CHRISTMAS MUST MAKES! DROP SCONES WITH CURED TROUT AND DILLY MASCARPONE + BAKED HAM WITH MAPLE, ORANGE AND ROSEMARY BUTTER
A couple of cracking recipes to inspire you this Christmas.
As it is almost time for Christmas I thought i’d write up these three, easy recipes from my kitchen to yours. Ones that might inspire or help you with a quick fix.
If you’re off to do your festive food shopping this weekend I highly recommend thinking ahead about the glaze for your Christmas ham. For two many years I went for the lazy girl option of mustard and honey - which is fine, but Christmas I think deserves something a little more special, and this glaze is really special. What’s great about a baked ham is that it lasts so well it can be eaten throughout the Christmas period. I cook mine on the 23rd - i’ll eat a few hot slices with a baked potato, perhaps a mustardy sprout slaw and it ends up being the gift that keeps giving all through Christmas - I think possibly the most popular thing in our house.
This orange, maple and rosemary glaze is very good. It’s finished with butter which means it’s great for spooning over once carved too.
If you’re not in charge of the dinner this year perhaps you’ve volunteered yourself on breakfast duty. My drop scones are fluffy and delicious - perfect served with smoked trout and a dilly mascarpone. Everyone always feels well looked after if you present them with cured fish on Christmas day and these drop scones are miles better than rubbery, under seasoned store-brought blinis or hyper processed bagels and they are honestly, super easy to make.
I hope these festive fixes inspire you this weekend!
Happy Christmas all!
Esther x
HOW TO
BAKE A HAM -
The cooking liquid - this bits important because all the flavours from this lovely stock are soaked into the gammon. You want a strong herb like bay to run through the meat as well as sweet veg like onion, carrot and celery to balance the salty flavour of the meat.
Smoked or unsmoked - Gammon is the hind leg of pork that has been cured by salting and brining. Some prefer smoked which is completely fine if you like that rich, bacon like flavour. I like to use unsmoked in this recipe as there’s so many complex flavours of Christmas going on. Smoked fairs well when cold and is delicious in sandwiches but unsmoked takes on flavour better - feel free to buy what you most prefer.
The fat - Make sure your ham has a good layer of fat running around it. Ask the butcher or pick one off the shelf that has the most visible fat. Make sure your butcher ties the ham for you or tie it yourself if you have a roll of kitchen string.
The timings - To start, weigh the meat to calculate cooking time. Roast gammon cooking time is generally 20 minutes per 450g, plus an added 20 minutes. I like to then rest my meat in the stock for 30 mins- 1 hour before baking.
HOW TO -
MAKE DROP SCONES
What are they - Drop scones are something between a scotch pancake and a crumpet. They are larger than blinis but have that bouncy, airy quality. Also known as pikelets.
The mix - once you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients be sure not to over beat as this will give you a tougher texture. Beat until just combined and there are no more pockets of flour.
The cooking - You want to make sure these are nice and brown on the outside but cooked through and not raw in the middle. A lower, gentle heat will help you with this and regular flipping so the heat reaches the middle evenly.
Baked ham with maple, orange and rosemary butter
Double the recipe, including the weight of the gammon if you’re feeding a bigger crowd (8 people). This is a good size if you want it for Christmas Eve to feed up to 5 or if you just want it for cold cuts on Boxing Day. See cooking timings above.
PREP 30 MINS COOK 1 HOUR 15 MINS SERVES 5
1 kg smoked or unsmoked boneless gammon joint, tied
1/2 onion, peeled
1 carrot, cut into large chunks
1 celery stick, cut into large chunks
2 fresh bay leaves
1 tsp peppercorns
150ml maple syrup
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 tsp English mustard
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1 orange, zest of half and juice of all
3 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and chopped
50g unsalted butter
Place the gammon in a large, lidded pot. Add the 1/2 onion, carrot, celery, bay and pepper. Cover with water from the cold tap until the ham is fully submerged. Bring to a simmer, put the lid on a cook gently for 50 mins. Once cooked turn off the heat and leave the gammon to sit in the hot cooking liquid for 30 mins.
Gently cut the skin off the gammon, leaving the thick layer of fat underneath. Score the fat with a sharp knife. Line a lipped baking tray with parchment. Sit the gammon in the tin. Heat the oven to 220C/200C fan.
Place the maple, sugar, mustard, allspice orange zest and juice, chopped rosemary into a pan. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 mins or until thickened. Swirl in the butter.
Brush half the glaze over the ham. Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden and sticky. Discard the paper and dark, sticky overspill from underneath. Add 100ml of the cooking stock to the remaining glaze, bring to a simmer then spoon over the carved ham.
GOOD TO KNOW -
The ham will keep well, in a container in the fridge for 7-10 days.
Swap the rosemary for thyme if you’d prefer
Honey works well here so use that if you don’t want to splash out on maple.
Drop scones with smoked trout and dilly mascarpone
PREP 15 MINS COOK 15 MINS SERVES 4-5
250g mascarpone
1 small lemon, zested and half juiced
2 tsp hot creamed horseradish
1 bunch dill, finely chopped
1 tbsp chives, finely chopped
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 heaped tbsp caster sugar
1 large egg
180ml whole milk
butter for frying
200g good quality smoked trout or salmon
1/2 red onion or 2 banana shallots, finely chopped
Capers and lemon wedges to serve
In a bowl mix together the mascarpone, lemon zest, dill, chives and, a good pinch of salt some black pepper. Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight if you like.
Sieve all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix to combine then make a well in the middle. In a large jug whisk the egg and milk together then pour into the dry ingredients. In a clockwise motion whisk together the batter until smooth and lump free.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add a little butter to the pan and spoon in mounds of the batter to make small coaster size discs. Cook for 5 mins, flipping regularly. You can test they are done by pressing them between your fingers, they should feel spongy. Cook in batches of 3, making sure to wipe out the pan with kitchen roll each time and then adding a little more butter. Keep the drop scones warm on a plate whilst you fry the rest.
Serve for breakfast warm or cold with a spoonful of the mascarpone, trout, extra herbs, red onions, capers and lemon to squeeze over.
GOOD TO KNOW -
Swap the cured trout for lumpfish caviar (fancy!), hot smoked trout or cooked prawns if you like.
Make the drop scones a few hours in advance if you like and keep at room temprature in a sealed container.
Any drop scones leftover shouldnt be eaten from the fridge. Store at room temprature and microwave for 30 seconds to soften them.
