An Alternative Christmas Lunch

I love Christmas. the excitement of decorating a freshly cut pine tree, the warm smell of cloves adorning the traditional baked ham and rum soaked Christmas puddings ! all these smells remind me of my childhood family Christmases and I could go on... !

My menu this week is not the traditional turkey or goose but a roast leg of lamb accompanied by potato Dauphinoise which is an ideal accompaniment for a rich meat such as lamb. And as a treat for vegetarians, a tasty butter bean and aubergine stew.

For a light starter thinly sliced smoked salmon garnished with sliced lemon and sprinkled with black pepper and served with some excellent brown bread. To end the meal a luxuriously creamy banana brulee.


Roast leg of lamb

3 - lb leg of lamb
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tbsp cooking oil
1 teaspoon finely chooped rosemary
3 oz softened butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to gas mark 7 220 C/425F

Make small incisions all over the surface of the lamb and insert the garlic and chopped herbs. Rub the softened butter over the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Place the lamb in a a well oiled roasting tin. Cook for between 1 hour and 20 minutes until done. Transfer the lamb to a warm serving dish.


Gratin Dauphinois

4 lbs good quality potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 pint double cream
1/4 pint milk
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 1/2 oz butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to gas mark 3/170c/325F

First peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly. In a gratin dish arrange a layer of potato slices, sprinkle with the garlic, pepper and salt then arrange another layer of potatoes on top. Mix the cream and milk together and pour over the potatoes add the butter on top and bake on the highest shelf in the over for 1 /1/2 hours or until tender.


Butter Bean and Aubergine stew

4 tbsp oil
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 aubergine trimmed and cut into chunks
a glass of white wine
1/4 pint vegetable stock
1 400g can of chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoon tomato puree
1 x 400g can of butter beans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper


Heat 2 tbsp oil and fry the onion and garlic. Transfer to a flameprof casserole. Add remaining oil to pan and fry aubergine until soft. Transfer to casserole.

Pour over the wine, stock and tomatoes and stir in the tomato puree. Bring to bubbling and simmer for 15 minutes to reduce. Stir in butter beans and gently heat through. At the end of cooking season to taste.


Banana Brulee

1/2 pt double cream
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 ripe bananas peeled, sliced and sprinkled with lemon juice
Demerara sugar for topping

Place the double cream, beaten egg yolks and caster sugar in a pan. Stir gently over a very low heat until the custard thickens. Arrange banana slices in the bottom of 4 ramekins. Pour the custard mix over the banana slices and leave to cool. Transfer to the fridge and leave to chill for one hour. Next sprinkle a layer of demerara sugar over the custard mix and cook under a pre-heated grill until the sugar is melted and caramelised. Leave to cool again then chill until required.



To drink: try a bottle of red Rioja Contino Estate Reserva 1984