Holiday dinner menu: English Countryside
(Photo: Ryan Szulc)
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
Total 1 hour 23 min
Ingredients:
1/2 (375 g) pkg pitted dates, about 1 1/4 cups (300 mL), coarsely chopped
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
For warm caramel sauce:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup 35% whipping cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Stir dates with 3/4 cup
water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over
medium. Gently boil, stirring often, for 3 min.
Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda. Let
stand 10 min.
2. Butter 12 cups in a muffin tin. Bring a kettle
of water to a boil. Stir flour with baking powder
and ginger in a small bowl. Beat butter with
sugar in a large bowl, using a hand mixer. Add
eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in dates.
Spoon batter halfway full into each cup.
3. Set muffin tin in a large roasting pan. Place
pan in centre of oven. Pour hot water into pan
halfway up sides of muffin tin. Bake for 15 min.
Reduce heat to 325F. Continue baking until a
skewer inserted in centre of puddings comes
out clean, about 15 more min. Transfer muffin
tin to a wire rack. Cool 10 min. Run a knife along
inside edges to unmold puddings.
For Warm Caramel Sauce:
1. Melt 1/2 cup brown
sugar with 1/4 cup butter in a
small pan over medium-high. Stir
in 1/4 cup 35% cream. Boil gently
until slightly thickened, about 3
min. Serve warm over puddings.
Makes 12
Make ahead:
Bake puddings, then wrap and refrigerate for
several days or freeze up to 2 weeks. To reheat, defrost first, then
place a few puddings on a microwave-safe dinner plate. Tent with wax
paper and microwave on medium just until puddings are warm in the
centre, about 1 min. Repeat with remaining puddings. Sauce will keep
well, covered and refrigerated, up to 2 days. Reheat in microwave on
high for 1 min. before serving.
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