: Place the slices of bread in a dish and pour over the milk and set to one side. Peel and finely chop the garlic and shallot and finely chop the parsley. Heat a pan with a small amount of oil over a medium heat and fry the onion and garlic for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the soaked bread, onion and garlic mixture, parsley and cooked turkey with a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until almost smooth. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl and mix well. Add the remaining flour to a plate and season with salt and pepper, then add the panko breadcrumbs to another plate. Remove 1/6th of the mixture at a time and form into a rough nuggets shape. Coat each nugget in the flour, tap off the excess, then add to the beaten egg and finally press it into the breadcrumbs firmly to evenly coat all over. Heat a wide non-stick frying pan (with a matching lid) with 1 inch of vegetable oil. Fry the nuggets for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on a cooling rack over kitchen roll. Alternatively, you can place them on a baking tray with a drizzle of oil and bake in an oven preheated to 200C/180 fan/gas 6 for 20 minutes. Christmas leftovers pot pie Serves: 6-8 Active time: 30 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 30 minutes Ingredients: 320g ready-rolled puff pastry 1 egg, beaten For the filling: 400-500g cooked turkey meat, torn into bite-size pieces 400-500g mixed roast vegetables, such as potatoes, peas, carrots, parsnips, cabbage, and sprouts 200-300g cooked ham, diced 1 generous handful mixed herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary or tarragon, roughly chopped For the sauce: 45g butter 2 leeks, washes and roughly chopped 2 tbsp plain flour 250ml leftover gravy and 250ml chicken stock or 500ml chicken stock 3 tsp dijon mustard 200ml pouring cream Salt and freshly ground pepper Method: Preheat the oven to 180C (fan). Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, and add the leeks and a little salt. Cook, stirring regularly for about 7 minutes until the leeks have softened. Add the flour and stir for another minute. Add the stock mixture and mustard a little at a time so your sauce doesn’t go lumpy. Then bring to a simmer, stirring continuously for 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat, add the pouring cream and season to taste. Then set aside to cool. Once the sauce is cooled, combine the filling ingredients in a 25cm pie dish and mix well. Pour over the sauce and stir again to mix through. Dust your countertop with a little flour and roll out the pastry a little thinner so it’s a bit bigger than the top of the pie dish. Lightly brush the edge of the pie dish with egg wash and gently lay the pastry over the filing. Trim the overhang with a sharp knife and use a fork to gently press around the edge, securing the pastry to the dish. If you prefer, roll the off-cuts a little thinner, and use them to decorate the top of the pie. Brush the pie top with egg wash and make several small holes with the tip of a sharp knife for steam to escape. Place the pie on a baking tray and bake for 35-45 minutes until the pastry is well risen and golden. Leftover pastry mince pies Makes: 12 Time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 320g shortcrust pastry (scale up/down the recipe based on how much pastry you have leftover) 250g mincemeat Egg or milk to glaze Icing sugar to decorate Method: Preheat the oven to gas mark 6/200C/180C fan. Using a 3 inch cutter (or a glass) cut out 12 circles of pastry and line the holes of a bun tin. Fill each pastry circle with a large teaspoon of mincemeat. Optional – cut out festive shapes from remaining pastry and place on top of the pies. Brush the pastry with beaten egg or milk then place in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and placing on a cooling rack until room temperature. Store in an airtight container. Brussels sprout and garam masala tart Serves: 2 Time: 40 minutes Ingredients: 40g cheddar cheese 1 tsp garam masala 1 tsp turmeric 200g Brussels sprouts 1 tsp nigella seeds 160g puff pastry 5g coriander 2 garlic cloves 1 red chilli 50g lamb’s lettuce 1 brown onion 300g waxy potatoes 20g mango chutney Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/gas 6. Boil a full kettle. Add your waxy potatoes to a pot of plenty of boiled water with a pinch of salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Once boiling, cook for 12-15 min or until fork-tender, then drain and allow to steam. While the potatoes are boiling, peel and finely dice your brown onion. Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic. Cut your red chilli in half lengthways, deseed (scrape the seeds out with a teaspoon) and chop finely. Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium-high heat. Once hot, add the diced onion, chopped garlic, and half the chopped chilli (can’t handle the heat? Go easy!) with a pinch of salt and cook for 5-6 min or until softened. Meanwhile, trim the ends from your Brussels sprouts, then finely slice. Once the onion has softened, add your ground turmeric, garam masala and a splash of water and cook for 1 min. Add the sliced Brussels sprouts to the pan with a knob of butter and cook for 7-8 min further or until softened. While the sprouts are softening, grate your cheddar cheese and chop the coriander finely, including the stalks. Once softened, add your mango chutney, grated cheese and half the chopped coriander (save the rest for garnish!). Season with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper and give everything a good mix up – this is your Brussels sprout & garam masala tart filling. Dust your work surface with a generous sprinkling of flour. Unwrap your puff pastry and roll it out to approx. 0.5cm thickness with a rolling pin and cut into 1 square per person. Transfer the pastry square to a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper and score a 1cm border around the edge of the pastry with a knife. Top the centre of pastry square with the Brussels sprout & garam masala tart filling. Add the drained potatoes to a baking tray and crush gently. Add a drizzle of olive oil, your nigella seeds and a generous pinch of salt – these are your nigella smashed potatoes. Put the Brussels sprout and garam masala tarts and nigella smashed potatoes in the oven for 15-20 min or until the pastry is golden and cooked through and the potatoes are caramelised. Wash your lamb’s lettuce, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Serve the Brussels sprout and garam masala tart with the nigella smashed potatoes and lamb’s lettuce to the side. Add a drizzle of olive oil and a grind of pepper to the lamb’s lettuce. Top the tart with the remaining chopped coriander and chopped chilli (not a fan of spice? Just add a little!). Recipes from Gousto, the UK’s best value recipe box, offering 75 meals weekly from £3.14. Visit gousto.co.uk for more information and recipe inspiration. Read More Why the Spanish are calling bull on M&S’s chorizo paella croquetas! 21 alternative Christmas recipes from top British chefs Why restaurant influencers have just ruined your dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test Seasonal affective disorder: Can you eat to improve your mood? An air fryer can make Christmas as easy as mince pie – here’s how

If you’re sick and tired of turkey and all the trimmings, why not be a little bit adventurous this Christmas? We’ve asked some top chefs in the UK for a selection of weird and wonderful recipes to ramp up your festivities at home. From an Iberico pork wellington with Galician chestnuts and serrano ham from Brindisa’s Monika Linton to traditional Swedish delights from the minds behind Ekstedt at The Yard, make this year’s menu one to remember. Cheddar and brown ale rarebit with cauliflower cheese and cranberry and almond crumble Recipe by: Andrew Pern and Joshua Brummell, York Minster Refectory Ingredients: 1 large cauliflower For the rarebit: 120ml Black Sheep or other brown ale 25g butter 25g plain flour 140g Fountains Gold Cheddar or other mature cheese 1 tsp English mustard 1 tbsp Hendersons relish For the crumble: 25g flaked almonds 25g Panko breadcrumbs 25g dried cranberries Method: 1. Melt the butter in a pan and stir in the flour, add the ale and whisk until smooth. On a low heat add the cheese, mustard and Hendersons relish, whisk until smooth. 2. Remove the florets of your cauliflower and blanch in boiling water for 2-3 mins or until tender. 3. Combine the flaked almonds, breadcrumbs and cranberries in a bowl. 4. Put cauliflower in an ovenproof dish and top with the rarebit and the almond and breadcrumb mix. 5. Bake at 180 degrees until golden and piping hot. Coronation crab vol-au-vent with flaked almons and sweet’n’sour raisins Recipe by: Andrew Pern and Joshua Brummell, York Minster Refectory This is a perfect festive canape and one of our signature dishes that is a nod to our Royal opening. Here is a simplified version for people to make at home and wow their guests this festive period. Ingredients: Shop bought vol-au-vent cases Picked white crab meat Gold quality mayonnaise Madras curry paste Lemon juice Chopped coriander Method: 1. Combine the curry paste with mayonnaise, lemon juice and coriander to taste. Use this to bind white crab. 2. Put crab mix into vol-au-vent cases, top with flaked almonds and raisins. Kalupol roast chicken Recipe by: Karan Gokhani, Hoppers Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1.2-1.5kg chicken, spatchcocked For the marinade: 1 tbsp basmati rice 1 tbsp grated fresh coconut 1 tbsp minced garlic 1 tsp minced ginger ¾ tbsp chilli powder 3 tbsp roasted curry powder 1 lemongrass stick 8-10 curry leaves 1 tsp salt 3 tbsp vegetable oil Method: 1. To make the marinade palace the rice in a wok over a medium-high heat and toast for 4 minutes. Then add the concur and continue toasting for 10 more minutes until both the rice and coconut are deep golden brown. Be careful not to burn them. 2. Once cooled, transfer to a pestle and mortar or space grinder and pound to a fine powder. Add the remaining marinade ingredients and pound or grind to a paste. Rub the paste all over the chicken, then cover and refrigerate overnight. 3. When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F. Place the chicken on a large roasting tray lined with foil and roast for 40 minutes, then increase the heat to 220C/200C fan/430F and cook the chicken for a further 15 minutes. Check that the chicken is cooked by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a knife. The juices should run clear, if not, return the chicken to the oven covered with foil for a further 5 minutes and check again. Once cooked, remove from the oven and rest for 10 minutes, before carving and serving with any roasting juices from the tray. 4. For the ideal Sri Lankan roast, serve alongside a sambol or mallung, some curry sauce and pol rotis. Burani spice mix Recipe by: Karan Gokhani, Hoppers Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 tsp fennel seeds ½ tsp cumin seeds 4 cloves 2.5cm cinnamon stick 4 green cardamom pods 1 tbsp coriander seeds 1 whole red chilli, deseeded 1 tsp black peppercorns Method: 1. Roast all the ingredients in a dry frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat for 4 minutes. Cool completely and grind to a fine powder in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Mutton rolls Recipe by: Karan Gokhani, Hoppers Makes: about 500g filling, enough for 10 rolls Ingredients: For the filling: 250g mutton shoulder boneless 250g potatoes, peeled and cut into 5 cm chunks 3 tbsp oil 75g onion, finely chopped 3 green cardamom pods 9cm cinnamon stick 1 tbsp minced garlic ½ tbsp minced ginger ½ tbsp chilli powder ½ tbsp roasted curry powder ½ tbsp unroasted curry powder 10-12 curry leaves, chopped ¼ tsp ground turmeric 1 tbsp tomato paste ½ tsp black peppercorns, crushed Juice of ½ lime 3 tsp salt Method: 1. Remove any sinew and skin from the mutton and chop it up roughly. Then place in a food processor and pulse for a minute, until you have a coarse mince (ground meat). If you don’t have a food processor, you can just chop it up as finely as possible to resemble mince. 2. Place the potatoes in a saucepan , cover with cold water and add 2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil and cook until tender, then drain and allow to cool slightly. Mash the potatoes roughly or break up with a fork, then set aside. You want the potatoes to be quite dry and lumpy 3. Meanwhile, place a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the onion along with cardamom pods, cinamon, and a pinch of salt, and cook until slightly softened, 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and continue to cook for a minute. 4. Increase the heat to high and add the mutton. Cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is well browned and the juices have evaporated, about 8-10 minutes. It’s essential to make sure the pan is not overcrowded, as otherwise the meat will begin to stew instead of frying. You want a thin, even layer of meat in the pan, and if your pan isn’t big enough, fry the meat in two batches. If you do so, you may need a little more oil than the recipe calls for. 5. Reduce the heat to a medium-low and add the chilli powder, curry powders, curry leaves and turmeric. Cook for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste along with 150 ml water and continue cooking for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and mix in the potatoes, black pepper and lime, then season to taste. Nial’s Christmas stuffing Recipe by: Karan Gokhani, Hoppers Serves: 4 as a trimming Ingredients: 200g boiling potatoes (peeled and cut into 1cm dice) 30g unsalted butter 1 tbsp oil 250g brown onions, finely chopped Pinch of salt 225g chestnut mushrooms 450g plain sausagemeat 225 breadcrumbs 15g parsley, chopped 15g sage leaves, chopped 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tbsp Worcestershire 1½ tsp sea salt 1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp black peppercorns 3 green cardamom pods 2 cloves Pinch of nutmeg, freshly grated Pinch of ground cinnamon Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 210C/190C fan/320F. Place the potatoes in a separate pan and cover with cold salted water (the water should taste like sea water). Bring to the boil and cook for 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and set aside. 2. Meanwhile, warm the butter and oil in a heavy-based pan and add the onions. