Christmas trimmingsSausagemeat Stuffing 6 uncooked sausages Skin the sausages (easily done by slashing down one side and holding them under cold running water while you slip the skin off) Saute the chopped onion in a little oil until tender then add the sausage meat, poking it into chunks with a wooden spatula or similar. Continue until cooked. Meanwhile you can push a few slies of bred through the kitchen whizz to make the breadcrumbs. I used some focaccia bread I happened to have left over. Place the crumbs in a large bowl and when the sausage are cooked, drain off any fat and allow them to cool then process them in a food processor until they are like breadcrumbs. Add to the breadcrumbs along with the herbs and bind together with an egg. Use this to stuff the cavity of the bird. We usually have a fish starter of some kind. When the numbers around the dinner table were larger, it was often a baked, glazed trout (thanks to fishing friends). This year I've got some raw prawns which we will probably have with a cocktail sauce dressing spiced up with some horseradish and smoked paprika. To go with the turkey there will be glazed citrus kumara (sweet potato), little boiled Jersey Benne potatoes, minted peas, whole baby beans, cranberry jelly and gravy. I have some small individual-sized Christmas puddings which I will serve with whipped cream and ice cream. I might even splash out and make some brandy butter. A reader asked me for the recipe, so here it is. Nothing much to it really - apart from calories. Brandy butter is also known as hard sauce. You can buy it readymade but it's better if you make your own from fresh butter. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt. Brandy Butter 50g softened butter Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Blend in the brandy. Place in a small bowl and refrigerate until required. Have a great Christmas!!
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