Festive tips from Antony Worrall Thompson
Even celebrity chefs have short cuts to ease the pressure of catering for family and friends during the festive season. Here, celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson shares five festive tips and foolproof fast snack recipes that take just five minutes to prepare – perfect when guests pop by unexpectedly.Five Festive Tips:
1) Get ahead: make brandy butter, mince pies, stuffing and cranberry sauce a week or two before Christmas: freeze them and thaw overnight on Christmas Eve. You can cook mince pies from frozen too if guests drop by unexpectedly.
2) Cut turkey time: cook your stuffing in a baking tray to save time as an un-stuffed turkey cooks more quickly than one with stuffing in its cavity.
3) Juggle roast potatoes: pre-roast your potatoes for 40 minutes before the turkey goes in the oven. The turkey will need 20 minutes’ standing time tightly wrapped in foil to allow the juices to go back into the flesh having risen to the surface during cooking. So during this time, turn up the oven to hot and pop your potatoes back in to finish roasting and crisp up.
4) No gravy grumbles: for no hassle lump-free gravy use my Chicken Gravy Paste (Tesco Online, £1.99). Simply disperse the paste in cold water, heat it gently until it thickens and serve. Add three or four tablespoons of turkey cooking juices for extra flavour.
5) One dish wonder: two weeks before Christmas make up and freeze two large lasagnes – one meat and one vegetarian. They will make a wonderfully warming supper and can be whipped out of the freezer and baked from frozen. Perfect if you suddenly need to rustle up supper – or for the day when you feel too tired to start from scratch. Simply serve with big bowls of mixed leaf salad lightly tossed in olive oil and sea salt.
Five Minute Festive Snacks
For impromptu guests or when you’re running late with lunch or supper, a few larder basics can quickly conjure up tasty festive treats. Stock up on breadsticks and croutini ahead of time: they’ll keep fresh for weeks unopened (find Antony Worrall Thompson’s freshly baked breadsticks and croutini at Morrison’s, Waitrose and Booth’s priced around £1.99 for 95g (breadsticks) and 90g (croutini).
1. Cranberry Croutini Topping
Spread Antony Worrall Thompson’s Olive, Sea Salt & Black Pepper croutini with cream cheese. Top with a dollop of cranberry sauce. Grind over a little black pepper if you wish. Serve immediately
2. Hey Presto Pesto Breadstick Dip
Combine 8oz of cream cheese with three teaspoons of green or red pesto. Stir in a little olive oil until you have the desired dipping consistency. Add fire to the red pesto with a pinch of cayenne or chilli pepper. Serve with Antony Worrall Thompson’s Garlic & Coriander breadsticks and strips of carrot, cucumber and yellow pepper.
Antony says: “Christmas is to be enjoyed, not endured. It’s a family occasion and part of the fun is everyone getting involved and helping out. Ask for one or two people at a time to help so that the kitchen doesn’t become too crowded, and don’t forget the head chef’s privilege and Christmas kitchen essential: a glass of your favourite tipple within reach while preparing meals!”
To find out more about Antony’s range of food, kitchen and lifestyle products click onto Awtonline.co.uk.