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt, mix well and then cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes until beautifully caramelised. Then transfer them to a bowl and add the mushrooms to the pan, with a splash of extra oil if the pan seems dry. Cook until reduced to a third in size and golden in colour, about 10 minutes, then transfer to the bowl with the onions. Finally mix the cooled onions and mushrooms, sausagemeat, potatoes, breadcrumbs, parsely, sage, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and salt. 3. Place the cumin and coriander seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom and cloves in a dry drying pan skillet) over a high heat. Toast for 2 minutes until fragrant, then allow to cool slightly and transfer to a pestle and mortar. Grind to a powder along with the nutmeg and cinnamon and add to the rest of the stuffing ingredients. Mix everything thoroughly, then roll into 5cm (2in-) diameter balls and place onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes until golden and fully cooked through. 4. Serve alongside a traditional roast chicken, duck, goose or turkey. 14 carat hummus Recipe by: Eran Tibi, Bala Baya/Kapara Serves: 8 hungry people (with generous leftovers for fuelling your Boxing Day adventures) Ingredients: For the hummus: 375g chickpeas, cooked and drained 750g peeled carrots, roasted to tender perfection 250g tahini 100g olive oil Juice of half a lemon 10g (about 1 tsp) salt For the preserved lemon (a nifty shortcut): 50g water 5 lemons, peeled with zest julienned 25g (about 2 tbsp) Maldon salt For the carrot jam: 100g sugar 25g (about 2 tbsp) Maldon salt 125g maple syrup 7 small carrots, finely diced 67.5g harissa paste 50g olive oil 250ml orange juice For the garnish: Freshly chopped coriander Method: For the hummus: 1. Start by roasting your peeled carrots. Toss them with olive oil and a pinch of salt, then pop them in the oven at 200C (392F) for 20 minutes until they’re beautifully tender. 2. Once those vibrant orange gems have cooled, blend them with chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Blitz away until your hummus is silky smooth. 3. Season your creation with a touch more lemon and a pinch of salt if needed. This hummus should taste like a burst of Mediterranean sunshine on your taste buds. For the preserved lemon (a nifty shortcut): 1. For a zesty twist, we’ve got a clever shortcut for preserved lemon. Julienne – fancy word for thin strips – the lemon peel and juice all those juicy lemons. 2. In a pan, combine water, a sprinkle of Maldon salt, lemon juice, and zest. Bring this lively concoction to a gentle simmer and let it dance for 20 minutes. 3. Once the lemony magic is done, set it aside. It’s the secret touch that elevates your hummus. For the carrot jam: 1. Time to craft our unforgettable carrot jam. Dice those little orange heroes into ½cm pieces. 2. In a pan, throw in sugar, a pinch of Maldon salt, maple syrup, diced carrots, harissa, olive oil, and a splash of orange juice. 3. Let the jam come to life by reducing it slowly until it reaches a jammy consistency (about 50% reduction). Drop a bit on a cold surface to check consistency – it should be thick, like a sweet and spicy embrace. 4. Once it’s reached jam-like perfection, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. To assemble: 1. Now comes the fun part! Lay out your “14 carat hummus” on a platter or individual plates making well-like whole in the middle for the rest. 2. Drizzle that fabulous preserved lemon all over, creating a burst of zesty excitement. 3. Spoon on that exquisite carrot jam. It’s like the jewel on the crown of your hummus empire. 4. Sprinkle the whole affair with freshly chopped coriander. It’s the final flourish that takes your hummus to dazzling heights. Chocolate and amarena Christmas log Recipe by: Cyril Lignac, Bar des Pres Prep time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 7 minutes Serves: 4 Ingredients: For the chocolate rolled biscuit: 3 organic whole eggs 4 organic egg whites 2 organic egg yolks 85g + 135g caster sugar 85g flour 50g cocoa powder Butter for the plate For the mascarpone whipped cream: 125g mascarpone 25cl of very cold 35% full fat liquid cream 65g caster sugar 1 vanilla pod For the decor: 3 tbsp cherry jam 2 tbsp tablespoon amarena cherry in syrup 40g dark chocolate shavings Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 210C. 2. In a salad bowl, whisk the egg whites with 85g of sugar so that they form a bird’s beak. Then in a second bowl, beat the yolks with the whole eggs and the 135g of ribbon sugar, add the flour and the cocoa powder with a spatula. Gently mix the two devices together. Pour into a buttered silicone-rimmed baking sheet or onto a silicone sheet placed on a baking sheet. Spread lightly to even out the biscuit using an angled spatula. Bake for 7 minutes. 3. At the end of cooking, gently unmold the biscuit upside down on a damp cloth, trim the edges to obtain a neat rectangle, roll in the cloth and leave to cool. 4. Split the vanilla pod in half and collect the vanilla pulp, place it in a ramekin. Use the pod to make vanilla sugar, for example. In a very cold salad bowl, pour the mascarpone, beat it lightly using a hand mixer, pour the very cold liquid cream, continue to whip and pour the sugar with the vanilla pulp, whipped cream. Set aside one half in a bowl and the other half in a plastic bag fitted with a size 10 plain nozzle. Chill for 1 hour. 5. Coat the biscuit with cherry jam, then with mascarpone whipped cream, add a few amarena cherries. Roll the biscuit without crushing it and place it in the dish. 6. On the log, place the rest of the mascarpone whipped cream using your pocket and make lines on top. Sprinkle with dark chocolate shavings and add 4 amarena cherries. Reserve the log in the fridge. Iberico wellington Recipe by: Monika Linton, Brindisa An alternative Christmas centrepiece dish or just a delicious dinner party recipe. Spain’s famous ibérico acorn-fed pork, with Galician chestnuts and serrano ham. Prep time: 10 mins | Cooking time: 40 mins Serves: 4 Ingredients: 1 Brindisa Ibérico pork tenderloin (450g) 6 slices Brindisa serrano ham 75g Brindisa Galician cooked chestnuts 100g mushrooms ½ tbsp chopped rosemary 2 tbsp sherry wine 320g ready-rolled puff pastry 1 tbsp Brindisa extra virgin olive oil 1 egg, beaten Salt and pepper to season Method: 1. To make the mushroom and chestnut duxelle: in a food processor, using the pulse function, blitz the mushrooms until they are the size of a grain of rice, then place them into a bowl. Repeat with the chestnuts then mix them with the mushrooms. 2. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the mushrooms and chestnuts, along with the rosemary and the sherry wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine has evaporated and the mixture has softened (10min approx). Reserve and leave the duxelle to cool. 3. Season the tenderloin and sear in a hot frying pan or on a griddle. Leave to cool. 4. When all the ingredients are at room temperature, lay the slices of ham in a sheet of cling film. Add a layer of the duxelle and then place the tenderloin on top. Wrap the tenderloin tightly with the help of the cling film. Let it rest in the fridge for at least a couple of hours. 5. Pre-heat the oven to 200C, 180C fan, gas mark 6. Unroll the pastry onto a baking sheet. Trim a 2cm strip off one long side and reserve. 6. Place the ham-wrapped tenderloin in the centre (having removed the cling film). Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg then fold the pastry to completely encase the tenderloin. 7. Use the reserved pastry to cut shapes to decorate the Wellington, then brush with the remaining egg. 8. Bake for 30 minutes. 9. Leave to rest for at least 5 minutes before slicing to serve. Little tip: This recipe lends itself to advance preparation, perfect when entertaining. The whole Wellington can be made the day before, ready to bake for minimum stress! Sobrasada roast potatoes Recipe by: Brindisa in collaboration with Sophie Rushton-Smith These flavour packed roast potatoes can be served with a traditional Sunday roast or are delicious paired with a big salad or as a side. Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 35 minutes Serves: 3-4 Ingredients: 4-6 large Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and quartered Brindisa Arbequina Olive Oil 1 sprig of Rosemary Brindisa Mallorquín Mild Sobrasada Method: 1. Chop the potatoes into quarters and parboil them in a large pan of salted water for 15-20 minutes. 2. Once the potatoes are softened, drain them and give them a good shake in the colander to ruffle the edges up. 3. Add the potatoes to a large frying pan on a hot heat. Add to the pan olive oil, a big sprig of rosemary and chunks of sobrasada. 4. Cook the potatoes for around 20 minutes, turning them over at regular intervals so that each side is golden and crispy. Spanish cauliflower cheese Recipe by: Monika Linton, Brindisa A Spanish twist on a popular family classic. Prep time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 40 minutes Serves: 4 as a side 2 as a main with salad and crusty bread Ingredients: 500ml full fat milk 1 small onion 1 clove Bay leaf 1 large or 2 small heads of cauliflower 2 tbsp Brindisa Arbequina extra virgin olive oil 60g butter 25g plain flour 100g Brindisa Mahón cheese, grated plus extra for topping 50g Brindisa Galmesan cheese, grated plus extra for topping Nutmeg, grated Salt and pepper 50g panko breadcrumbs 2 tsp Brindisa Mallorcan unsmoked mild paprika 2 tbsp Brindisa capers Method: 1. Heat the milk with an onion studded with clove and the bay leaf and then leave to infuse for 15 mins. 2. Slice the cauliflower into 1 inch “steaks”. Lay out on a greaseproof paper covered baking tray. Brush with olive oil and roast at 200C, 180C fan, gas mark 6 for 20 mins, turning halfway and brushing the other side. They should have a nice touch of char. 3. Whilst they cook, melt the butter in a pan over a low to medium heat and then stir in the flour, stirring and cooking for a couple of minutes. 4. Remove the onion and bay leaf from the milk and gradually add to the butter and flour, whisking constantly until you have a smooth sauce. Then leave to simmer on the lowest heat for 5 mins until thickened, stirring from time to time. 5. Add the grated cheeses (reserving the extra for the topping), nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. 6. Transfer the cauliflower to a roasting dish and pour over the cheese sauce. Top with the remaining grated cheese and breadcrumbs. Put back in the oven for 10 minutes until the cheese has browned/or put under the grill. Finally dust with the paprika and sprinkle over the capers. Trout rillettes Recipe by: Skye Gyngell, Spring and Heckfield Place Ingredients: 350g fresh trout fillet, skin removed 175g butter Bay leaf 1 leek finely chopped 1 tbsp of Pernod 100ml white wine 150g smoked trout 4 tbsp creme fraiche Zest of 1 lemon Salt and pepper ½ cup clarified butter Dill to garnish Method: 1. Season the trout with salt and pepper. Heat two tablespoons of butter and sweat the leek for 10 mins until very soft, do not let the leek change in colour it must remain on a low heat. 2. Add trout and bay leaf, Pernod and wine. Cover with a lid or piece of parchment and cook for 2-3 mins over super low heat. The trout should be just cooked through. 3. Remove the fish and strain the liquid into a small pot. 4. Reduce liquid to two tbspn. Keep stirring to prevent the liquid from burning on the sides of the pan. 5. Flake the cooked trout with the smoked trout – then add creme fraiche, wine reduction, lemon zest and remaining butter (softened) mix together with a fork. Season with salt and pepper and serve. 6. It will keep well in the fridge for 2 days. Marmalade glazed ham Recipe by: Skye Gyngell, Spring and Heckfield Place Ingredients: 1 leg of ham 5 carrots 4 leeks 10 juniper berries 15 peppercorns 5 fresh bay leaves Whole Cloves 5 tbsp marmalade (or any other good-quality jam or strong marmalade) 4 tbsp Dijon mustard (or grainy, if you prefer) Method: 1. Place the ham in a bucket, cover with cold water and leave to soak for 24 hours. This is done to take the saltiness out of it. Remove the ham and then place it in a deep stockpot. 2. Roughly chop the carrots, celery and leeks and add them to the pot. Then add the juniper berries, peppercorns and bay leaves. Cover with cold water and bring to the boil. This can take up to one and a half hours. Turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for a further two hours. For the glaze: 2 tbsp marmalade 3 tbsp soft brown sugar, such as muscovado Finely grated zest and juice of one orange 150ml/5oz white wine A handful of cloves 1 tbsp Dijon mustard (or grainy, if you prefer) – for serving Method: 1. To make the glaze, simply mix the marmalade, sugar, orange juice and zest and wine together until you have a loose paste. 2. Remove the skin from the cooked ham, leaving as much fat on as possible, score it evenly all over, and stud each diamond shape with a clove. Using a pastry brush, brush half the glaze evenly over the outside of the ham. Place in a baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven. Roast for 10 minutes then brush the rest of the glaze on top. Cook for 20 minutes or until sticky, golden brown and slightly set. 3. Serve with grainy mustard or chutney. Skye likes to serve this with dauphinoise potatoes and pickled red cabbage. Chicken-liver pâté Serves: 2 Ingredients: 500g/1lb chicken livers 200ml/7fl oz milk 200g/7oz unsalted butter 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped A small bunch of thyme, leaves only 2 fresh bay leaves 100ml/3 fl oz Cognac A generous grinding of black pepper Top tip: It is important to use the freshest chicken livers. Look for those pale in colour, as their flavour is mellower and sweeter. Method: 1. Soak the chicken livers in milk for two hours, then discard the milk. 2. Add four tablespoons of butter to a pan and place over a medium heat. Once the butter has melted and just begun to foam, add the onion and cook until soft and transparent – about 5 minutes. Now add the garlic, thyme and bay, and cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the chicken livers and cook for 2-3 minutes: the livers should be brown on the inside and still pink in the middle. Add the Cognac, turn up the heat a little and cook until just slightly reduced. Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves. Allow to cool slightly then place in a food processor. Add the rest of the butter in small pieces, purée until smooth. 