Smoked trout pate

ground cayenne pepper

lemons

smoked trout

cream cheese

horseradish sauce

Served at drinks with crusty bread & cornichons.

From "Nigella Express"

Also as a starter with Walnut sourdough & cornichons for B-Sam, Lease & Anna Jean. (Anna Jean doesn't like seafood!)

Korean beef burger with chilli mayo

Ingredients (serves 4)

Burgers:
600g coarsely minced beef, not too lean
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 egg, beaten
3 tbsp chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
2cm knob ginger, finely grated
1 tsp sugar
Sea salt and pepper

Onion:
3 tbsp vegetable oil
2 onions, halved and finely sliced
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar or wine vinegar

Mayo:
3 tbsp whole-egg mayonnaise
1 tsp chilli sauce (eg Sriracha) to taste
4 burger buns
8 soft lettuce leaves
2 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 cucumber, finely sliced

Method

Mix the beef, using your hands, with two tablespoons soy sauce, sesame oil, egg, green onions, garlic, ginger, sugar, salt and pepper. Form into patties and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat two tablespoons vegetable oil in a fry pan and cook onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, tossing well until softened. Add remaining soy, mirin and vinegar and cook for five to 10 minutes more until golden brown. Set aside.

Whisk mayonnaise and chilli sauce. Brush burgers with remaining vegetable oil and grill or pan-fry over medium heat for four minutes on each side until browned (beware of burning). Split burger buns and top base with lettuce leaves and beef burgers. Add a spoonful of chilli mayo and top with soy onions and sesame seeds. Arrange lettuce, cucumber and tomato on remaining bun tops alongside and serve.

Nanna's Chrissie pudding

Day 1
In a very big bowl, soak:
6 cups dried fruit in 1 cup brandy

Day 2
Mix together with brandy soaked fruit and leave to sit, covered:
3 cups plain flour
1.5 cups sugar
2 Tbsp mixed spice
2 tsp bicarb soda
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp butter
2 cups boiling water

Day 3
Add 2 beaten eggs
Scald pudding cloth, sprinkle with plain flour.
Sit cloth into a bowl, fill with pudding mixture, gather & tie off with an inch of space extra for pudding growth.
Boil for two hours (topping up the water as it boils away.)
Hang somewhere dry & keep an eye out for damp/mould!

Christmas Day
Boil to reheat. Douse in brandy, flame & gobble with brandy butter, custard & ice cream or cream.