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. As the festive season reaches its pinnacle, the excitement for the big day and the days that follow is palpable. Renowned chef Nigel Slater is here again to enhance our Christmas celebrations with a culinary extravaganza. He delves into an array of flavors and dishes that promise to transform our holiday season into a true foodie’s paradise.
Nigel’s expertise goes beyond the Christmas day feast; he guides us through indulging ourselves not just on the day itself but also in the subsequent holiday period. He introduces us to a variety of sumptuous centrepieces that are both eye-catching and palate-pleasing, perfect for gracing any festive table. Alongside these, he offers recipes for delectable sweet treats that cater to everyone’s sweet tooth, ensuring the holiday spirit continues in every bite.
But that’s not all. Nigel also focuses on the art of utilizing luxurious leftovers. He teaches us how to reinvent them into new, mouth-watering dishes, ensuring that nothing goes to waste and every meal is a celebration in itself.
Continuing his enchanting culinary journey, Nigel ventures further into the wintry landscapes of Scandinavia. He explores the snowy realms of Norway, delving into how Norwegians embrace and enhance their festive flavors. This exploration provides a unique insight into the Scandinavian way of celebrating Christmas, adding an international dimension to our culinary repertoire.
Join Nigel Slater in this festive journey that extends from Christmas Day into the heart of the holiday season, filled with culinary delights, innovative recipes, and the joyous spirit of global Christmas traditions.
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.