3. Line an eight-inch terrine mould with butter and spoon in the pâté. Allow to cool completely before covering with a thin layer of butter and placing in the fridge to chill and firm – a minimum of 6 hours. We like to drop a whole bay leaf on top of the butter as it cools, so it looks beautiful when you serve it at the table. Eat alongside toast, and a few cornichons if you like. Christmas pudding Recipe by: Skye Gyngell, Spring and Heckfield Place I unashamedly adore Christmas pudding and I’m perplexed by those who say they don’t. What could possibly be more tempting than a steaming pudding – irresistibly fragrant with a mix of spices, molasses, sugar, candied peel, dried fruit and brandy- arriving at the table? These puddings will happily keep for a year in the fridge, their flavour becoming even more delicious. Makes: 2 puddings, each serves 6 Ingredients: 360g suet grated 170g plain flour 180g fresh white breadcrumbs 150g candied peel 350g seedless raisins 350g currants 200g sultanas 170g dark muscovado sugar Grated zest of a lemon Grated zest of an orange ½ nutmeg grated ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground cinnamon Juice of ½ a lemon 4 organic free-range large eggs, lightly beaten 100ml Armagnac 550ml whole milk Butter, to grease To serve: Small ladleful of brandy Method: 1. Stir all the pudding ingredients together in a large mixing bowl until evenly combined; the mixture should feel quite wet. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth and leave to stand in a cool place overnight. 2. The following day pack the mixture firmly into two lightly greased 1 litre pudding basins. Cover the surface with a disc of baking parchment, then cover each basin with a double layer of parchment to secure under the rim with string. Place a trivet to each of two large saucepans (or cook the pudding one at a time). Stand the basin(s) on the trivet(s). Pour in enough boiling water to come two-thirds of the way up the side of the basin and put the lid on. 3. Bring to the boil over a high heat, then lower the heat slightly and cook for 6 hours, topping up the pan with boiling water as necessary. Lift out the pudding basin and leave the pudding to cool to room temperature. Re-cover with clean baking parchment and a layer of foil and place in the fridge or store in a cool, dry cupboard until needed. 4. On Christmas morning, boil the pudding (as above) for 1½-2 hours. 5. Warm the brandy just before serving. Turn out the pudding into a warm plate, pour on the warm brandy and set alight. Bring the flaming pudding to the table. Serve brandy butter alongside, and perhaps a jug of thick pouring cream for those who prefer it. 6. Make your own brandy butter using just three ingredients: unsalted butter, icing sugar and Armagnac. The proportions don’t really matter- it’s the quality of the ingredients that counts. Allow 175g of unsalted butter for 6 generous servings. Beat the butter until soft and creamy, then beat in about 150g icing sugar and 2-3 tbsp Armagnac to taste. 7. To seal the Christmas pudding ready for steaming, cover with a generous double layer of baking parchment, placing it in the centre as shown (this allows room for the pudding to expand during steaming). Tie securely in place with kitchen string, positioning it tightly around the basin just below the rim. Leave a length of string to act as a handle for lifting the basin out of the pan. Meringue with chestnuts and cream Ingredients: 6 organic free range egg whites 360g caster sugar ¾ tsp vanilla extract Small jar of sweetened chestnut puree 4-6 tbsp double cream 70 per cent chocolate, for grating Icing sugar, for dusting Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 150C and line a baking tray. Place egg whites into an electric mixer, add a pinch of salt and whisk slowly. As the whites break down, increase the speed, adding the sugar gradually and the vanilla extract and whisking until stiff peaks form. Shape into 20 meringues on parchment paper, leaving room for them to expand in the oven. Place on the middle shelf, lower temperature to 120C and cook for 30 minutes, then leave to cool. To serve, spoon chestnut puree and a dash of cream on to each meringue. Finish with grated chocolate and icing sugar. Cured salmon with sweet mustard sauce Recipe by: Niklas Ekstedt and Therese Andersson, Ekstedt at The Yard This is a dish we have all year round, however, for Christmas we infuse it with some more festive flavours such as juniper, star anise and orange. The salmon would usually be served with fresh new potatoes and sweet mustard sauce. Ingredients: 500g salmon For the cure mix: 50g salt 50g sugar 10g blitz juniper berries 10g blitz star anis Sweet mustard sauce 1 tbsp mustard (half Dijon, half spice brown) 1 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 tbsp sugar ¾ cup neutral oil ¼ cup fresh chopped dill Salt, pepper to taste Method: For the cured salmon (takes 2-4 days): 1. Mix the salt, sugar, juniper berries, star anise. 2. Cover the pieces of salmon with the cure mix in a bag or on a deep tray, and leave covered in the fridge for 48 hours. 3. You will know when the salmon is ready when the end of the salmon is slightly hard to the touch and the salmon’s colour is slightly darker. 4. Serve in thin slices. For the mustard sauce: 5. Whisk mustard, vinegar and sugar, then add oil a tablespoon at a time to emulsify (thicken). 6. Finish with dill. Pickled herring Recipe by: Niklas Ekstedt and Therese Andersson, Ekstedt at The Yard Pickled herring can be be served with many different flavours, it is a type of preserved fish popular in Scandinavian. The herring is first salted, and then they are pickled in a mixture of vinegar, water, sugar and spices. We eat this with new potato and vasterbotten cheese served on crispy bread. This is something I always have in my fridge and eat year round, my favourite way to eat it is mustard herring. Ingredients: 420g plain herring For the pickled liquor: 50ml white wine vinegar 25g caster sugar 5 white peppercorns 1 red onion, finely chopped 3 cloves 2 bay leaves 1 tsp yellow mustard seed 1 carrot, finely chopped Small bunch of dill Method: 1. Bring the vinegar, sugar and 150ml water to a simmer in a small pan. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat. 2. Combine the remaining ingredients in a medium-sized bowl, and pour over the brine and leave to cool completely. 3. Drain the herring and rinse in cold water, then add to the brine and leave in the fridge for at least one day before serving. To make mustard herring: 1. Mix together 1tbsp wholegrain mustard, 1tsp, Dijon mustard, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp white wine vinegar 50ml oil until you have a thick sauce. Add 1 tsp chopped dill. Swedish Christmas ham (julskinka) Recipe by: Niklas Ekstedt and Therese Andersson, Ekstedt at The Yard This is one of the dishes that you will find at all the Swedish Christmas tables. Swedish Christmas ham is made special by its mustard crumb topping, which is delicious and adds texture, crunch and a lovely tang from the mustard. This is best served straight out of the oven, when it is still a little bit warm. I like to eat a thin slice on top of a piece of crispy bread with a little bit of mustard on. Ingredients: 1 egg 3 tbsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp sugar ½ tsp salt 60g bread crumble Method: 1. In a bowl, whisk together the egg, mustard, sugar, salt and half of the breadcrumb. 2. Once combined, spread the paste all over the top of the ham. Once you have an even layer on top, add the rest of the breadcrumbs evenly across the topping. Pop the ham in the oven on 185 degrees for 15-20 min. 3. Serve the whole Christmas ham on the table, and sliced as needed. Serve with a good sweet coarse mustard. Mumma Recipe by: Niklas Ekstedt and Therese Andersson, Ekstedt at The Yard Mumma is a Swedish beer cocktail that is traditionally served during the Christmas. Ingredients: 500ml lager 500ml stout 250ml lemonade 75ml madeira A splash of gin A splash of cardamom powder Method: 1. Pour everything gently into a large jug. Stir to combine. Serve in large wine or7 brandy glasses. Mulled wine Recipe by: Niklas Ekstedt and Therese Andersson, Ekstedt at The Yard We usually start the dinner with mulled wine, served a little bit warm with almonds and raisins. Ingredients: 2 large orange 1 litre red wine 1¼ cups brandy ½ cups dark brown sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 6 whole cloves 3 cardamom pod Method: 1. Using a peeler, remove the peel in strips from 1 orange, then juice the orange. Slice the other orange into rounds and reserve for garnish. 2. In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the orange peel, juice and the rest of the ingredients. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves for about 2 minutes. Increase the heat to high, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently until the flavours meld for about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture, discarding the solids. Read More Beauty advent calendars 2021: Our guide to this year’s top treats 13 best tech gifts to spoil a gadget geek this Christmas 10 best luxury Christmas crackers for dressing up your dining table Why the Spanish are calling bull on M&S’s chorizo paella croquetas! Why restaurant influencers have just ruined your dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test

We’re all looking for ways to make Christmas dinner easier – and if you’ve got an air fryer, festive food could be a whole lot simpler. Christmas dinner normally requires a lot of effort to pull together all the starters, turkey and side dishes, and chef Poppy O’Toole says she’ll “definitely” be using her air fryer to help everything come together. Michelin-trained O’Toole, 29, is something of an early adopter of air fryers – she first fell in love with them in 2018, and says: “I was working in kitchens at the time, and I was like, I don’t know how chefs are going to feel about this. It might fade, but I was intrigued – and it’s got bigger and bigger.” She adds: “It was so easy to get on board with because of how convenient they are. As a chef, I wasn’t at home a lot – so my partner could use it really easily without me having to be over his shoulder.” They’ve got speed and energy efficiency going for them, O’Toole suggests, and she’s even dedicated her most recent cookbook to air fryer recipes. Her air fryer will go into overdrive on Christmas day, “because I need all the space for everything”, the Worcestershire-based chef says. “I’m going to be feeding a lot of people.” “There’s not enough space to do everything, but what it’s really good at is giving you the capability to do more stuff at the same time,” she notes. “So you’re not just relying on the oven and the hob – you’ve also got this other piece of equipment, which is amazing at cooking things and it can be done quicker and more energy efficiently.” Before diving in, there are a few mistakes O’Toole warns against making with your air fryer on 25 December. “Make sure you put a timer on. I’ve done that a few times, where I’ve gone, it comes out in 20 minutes or whatever and you go, ‘yeah, I’ll come back in a few minutes, it’ll be fine’. And I’ve left it in there the whole time and it’s burned to a crisp.” The second thing to watch out for? “Don’t overcrowd,” she says. “It can be very easy to throw it all in, it’ll be fine. But it doesn’t work that way – the whole point is that the air circulation gets around everything, so it needs a gap where that can happen.” And if you’re looking to impress your guests with beautiful-looking food, O’Toole recommends keeping your air fryer clean. “This is another thing that I do very regularly, and I think a lot of people do – I don’t wash it enough, I don’t clean it enough. I end up getting these little dark bits on the rest of my food, which is fine when you’re cooking for yourself – that doesn’t matter. “But when you’re cooking for other people, if you’ve got family coming over, you want to make sure it’s the best. So make sure in between each thing you cook, you give it a little wipe down.” Interested in using your air fryer this Christmas? This is what O’Toole recommends doing… Starters “I always like little nibbly bits on Christmas,” admits O’Toole – and these can be easily whipped up in the air fryer. “It’s something a little bit different around lunchtime, because I have my Christmas dinner a bit late – I have it more as a dinner around three, so around 12 you’re getting a bit peckish. So I do some lovely little nibbles – like crispy wontons, spring rolls, samosas, that sort of thing. They’re really tasty and fill everybody up, without having to do much.” If you’re feeling industrious you can make these yourself, but they’re just as delicious from frozen – and you can save all your cooking efforts for the main meal. The main event For O’Toole, the best way to use your air fryer is for all the festive sides. “It’s really good for roasted parsnips, roasted carrots, sprouts or chestnuts,” she says. You can cook the parsnips and carrots together. “And then they can be ready and waiting for when you want them – you can get them into a tray, and once they’re cooked, you can keep them at the bottom of the oven or in a tray that you can warm back up”. And one of the most important parts of any Christmas dinner: “I’ve got to say roast potatoes are very good in there, and you don’t have to pre-boil them – so that’s given you more space on the hob.” How can you pull off perfectly crispy roasties in the air fryer? “Chop them up, get them in a bowl, add a tablespoon of water, a little bit of oil and salt – give it a mix, so we’ve got a bit of moisture on them. Then you get them into the air fryer and cook them about 160C or 170C for about 20 to 30 minutes, so they’re a little bit cooked, then you whack it up to about 200C to get the golden crispy outside.” Dessert While O’Toole doesn’t plan on making Christmas pudding in the air fryer this year, there are plenty of sweet treats you can do in there instead. Her sister will be clamouring for a pecan and pretzel blondies recipe (or you can try any variation on brownies you like – even mince pies would work), and O’Toole adds: “Custard tarts – they’re so simple and something about doing them in the oven is always terrifying to me, but being able to put them in the air fryer for literally a few minutes is perfect. “That’s definitely something I’ll be doing.” ‘Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook’ (Bloomsbury Publishing, £20). Read More Beauty advent calendars 2021: Our guide to this year’s top treats 13 best tech gifts to spoil a gadget geek this Christmas 10 best luxury Christmas crackers for dressing up your dining table Why restaurant influencers have just ruined your dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test Seasonal affective disorder: Can you eat to improve your mood?

