Christmas is the perfect time of the year to indulge in twin passions – food and family. Good company, great food and Christmas crackers are usually the ingredients for a great meal out during the festive season. In this seasonal spirit, Chef Saransh Goila shares his favourite Christmas recipes.
Jaggery Mulled Wine
Ingredients:
1 bottle (750 mL) of Port wine, if not available then Red Wine
½ Orange Sliced
1/4th cup of Gin
1/2 Vanilla Pod
5-6 cloves
2 tbsp Jaggery or even better “Black Jaggery”
2 cinnamon sticks
2 Star Anise
2 Bayleaf
Preparation:
- First on medium heat in 100 ml of wine melt the jaggery.
- Now add all the spices to this wine and let them cook on low flame for 10 mins. Now add the oranges.
- Flambe the gin and add it to the wine. After 2 mins take it of the gas and put off the flambé. This step is optional, if you choose not to flambé you can add the gin directly.
- Now pour rest of the wine into the spiced wine. Let it cook on low flame for 20 mins.
- Preferably leave this wine soaked overnight with spices and serve it hot next day. Or you can immediately serve it hot in mugs.
Almond Fusilli
Ingredients
100 grams Penne
1 finely sliced onion
1/2 cup finely sliced celery
1 tbsp flour
100gm grated cheddar cheese
500 ml milk
2 tbsp cream
50 gm finely chopped almonds, lightly toasted
1 tsp mustard sauce
2 tbsp butter
A pinch of Nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Method
- Heat the butter in a pan and then sauté onion and celery in it for a couple of minutes.
- Now add the flour and mix well.
- Add the milk(warm) in 3 parts, whisking well so that lumps do not form.
- Once all the milk is added and it has a thick sauce consistency, then add the cream, cheese, almonds, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper, mix well and allow it to simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until the cheese melts.
- Now add freshly boiled penne to this sauce.
- Serve hot.
