Christmas Pasta With Winter Ratatouille

Christmas Pasta With Winter Ratatouille

James Martin shows you a quick and simple way to serve this ever-popular dish.

Each serving provides 715 k cal, 20 g protein, 132 g carbohydrate (of which 31 g sugars), 9 g fat (of which 1.5 g saturates), 14 g fiber and 1.1 g salt.

Preparation time less than 30 mins

Cooking time 10 to 30 mins

Serves Serves 4

Ingredients

• 200 g/7 oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cut in wedges
• 200 g/7 oz parsnips, peeled and cut in large pieces
• 200 g/7 oz carrots, washed and cut in large pieces
• 110 g/4 oz red onions, cut in quarters
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 75 ml/2½ fl oz clear honey
• 2 sprigs rosemary, plus extra chopped rosemary to garnish
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 500 g/1 lb 2 oz packet of pasta
• 800 ml/1 1/3 pint pasta
  

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 C/400 F/Gas 6.
2. Place all the vegetables and the garlic on an oven tray and drizzle with the olive oil and honey. Add the sprigs of rosemary and season well. Cook for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and browned.
3. While the vegetables are in the oven, cook the pasta according to packet instructions.
4. Remove vegetables from the oven, squeeze the cloves of roasted garlic over the vegetables and tip everything in a saucepan.
5. Add the pasta, bring to the boil and allow to simmer gently for a minute or two.
6. Serve on top of the pasta and garnished with chopped rosemary.
7. Recipe Tips: The ratatouille can be made in advance and frozen. Then all you need to do is cook some pasta for a super speedy supper.
   

Read More

Christmas Roast turkey with lemon & garlic

Christmas Roast turkey with lemon & garlic

Love crispy skin on roast turkey at Christmas? You'll be fan of this recipe which uses store cupboard ingredients to make a festive favorite even more special.

PREP: 30 MINS
COOK: 3 HRS, 25 MINS
SERVE: 8

Ingredients

5-6kg oven-ready turkey, neck and giblets removed and kept for the gravy
1 onion, halved
1 lemon, halved (save the zest for the butter)
whole bulb of garlic, halved

For the salt mix

2 tbsp sea salt
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp peppercorns

For the butter

100 g butter
4 tbsp vegetable bouillon powder (we used Marigold)
1 lemon zested (from the lemon for the turkey)

Method

1. Up to two days ahead, make the salt mix by grinding the salt with the thyme leaves and pepper in a spice grinder or using a pestle and mortar. Sit the turkey in a roasting tin and gently push your fingers under the skin, starting from the neck, until you can push your whole hand in down the length of the breast. Take care not to tear the skin.
2. Season the bird all over with the salt mix, inside and out and under the skin. Leave the turkey in the tin, breast-side up, and put in the fridge for up to two days – the longer you salt it, the more succulent the turkey will be. For the crispest skin, leave the turkey uncovered so it dries out, but loosely cover it if you prefer.
3. Tip the butter, vegetable stock powder and lemon zest into a small bowl and mix until completely combined. Cover and chill. Can be made a few days ahead or frozen, wrapped in cling film, for one month.
4. Remove the turkey from the fridge an hour or so before you want to cook it. Remove the butter from the fridge to soften. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Work out your cooking time based on 40 mins per kg for the first 4kg, plus 45 mins for every kg after that.
5. Use your hands to spread the butter under the skin so that it covers the entire breast area and work it into the crevice between the thigh and the main body, then smooth the skin over with your hands. Put the onion, lemon halves, and garlic in the cavity.
   

Read More

Christmas Rainbow Noodles

Christmas Rainbow Noodles

A healthy and delicious noodle dish that will feed the whole family.