“This one goes out to all the lost carrots over the years that have been just cut into rounds and boiled,” says chef Poppy O’Toole, who goes by Poppy Cooks on social media. “I’m sorry you went out like that. We will do better. Here’s to more carrots being roasted in honey and going out in style. They deserve it.” To make this dish vegan, replace honey with maple syrup and use a dairy-free alternative to butter – and you can boost the flavour even more by adding a crushed garlic clove to the honey and butter mix. Honey roast carrots Serves: 4 Ingredients: 4 carrots, peeled and sliced in half lengthways Vegetable oil, for spraying 2 tbsp runny honey 1 tsp butter Salt and ground black pepper Method: 1. Heat the air fryer to 180C/350F. 2. Get the carrots in the air-fryer basket and spray them with the vegetable oil. Then cook them for 10 minutes. 3. Meanwhile, in a microwaveable bowl, melt the honey and butter together for about 30 seconds, until liquidy, then season well. 4. When the carrots have been in the air fryer for 10 minutes, tip them into the honey and butter mixture and mix well so that they are all coated, then pop them back into the air fryer for a further 10 minutes, until sticky, glazed and tender. Depending on the size of your carrots, you may need to cook them for a little longer, so cook in five-minute intervals until tender. Roast potatoes “Believe it or not, I’m no stranger to a roast potato or two (or seven), and I’ve made it my life’s work to ensure you have the best potatoes on your plate every time,” says O’Toole. “With an air fryer, the process is much quicker, which means potato gets to your mouth in half the time – always a good thing. “For me, the perfect roast potato has a crispy exterior while still maintaining a beautifully fluffy interior, and this recipe does exactly that.” Serves: 2-4, depending on greed Ingredients: 4 Maris Piper, russet or red skin potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters 2 tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp fine salt Method: 1. Heat the air fryer to 160C/325F. 2. In a mixing bowl, toss the potatoes in the oil and salt, and tip them into the air-fryer basket. 3. Cook for 30 minutes, giving them a proper aggressive toss every 10 minutes, and even poke them with a fork if you want to fluff up the insides further. 4. Increase the heat to 200C/400F and cook for a further six minutes, until golden and crispy. Chestnut and bacon sprouts “Sprouts are underrated and can be such a delicious vegetable side. When they are cooked right, and not pure mush, they add texture, flavour and colour to any dish,” says O’Toole. You can easily customise this dish to your guests’ dietary requirements – skip the bacon if anyone is vegetarian, and swap out for vegan butter if necessary. Serves: 4 Ingredients: 50g butter, melted 500g fresh or frozen Brussels sprouts (if fresh, cut in half) 100g bacon lardons 50g pre-cooked chestnuts, chopped Sea salt flakes and ground black pepper Method: 1. Heat the air fryer to 180C/350F. 2. In a large bowl, mix the butter with the sprouts, season with salt and pepper and place in the air-fryer basket. Just chuck over the bacon lardons. 3. Cook for five minutes then add in the chestnuts. Cook for another five to 10 minutes, checking at five-minute intervals until cooked to your liking. ‘Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Air Fryer Cookbook’ (Bloomsbury Publishing, £20). Read More Beauty advent calendars 2021: Our guide to this year’s top treats 13 best tech gifts to spoil a gadget geek this Christmas 10 best luxury Christmas crackers for dressing up your dining table Why restaurant influencers have just ruined your dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test Seasonal affective disorder: Can you eat to improve your mood?

As the clocks go back and the days get shorter, we could all do with a boost in serotonin to fight the winter blues. One way to get just that is a spicy, vibrant, warming meal. Recent studies show that one in three Brits admit to being affected by seasonal affective disorder, with younger adults more likely to experience the mood disorder. In an attempt to lift moods through foods, I’ve created a dish that contains ingredients scientifically proven to boost your mood and warm the winter nights ahead. This beef cheek jungle curry brings the heat, with jungle curry being one of the spiciest curries to come out of Thailand. The chemical capsaicin, found in chillies, acts as an endorphin that makes our body release serotonin, which helps to lift your mood. Originating from northern Thailand, the dish is traditionally cooked out using only stock rather than coconut milk, adding to this fiery curry’s intensity and vibrant orange colour. Research has shown that bright colours can also trigger the release of serotonin to help fight those winter blues. The science Heat It’s reported that even a whiff of ginger can improve your mood. No Thai curry would complete without a healthy amount of ginger and garlic, but it’s fresh chillies that really pack a punch. Capsaicin, a chemical compound found in chillies, triggers the release of endorphins that can boost your mood, and may even reduce stress and anxiety. Increase the heat levels to give yourself a boost, and to keep warm when the cold weather kicks in. Colour Our brains respond to colour by stimulating glands which regulate hormones, including serotonin. Research has shown that bright colours can trigger the release of serotonin, which is responsible for making us feel happy and satisfied. The bright reds of my jungle curry signal excitement to the brain, whilst orange and yellow hues are the feel-good colours of the rainbow, eliciting feelings of happiness, optimism and hope. Lean proteins It’s no secret that protein is vital for a balanced diet. According to mental health charity MIND, diets high in protein can support your mental health. Protein contains amino acids which your brain needs to produce neurotransmitters – these help regulate thoughts and feelings. Beef cheek is inexpensive and packed with protein, it works perfectly in this jungle curry. Beef cheeky jungle curry recipe Serves: 2 Ingredients: 1 pot jungle curry Payst 2 tbsp vegetable oil 2 tbsp coriander roots, washed and finely chopped 4 garlic cloves, peeled 2 tbsp wild ginger, krachai, peeled and roughly chopped (regular ginger can be used instead) ½ tbsp coarse sea salt 200g beef cheek, trimmed (any slow cook beef can be used) 2 whole stick lemongrasses, bruised in a pestle 20g galangal, bruised in a pestle 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn slightly to release flavour 2 tbsp table salt 1 whole garlic head, sliced in two across the cloves 4 banana shallots, chopped in half 1 tbsp caster sugar 2 tbsp fish sauce 10g hot Vietnamese mint (optional) 10g betel leaves (optional, spinach can be used instead) 10g coriander 10g Thai sweet basil 10g fresh curry leaves 30g new potatoes, chopped in half 30g green beans 1 head pak choi, core removed and chopped into bite sized pieces. Fresh chillies to taste Method: 1. Firstly, braise the beef cheeks. In a large oven-proof pan submerge the beef cheeks in water and then add the lemongrass sticks, bruised galangal, lime leaves, banana shallots, table salt and whole garlic. Cover the surface of the liquid with parchment paper and the pan with tin foil to protect from the direct heat of the oven and then cook in a pre-heated oven at 100C for 8 hours (this is best cooked overnight). Check the beef cheeks before removing from the oven, they should easily be chopped with a spoon with tenderness. When cooked, remove from the oven and leave to one side to use immediately. 2. In the meantime, cook out the paste. When cooking a jungle curry, it is fried in 2 stages and then boiled, this is for depth of flavour. To start, pound the coriander root, wild ginger and garlic cloves to a paste, using the sea salt as an abrasive. 3. Next heat the vegetable oil in a wok or non-stick pan and then proceed to fry out the paste, scraping and stirring constantly. When the paste begins to darken slightly, add the jungle curry paste and continue to cook out the paste, making sure it doesn’t stick and burn, at this point add the kaffir lime leaves and the lemongrass from the beef braising stock. Continue to fry the paste until it begins to darken in colour and then add the sugar and fry for a further minute until the sugar has caramelised and the paste has darkened a little more. 4. Next de-glaze the pan with the fish sauce, 300ml of beef braising stock and bring to a simmer. Once simmering add the potatoes and continue to simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes are beginning to soften. At this point add the pak choi, green beans and beef cheeks and use a little more braising stock if needed, then continue to simmer until all ingredients are softened and edible. 5. Lastly add all the herbs and gently toss them through the hot curry and then serve immediately, the curry should be loose, yet rich and spicy with a salty edge. Serve the beef cheek jungle curry in bowls with steamed jasmine rice, if you like top with crispy garlic, shallots and fresh chillies. The winter Mood Boosting recipe has been created by Sebby Holmes, Head Chef and owner of Farang and PAYST Read More The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three new cookbooks worth buying, from James Martin to the Hairy Bikers Pearly Cow, Margate, restaurant review: Go for the steak, but stay for the potatoes What does Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt cook at home? Don’t throw away Thanksgiving leftovers - here’s what you can do with them

Thanksgiving feasts are about to begin, but there’s one important thing to consider when the holiday is done: What do you do with all the leftovers? Thursday is just one day away and many Americans are already in planning mode, from buying the turkey to decorating their home for guests. While much of the work begins on Thanksgiving morning, with the fast-paced schedule of cooking dinner, perhaps an even bigger task is trying to finish all the servings of stuffing, turkey, green bean casserole, steamed vegetables, and pies that were leftover from Thanksgiving. Some people may opt to eat their leftovers separately, but why not combine all the Thanksgiving food to create an even bigger dish? Here are five fun meals you can create with your Thanksgiving leftovers this year. Turkey Soup The cold months are fast approaching, so a warm bowl of soup is perfect comfort food for the winter. Begin this dish by bringing your broth to a boil and adding in different seasonings, such as salt and pepper. Then, spice up your soup by adding some of your Thanksgiving leftovers. According to Martha Stewart, one simple recipe for turkey soup calls for eight cups of turkey stock – which can be made with turkey bones and water. Then add one and a half cups of shredded cooked turkey leftover from Thanksgiving, as well as leftover vegetables and seasonings used to cook for the holida - lemon wedges, chopped dill, three small carrots, salt, and pepper. The recipe also calls for one non-Thanksgiving-related ingredient: three dried wide egg noodles. After the stock has been seasoned, add the noodles and carrots and return the pot to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are “tender” and the noodles are “al dente”, which will take about four minutes. Stir in the cooked turkey and let it simmer for about a minute, before sprinkling dill and serving the soup with a lemon wedge on the side. Pot pies A beloved pot pie dish usually consists of meat cooked inside a flaky pastry. However, this pot pie doesn’t necessarily have to be filled with chicken or veggies, as you can instead make the savoury meal with the help of some leftovers. One recipe from Bon Appetit - called the “Leftover-Turkey Pot Pie” - includes a range of Thanksgiving foods, such as half a cup of leftover vegetables, one and one-half cups of cooked turkey, one and one-fourth cups of turkey gravy, and the optional cranberry sauce for serving. Other ingredients include one tablespoon of unsalted butter; one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil; one cup of chopped onion; six ounces of button mushrooms; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; one cup of thinly sliced, peeled carrots; one teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme; one-fourth cup of thawed, frozen green peas; one tablespoon of chopped, fresh Italian parsley; one large egg white; one nine-inch pie crust and all-purpose flour. For cooking, begin by putting one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, before adding a cup of chopped onion. Cook for for seven minutes, before adding mushrooms with the stems trimmed and caps cup in half. