Holiday dinner menu: English Countryside

Bacon-wrapped tenderloin with caramelized shallots and cranberry-port jus

Prep 40 min
Total 1 hour 35 min

Ingredients:
1/4 cup grainy Dijon mustard
1/4 cup horseradish
750 g shallots, about 25
4 1/2 tsp olive oil
1 tbsp red-wine vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2-kg filet of beef tenderloin,
trimmed
9 to 12 slices bacon
Jus:
1/2 cup port
1/2 cup frozen cranberries



Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 500F. Set a rack in a roasting pan. Stir mustard with horseradish in a small bowl. Set aside.


2. Peel shallots and trim off the roots. Cut larger shallots in half. Place in a medium bowl. Add olive oil, vinegar, sugar and salt. Season with pepper. Toss to coat.


3. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Remove any string around filet. Spread mustard mixture all over meat. Drape bacon over tenderloin in an overlapping criss-cross pattern. Tuck bacon underneath tenderloin so it goes all the way around the beef. Transfer to rack in roasting pan. Add shallots to roasting pan.


4. Roast in centre of oven for 20 min. Stir shallots. Reduce heat to 300F. Continue roasting until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast reads 145F for medium-rare, 40 to 45 more min. Transfer meat to a cutting board and cover with foil. Transfer shallots into a serving dish.


5. Set roasting pan directly over 2 burners on medium-high. Add port and cranberries. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, mashing cranberries when tender, 3 to 5 min. Jus should measure about 2/3 cup. Top mixture off with hot water to make a full cup.


Serves 8



Per serving: 481 calories, 48 g protein, 16 g carbs, 23 g fat, 2 g fibre, 402 mg sodium.

Crispy roasted potatoes

Prep 20 min
Total 45 min

Ingredients:
2.25 kg Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt



Directions:
1. Position oven racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat to 500F.


2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut potatoes into chunks. Add to boiling water. Boil until potatoes are slightly tender, about 10 min. Drain, then return potatoes to same pot. Cover pot and shake until potatoes are just fluffy on the outside. Drizzle oil over potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, then season with pepper. Shake to combine. Spread out in a single layer on two large baking sheets.


3. Roast in top and bottom thirds of oven, stirring potatoes and switching sheets halfway through, until potatoes are crispy and browned, about 25 min.


Serves 8



Per serving: 255 calories, 4 g protein, 45 g carbs, 7 g fat, 3 g fibre, 834 mg sodium.

Lemony Swiss chard

Prep 10 min
Total 20 min

Ingredients:
2 bunches red swiss chard
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes
2 tbsp lemon juice



Directions:
1. Trim and discard tough stem ends from chard. Cut into 2-in. pieces.


2. Heat a large frying pan over medium. Add 1 tbsp oil, then half of the chard. Sprinkle with half of salt and red-pepper flakes. Cover and cook until chard is wilted and stems are tender, stirring halfway through, 4 to 5 min.


3. Drizzle with 1 tbsp lemon juice. transfer cooked chard to a serving bowl and keep warm. Return pan to heat and repeat with remaining oil, chard, salt, red-pepper flakes and lemon juice.


Serves 8



Per serving: 57 calories, 3 g protein, 6 g carbs, 4 g fat, 3 g fibre, 378 mg sodium. Excellent source of vitamin A.

Sticky toffee puddings with caramel sauce