Nov 30, 2021

Ragdale’s festive recipes for a memorable Christmas dinner

Make your Christmas one to remember with our selection of deliciously festive recipes, brought to you from Ragdale’s kitchen.

Get Christmas dinner off to a great start with our San Danielle Ham with figs, mozzarella and wild rocket recipe. If you’re looking to wow your guests with a sensational starter which can be put together in seconds, then this combination of flavours straight from Ragdale’s kitchen will make your Christmas truly memorable.

Ingredients

  • 8 slices San Danielle or Parma ham
  • 350g (12oz) buffalo mozzarella, sliced
  • 8 ripe figs, halved
  • Handful of wild rocket
  • Virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method

  • Arrange the slices of ham on 4 serving plates with the mozzarella, figs and rocket.
  • Just before serving, drizzle a little olive oil over the ham and mozzarella.
  • Chef’s tip – to appreciate the flavour at their best, make sure that the ham and cheese are served at room temperature, not chilled.

Whether you’re using it to stuff a turkey or serving it as a sumptuous side dish, stuffing is an essential part of any Christmas dinner, that’s why we’re bringing you an extra special stuffing recipe from our Executive Head Chef, David Ellams.

Ingredients

  • 2 onions, sliced (not diced!)
  • 30g butter
  • 1 small Bramley apple, peeled, cored and diced
  • 800g Cumberland sausages, removed from their skins
  • Handful of sage, leaves chopped, plus extra for topping
  • 140g granary breadcrumbs

 

Method

  • Fry two sliced onions in 30g butter for 5 mins, then add one small diced Bramley apple and cook for a few minutes.
  • Let it cool, then mix with 800g Cumberland sausages, (with the skins removed), the chopped handful of sage, 140g granary breadcrumbs and seasoning.
  • If you’re using to stuff a turkey, do this now and roll any leftovers into balls. If you’re serving as a side dish, pack the mixture into a 1kg loaf tin and top with extra sage leaves for added flavour.
  • Bake with your turkey for 30-40 mins. Drain off any fat before serving.

Give the classic Yule Log a Ragdale twist with our Cherry, Chocolate & Chestnut Meringue Roulade recipe.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

Meringue:

  • 3 large egg whites
  • 100g (4oz) caster sugar
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 100g (4oz) chopped roasted hazelnuts

Filling:

  • 100g (4oz) Kirsch-marinated cherries (griottines)
  • 150ml (1/4 pint) whipping cream
  • 75g (3oz) mascarpone cheese
  • 1 tbsp sweetened chestnut puree with vanilla
  • Cherry sorbet, to serve

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 160°C, fan oven 140°C, Gas Mark 2. Grease and line a Swiss roll tin measuring approximately 32 x 23cm (13 x 9 inches) with non-stick baking paper.
  • Whisk the egg whites until they hold their shape, then whisk in the sugar a little at a time until they are stiff and glossy. Fold in the vinegar, sifted cocoa powder and sifted cornflour with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock out all the air that has just been incorporated.
  • Sprinkle half the hazelnuts on the prepared baking tin and fold the remainder through the meringue. Spread the meringue mixture evenly in the tray, taking care not to overfill it. Transfer to the oven and bake for around 10-12 minutes. To test that it is done, insert a cocktail stick – it should come out clean. Take care not to overcook it, otherwise it will be hard to roll without breaking.
  • Drain the cherries, reserving the juice, and place on kitchen paper to dry. Whip the cream to form soft peaks, then add the mascarpone cheese and chestnut puree and whip for another few seconds. The mixture should be stiff enough to hold its shape.
  • Turn the meringue out onto a double layer of cling film and remove the lining paper. Make sure that it is completely cool. Spread the cream mixture evenly over the surface and arrange the cherries on top. Carefully roll up from the long side, then wrap in the cling-film and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
  • Slice and serve with a cherry sorbet and some of the reserved cherry syrup.

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