Favorite Holiday Dishes from Across the Pond
In honor of Narbeth's upcoming, renowned Dicken's Festival, (Sun. 12/5, 12-4pm) a great afternoon of family fun and evocation of "Merry Old' English" traditions, we thought we'd introduce some very British dishes that are holiday favorites, but also make easy & delicious meals any time of year, so tuck in! And, for some extra festivity, we've brought you some cocktail/mocktail options, worthy of your next holiday do!
Be sure to visit Pinwheel at our Dickens Fest table (in front of our shop at 121 N. Narberth Ave.) to sample some take-home British treats and meet the merry Pinwheel shopkeepers! Cheerio!
Turkey Pie
In the US we may dose up on turkey during Thanksgiving, but in the UK, it’s the centerpiece of Christmas Dinner. For Brits who want to take part in the turkey tradition without the fuss, labor and expense of cooking a whole bird, this is a perfect holiday option, and you may find it becomes a favorite holidaytime dish yourselves!
Serves: 6; 20 minutes prep; 1 hour baking time
Ingredients
FOR THE PIE
2 1/4 lb of potatoes, diced
1/2 lb. of carrots, diced
1/2 lb. of Pinwheel Roasted Root Veggies (heated with 2 tablespoon of water in the microwave for 3-5 minutes until soft enough to mash)
1 heaping Tbsp butter
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
salt
black pepper
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
FILLING
1 medium onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
2 tsp paprika, spicy
1 handful of parsley, chopped
1/2 lb. (7 oz) of mushrooms, diced
1/4 lb. of Pinwheel Local Sweet Peas (frozen)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large skillet cook the diced onion in the oil over medium heat until soft, add the minced garlic and cook for 3 minutes.
When the garlic has softened, add the turkey and stir occasionally; add the paprika, mushrooms, peas and parsley and season to taste with salt & pepper. Let cook over low heat for a further 10 minutes after that until any moisture in the pan has evaporated then switch off the heat and let cool.
In the meantime, make a potato, carrot and root veggie mash. Boil or microwave the potatoes and carrots until soft; while still warm, mix in the root veggies and butter and mash (with a masher or in a mixer) and let the mash cool completely.
Add the flour and eggs; mix until well incorporated. Butter and flour an oven-proof dish.
Alternate layers of the veggie mash, and turkey mixture ending with the veggie mash as the top layer. Dust the top with grated cheese and bake for 60 minutes. Let it rest for about 20 minutes and serve.
Note: The mash (without the flour and eggs) and filling can be made the day before and assembled the next day.
Christmas Nut Roast
A British classic that’s perfect for the vegan/vegetarian diners at your table (can also be made Gluten-Free), but will be loved by all. Easy, healthy & delicious!
Serves: 6; Prep time: 25 minutes; Baking Time 30 min.
FOR THE ROAST
1 3/4 lbs. Pinwheel Butternut Squash Chunks (frozen)
2 tbsp olive oil
250g/2.5 cups button mushrooms
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
handful fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
180g package cooked chestnuts, roughly chopped
250g unsalted mixed nuts (of your choice), toasted
4 Tbsp breadcrumbs (or Gluten Free breadcrumbs)
FOR THE TOPPING
handful picked parsley leaves
2 Tbsp dried cranberries
2 Tbsp toasted pecan
3/4 cup Stilton, crumbled (replace with non-dairy cheese for Vegan option)
Instructions
Preheat oven 350°F. Place the butternut squash chunks on a baking tray with half the olive oil and season. Toss well and cook for 15-20 mins. until softened and lightly browned. Meanwhile, halve the mushrooms and place in a food processor. Pulse until the mushrooms are finely chopped.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large sauté pan, add the onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 2 mins before adding the chopped mushrooms. Cook until all the liquid has evaporated. Add the sage and chestnuts, stir well and cook for 2 more mins, then remove from heat.
Place the nuts in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add these to the mushroom mixture. Remove the butternut squash from the oven and mash roughly with a fork. Add it to the mushroom mixture along with the breadcrumbs. Combine well, season to taste with salt & pepper and spoon into a 8x4” loaf pan, sprayed lightly with cooking oil. Bake oven for 30 mins, uncovered. Mix together the topping ingredients. Remove from oven, sprinkle on the toppings, and leave to cool for 5-7 mins.
Cut into thick slices and serve.
Pea & Mint Soup
A very British soup that is beloved any time of year, as it can be served hot or cold. Makes a great holiday starter dish.
Serves:4 Preparation time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
1 bunch green onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots or 1 small onion, diced
850ml vegetable or chicken stock
1 lb. Pinwheel Local Sweet Peas (frozen)
4 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
large pinch of sugar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon or lime juice
5 oz./150ml buttermilk or sour cream
FOR GARNISH
Additional mint leaves and a few sprigs of parsley, chopped
Instructions
Put the green onions into a large pan with the potato, garlic, onion/shallots and stock. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the potato is very soft. Add the remaining peas to the soup base and simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the mint, sugar and lemon or lime juice, cool slightly then pour into a food processor or use an immersion blender to whizz until as smooth as you prefer. Stir in half the buttermilk or sour cream, taste and season with salt and pepper.
Return the soup to the rinsed-out pan and reheat without boiling (to prevent the buttermilk or sour cream from curdling).
Serve the soup in bowls, drizzled with the remaining buttermilk/sour cream and chopped parsley & mint.