Preparation time

less than 30 mins

Cooking time

10 to 30 mins

Serves

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz wholewheat egg noodles
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 red pepper, seeds removed and finely sliced
• 1 small bunch spring onions, finely sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled into ribbons with vegetable peeler
• 1 medium courgette, peeled into ribbons with a vegetable peeler, then shredded
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 lime, juice only
• 150 ml/5 fl oz vegetable stock
• 25 g/1 oz roasted unsalted peanuts, lightly crushed
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
• 1 red chilli, roughly chopped
  

• Method

  1. Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and cook the noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat and stir-fry the pepper for 2 minutes, until just softened. Add the spring onion and garlic and stir-fry for another minute. Add the carrot and courgette and stir-fry for 1 minute.
  3. Put the soy, sweet chilli sauce, lime juice and stock into a jam jar, screw the lid on and shake until combined.
  4. Pour the dressing into the wok and bring to the boil, simmer for 1 minute until the vegetables have softened.
  5. Stir in the drained noodles and heat through. Top with the crushed peanuts, chopped coriander and chilli. Serve.
     

Read More

Christmas Asian Spaghetti

Christmas Asian Spaghetti with Mushrooms, Snow Peas, Garlic

We LOVE this simple 7-ingredient meal that's easy to make! It's a great dish to adapt and add other veggies if you wish - asparagus, bell pepper, and bean sprouts are fantastic, and tofu or temped would be a great protein boost. The light flavor of this dish comes from the garlic and Tamara - two of my favorites! It tastes great both warm and cold, so leftovers are a perfect work lunch with no need to reheat.

Vegan, gluten-free (with gf pasta and tamari)

Ingredients
8 oz. angel hair pasta (or spaghetti, etc)
8 oz. mushrooms
1 1/2 cups snow peas
2 medium carrots
6 green onions
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup tamari/soy sauce (less/more to taste)
Optional: sesame oil, 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, sesame seeds for topping

Directions
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
Meanwhile, slice mushrooms, cut green onions in 1/2" pieces, and cut carrots into matchsticks/julienned. Mince garlic.
In a large skillet over med-high heat, saute mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. (Can use sesame oil for more flavor if desired.)
Add snow peas, carrots, green onion and cook for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender.
Add garlic, stir, and heat for 1 minute.
Add pasta and tamari/soy sauce. Toss well to combine and heat for a few minutes until heated through. Serve warm or chilled.

Read More

Christmas Turkey

Christmas Turkey

The turkey is cooked high and fast like a chicken, giving it extra crispy skin. It needs longer to rest so the meat can relax and stay succulent.

Ingredients

100g butter, softened
3 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
1 turkey (around 4kg), giblets removed
1 garlic bulb
1 lemon, halved
2 bay leaves
2 large banana shallots, unpeeled, cut in half lengthways
250ml white wine
1 red cabbage (about 900g), cut into 6 wedges
500ml good-quality chicken stock
1 tsp cornflour (optional)

Method
Take your turkey out of the fridge at least 1 hr before you cook it. Heat oven to 200 C/180 C fan/ gas 6 and beat the butter with the rosemary. Starting from the neck of the turkey, carefully push your fingers underneath the skin until you can get your whole hand between the skin and the breast meat. Trying not to tear the skin as you go, spread the butter inside the pocket, squishing some into the crevice between the thigh and breast meat.
Put the garlic, lemon and bay leaves inside the turkey, then season liberally all over. Put the shallots in your largest flameproof roasting tin and put the turkey on top, breast-side up. Roast for 1 hr, then give it a good baste, pour in the wine and nestle the cabbage wedges in the tin (or underneath the turkey if they won’t fit). Return to the oven for another 30 mins – covered with foil if the turkey is looking too brown. The juices should run clear when you pierce the thickest part of the thigh, or a thermometer should read 75 C. If not done, carry on cooking for a further 5-10 mins.
Set aside the turkey on a board to rest for 1 hr, transferring the garlic and bay to the roasting tin for the gravy. If you want crispy skin, don’t cover the turkey. Wrap the cabbage wedges in two parcels of foil, with a spoonful of the turkey juices, season liberally and return to the bottom of the oven to carry on cooking while the turkey rests.

Spoon away most of the turkey fat, then put the tin on the hob over a medium heat. Mash the veg with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavour as possible , then pour in the stock and reduce the gravy by half. If you want to thicken it, stir in the cornflour mixed with 1 tbsp water. Once happy with the consistency, strain and keep warm until ready to eat.

Read More