December 2019 Favourites List

Back in 1978, Raymond Briggs published his children’s book The Snowman. It is a delightful book, with carefully rendered drawings, like a comic with no words. It was always a favourite of mine. It was transformed into an extraordinary animated film of the same name. It won the BAFTA for best graphics, which is unsurprising, given the whole film is made of hand drawn scenes. Every year children discover its charm and artistry for the first time, and many revisit it, as it becomes an old childhood friend. 

This year the stretch of river between London Bridge and Tower Bridge (south side) has been reimagined as a Winter wonderland. Hay’s Galleria has a huge, twinkling Christmas tree. There is a pretty Christmas market selling original and hand crafted gifts, food stalls and a pop up bar. But best of all is the “Walking with the Snowman Festive Art Trail”, where there are 12 sculptures of the iconic “The Snowman” which different artists have decorated. The theme is the Twelve Days of Christmas. 

This month’s Favourites list photos are the twelve sculptures. They are by turns endearing, humourous, colourful, Christmassy and adorable. 

The works are:

A Partridge in a Pear Tree by Jodie Silverman

Two Turtle Doves by Megan Evans

Three French Hens by Lei-Mai

Four Calling Birds by Jenny Leonard

Five Gold Rings by Adam Pekr

Six Geese a-Laying by Matilda Elizabeth

Seven Swans a-Swimming by Laura-Kate Chapman

Eight Maids a-Milking by Donna Newman

Nine Ladies Dancing by Lizzie Rose Chapman

Ten Lords a-Leaping by Hammo

Eleven Pipers Piping by Jess Loveday

Twelve Drummers Drumming by Jess Perrin

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy new year. I hope you have a happy, healthy, fulfilling and fun 2020.

Now for those favourite things of mine for the final month of the year…

Recipes: 

Sichuan recipes from Fuchsia Dunlop: Braised chicken with chestnuts, Steamed egg custard with minced pork topping, Fish-fragrant aubergines and Gong bao prawns with cashew nuts:

https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/nov/09/sichuan-recipes-fuchsia-dunlop-chicken-prawn-minced-pork

 

Angela Hartnett's Roasted pumpkin and cashew nut salad - a herby alternative accompaniment to Christmas dinner? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/recipes/0/roasted-pumpkin-cashew-salad-recipe

 

Gingerbread always makes me feel festive. Here's a soft and spicy gingerbread with a touch of Christmassy cinnamon: https://searchingforspice.com/gingerbread-biscuits/

 

A riot of red and burgundy on your plate! Angela Hartnett's Red Cabbage and Beetroot salad - marinate overnight for extra flavour: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/recipes/0/red-cabbage-beetroot-salad-recipe

Leek and potato soup, a classic Scottish staple soup from Janice at Farmers Girl Cook blog: https://www.farmersgirlkitchen.co.uk/leek-and-potato-soup/

 

This Parmesan Brussels Sprouts Salad with almonds and pomegranate seeds could be a healthy Winter lunch, or a side dish for Christmas dinner:

https://www.delish.com/cooking/recipe-ideas/a21085670/brussels-sprouts-salad-recipe/

Pasta with roast chicken and pine kernels and Cauliflower cheese with cheddar and smoked garlic and nigella seeds. Internal central heating recipes from Nigel Slater: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/dec/01/nigel-slater-roast-chicken-pasta-and-cauliflower-cheese-recipes

  

Food writing and articles:

Whenever I buy celery, I use one or maybe two sticks to add flavour to a stew base, make a sofrito or similar. I try not to waste the rest, but it eventually becomes a bit limp and sad. Here's how to use up celery, and avoid food waste: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/dec/03/kitchen-aide-how-to-use-up-the-rest-of-that-bunch-of-celery

Christmas Wine Selection and a recipe for an Easy Home Made Gravad Lax from London Unattached: https://www.london-unattached.com/easy-home-made-gravad-lax/

 

Foodie Christmas crackers for the big day: https://www.olivemagazine.com/guides/best-foodie-christmas-crackers/

Vegan Christmas dinner inspiration - Squash, chestnut, sweet potato and sage loaf:

https://www.olivemagazine.com/recipes/vegan/chestnut-squash-and-sweet-potato-loaf/

What you might have missed at Snig's Kitchen: 

Pork Katsu Curry for cheaters – a recipe post: http://snigskitchen.blogspot.com/2019/12/pork-katsu-curry-for-cheaters.html

 

TV: 

Giri/Haji

Vienna Blood

Film:

Child 44

Testament of Youth

Music:

Lucy Rose – No Words Left

Thom Yorke – Anima

Various Artists – Mojo Magazine, The Best of 2019

Please note: as with every monthly Favourites List, all of these items have been selected by me simply because I love them. I do not receive any money, benefits in kind or other incentive for posting these links or recommendations. 

