Christmas with Gordon
When I began my career as a young chef, I didn’t envisage that I would be on TV or writing a book about Christmas cooking, but without fail, as each year draws to a close, I am inundated with queries. I’m often asked for ideas about food to serve at Christmas parties, the secret to a perfect roast turkey, even what to do with the leftovers.
As a chef and food writer, I have certainly cooked my fair share of festive feasts, and whether you are hosting a drinks party for friends, cooking for the main event, or just making a dessert, I hope that, at the very least, you will choose to prepare some of my dishes. Here are two of my favourites.
Christmas With Gordon by Gordon Ramsay, with photography by Chris Terry, is published by Quadrille Publishing, priced £15.
For the sauce
Lightly score the skins of the duck breasts with a sharp knife. Using a pestle and mortar, grind the juniper berries, caraway seeds, allspice, 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper to a powder. Rub the spice mix all over the duck breasts and leave to stand for about 10 mins.
Lay the duck breasts skin-side down in a dry, heavy-based large frying pan and gradually turn up the heat. Fry for 5-10 mins, until most of the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown. Turn the duck breasts over and lightly brown the other side for a couple of minutes, or until they feel slightly springy when pressed. Remove from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, pour off excess fat from the frying pan and place over a high heat. Pour in the port, stirring to deglaze, and let bubble for 1 min. Add remaining ingredients, except the butter, and bring to the boil. Let bubble until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds and thickened to a syrupy consistency. The cranberries should be very soft; squash a few with a wooden spoon, leaving the others whole. Add any juices from the resting duck. Taste and adjust seasoning and add a little more jelly if desired. Finally, add the butter and shake the pan to incorporate it as it melts.
Slice duck breasts on the diagonal and fan them out on warmed serving plates. Spoon sauce around the duck. Can be served with parsnip purée and creamed cabbage with thyme.
Serves 8-10
Line a 2-litre bowl with a double layer of cling film, leaving some excess overhanging the rim. Cut the Swiss roll into 1cm slices and use to line base and sides of the bowl, cutting a few slices into pieces to fill the gaps as necessary. Drain the cherries, reserving the syrup. Drizzle Swiss-roll slices with syrup, saving a few tablespoonfuls for the top. Set aside.
Put the sugar and water into a small, heavy-based saucepan and stir over a low heat to dissolve. Increase the heat to high and boil until the syrup registers 120C on a sugar thermometer. Now, in a clean large bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
When the sugar syrup is ready, gradually pour on to the egg whites in a steady stream, whisking as you do so. Continue to whisk until the meringue has doubled in volume and the sides of the bowl no longer feel hot.
In another bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the ginger syrup and orange liqueur, then the meringue. Taste and sweeten with a little more ginger syrup if required. Stir through the cherries, chopped ginger, glacé fruit, marron glacé, if using, and pistachios. Spoon into the Swiss roll-lined bowl and level the top.
Cover with the remaining Swiss-roll slices, cutting to fit as necessary. Drizzle with rest of the kirsch syrup, then fold the excess cling film over the top to seal.
Place a flat plate on top (to fit just inside the rim) and weigh it down with a heavy tin. Chill for an hour, remove the weight, then wrap and freeze the bombe.
To serve, unwrap the bombe and place on a flat plate or cake stand. Decorate with sprigs of redcurrants dusted with icing sugar, or serve it just as it is. Let stand at room temperature for about 15 mins before slicing.
As a chef and food writer, I have certainly cooked my fair share of festive feasts, and whether you are hosting a drinks party for friends, cooking for the main event, or just making a dessert, I hope that, at the very least, you will choose to prepare some of my dishes. Here are two of my favourites.
Christmas With Gordon by Gordon Ramsay, with photography by Chris Terry, is published by Quadrille Publishing, priced £15.
PAN FRIED DUCK BREAST with spiced orange and cranberry sauce
Serves 4- 4 duck breasts, about 225g each
- 4 juniper berries
- pinch of caraway seeds
- 1 tsp allspice
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the sauce
- 100ml ruby port
- 100g fresh cranberries
- finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 300ml chicken stock
- 1-2 tsp cranberry or redcurrant jelly, to taste
- 30g butter, diced
Lightly score the skins of the duck breasts with a sharp knife. Using a pestle and mortar, grind the juniper berries, caraway seeds, allspice, 1 tsp salt and a few grinds of pepper to a powder. Rub the spice mix all over the duck breasts and leave to stand for about 10 mins.
Lay the duck breasts skin-side down in a dry, heavy-based large frying pan and gradually turn up the heat. Fry for 5-10 mins, until most of the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown. Turn the duck breasts over and lightly brown the other side for a couple of minutes, or until they feel slightly springy when pressed. Remove from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place while you make the sauce.
For the sauce, pour off excess fat from the frying pan and place over a high heat. Pour in the port, stirring to deglaze, and let bubble for 1 min. Add remaining ingredients, except the butter, and bring to the boil. Let bubble until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds and thickened to a syrupy consistency. The cranberries should be very soft; squash a few with a wooden spoon, leaving the others whole. Add any juices from the resting duck. Taste and adjust seasoning and add a little more jelly if desired. Finally, add the butter and shake the pan to incorporate it as it melts.
Slice duck breasts on the diagonal and fan them out on warmed serving plates. Spoon sauce around the duck. Can be served with parsnip purée and creamed cabbage with thyme.
CHRISTMAS BOMBE
Serves 8-10 - 400g good-quality jumbo chocolate Swiss roll
- 390g jar cherries in kirsch-flavoured syrup
- 180g caster sugar
- 75ml water
- 2 large egg whites
- 300ml double cream
- 50g preserved stem ginger in syrup, chopped, plus 1 tbsp syrup from the jar
- 1 tbsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau
- 50g chopped mixed glacé fruit
- 30g marron glacé, chopped (optional)
- 30g shelled pistachio nuts, toasted and roughly chopped
- a few redcurrant sprigs, to finish (optional)
- icing sugar, to dust (optional)
Line a 2-litre bowl with a double layer of cling film, leaving some excess overhanging the rim. Cut the Swiss roll into 1cm slices and use to line base and sides of the bowl, cutting a few slices into pieces to fill the gaps as necessary. Drain the cherries, reserving the syrup. Drizzle Swiss-roll slices with syrup, saving a few tablespoonfuls for the top. Set aside.
Put the sugar and water into a small, heavy-based saucepan and stir over a low heat to dissolve. Increase the heat to high and boil until the syrup registers 120C on a sugar thermometer. Now, in a clean large bowl, whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks.
When the sugar syrup is ready, gradually pour on to the egg whites in a steady stream, whisking as you do so. Continue to whisk until the meringue has doubled in volume and the sides of the bowl no longer feel hot.
In another bowl, whisk the cream to soft peaks. Fold in the ginger syrup and orange liqueur, then the meringue. Taste and sweeten with a little more ginger syrup if required. Stir through the cherries, chopped ginger, glacé fruit, marron glacé, if using, and pistachios. Spoon into the Swiss roll-lined bowl and level the top.
Cover with the remaining Swiss-roll slices, cutting to fit as necessary. Drizzle with rest of the kirsch syrup, then fold the excess cling film over the top to seal.
Place a flat plate on top (to fit just inside the rim) and weigh it down with a heavy tin. Chill for an hour, remove the weight, then wrap and freeze the bombe.
To serve, unwrap the bombe and place on a flat plate or cake stand. Decorate with sprigs of redcurrants dusted with icing sugar, or serve it just as it is. Let stand at room temperature for about 15 mins before slicing.