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and stir for about four minutes. The recipe then calls for adding carrots to the skillet and covering it for two minutes. After that, add the leftover cooked vegetables, cooked turkey, turkey gravy, and thyme. As you bring the mixture to a boil, season it with salt and pepper and mix in the parsley and thawed green peas. Then pour the mixture into a glass pie dish and wait for it to cool, which will take about 30 minutes. For the next step, gently brush the rim of the pie dish with one large beaten egg and a teaspoon of water. Now that the filling has cooled down, add the pie crust to the top of the filling and fold the edges of the dough. As you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture. Then make three to four small slits in the centre before pressing parsley leaves onto the crust. The pie will bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Casseroles A casserole, whether it’s filled with green beans or sweet potatoes, is a fan-favourite dish for Thanksgiving. But when the holiday is done, why not create your own casserole out of the stuffing and turkey that’s left in the fridge? The Pioneer Woman, also known as foodie Ree Drummond, has one receipe for a casserole called the “Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole”. Luckily, it allows for all the Thanksgiving leftovers to be used in one dish. The ingredients include four cups of stuffing, four cups of chopped turkey, one and one-half cups of green beans, one and one-half cups of gravy, three cups of mashed potatoes, one large egg yolk, one cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese, and cranberry sauce for serving. Before cooking the dish, begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and buttering the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the stuffing into the dish to create a crust for the casserole. From there, layer the turkey and green beans over the stuffing and pour the gravy on top. Combine the egg yolk and mashed potatoes into another bowl, and pour the mixture over the turkey. Once you’ve sprinkled cheese onto the dish, cover it with foil, place it on the third rack of the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes have passed, uncover the dish and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes. After taking the dish out of the oven and letting it cool for 10 minutes, the casserole can be served with cranberry sauce. Sandwiches Whether it’s during a lunch break or at dinner with friends, any type of sandwich makes for a great meal. Instead of buying the lettuce and tomatoes for your usual sandwich, now you have the opportunity to turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into a delectable sandwich. In the recipe for Delish’s “Best Thanksgiving Sandwich” - which makes two sandwiches - the ingredients include two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of Dijon mustard, four slices of toasted sourdough bread, two cups of roasted turkey, half a cup of mashed potatoes, half a cup of cranberry sauce, half a cup of stuffing, one fourth cup of warmed gravy, and one fourth cup of baby spinach. To prepare the sandwich, begin by mixing mayo and mustard into a small bowl and spreading it on one side of the two pieces of bread. Add one cup of turkey, one-fourth cup of mashed potatoes, two tablespoons of cranberry sauce, and one-fourth cup of stuffing onto the bread slices. Finish off each sandwich with two tablespoons of gravy and spinach, before placing the second piece of bread on top - making the ultimate Thanksgiving sandwich. Quiches Although the savoury pastry is typically filled with cheese and meat, make the quiche your own with the help of Thanksgiving leftovers. According to the Food Network, one recipe calls for a nine-inch frozen pie shell. To make the quiche’s filling, assemble one cup of crumbled stuffing, one cup of chopped turkey, one cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, one-fourth cup of parsley leaves, kosher salt and pepper. For the custard in the dish, you’ll need one and one-fourth cups of half and half, three large eggs, one-fourth teaspoon of grated nutmeg, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. To make the quiche, begin by partially baking the empty pie shell without the filling - which you can do by following the directions on the package. Then, create your filling by sprinkling the turkey and stuffing into the pie shell, topping it off with parsley and cheddar. Next, season the dish with salt and pepper. For the custard, mix the half and half, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in one bowl. Finally, pour the mixture over the filling. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it bake for about 35 to 45 minutes. Give the quiche at least 30 minutes to cool, and serve! Read More Don’t throw away Thanksgiving leftovers - here’s what you can do with them Can you make a Thanksgiving dinner in an air fryer? We tried it out Does turkey really make you tired? Best time to host Thanksgiving dinner The Independent high street Christmas sandwich and drink taste test How to decolonize your Thanksgiving dinner in observance of National day of Mourning Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring

With the end of the year almost upon us and before you whip out the advent calendars and dress up the tree, it’s time to answer an all-important question: which Christmas sandwich and drink is best? Every year, supermarket stalwarts like Tesco, Waitrose and Co-op elevate their selections, resurrecting old favourites and introducing new flavour combinations to add a dash of joy to the winter gloom. Meanwhile, treasured working lunch spots like Starbucks and Caffe Nero put forth their best concoctions to keep you in the festive spirit until the holidays. But no one enjoys a sad sandwich or a cold coffee so we’ve done the hard work for you: by taste testing a selection of this year’s Christmas sandwiches and drinks and ranking them out of five. We’ve roped in some of the most discerning palates from The Independent office: editor Geordie Greig, food and drink editor Hannah Twiggs, video producer Harry Pagés and Culture and Lifestyle reporter Maanya Sachdeva. See our live reactions in the video, read our verdicts below and keep checking back as we try as many sandwiches and drinks as is physically possible before Christmas arrives. Sandwiches Co-op’s Christmas Market Sandwich Average rating: 3.75 The Co-op’s Christmas Market Sandwich made its mark with a combination of fried and sliced pork sausage, curry-seasoned cheddar cheese, mayo, cabbage, spinach, gherkins, mustard and black pepper, all nestled between slices of dark rye bread. The panel was mostly impressed. Geordie, with an generous 4, praised the sandwich’s size, appearance and flavours. He found it spicy, wholesome and very filling, and would come back for seconds. Maanya, also giving it a 4, declared this sandwich her favourite. She appreciated the healthier feel with the inclusion of more vegetables than the others and an interesting flavour. She, too, wanted more. Hannah, with a conservative 3.5, said: “This is a good looking sandwich.” While she said it didn’t feel particularly Christmassy, she found the pickle punch from the cabbage and gherkins and the curry-spiked cheese a welcome addition. Harry, initially sceptical, surprised himself by giving it a 3.5. If this is what a Christmas market tastes like, it tastes pretty good. Subway’s V.I.Brie SubMelt Average rating: 3.5 Verdict: The panel’s reactions to Subway’s newest melt, available for a limited time only, were as diverse as the ingredients themselves. Geordie, with an enthusiastic 4.5, described the sub as huge, enticing and delicious. He was impressed by the right balance of fillings and the warmth of the sandwich, and said: “That’s my lunch sorted.” Hannah, a self-declared “cheese fiend”, gave it a more reserved rating of 3, finding that the bacon and cheese didn’t shine as expected and there was an overwhelming amount of caramelised red onion. Maanya, rating it a 3.5, drew a comparison with Starbucks’ entry, noting that the Subway creation was sweeter and felt more decadent. A fan of Subway sandwiches in general, she appreciated this melt’s Christmassy flavour. Harry, coming in at 3 out of 5, thought that the “big boy’s” size alone made it good value for money. “You could knock someone out with that,” he suggested, though we definitely don’t. While he enjoyed the sharp flavour and Christmas theme, he felt that the star ingredient brie was lacking in punch, leaving the name somewhat misleading. Starbucks’ Festive Feast Panini Average rating: 3 Verdict: Starbucks’ Festive Feast Panini, filled with chicken breast, mature cheddar cheese, smoky bacon, pork, bacon and caramelised onion stuffing, cranberry chutney and turkey gravy, has returned for the 2023 Christmas season but was met with mixed reviews from our panel. The sourdough ciabatta panini went down well with Geordie, who handed out a solid 4 for the sandwich’s warm embrace and crisp bread – he’d happily come back for seconds. Maanya, on the other hand, was less impressed. It was “super cheesy” but just “fine” and lacking that Christmas sandwich sparkle. Hannah had high hopes but landed at 2.5, calling it “a bit nothingy” – not a flavour fiesta but the bread was a solid plus. Panini pundit Harry gave it a 4, welcoming the good consistency, generous filling and sauce that hit all the right notes. Asda’s Festive Feast Sandwich Average rating: 2.75 Verdict: Asda’s Festive Feast Sandwich, bringing turkey breast, sausages, smoked bacon, gravy mayo, stuffing and a spread of cranberry chutney to the table, earned mixed reviews from the panel. The sarnie’s highest score was 3.5 from Geordie, who said it “fills a hole” and appreciated the bread but found it a bit too sweet for his taste. Maanya, ranking it 3 out of 5, found it vastly improved after the first bite, with the cranberry giving it a good Thanksgiving or Christmas vibe. Hannah, less than impressed with a 2.5, likened it to the “bog standard” roast dinners you get at school, and found it too heavy on the stuffing. Harry, with a 2, was charmed by its good looks but suggested the cranberry sauce might be masking some shortcomings. Despite having a lot going on, it fell short of his expectations. Waitrose’s Pigs Under Blankets Average rating: 2.5 Verdict: Despite being the sandwich that’s “so good we’ve brought it back”, with pork sausage, smoked bacon, cranberry and redcurrant chutney and mayonnaise in sliced malted bread, Waitrose’s Pigs Under Blankets fell short of our panel’s expectations. Geordie, with a rating of 3, praised its substantial and firm structure but found it a little bland, falling short of becoming his favourite filling. Maanya, more optimistic with a 3.5, expressed excitement for the “pigs under blankets” concept, appreciating its one-dimensional charm, but noting that it was a little bit messy. Perhaps not the best choice for a date. Hannah, surprisingly impressed with a 4, found the sandwich better than expected. She appreciated the flavour of the sausages and the balance of ingredients, a departure from the overwhelming nature of some Christmas sandwiches. Harry, however, with a resounding 1, declared the Waitrose entry “pretty grim”. It didn’t meet the expectations associated with Waitrose, and, in his view, even had the potential to dampen the Christmas spirit. Ouch. Tesco’s Chicken, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce Sub Average rating: 2 Verdict: Tesco’s offering, with chicken breast, sage and onion stuffing, smoked bacon, mayonnaise and cranberry chutney, faced a tough crowd – and our panel didn’t hold back. Geordie, with a rating of 2, felt the sub had an imbalance, with too much bread and not enough filling, leaving it to fall short of the festive mark. Maanya, initially predicting a bready experience, adjusted her expectations with a 2.75. While noting the bread’s softness, she, too, couldn’t get the right bite and found it lacking in festive flair, deeming it “just a normal chicken sandwich”. Hannah, giving it a 1.5, was firmly part of the “nope” camp. The visual appeal didn’t win her over, with a critique on poor proportioning and a congealed, cold filling; nor did the overall taste experience, which she described as “just not good”. Harry, with a rating of 2, asked: what are we even doing here Tesco? The bread wins points for softness, but it sorely needs a flavour overhaul. Drinks Starbucks’ Hazelnut Crunch Hot Chocolate Rating: 4.5 Verdict: The Hazelnut Crunch Hot Chocolate is the only new addition to Starbucks’ festive drinks menu this year. With an ingredients list that includes chocolate flavoured whipped creamy, sprinkled chocolate on top and a hazelnut brittle topping, you might expect it to be too rich or too sweet. But our reviewer Harry described it as “like drinking a Kinder Bueno”. Plenty of nutty and chocolatey flavours and not too much of either. Caffe Nero’s Panettone Latte Rating: 4 Verdict: Do coffee and panettone go together? It’s not an age-old question but it is one Caffe Nero is trying to answer with their Panettone Latte. It went down well with our reviewer Maanya, who described it as “Christmas in a cup”. With cinnamon and plenty of spice, it’s instantly warming and a great addition to the seasonal offerings. Starbucks’ Eggnog Latte Rating: 3 Verdict: Starbucks’ Eggnog Latte is another festive favourite to make a return in 2023. While not an eggnog fan, our reviewer Hannah was pleasantly surprised by its aroma. It was thicker than a normal latte, and “exceptionally sweet”, but if you’d rather swerve the cinnamon and caramel that so often permeate Christmas drinks, this is a good alternative. It could do with some booze in it, though, she added. Caffe Nero’s Millionaire’s Hot Chocolate Rating: 3 Verdict: With salted caramel syrup, chocolate cream and an extra drizzle of caramel, Caffe Nero’s Millionaire’s Hot Chocolate might prove too sickly for even the sweetest of tooths. For our reviewer Hannah, the aroma and flavour didn’t quite nail the brief. It goes big on chocolate, but one too many of these and you’ll have to pay a visit to the dentist. Caffe Nero’s Florentine Mocha Rating: 2 Verdict: Speaking of unusual pairings, do florentine biscuits and mochas go together? According to our reviewer Harry, perhaps not. “That’s a pretty bog standard mocha,” he says of Caffe Nero’s Florentine Mocha. It’s not a bad drink, with salted caramel syrup, panettone syrup, whipped cream and chocolate chips, but it doesn’t feel very Christmassy. The results Of the sandwiches, Co-op’s Christmas Market Sandwich, which brought pops of colour and unusual flavours to the table, was the clear winner. The diverse ingredients tick a lot of boxes and the chunky size means you’re getting bang for you buck. In last place was Tesco’s Chicken, Stuffing and Cranberry Sauce Sub. The reviews ranged from criticising the imbalance of ingredients to a plain “nope”. The panel agreed that it just didn’t have enough festive flair. On drinks, Starbucks’ new Hazelnut Crunch Hot Chocolate was the clear winner, packing in plenty of chocolatey and nutty flavours without overdoing it. Meanwhile, Caffe Nero’s Florentine Mocha is proof that not all flavours are a match made in heaven. This one might keep the sweet tooths happy, but it won’t keep the Christmas vibes going. Read More From a £22 bag of pasta to £28 sandwich – why do they cost so much? How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Three new cookbooks worth buying, from James Martin to the Hairy Bikers Pearly Cow, Margate, restaurant review: Go for the steak, but stay for the potatoes Three authentic Thai recipes to try at home What does Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt cook at home?

