Nigel Slater’s 12 Tastes of Christmas episode 2: The big day and beyond. Nigel Slater shares more flavours that will make our Christmas a foodie treat.
Slater shows us how to spoil ourselves on Christmas Day and beyond with recipes for sumptuous centrepieces, sweet treats and luxurious leftovers and he continues his journey in snowy Scandinavia to find out how Norwegians make the most of festive flavours.
Nigel Slater’s 12 Tastes of Christmas episode 2
1.  Gammon with treacle bacon crust
It may seem excessive to top a ham with bacon, but Christmas is a time for generosity.
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
- In a bowl, mix together the treacle and maple syrup. Add the bacon and leave to marinade for at least four hours.
- To a large pot, add the apple juice, onion studded with the cloves, the bay, star anise and peppercorns. Finally place the gammon joint in the liquid and simmer with a lid on for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile cut the pumpkin half in half again.
- Place the pumpkin on an oven dish, skin-side down, and trickle olive oil over. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, add a knob of butter in each pumpkin slice and bake in the oven for 45 minutes. When cooked set aside under foil to keep warm.
- When the gammon has cooked, remove from the liquid, place on a baking tray, and then layer the treacle bacon over the top.
- Bake for a further 15 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.
- Carve the gammon and serve with scoops of soft pumpkin flesh
2. Marzipan berry cakes
Small, warm almondy cakes are just the thing after a frosty Christmas walk. A little cream would be appropriate here.
3. Bauble and squeak
Feel free to vary the ingredients in this Boxing Day bubble and squeak. This is awfully good with a little chutney.
4. Roast goose with chickpea and lemon stuffing
Goose really ought to rival turkey more as the Christmas bird of choice, if only for the quality of the resulting roast potaoes. A chickpea and sausage stuffing makes a perfect side dish.
