Top Christmas tips from top chefs
We asked some of the BBC Good Food Show chefs about what they will be doing for Christmas and for their recommendations on how to keep the cost of Christmas under control. The recurring theme is the importance of planning ahead so why not visit the BBC Good Food Show Birmingham at The NEC between 26 and 30 November to get your planning underway. Not only will there be live demonstrations in four different cookery theatres to inspire your menu choices, but there will also be a vast array of exhibitors offering great quality food, fit to grace the very best tables this Christmas.
Top tips
Lesley Waters - “I love Christmas. It’s all about friends and family gathering together and eating great food. I’ll be with my family… everyone will be coming to mine and everyone helps which is great. My sister is bringing the puddings and cheese board. Dad’s bringing the turkey, and my mum-in-law supplies the gammon. We have a traditional Christmas.
“The budget goes out of the window a bit at Christmas, doesn’t it? But I’d recommend you don’t think of it as one day. Think how you can make your food stretch. Use it with your store cupboard, so you don’t end up wasting good food.”
Lesley will be appearing in The British Theatre sponsored by Morrisons on Sunday 30 November at 12pm and 4 pm and on the How Do I? Stage sponsored by Honestly at 11am and 3 pm.
Annabel Karmel - “I love entertaining so I’ll have loads of people over at Christmas. I’ll have roast turkey and stuffing. I really like brussel sprouts too and mince pies with lots of brandy butter. I do like a traditional Christmas meal. I’ll do Christmassy themed things too that the kids love like cranberries in jelly and a Christmas ice cream with mincemeat and cranberries always goes down well.
“Plan ahead for Christmas. When you go to the supermarket you often end up buying loads. If you can plan ahead – I use meal planners - it really does help cut down on waste. You’re not just randomly buying food without really know what you’re going to do with it. Get into freezing too. When you’re making a meal, make extra and freeze it, or freeze leftovers, but always on the day and don’t leave them lying around for a few hours then freeze them!”
Annabel Karmel will be appearing in the Magimix Cookery Theatre on Saturday 29 November at 11 am and 2 pm.
Stefan Gates - “I go to France for a week with my family. Most years I make the most ridiculously self indulgent meal - an eight-bird roast. I’ll be doing my Russian Doll Roast this Christmas. I always bone all the birds, and that takes me an entire day. I put a tiny teal inside a quail, and that inside a partridge, and that inside a duckling, then a chicken, possibly then a capon, then a turkey, then finally the whole lot goes inside a goose, although it depends on what birds are available. I leave all the skins on and wrap them up inside each other. I once did nine birds. It doesn’t take that long to cook, about five hours, but the taste is fantastic and it makes a really memorable Christmas dinner.
“Don’t waste food – cook it instead of throwing it out! One of greatest things to have is a pan of prawns tossed in butter & garlic. But what about all those shells? Don’t chuck them out. They can make an amazing fish soup. You need to plan ahead too to avoid food waste. I’m not that good at it myself because I’m away so much, but if you work out what you’re going to eat for the week you can get excited about it. We should be more like the Europeans. They wake up and start thinking about lunch. Food can be so exciting.”
Stefan Gates will be appearing at the BBC Good Food Show Birmingham on Thursday 27 November. He will be demonstrating in the Magimix Cookery Theatre at 11am and 2 pm and in the British Theatre sponsored by Morrisons at 3pm.
Brian Turner - “I’m a traditional chap! I’ll be having a small family meal of roast turkey and roast beef with my grandparents. Someone else will do the cooking and I’ll lock the doors and watch TV through my eyelids – like I always do!
“It’s really important to plan Christmas food. Make lists and make sure you use up your leftovers.”
Brian will be giving live demonstrations on the Stoves stand.
Festive Fare at the BBC Good Food Show Birmingham
Whether you like the traditional turkey or would like to try something different for Christmas dinner this year, there will be plenty of ideas and opportunities to order your Christmas centrepiece from some of the best producers in the country. The KellyBronze turkey is widely regarded as the Rolls Royce of turkeys – order your bird from Kelly’s Turkeys directly and be assured of a great quality bird. Or take a look at the Furness Fish, Poultry and Game stand where turkeys will be available to order alongside Gressingham Ducks, pheasant, partridge or even a fabulous 3 bird roast with turkey, duck and pheasant all stuffed inside each other!
For the Christmas ham, look no further than Jimmy’s Farm for the tastiest gammon from the rare breed Essex pig or the Barn Bacon Company who pride themselves on their traditional dry curing techniques. If you fancy a different meat for over the Christmas period, why not try Fordhall Farm for the fantastic flavour of their beef, pork and lamb, Elan Valley Mutton for their superb lamb, or Bocaddon Farm Veal for their award-winning veal.
For your festive fish, take a look at the innovative fish box scheme from Fish in a Box or visit The Sustainable Fish Company or Seafood and Eat It to see what delicacies they have on offer. And don’t miss The Organic Smokehouse who will have their award winning Elderflower Cured Organic Gravadlax on their stand in the Slow Pavilion.
For the very best in Christmas puddings, visit the Pudding Shop. Each and every Christmas pudding is handmade, hand mixed and slowly steamed to ensure the very best flavours from quality ingredients. The puddings are then allowed to mature at just the right room temperature to ensure that they reach your table on Christmas Day fully matured and bursting with flavour. But if the Christmas variety is not to your taste, there is also a selection of other delicious steam puddings including a fabulous Worcestershire Treacle, a classic Spotted Dick and an Icky Sticky Toffee pudding!
If you prefer something lighter for dessert, Squisito makers of authentic hand made ice creams, will have some exquisite Christmas flavours in their range including Pannetone Ice Cream, Baileys Ice Cream and a Mulled Wine Sorbet.
So take a trip to the BBC Good Food Show Birmingham to start your Christmas planning. Why not take along a friend - what better early Christmas present could there be? Various ticket packages are available. Supertheatre and Drinks Tasting Theatre sessions sell out fast, so book early to avoid disappointment. All other demonstration theatres are free. Visit bbcgoodfoodshow.com for full details on the show and to book tickets and theatre sessions.