Cauliflower Cheese
A dish that always evokes nostalgia among Brits; even die-hard cauliflower haters come around with this dish!
Serves: 6; Preparation time: 10 minutes
Ingredients
1.25 lbs. Pinwheel Cauliflower Florets (frozen)
2 cups milk of your choice (unsweetened almond milk works fine)
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup strong cheddar, grated
2-3 Tbsp breadcrumbs
Sprigs of fresh dill (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425F. Place the cauliflower florets in a microwave-safe bowl. Add 2 Tbsp water and heat on the High setting for 3-4 mins until softened. Drain the florets and add to an oven-safe baking dish, lightly oiled with cooking spray.
Place saucepan on the stove on medium heat and add milk, flour and butter. Whisk the mixture as the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil – the sauce will begin to thicken. Whisk for 2 mins while the sauce bubbles and becomes nice and thick.
Turn off the heat, stir in most of the grated cheddar cheese and pour over the cauliflower. Scatter over the remaining cheese, and breadcrumbs.
Put in the oven and bake for 20 mins until bubbling. If the dish begins to brown too much, cover the pan with foil and resume baking until bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with fresh dill sprigs if desired.
Green Beans with Mustard & Lemon
A simple side dish gussied up with bright, bold flavors; will complement an American Christmas ham just as well as a British Christmas turkey!
Serves:6 /Prep Time: 10 min.
Ingredients
1 lb. Pinwheel Local Green Beans (frozen)
1.5 Tbsp butter
zest and juice from 1 lemon
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Optional Toppings:
2 tbsp chopped mint
3 Tbsp toasted slivered almonds
Instructions
Place the green beans in a microwave safe bowl with 2 Tbsp water; cover tightly and heat on the High setting for 2-3 mins until steamed tender. Drain well and refresh under cold water. Set aside.
Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the lemon zest and juice, mustard, a good pinch of salt and plenty of ground black pepper. Add the green beans and toss well until evenly coated.
Tip into a serving dish, scatter over the mint/almonds and serve.
Chocolate Tahini Banana Pudding
Nigella Lawson’s beloved recipe has graced many a British holiday table. While Brits use the term “pudding” to refer to all manner of desserts, this one is a cross between what we know as “pudding” in the US, and a cake. Gooey, decadent & delicious! Can also be made Gluten-Free.
Serves: 4; Prep Time:15 min./Baking Time: 45 min.
Ingredients
2 medium very ripe or overripe bananas (about 3/4 cup mashed)
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
1/4 cup Soom Premium Tahini (for an extra chocolate burst use the Soom Dark Chocolate & Sea Salt variety)
3 Tbsp whole milk Greek yogurt, at room temperature
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
4 oz (approx. 1⁄2 cup or 100 g) bittersweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly spray an ovenproof dish with a capacity of about 3 cups (about 7 inches diameter, and 2 inches deep) with cooking oil (vegetable oil).
Peel and, either by hand or using an electric hand mixer, mash the bananas; then beat in the oil, followed by the tahini. Next beat in the yogurt. Finally beat in the egg, then the sugars and vanilla.
Whisk or fork together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl and incorporate into the banana batter bit-by-bit; when you can no longer see any specks of white, fold in the chocolate chips with a flexible spatula, which you can use to scrape the runny batter into your ovenproof dish.
Cook for 40–45 minutes, depending on whether you want it to have a gooey molten center or not. Once it’s out of the oven, let it stand for 5–10 minutes before diving in for that first squidgy spoonful!
Chai Whiskey Hot Toddy (can be made non-alcoholic)
A hot toddy is a restorative warm winter drink, with or without the whiskey, regarded as an immunity booster and providing relief from cold symptoms. Although the original Hot Toddy recipe hails from Norway, the Brits put their own spin on it, and the introduction of Chai is a nod to the British Raj period in India. Chai adds a new dimension to the classic drink with notes of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger.
Single Serving Recipe
Ingredients
1 cup Chai Bar Chai (Classic Masala or Cardamom Rose blends , available at the Pinwheel shop, yield the best result) or other favorite Chai blend brewed tea
1 1/2 oz whiskey (3 tbsp, or to taste)- optional
3 Tbsp Woodstove Kitchen Hot Toddy Mixer (or to taste)
2 Tbsp orange juice (or to taste)
1 tsp Instar Apiary honey or other favorite honey (to taste)
Garnishes: clementine peel, orange slice, rosemary, cinnamon stick, star anise
Instructions
Make 1 cup of Chai, according to the package instructions. Make sure the tea leaves are completely strained out of the tea. Add the tea and the rest of the ingredients to a 4 oz glass mug. . Stir, taste and adjust if desired.To make your drink extra zingy, you can add 1 tspn of lemon juice. Garnish as desired.
Spiced Wine Punch
A big pan of this warming punch is a great way to greet your guests and create a festive environment!
Serves 8-10
Ingredients
100g light muscovado sugar
1 orange, zested and cut into chunks
2 cinnamon sticks , broken in half
a little freshly grated nutmeg
1 x 750 ml bottle of Merlot, Zinfandel or Grenache
Optional garnish: apple slices; cinnamon sticks
Instructions
Put the sugar, the orange zest and chunks, cinnamon and nutmeg in a pan with 1.5 cups water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 mins to infuse the spices, then add the wine and Mulling Syrup and bring to a simmer. Strain and serve in heatproof glasses with garnishes of your choice.