Win tickets to the Christmas Foodies Festival with Snig's Kitchen

I love good food and going out, so I find many of the food themed events which come to the capital a great way of trying new things and enjoying myself. I have been to previous Foodies Festival fairs, one of which I reviewed back in 2011. The events are fun, with lots of food and drink available to scoff on the spot, to take home and with plenty scope to learn something new from the various tastings and cooking demonstrations on offer. 

This year, the Foodies Festival people are putting on their very first Christmas event. Held over 3 days (28th, 29th and 30th November) in Spitalfields at the Old Truman Brewery, the event will incorporate a number of brilliant attractions:

- A Christmas Bumper Quiz will take place at 5pm daily, you will need to register your team in advance. 

- Be part of a "Christmas jumper gang" and have a group Crimbo Jumper picture taken in the Festival photo booth.

- Sing Christmas songs and carols. Get yourself into the Christmas spirit!

Katy Bescow, or "Little Miss Meat Free" winner of winner of The Great Vegan Bake Off 2014

- Learn how to dance the "Gay Gordon" with ceilidh dancing and live music from the Entertainment Stage.

-The "Producers Grotto" where you can discover lovely artisan product which you can try, buy and take home (or give away as Christmas presents!).

- Craft Beer Market with pop-up breweries and small producers.

- The Pudding Hall chock full with pâtisseries and expert chocolatiers selling eggnog tarts, marzipan bonbons and macaron and a breathtaking life-size Gingerbread House serving ginger beer and roasted marshmallows.

- A stage for live music (artists and timetable have yet to be announced).

- The "Elf Cookery School" for children under 12, where kids can learn to bake snowballs and decorate gingerbread men, cookies and cupcakes to leave out for Santa (or just scoff immediately!).

- Cake and Bake workshops for grown up Bake Off fans.

Ernesto Paiva of Bubbledogs

- Demonstrations from stellar talent: John Whaite (Great British Bake Off Winner) and Adam Handling (MasterChef: The Professionals Finalist), of Adam Handling at Caxton. Michelin starred Chef Robert Ortiz from LIMA, Ernesto Paiva Michelin starred Bubbledogs, Scott Hallsworth of Kurobuta, Anna Haugh from Gordon Ramsay’s London House, Kim Woodward of Gordon Ramsay’s York & Albany, Garry Hollihead from The Corinthia, Bluebird’s Matt Robinson, Jesse Dunford Wood from PARLOUR, Glenn Cosby (Great British Bake Off) and Katy B (AKA "Little Miss Meat Free" and winner of Great Vegan Bake Off 2014).

The organisers of the event have been kind enough to give me 3 pairs of tickets for the festival to 3 lucky winners! It's simple and free to enter!

Adam Handling, Finalist of MasterChef: The Professionals and chef at Adam Handling at Caxton

All you have to do is...

1. Tweet about the competition, using the hashtag #snigfoodiefest. Please note, I cannot enter you into the draw unless you use the hashtag and it is spelt correctly.

2. You leave a comment under link for the post on the Snig's Kitchen Facebook page, which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/snigskitchen

The competition will be open from the time this post goes live to 5pm on 16th November 2014. 

Tickets will either be posted to you, or left for you to collect at the venue, but I will be in touch with you to let you know what has been arranged. 

If you are thinking about going to the Foodies Festival, here are the vital statistics.....
 

Where?

The Old Truman Brewery - 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL

When?

Friday 28th November 11am – 9pm

Saturday 29th November 11am – 9pm

Sunday 30th August 11am – 8pm

How can I get in?

Tickets can be purchased at the website http://foodies.seetickets.com/event/foodies-festival-christmas/the-old-truman-brewery-spitalfields-london/747269 or by calling 0844 995 1111

What will it cost me?