Thanksgiving is almost upon us, a time when many Americans gather together to eat turkey and talk about what they’re most thankful for. Growing up in the United States, almost everyone can recall the “First Thanksgiving” story they were told in elementary school: how the local Wampanoag Native Americans sat down with the pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in 1621, in what is now present-day Massachusetts, for a celebratory feast. However, this story is far from the truth - which is why many people opt out of celebrating the controversial holiday. For many Indigenous communities throughout the US, Thanksgiving remains a national day of mourning - a reminder of the devastating genocide and displacement that occurred at the hands of European colonisers following their arrival in the Americas. Every year since 1970, Indigenous people and their allies have even gathered near Plymouth Rock to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on the day of Thanksgiving. “Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the erasure of Native cultures,” states the official website for the United American Indians of New England. “Participants in National Day of Mourning honour Indigenous ancestors and Native resilience. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection, as well as a protest against the racism and oppression that Indigenous people continue to experience worldwide.” This year, the 54th annual National Day of Mourning takes place on 23 November - the same day as Thanksgiving. While not everyone can support the event in person, there are still many ways people can raise awareness toward issues affecting Indigenous communities from wherever they are - by “decolonising” their Thanksgiving dinner. Decolonisation can be defined as the active resistance against settler colonialism and a shifting of power towards Indigenous sovereignty. Of course, it’s difficult to define decolonisation without putting it into practice, writes Eve Tuck and K Wayne Yang in their essay, Decolonization Is Not a Metaphor. Rather, one of the most radical and necessary moves toward decolonisation requires imagining and enacting a future for Indigenous peoples - a future based on terms of their own making. Matt Hooley is an assistant professor in the department of Native American and Indigenous Studies at Dartmouth College, where he teaches about US colonial powers and Indigenous cultural production. “Decolonisation is a beautiful and difficult political horizon that should guide our actions everyday, including during holidays like Thanksgiving,” he tells The Independent. “Of course, Thanksgiving is a particularly relevant holiday to think about decolonisation because the way many people celebrate it involves connecting ‘the family’ to a colonial myth in which colonialism is inaccurately imagined as a peaceful event in the past.” By decolonising our Thanksgiving, we can celebrate the holiday with new traditions that honour a future in which Indigenous people are celebrated. This year, we can start by understanding the real history behind Thanksgiving as told by actual Indigenous communities. While Americans mainly dedicate one day a year to give thanks, Indigenous communities express gratitude every day with the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address - often called: “The words that come before all else.” The Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address is the central prayer and invocation for the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, which comprises the Six Nations - Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, and Tuscarora. When one recites the Thanksgiving Address, they’re giving thanks for all life and the natural world around them. According to Hooley, one of the most straightforward actions people can take to decolonise their Thanksgiving includes supporting Indigenous land acknowledgments and land back movements. Land back is an ongoing Indigenous-led movement which seeks to return ancestral lands to Indigenous people and the recognition of Indigenous sovereignty. While the movement is nowhere near new, it received international attention in 2016 during protests against the Dakota Access Pipeline - which continues to disrupt land and water sources belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. This year, sit down with family and friends to discuss an action plan and highlight the concrete steps you plan on taking to support Indigenous communities. “Another, even simpler way would be to begin participating in what’s called a ‘Voluntary Land Tax,’ whereby non-Indigenous people contribute a recurring tax to the tribal communities whose land you occupy,” said Hooley. Food is perhaps the most important part of the Thanksgiving holiday, with turkey, stuffing, and mashed potatoes taking center stage. However, there are many ways we can make sure our dinner tables honour Indigenous futurisms too. Donald A Grinde, Jr is a professor emeritus in the department of Africana and American Studies at the University at Buffalo. Grinde - who is a member of the Yamassee Nation - tells The Independent that crops such as corn, beans, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes are central to Indigenous history and future. “A good thing is to be thankful for the abundance in the fall and note that Native people created over 60 per cent of modern agricultural crops,” he said. “People can be thankful for the crops that Native people created, medicines created, and traditions about democracy, women’s rights and environmental rights.” Rather than buying food from major corporations this year, Hooly also recommended people consciously source their Thanksgiving dinner from Indigenous producers. “Industrial agriculture is one of the most devastating contributors to the destruction of land and water everywhere, including on Indigenous land,” he said. “Instead of buying food grown or made by colonial corporations, people could buy their food from Indigenous producers, or even simply make a greater effort to buy locally grown food or not to buy meat harvested from industrial farms.” Thanksgiving is just a day away. While it’s important that we’re actively working toward highlighting Indigenous communities on this special holiday, decolonisation efforts are something that should be done year-round. “People can also learn about political priorities of the Indigenous communities near them and support those priorities by speaking to their representatives, participating in a protest, or by making sure that their local school and library boards are including Indigenous texts in local community education,” Hooley said. Read More I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring I made an air fryer Thanksgiving dinner so you don’t have to From turkey sandwiches to casseroles: What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring

Thanksgiving feasts are about to begin, but there’s one important thing to consider when the holiday is done: What do you do with all the leftovers? Thursday is just one day away and many Americans are already in planning mode, from buying the turkey to decorating their home for guests. While much of the work begins on Thanksgiving morning, with the fast-paced schedule of cooking dinner, perhaps an even bigger task is trying to finish all the servings of stuffing, turkey, green bean casserole, steamed vegetables, and pies that were leftover from Thanksgiving. Some people may opt to eat their leftovers separately, but why not combine all the Thanksgiving food to create an even bigger dish? Here are five fun meals you can create with your Thanksgiving leftovers this year. Turkey Soup The cold months are fast approaching, so a warm bowl of soup is perfect comfort food for the winter. Begin this dish by bringing your broth to a boil and adding in different seasonings, such as salt and pepper. Then, spice up your soup by adding some of your Thanksgiving leftovers. According to Martha Stewart, one simple recipe for turkey soup calls for eight cups of turkey stock – which can be made with turkey bones and water. Then add one and a half cups of shredded cooked turkey leftover from Thanksgiving, as well as leftover vegetables and seasonings used to cook for the holida - lemon wedges, chopped dill, three small carrots, salt, and pepper. The recipe also calls for one non-Thanksgiving-related ingredient: three dried wide egg noodles. After the stock has been seasoned, add the noodles and carrots and return the pot to a boil. Then reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are “tender” and the noodles are “al dente”, which will take about four minutes. Stir in the cooked turkey and let it simmer for about a minute, before sprinkling dill and serving the soup with a lemon wedge on the side. Pot pies A beloved pot pie dish usually consists of meat cooked inside a flaky pastry. However, this pot pie doesn’t necessarily have to be filled with chicken or veggies, as you can instead make the savoury meal with the help of some leftovers. One recipe from Bon Appetit - called the “Leftover-Turkey Pot Pie” - includes a range of Thanksgiving foods, such as half a cup of leftover vegetables, one and one-half cups of cooked turkey, one and one-fourth cups of turkey gravy, and the optional cranberry sauce for serving. Other ingredients include one tablespoon of unsalted butter; one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil; one cup of chopped onion; six ounces of button mushrooms; kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; one cup of thinly sliced, peeled carrots; one teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme; one-fourth cup of thawed, frozen green peas; one tablespoon of chopped, fresh Italian parsley; one large egg white; one nine-inch pie crust and all-purpose flour. For cooking, begin by putting one tablespoon of butter and one tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, before adding a cup of chopped onion. Cook for for seven minutes, before adding mushrooms with the stems trimmed and caps cup in half. Sprinkle some salt and pepper and stir for about four minutes. The recipe then calls for adding carrots to the skillet and covering it for two minutes. After that, add the leftover cooked vegetables, cooked turkey, turkey gravy, and thyme. As you bring the mixture to a boil, season it with salt and pepper and mix in the parsley and thawed green peas. Then pour the mixture into a glass pie dish and wait for it to cool, which will take about 30 minutes. For the next step, gently brush the rim of the pie dish with one large beaten egg and a teaspoon of water. Now that the filling has cooled down, add the pie crust to the top of the filling and fold the edges of the dough. As you preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, brush the top of the pie with the egg mixture. Then make three to four small slits in the centre before pressing parsley leaves onto the crust. The pie will bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Casseroles A casserole, whether it’s filled with green beans or sweet potatoes, is a fan-favourite dish for Thanksgiving. But when the holiday is done, why not create your own casserole out of the stuffing and turkey that’s left in the fridge? The Pioneer Woman, also known as foodie Ree Drummond, has one receipe for a casserole called the “Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole”. Luckily, it allows for all the Thanksgiving leftovers to be used in one dish. The ingredients include four cups of stuffing, four cups of chopped turkey, one and one-half cups of green beans, one and one-half cups of gravy, three cups of mashed potatoes, one large egg yolk, one cup of shredded Monterey jack cheese, and cranberry sauce for serving. Before cooking the dish, begin by preheating the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and buttering the bottom and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Add the stuffing into the dish to create a crust for the casserole. From there, layer the turkey and green beans over the stuffing and pour the gravy on top. Combine the egg yolk and mashed potatoes into another bowl, and pour the mixture over the turkey. Once you’ve sprinkled cheese onto the dish, cover it with foil, place it on the third rack of the oven, and bake for about 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes have passed, uncover the dish and cook for another 20 to 25 minutes. After taking the dish out of the oven and letting it cool for 10 minutes, the casserole can be served with cranberry sauce. Sandwiches Whether it’s during a lunch break or at dinner with friends, any type of sandwich makes for a great meal. Instead of buying the lettuce and tomatoes for your usual sandwich, now you have the opportunity to turn your Thanksgiving leftovers into a delectable sandwich. In the recipe for Delish’s “Best Thanksgiving Sandwich” - which makes two sandwiches - the ingredients include two tablespoons of mayonnaise, one tablespoon of Dijon mustard, four slices of toasted sourdough bread, two cups of roasted turkey, half a cup of mashed potatoes, half a cup of cranberry sauce, half a cup of stuffing, one fourth cup of warmed gravy, and one fourth cup of baby spinach. To prepare the sandwich, begin by mixing mayo and mustard into a small bowl and spreading it on one side of the two pieces of bread. Add one cup of turkey, one-fourth cup of mashed potatoes, two tablespoons of cranberry sauce, and one-fourth cup of stuffing onto the bread slices. Finish off each sandwich with two tablespoons of gravy and spinach, before placing the second piece of bread on top - making the ultimate Thanksgiving sandwich. Quiches Although the savoury pastry is typically filled with cheese and meat, make the quiche your own with the help of Thanksgiving leftovers. According to the Food Network, one recipe calls for a nine-inch frozen pie shell. To make the quiche’s filling, assemble one cup of crumbled stuffing, one cup of chopped turkey, one cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese, one-fourth cup of parsley leaves, kosher salt and pepper. For the custard in the dish, you’ll need one and one-fourth cups of half and half, three large eggs, one-fourth teaspoon of grated nutmeg, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. To make the quiche, begin by partially baking the empty pie shell without the filling - which you can do by following the directions on the package. Then, create your filling by sprinkling the turkey and stuffing into the pie shell, topping it off with parsley and cheddar. Next, season the dish with salt and pepper. For the custard, mix the half and half, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in one bowl. Finally, pour the mixture over the filling. Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and let it bake for about 35 to 45 minutes. Give the quiche at least 30 minutes to cool, and serve! Read More Five delicious dishes to make using your Thanksgiving leftovers Can you make a Thanksgiving dinner in an air fryer? We tried it out Does turkey really make you tired? Best time to host Thanksgiving dinner How to decolonize your Thanksgiving dinner in observance of National day of Mourning Slandering mayonnaise doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner

I haven’t turned on my oven since I was given an air fryer three Christmases ago. This may seem unbelievable, but, living in New York City, where the kitchens are closet-sized and a dishwasher is the thing of dreams, it’s a reality I’ve become resigned to. In the last three years, my air fryer hasn’t let me down once, whether it be cooking salmon or zucchini fries. If anything, I’d say I’ve become a better cook because of its existence. Because I love my air fryer more than anything, or at least more than any other kitchen appliance, I happily offered to host a Friendsgiving dinner this year for my nearest and dearest. After all, armed with my miniature oven, I’d be able to whip a traditional feast up in no time. To my dismay, after I’d informed my friends (all three of them) of my planned cooking method, they all decided to cancel. One was more upfront about it, citing a fear of salmonella, while the other two suddenly remembered conflicting plans. I wasn’t deterred. Thanksgiving is my favourite holiday, and I am one of the few people who actually loves Thanksgiving food. Is there anything better than smothering a plate of beige foods with beige gravy? This air fryer Friendsgiving would be a dinner of one. After deciding on the menu, I headed to the grocery store, where I picked up a teeny, tiny Cornish hen as a turkey replacement, a sweet potato and some mini marshmallows, a can of crescent rolls, seasoned bread crumbs and chicken stock for stuffing, Brussels sprouts, gravy, pumpkin pie filling for a premade pie crust, and some tinfoil. I felt like a TikTok chef, ready to be the star. My first mistake, of which there would end up being many, was timing, as I didn’t consider exactly how long this dinner would take if I were air-frying all of the components separately. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what I did. If you do embark on a similar journey, I’d say this is the most important thing to consider. Like any other Thanksgiving meal, creating a spreadsheet of what needs to go into the oven when would have helped immensely. At 6pm, I promptly set out on my dinner preparation. By 6.15pm, I was bleeding and covered in BBQ sauce after a jar fell out of my cupboard and smashed on my kitchen floor while I was reaching for spices to season my chicken - a step I recommend avoiding. My faith in my ability to successfully make this meal had already begun to wane. Despite the setback, I seasoned my chicken and plopped it in the air fryer breast down, as recommended by a recipe I found online. According to the instructions, I was to set the air fryer at a temperature of 380F for 20 minutes, and then flip the chicken and cook it for an additional 10 minutes. When the 30 minutes were up, I opened my air fryer with glee to find a perfectly crispy chicken. I was beyond impressed with myself. If I could make this mini Thanksgiving main course, I could make anything. As it turns out, the mediocrely cooked chicken was the extent of my good luck, and even that was pushing it. When it came to the stuffing, which I decided to make next, the air fryer turned it nearly as hard as rocks when the recipe instructions promised it would come out a golden brown. The pieces that weren’t hard enough to crack my teeth were somewhat tasty though, so I’d say that was almost a win. The sweet potato, which was meant to be sweet potato casserole, proved to be one of the biggest disappointments of the meal, with me solely to blame. Although I’m not sure exactly how I would have cooked canned yams for the base of the dish in the air fryer, attempting to cook a rock-solid sweet potato didn’t work either. By the end of 30 minutes at the highest temperature, my potato was still mostly raw. I finally just covered it with marshmallows, which crisped up nicely in the air fryer, and called it a day. If you are going to follow my lead, I do think canned yams would make more sense, or at least cutting up the sweet potato into smaller chunks so it takes less time to cook. The Brussels sprouts were, thankfully, easy to make in the air fryer, and one of the only components that didn’t turn out completely terrible. It turns out it’s pretty hard to mess up Brussels sprouts, even for the worst chefs among us. I’d even go as far as to say this is a quality replacement for a true, oven-roasted Thanksgiving side, and a way to cut down cooking time on the actual holiday. I assumed the most foolproof part of the meal would be the crescent rolls, which looked nearly perfect when I took them out of the air fryer, where they’d cooked for a mere six minutes on a bed of foil. Unfortunately, my first eager bite resulted in a mouthful of raw dough. As someone who has relied so frequently on my air fryer for sustenance, I was both surprised and disheartened by the massive failure the endeavour was turning out to be. By this time, after an hour and a half of going at it, I had just two components left: gravy, which I confidently assured myself I could heat in the air fryer, and a miniature, makeshift pumpkin pie that I’d made. After creating a little gravy boat from tin foil, which I assured myself was safe to put in the air fryer, I poured the premade gravy in and wished for the best. After five minutes, during which I’d stopped to stir the goopy mixture, I removed the gravy to find that, for all intents and purposes, it had worked. The gravy was lukewarm, which seemed like a win. However, a quick taste test proved that it was one of the grossest accompaniments I’d ever tried, but I’m unsure whether this was due to error on my part or Whole Foods. At this point, at 8pm, I plated my Thanksgiving air fryer meal. And, to my surprise, it looked absolutely perfect. It was one of the most beautiful meals I’d ever made myself, and looked like it would be at home on any Thanksgiving table. My pride slowly seeped out with each bite, however, as I gave the meal an overall rating of two out of 10. The chicken that I’d so painstakingly seasoned and then flipped? Both extremely crispy and dry, while also a concerning colour of light pink. I ate a leg before I reminded myself that I didn’t have time to get sick from salmonella this holiday season. I moved onto the sweet potato, which had hardened on top from the marshmallows and, it turns out, was not even a little cooked inside. I ate the marshmallows, but begrudgingly. Fortunately, the edges of the crescent rolls were cooked enough to be edible, so I nibbled on those while I contemplated whether or not pouring the disgusting gravy on top of the rock-hard stuffing would make it more palatable. I sat in disappointed silence as I ate my Brussels sprouts, which are obviously the worst part of any Thanksgiving meal, but which were the only edible part of mine. As for the pie, I put it in the air fryer to cook while I ate my dinner, only to be too concerned by the pie tin setting on fire, or worse, ruining my air fryer, and removing it while still raw. My air fryer Thanksgiving dinner was disgusting and time-consuming and, ultimately, inedible. But, did I have fun? Also no. If you do follow in my footsteps, maybe pick just one Thanksgiving component to air fry, such as the vegetables, or a turkey breast, rather than an entire bird. With a day to go before Thanksgiving, I’ve travelled home, where I will happily enjoy a Thanksgiving feast made in an oven. Read More Mayo slander doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner Three easy cranberry sauce recipes to try this Thanksgiving Mayo slander doesn’t make you a foodie – it makes you boring Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner Three easy cranberry sauce recipes to try this Thanksgiving

As if to prove a point, I am sitting in front of my computer, typing with one hand and dipping chicken nuggets into mayonnaise with the other. Admittedly, it’s not even the good stuff – it’s M&S-branded mayonnaise, which is fine but certainly no substitute for a delicious Hellman’s. But to me, all mayonnaise, even not-very-good-mayonnaise, is the good stuff. This might come as a surprise. As a food writer, I’m often expected to rise above the simple condiments. The circles I run in, usually full of food lovers and taste-makers, tend to decry mayonnaise, which pains me. “God, I hate mayo,” some of them proclaim. This happened to me not long ago while getting chips at Wetherspoons, as if we were even eating at some sort of paragon of British cuisine. “Mayonnaise is boring!” they shout. “It’s got no flavour! It looks gross!” I cringe because I was about to help myself to the squeezy bottle. I’ve often felt embarrassed by my love for this apparently bland condiment. When the people around me make announcements about the awfulness of mayonnaise, I wonder if my reputation as a gastronome will be tarnished by the sizeable dollop I like to add to the side of my plate. But I’ve noticed a pattern of late, and it’s time to address it: the people who shout obnoxiously about hating mayonnaise are usually white people who are self-described “foodies”, which is perhaps one of the cringiest words of the 21st century. And I’ve had it. I think it’s self-loathing, really. The same white people who decry mayonnaise see themselves in its milky complexion and feel the need to prove that they are different – exotic, even. Maybe it’s even a way of distancing themselves from the proverbial sins of their fathers. But mayo slander won’t give you a blank slate to reinvent yourself. In fact, it’s been unfairly vilified as plain and dull for too long. It’s one of the UK’s favourite condiments – second only to ketchup – for good reason, and has far more potential than we give it credit for. How do I love thee, mayonnaise? Let me count the ways. Firstly, the way it’s made is pure magic. Eggs? Oil? White vinegar? Lemon? As they are, they don’t really make any sense. But blending them somehow creates a smooth, thick, creamy emulsion. Who on earth discovered this? There are numerous legends about how mayonnaise was first invented; some food historians say it was the French, others point to the Spanish. The sauce can be traced back to 1756, and has gone through many iterations before arriving as the eggy, almost jelly-like substance we know today. The other thing I love about mayonnaise is how versatile it is. You can mix it with just about anything – this is something Heinz does with abandon, selling varieties like Mayomust (mayo and mustard) and Mayocue (mayo and barbecue sauce). I draw the line at some of the brand’s more Frankenstein-esque creations – monstrosities such as Creme Egg mayo and hot cross bun mayo. Some things are better left alone. But mayonnaise mixed with other savoury condiments is revelatory, one of my favourites being sriracha mayo. I would highly recommend making your own mixes, as this lets you decide on a ratio that works for you and means you won’t have to stoop so low as to buy anything labelled “Mayoracha”. Mayonnaise also has far more uses than just dipping. You could mix it with ketchup to make a thousand island dressing for salad (although maybe don’t check any calorie counts if you do this… I certainly don’t). One of the best tips I’ve ever been given is to spread a thin layer of mayonnaise instead of butter over the outside of your cheese toasties before grilling them – the fat in the mayonnaise and its uber-spreadable texture will help you achieve an even browning all over the bread. It has non-food uses, too. You can use mayonnaise, for example, to marinade chicken, which yields tender, juicy meat with loads of flavour. Finally, trying different types of mayonnaise from other countries has been quite an adventure for me. Japanese mayonnaise – my utmost favourite – is tangier due to the use of rice vinegar, as well as more unctuous in texture than regular mayonnaise. I squeeze squiggles of it over scrambled eggs, freshly steamed rice, fried chicken, anything. Dutch mayonnaise is richer and more flavourful, which makes dipping chips into it feel quite luxurious. While I have yet to try Russian mayonnaise, I imagine it is just wonderful, considering Russia is the only market in Europe that sells more mayonnaise than ketchup. My love for mayonnaise knows no bounds. Well, there are some bounds; I wouldn’t choose to emulate Kingsman star Taron Egerton, who once told the Off Menu podcast he spreads mayonnaise on his pizza like butter on a slice of bread. That’s taking things a bit too far. And I won’t touch any sweet mayonnaise atrocities. But I urge anyone who’s ever uttered the words “I hate mayonnaise” to give it another chance. Especially if you’re white. Reclaim your condiment! As for me, I’m done with being embarrassed about loving mayo. In fact, I’m off to buy more. Read More Best wines to pair with Thanksgiving dinner Three easy cranberry sauce recipes to try this Thanksgiving Vegetarian and vegan alternatives to classic Thanksgiving recipes

