Celebrity chef Clodagh McKenna shares some of her all-time favourite Chrsitmas recipes and sorts us out for the main event
ROAST PORK STUFFED WITH APPLE, CHERRY & SAGE WITH APPLE JUS AND APPLE CRISPS
Serves 6
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
For the pork & stuffing:
1.5 kg boneless loin of pork
50g butter, melted
200g cooking apples, diced
60 dried cherries, roughly chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
4 sage leaves, finely chopped
40g Panko breadcrumbs
For the Apple Jus:
1kg cooking apples, peeled, cored and roughly chopped
2 tbsp caster sugar
50g butter
For the Apple Crisps:
2 cooking apples
50g ground cinnamon
WHAT TO DO:
> In a large bowl combine apples, cherries, red onion, sage, breadcrumbs, melted butter. Season with salt and pepper and mix well.
> Butterfly the pork loin by making a slit down its length, cutting just deep enough so that the loin opens up to lie flat like a book. Do not cut all the way through. Spoon the stuffing mixture and spread evenly onto the meat. Close up the loin and, using strings, tie at even intervals so it assumes its original shape. Push in any stuffing that escapes from the ends.
> Heat oven to 240c. Rub the joint all over with salt and pepper and place in a roasting tray. Cook for 25 mins, then turn to 180c and cook for 20 mins per 450g.
> For the apple jus - put the apples, sugar and butter in a pan. Cover and cook gently, stirring every so often, for 15-20 minutes, until the apples start to disintegrate. Once the pork is cooked, pour about 100ml of the cooking juices into the apples and stir.
> To make the apple crisps, core the apples and slice very thin slices through the middle of the apple (1-2mm thick). Dust with cinnamon and lay flat on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
> Cook in a pre-heated oven at 180oC for 45 mins – 1 hour, turning halfway through and removing any crisps that have turned brown.
> Continue cooking until the apples have dried out and are light golden.
CORK SPICED BEEF WITH BEETROOT AND HORSERADISH
Serves 10
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
3kg rump of beef, topside or silver side
80g brown sugar
20g allspice berries
20g black peppercorns
20g juniper berries
1 teaspoon of nutmeg, grated
15g cloves
15g salt petre
50g sea salt
1 turnip, peeled and roughly chopped
WHAT TO DO:
> Firstly prepare the beef by trimming any excess fat off.
> Rub the sugar well into the beef, place in a bowl and leave in the fridge for 12 hours.
> The following day, grind together the remaining spices and salt. Then rub the spice and salt mixture over the meat and leave it for 6-7 days in the fridge, turning daily.
> After the beef has be marinating for 7 days place the beef and the turnip in a large, heavy-based saucepan and cover with cold water.
Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 2 hours. Transfer to a serving dish and leave to cool. Serve cold.
SALTED CARAMEL WHISKEY BREAD AND BUTTER PUDDING WITH RAISINS AND APPLES
Serves 6
WHAT YOU'LL NEED:
100g raisins
120ml Irish whiskey
5 large eggs
480ml double cream
225g granulated sugar
1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 to 9 slices firm white bread, crusts left on
400g Irish butter at room temperature
400g cooking apples, peeled, cored and slices
For the salted caramel sauce
110g unsalted butter, cut up into pieces
225g granulated sugar
1 dessertspoon sea salt
600ml cream
WHAT TO DO:
> Pre-heat the oven to 200oC/400F/Gas 6
> To make the pudding: In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the raisins and whiskey and leave to soak for one hour. Butter a 9-inch square nonreactive baking dish.
> In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla to make a custard. Spread one side of each slice of bread with butter. Cut the slices in half diagonally and arrange half the bread in the bottom of the baking dish, overlapping the slices with slices of apple. Drain the raisins and sprinkle half over the bread. Repeat with the remaining bread and raisins. Pour the custard over the bread and let it soak for 30 minutes.
> Place the baking dish in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the pudding is set and the top is golden. Remove the baking dish from the water bath and let cool slightly on the wire rack.
> To make the salted caramel sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the sugar, sea salt and cream. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens. Serve the pudding warm with the salted caramel sauce spooned over each portion.
Clodagh McKenna has a YouTube channel where she shares recipes with her fans every Thursday. For winter, she's focusing on seasonal produce and warming suppers. See ClodaghMcKenna.com.
You might also like: Recipe - Rachel Allen's Chocolate Pavlova with salted caramel sauce