Advance tickets:

Friday day ticket £18.00/£16.00 concession

Saturday or Sunday day ticket £20.00/£18.00 concession

Three day pass – £28.00/£25.00 concession

1-day VIP ticket £48.00 (£38.00 Friday) – Includes a glass of bubbly on arrival, access to the VIP area, goody bag, priority entry to theatre and masterclass sessions and refreshments.

All children aged 12 and under go free to all Foodies Festivals when accompanied by an adult.

Tickets on the door:

Friday – £20.00/£18 concession

Saturday and Sunday – £22.00/£20.00 concession

Brussel Sprouts with Garner's Pickled Cabbage - A Christmas side dish

I love Christmas and the festive season. The colour, the joy, even the anticipation all more than make up for some of the stress and inconvenience of the preparations for the big day. 

Just today I was on the bus to Lewisham to get a last minute.... correction: last second present for Him Indoors. Sadly, the strain of the season has become all a bit too much for two Catfordites. They were screaming and shouting various profanities and telling each other to "shut up". The exasperated driver, after putting up with nearly 5 minutes of this nonsense, told them he'd taken enough and that they should both shut up. The nice lady who had moved seats to let me sit down shook her head gently, softly saying "What part of this was necessary? It's Christmas Eve. It's all supposed to be about having fun." Wise word indeed, which I took with me on my last smash and grab mission of advent. I remained Zen for the whole trip.

One thing I don't like about Christmas, however, has always been Brussels sprouts. It's the horrid school dinner way they get cooked. You know, cross in the bottom, to completely ensure total overcooking.... sprouts emerging from green boiling water, looking as grey as my oldest pair of M&S knickers (which once were white). The kitchen smelling strangely of old damp socks.... it's all too much!

But Brussels sprouts are part of the Great British Christmas, aren't they? They're not negotiable. A Crimbo quid pro quo, if you will. So, for years I compromised. I would have a single sprout "because it's Christmas". In amongst all the other treats and goodies, the single sprout was something I could put up with. 

This year, however, it was time for things to change. Many of the food fans and cooking experts I follow on twitter extol the virtues of the little green mini-cabbage. They told me that I didn't need to have soggy sprouts. There was life beyond the grey squelchy mush. 

I was recently sent some pickled goods by the people at Garner's. They make hand packed jars of pickles in Scotland. Pickled onions, that great Christmas staple, pickled shallots and spiced pickled cabbage. 

I got to think, if I don't mind cabbage, as long as it isn't overcooked, why not treat sprouts the same way?

Here, therefore is my idea for a vegetable side dish for your Christmas dinner. Chances are you have most of the ingredients at home already if you've done your food shop. If not, there aren't many ingredients,  so you can grab them in your own last second dash around. 

Happy Christmas!

 

My jar of spiced pickled cabbage

I drained and rinsed the cabbage before using as I thought the vinegar might overly sour the whole dish:

Brussels sprouts stir fry with Garner's spiced pickled cabbage, chestnuts and bacon

Serves 3-4 as a side dish for a main meal

Serves 4-6 as a second veg dish as part of a roast

Ingredients:

32 brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved lengthways

1/2 red onion, cut into thin chunks

1 sprig rosemary, stems removed and roughly chopped

4 tbsp Garners pickled spiced cabbage, drained and rinsed

75g smoked lardons

1-2 tbsp olive oil

14 cooked chestnuts, halved

I used tinned chestnuts

Method:

Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry your onions for 3-5 minutes so that they start to soften.

Meanwhile, put a steamer on the hob, with a little water. Get to the boil. Steam the Brussels sprouts for 2 minutes. (Or steam in the microwave)

Add the lardons and rosemary, fry for another 3 minutes.

Take your sprouts off the heat, and away from the boiling water. Remove the lid so that they don't continue cooking.

Now add the cabbage, sprouts and chestnuts. Stir fry, stirring occasionally for 7-10 minutes. Try the sprouts to make sure they get to the texture you like them at. We liked ours "al dente".

Serve with your Christmas dinner, or as we did, as a side dish to some lovely lamb cutlets.

Thanks to the people at Garner's for sending me a sample. I have not been paid or sponsored to write this post.