Another Christmas idea from Normandy...

Le Trou Normand - a shot of Calvados - traditionally served on a special occasion.... wedding, christening, Christmas etc., between the fish course and meat course, the idea being that the palate is cleared to make room for more!
 Trust me this 'Calva' certainly burns its way down! Not for the lighthearted and with people drinking less spirits than in the past, today it's often served with an apple sorbet - un délice!

However, should you prefer a more seasonal sorbet the nest one may be worth trying -

Cranberry sorbet ( lasts ages in the freezer – so it’s fine to make ahead of time)
Serves 8-10 as a small course
500g frozen cranberries
300g caster sugar
500ml water
Zest and juice of 1 orange
Cook all the ingredients in a saucepan until the cranberries are very soft. Blend them until smooth and then strain them. Discard the pulp and freeze the juice in a plastic container.

Our little grey home in the west!

This is where we'll be spending our Christmas - our very own little corner of God's country (!), a place called Doogra (originating from 'black garden' apparently) in the bogs in the west of Ireland.
On the food front it may be a challenge as facilities are limited but it'll be great!
My favourite butcher Ciaran has required I call him to remind him that I want 'jaws,' as he says,
for the Christmas dinner - otherwise known as 'Ox Cheeks' - a firm favourite in our house!
The recipe is based on one from Yannick of Le Petit Bourg..

Ox cheek –joues de bœuf

For 20 people :
4 kilos meat
700g onions
4 carrots
2 sticks celery
½ bulb of garlic, sliced
Thyme
2/3 bay leaves
10g pepper, ground
1 kilo tomatoes (tinned will do!)
½ pot Blackberry jelly
3/4litres decent wine (not plonk)
2 litres veal stock**
Marinate the meat for 2 days with everything except the jelly.
Separate meat form veg and strain, keeping the liquid marinate. Heat this slowly and skim anything that comes to the surface very carefully.
In a large pan heat a little olive oil and add meat to seal the flavors.  Add the veal stock and the wine.  Reheat and cover well.  Place in oven (150°C) for 4 - 6 hours or in a slow cooker.
Serve with seasonal mash......

Veal stock
2 kilos veal bones
4 litre water
½ kg veg – onions,carrot, celery, leek
12 peppercorns
Roast bones, place in stock pot, add water and boil. Skim, and simmer gently.  Add washed vegetables, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Simmer for 6 – 8 hours uncovered. Skim and strain.

Freezes beautifully!

Christmas Morning in Doogra - note the blue skies !!

Drinks for the festive season!

It's that time of year again when we start to think about entertaining and what better way to make one's loved ones feel welcome than wiht a homemade beverage?
Here are some ideas to impress your guests...


Apéritif Maison (Le Petit Bourg)

1 litre/4 cups red wine – Merlot is perfect
12cl/1/4 cup Calvados (apple brandy though any brandy would do I'd imagine)
150g/6 ozs. sugar
2 tablsp. Chicory
1 vanilla pod
1 cinnamon stick
Juice of 3 oranges


Mix all together and leave for a couple of days. Strain into holy water bottle.....
and enjoy!


Cocktail for 30 people….

2 bottles gin
1 bottle vodka
1 bottle crème de cassis
7 litres orange juice

Mix all together and serve chilled with little bits of fruit (optional)

Mulled Wine


1 Bottle of Bordeaux red wine
½ bottle Port
Same quantity of water
Freshly ground nutmeg
Cinnamon stick
Sugar

Heat up all together and add sugar to taste

Kir Royale
Put a drop of Crème de Cassis in the bottom of a champagne glass and top up with sparkling white wine/cider/perry



Quarante quatre: (forty four)
Bit late for this one - mine has been waiting for dégustation since August, but here goes...
Simplicity at it’s best and a great ‘digestif’.  Impress your neighbours and/or friends by offering them an after-dinner Calvados homemade liquor.

Alternatively, you may like to serve a little 44 with white wine as an apéritif!

You will need:
1 litre of  Calvados
1 orange
44 sugar lumps
44 cloves or
44 coffee grains

and 44 days of patience!

Pour the Calvados into a large Kilner jar with  44 sugar lumps and 44 coffee grains or ...... if you’ve opted for cloves....
Stick the 44 cloves into an orange and add to jar.
Wait at least 44 days before tasting.
( Quarante quatre will, however, keep for centuries in the Kilner jar)