This is the best time of year to discover new recipes. As the days get shorter and colder, a glossy new cookbook – and all the food-related inspiration that comes with it – can be just the thing you need. And there are plenty of new releases to sink your teeth into – whether you want to transport yourself to a sunnier country, settle down with some comfort food – or even get a head start on Christmas shopping. Some of the biggest names in food – including chef and former Saturday Kitchen presenter James Martin, BBC stalwarts the Hairy Bikers, and cult restaurateur Russell Norman – have new cookbooks out – and this is what you can expect from each of them. 1. ‘James Martin’s Spanish Adventure’ by James Martin If you were captivated by James Martin’s 20-part ITV series taking a culinary tour around Spain – from the Michelin-starred restaurants of San Sebastian to the local markets of Santiago de Compostela – you’ll want to pick up the accompanying cookbook. One of Martin’s favourite areas in the country is Toledo, “a special ancient city right in the middle of Spain”, he notes. “It’s famous for great produce including game, saffron, honey, olive oil, garlic and the list goes on.” Yorkshire-born Martin says he first fell in love with Spanish food when he came to London as a young chef, and wanted to dedicate this book to the cuisine because he “wanted people to know about the people, the fantastic variety of landscapes, and the spectacular produce available”, he says. “They have the best markets in Europe and the range of ingredients is fabulous – the seafood, the meat, the vegetables and the fruit.” In the cookbook, Martin highlights that Spanish cuisine is far more than just paella and sangria. There are plenty of recipes for traditional dishes – including tapas bites, croquetas, empanadas, Seville pork with patatas bravas and burnt Basque cheesecake – as well as classic Spanish ingredients (such as chorizo, olives and plenty of seafood). While Spain is predominantly known for meat and fish, Martin also shows some of the beautiful ways the country uses vegetables too – such as a dish for deep-fried aubergines drizzled with honey and served with a tomato sauce, and salt-baked celeriac with new potatoes and salsa. Valencia beans and red prawns “Located on the east coast, the 2,000-year-old city of Valencia boasts wide sandy beaches, striking architecture, a buzzing food scene and culture,” says Martin. “It has its own language (a dialect of Catalan) and unique cuisine, with a focus on rice, seafood and meat. This dish showcases red prawns on a bed of white beans and vegetables.” Serves: 2 Ingredients: 75ml olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 2 garlic cloves, chopped 1 onion, diced ¼ leek, diced ½ carrot, peeled and diced ¼ green pepper, cored, deseeded and diced 3 bay leaves 2 whole smoked chilli peppers (or a pinch of chilli flakes) 300g cooked butter beans Splash of white wine Small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped 8 red prawns, split lengthways Sea salt Method: 1. If you want to use a BBQ, heat a BBQ until hot and the coals are white. 2. Heat a medium paella pan and, when hot, add the oil, then add the garlic, all the vegetables, the bay leaves and the smoked peppers. Cook for two to three minutes, then stir in the beans, 50 millilitres of water and the wine and cook for three to four minutes. Season with salt and finish with the parsley. 3. Meanwhile, pop the prawns onto the BBQ, drizzle with oil and season with salt, then cook for two to three minutes until charred, turning once or twice. Alternatively, grill on high for three to four minutes. 4. To serve, remove the smoked peppers (if using) from the beans and then pile the prawns on top of the beans and drizzle with extra olive oil if desired. ‘James Martin’s Spanish Adventure’ by James Martin (Quadrille, £27) 2. ‘The Hairy Bikers’ Ultimate Comfort Food’ by Si King and Dave Myers It’s hard to believe Dave Myers and Si King – otherwise known as the Hairy Bikers – have been on our screens for nearly two decades, with their first BBC show airing in 2004. They’ve written plenty of cookbooks over the years – dedicated to everything from Mediterranean food to curries – and their latest is all about comfort food. In the introduction, the duo think back to what comfort food meant to them growing up – for Myers, it’s a classic chip butty, and King picks out his mother’s curries and casseroles. British classics like these permeate the book – including beef and barley stew, sausage rolls and lemon drizzle cake – but there’s a definite international flavour, with dishes inspired by Myers and King’s travels all over the world. Think soba noodles with miso mushrooms, Szechuan lamb bao buns, chipotle prawn tacos and more. While comfort food might make you think of heavy, rich dishes you want to curl up in the winter with – and those recipes are represented – there’s also a wider picture of ‘comfort’ and what it means throughout the year. Lighter recipes such as the teriyaki chicken salad and Spanish-style roasted vegetables with halloumi will bring just as much joy in the summertime. Chocolate eclairs “Possibly everyone’s top teatime pleasure, eclairs are a bit of work, but are so worth it,” say Myers and King. “Just picture yourself biting into that beautiful choux pastry filled with cream and spread with chocolate.” Makes: about 8-12 Ingredients: For the choux pastry: 115g plain flour 100g butter 2 tsp caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt 3 eggs, well beaten 1 tbsp icing sugar For the filling: 300ml double cream 1 tbsp icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract For the chocolate glaze: 100g dark chocolate (or 50g dark chocolate and 50g milk chocolate) 50g whipping cream 50g butter 25g golden syrup Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking parchment. Sift the flour on to another piece of baking parchment. 2. Put the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a pan with 225 millilitres of water and a generous pinch of salt. Heat gently until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, then turn up the heat until the mixture is boiling. Remove the pan from the heat. 3. Pull up the sides of the baking parchment and slide the flour into the butter and sugar mixture. Stir the flour into the wet ingredients to form a thick paste which should come away from the sides of the pan in one solid mass. Put the pan back over a gentle heat and continue stirring with a wooden spoon for two or three minutes, until the mixture is slightly steaming and leaves a floury residue on the base of the pan. 4. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes, then beat for a couple of minutes more. You can then transfer the dough to a stand mixer or use electric beaters if you prefer. You will see steam escape from the dough at this point. Keep beating until the steam has subsided. 5. Gradually work in the eggs, just a couple of tablespoons at a time, until you have a thick glossy dough – it needs to be quite stiff and firm enough for you to draw your finger through it without the sides falling back in. The dough initially breaks up a lot, but eventually it will come together again. 6. Fit a large star or plain round nozzle into a piping bag and scoop the dough into the bag. If you don’t have a nozzle, simply snip off the end of the bag off – the hole should be about 2.5cm wide. 7. Pipe tiny amounts of the dough under the corners of the baking parchment on the trays to keep the parchment in place. For large eclairs, pipe eight lines of dough, as evenly as possible, on to the baking trays, making each one about 15cm long. To make sure they don’t spread to an oval shape, pipe them slightly wider at each end. To make slightly smaller eclairs, pipe 12 lines of about 10cm long. Wet your fingers and smooth out the ends of the eclairs if peaks have formed. If you haven’t used a star nozzle, run a fork along the length of each one. 8. Dust the eclairs with the icing sugar – this will help them darken and crisp up in the oven. Bake for 25 minutes by which time they should have formed a crust. Use a skewer to poke holes in each end of the eclairs so steam can escape from their centres, then continue to bake for another eight to 10 minutes. Turn the oven off and leave the door ajar. Leave the eclairs in the oven for about half an hour – this will help make sure they are crisp all the way through. 9. To make the filling, whip the cream until it is stiff, then fold in the icing sugar and vanilla extract. Chill for half an hour. 10. For the glaze, put the chocolate, cream, butter and golden syrup into a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Melt together gently to make a fairly thin ganache. 11. To fill the eclairs, cut three holes in the base of each one. Fill a piping bag with the cream and pipe it into the holes. Squeeze the eclairs lightly – they should feel nicely full. Dip each filled eclair in the chocolate glaze – this gives a much better coverage than trying to spread it – then leave them in the fridge to set. These are best eaten on the same day they are made as the pastry will eventually soften, but they will keep for up to 48 hours. ‘The Hairy Bikers: Ultimate Comfort Food’ by Si King and Dave Myers (Seven Dials, £25) 3. ‘Brutto’ by Russell Norman Russell Norman’s debut cookbook, Polpo, won the Inaugural Waterstones Book of the Year back in 2012, and anything the London restaurateur has done since has always been hotly anticipated. For his latest cookbook, Norman has turned his sights on Florence. Named after one of his London restaurants, “brutto” is the Italian word for ugly, and references the Italian expression, “brutto ma buono” – ugly but good. Tuscan cuisine is known for meat, offal, game and beans, Norman explains in the introduction – and these are all represented in the cookbook, albeit with a few more veggie options than you might seen in a traditional Florentine kitchen. You’ll learn a lot about food in Florence from Brutto – such as the city’s passion for wine bars, where antipasti such as coccoli (fried dough balls served with prosciutto and soft cheese) and deep-fried courgette flowers are served. Some of the recipes are Italian classics you’ll know about – such as tagliatelle with ragu and asparagus risotto – and others are more unusual, deeper dives into Italian cuisine – think Florentine-style fried chicken or an oven-baked spinach dish cooked with eggs, cream, Parmesan and a dash of nutmeg. Tuscan food is largely known as peasant food – meaning it’s relatively cheap and easy to make, while still being packed full of flavour. Spinach and ricotta dumplings “Gnudi translates as ‘naked’, as these little dumplings are the most nude and simple form of homemade pasta you can make,” says Norman. “The combination of spinach and ricotta is a very traditional marriage and appears in much of the pasta of the region, in ravioli and crespelle for example. It’s a very satisfying process, and easy enough for children to help with in the kitchen if you want to encourage an early interest in Italian cooking for little chefs.” Serves: 4 Ingredients: 500g baby spinach leaves, washed 50g ‘00’ flour 250g ricotta 1 large free-range egg, beaten 150g grated parmesan Flaky sea salt Black pepper ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 250g semolina 100g butter A large handful of sage leaves Method: 1. Steam the spinach for three minutes over a large pan of boiling water. Thoroughly drain and squeeze to remove the excess water, then chop the leaves finely. Set aside. 2. Mix the flour with the ricotta in a large bowl until it resembles lumpy breadcrumbs. Stir in the egg and two-thirds of the Parmesan. Add a pinch of salt, a twist of black pepper, the nutmeg and then add the spinach. Combine thoroughly with a wooden spoon or with your hands. 3. Put half the semolina into a bowl and shake the rest on to a baking sheet or a tray. Take small lumps of the flour, egg and spinach mixture and form them into small balls by rolling them between your palms, to the size of large olives. Turn each ball through the bowl of semolina, then place on the tray you’ve prepared with the rest of the semolina. When finished, you should have 24–30 little balls. 4. Fill a very large pan with water and bring to a rolling boil. Place the gnudi in the boiling water as quickly as possible, bringing it back to the boil on the highest heat, and continue to simmer for about three minutes. 5. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter and add the sage leaves. When it bubbles, reduce to a very low heat. This should take no more than two minutes, while the gnudi are cooking. 6. The gnudi will float to the surface when they are ready. Turn off the heat, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain the excess water on kitchen paper. Place on four warmed plates, pour the butter and sage over the top, then evenly distribute the remaining Parmesan. Add a flourish of black pepper. ‘Brutto’ by Russell Norman (Ebury Press, £32) Read More From a £22 bag of pasta to £28 sandwich – why do they cost so much? How to host a dinner party for under £2 per portion Pearly Cow, Margate, restaurant review: Go for the steak, but stay for the potatoes Three authentic Thai recipes to try at home What does Saturday Kitchen’s Matt Tebbutt cook at home? Three recipes that prove traditional Irish food is better than you think