Panto Stories: Christmas Day Message from Harrogate Theatre

We’ve had a fantastic week of festive stories, and here’s a final Christmas message from Harrogate Theatre.

If you’ve enjoyed watching our Panto Stories, please consider making a donation to Harrogate Theatre. Text HTTOGETHER to 70085 to donate £5. Texts cost £5 plus one standard message rate.

Harrogate Theatre Panto Stories are sponsored by Hornbeam Park. 

Stray Kitchen: Last minute Christmas tips

Stray Kitchen is our column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie is a champion of food produced in the UK and particularly in Yorkshire and the Harrogate district. 

 

 

As Christmas is a reindeer’s breath away, here are some quick ways to bling up your Christmas dinner with some simple store cupboard staples that can really enhance your Christmas meal.

In a year where many people are having a smaller Christmas than planned, I’ve also included some ideas for how to use up the rest of your turkey – as sadly, turkeys do not come in small sizes!

Add some sparkle to your food

Turkey – why not give your stuffing a twist this year? Smokey bacon and roasted shallots, sage and onion with apricot, you can choose whatever you like

Roast potatoes – try cooking in goose fat… once you try it, you’ll never look back, especially with the addition of some garlic and fresh thyme on the roasting tray

Brussel sprouts – some say balsamic, some say cut into four and roast with chestnuts. Vegans swear by Yeast Flakes (which are particularly good, I must say), but I love sprouts with chestnuts and redcurrant jelly, so they are glazed and nutty.

Yorkshire puddings… or no Yorkshire puddings? Let’s not open the door to that discussion, or we will be here all day!

Proper gravy – it’s delicious and I always add lashings of it

Christmas pudding –flambéing the pudding is a brilliant idea. Make sure you place it on a strong dish to withstand the heat and warm the alcohol gently before igniting. One ladle will do, light it on the ladle then spread the liquid over the pudding and it will look amazing- dim the lights for extra effect! Rum or brandy are the best kind of alcohol for this, but others work too. If you are adding a shiny penny to your Christmas pudding, remember to warn people!

Jazz up your drinks

For ice with a difference, add some pomegranate seeds to your ice tray and fill them up with water or cranberry juice – even simply freezing your lemon/ lime segments instead of ice is great.

Mulled wine is very tasty with an extra shot of Cointreau or Grand Marnier and it really gets the party started! If you have drivers celebrating with you, mulled cranberry or apple juice is a nice touch, so they can feel part of the party

For curing that Boxing Day hangover… a smoothie! Bananas, milk, a few porridge oats, and a splash of maple syrup is delicious!

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What to do with the extra turkey

Here are a few tips for going international with your leftovers…

Enjoy this festive time as best you can and always remember… let your turkey rest well before carving!

Happy Christmas
Steph x

Stray Foodie Christmas Recipe: Chocolate Ganache Terrine

Stray Foodie Christmas Recipes are written by Michelin-starred chef, Frances Atkins. In 1997, Frances opened the Yorke Arms near Pateley Bridge, where she was the owner for 20 years. During her ownership, she held her Michelin-star status for 16 of those years.

In the run-up to Christmas, I’ll be bringing you some of my favourite seasonal recipes each week. I’d love to see how you make the recipes your own – let me know by using #StrayFoodie or tagging @thestrayferret in your social media posts.

This Chocolate Ganache Terrine is the most delicious, rich chocolate cake that is highly suitable for chocoholics and perhaps a big treat to have at Christmas. It should be noted that a little goes a long way!

Many chocoholics would consider this as being called divine.

Originally in chocolate history the Mayans believed the pods of the cocao tree were an offering from the Gods to man.  When a Swedish botanist gave if a formal classification in the 18th Century he called it the Theobroma Cacao meaning the “drink of the Gods” from the Greek Theos (God) and Broma (beverage).

Up until the 19th Century chocolate existed in a liquid form when it became solid the early British producers were Quakers. They recognised their product might help their crusade against the evils of alcohol! Ironically my recipe has a lot of alcohol in it and together they form a powerful product.

For the Ganache

For the Topping

Line a heavy based terrine mould, approx. 10 inches with a double layer of cling film.

Separate the Eggs and whisk the egg white and sugar together.

When stiff, add the egg yolks.

Melt the chocolate carefully over a pan of boiling water or in the microwave.

Add to the egg mixture.

Mix the instant coffee granules in to the rum, whip the cream, add the instant coffee in to the whipped cream.

Fold in the gluten free flour and then the whipped cream in to the chocolate. (Make sure this is done in this order.)

Place the chocolate mixture in the terrine and place in a roasting tin of water, a bain marie. Cook at 150c – 180c, dependant on oven variation for 35 mins or until the chocolate has set.  Cool in the terrine mould overnight in the fridge.

For the topping the next day melt the chocolate, mix in the cream and pour over the ganache. Let it set up. This is now ready to thinly slice and serve with whipped cream or an accompaniment of your choice.

The divine smoothness of the chocolate lends itself to the aroma of a “cheffie” pine bud garnish or orange for the more conservative. The Rum from Harrogate Tipple in it makes the perfect taste sensation.

We have already talked in our previous recipes about Harrogate Tipple Christmas Gin and their Rum is equally superb. Taylors of Harrogate have a selection of marvellous blended coffee which I would recommend. Perhaps I would suggest Mundo Maya Arabica Coffee for its intensity and complexity, but you could great fun here sampling the different blends.

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