Becky Cook, of the Garden Chef, gives her Christmas foodie tips….
My top Christmas catering tips? Be prepared!
- Get all the veg prepped the day before and even par cooked
- Get the kids to help peel and chop; roast spuds are fine re heated
- Carrots can be cooked and then just heated through with butter and parsley
- Bread sauce – add butter and cream and gently re heat
- Make braised cabbage a good week before and just heat through
- Smoked salmon is the perfect and traditional starter, there are some excellent par bake breads on the market so just serve with warm bread, butter and lemon
- Make it easy on yourself and enjoy it, home made will beat expensive bought products hands down and everyone will think you are a total wonder!
My two best tips would be these:
Make some mince pies and keep them in the fridge – pop them in the oven half an hour before the guests arrive and welcome them to a house that smells of Christmas and a warm mince pie- Don’t do just turkey, there is nothing wrong with a big free range chicken for smaller gatherings and I love a huge rib of beef if feeding a crowd. We always have 20 or so and this year I’m doing a huge honey roast gammon with a big dish of dauphinois potatoes, crushed minty peas and red cabbage with mustard sauce and huge pavlovas for pudding. All prepped in advance leaving me with hands free for a very large gin and tonic, or two, or three…
Thanks Becky!!
Becky is part of The Sussex Wedding Collective with me and regularly creates amazing, delicious and achingly beautiful wedding spreads and cakes. Check our her website or her Facebook page.