Delicious dozen
(by Peter Richards MW & Susie Barrie MW)
We recently joined with top chefs and presenters Matt Tebbutt, Michael Caines, Jeni Barnett and Omar Allibhoy to film a delicious Christmas special series for the Food Network.
It was great to work with such brilliant and familiar faces, as well as local production company, Sweet TV (Winchester fast becoming the very epicentre of the gastronomic world, of course…
The series was called 12 Chefs of Christmas and we were not only on wine duty but also knocking up festive cocktails including a pick-me-up Bloody Mary, festive white wine sangria, winter Bellini and a merry mocktail.
The recipes for these concoctions are as below. Although they have a Christmas theme, they’re brilliant winter all-rounders so, if you’re not being virtuous and having a dry spell, tuck in!
The shows are supposedly available to watch online via the Food Network website, though many of the links don’t seem to be working at the moment. We’ve had a word and will update links in due course. In the meantime, only the first of these works:
- Peter recommends Rioja, white wine sangria and sweet Moscatel for Omar Allibhoy’s Spanish Christmas feast: oysters, suckling pig and poached pears
- A brilliant winter Bellini, Kiwi Sauvignon Blanc and festive mocktail all feature in Susie’s festive party alongside Michael Caines’ glazed ham with bubble and squeak, home-cured Gravadlax and trifle
- Peter raises celebratory glasses of top English fizz, Kiwi Pinot Noir and a spicy Christmas Bloody Mary with Jeni Barnett and Matt Tebbutt
The wines we used in the show are as follows:
- Nyetimber Classic Cuvee 2009 (from £23.98, Majestic)
- Herringbone Hills Pinot Noir 2010 (from £8.66, Majestic)
- Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014 (from £6.66, Majestic)
- Rioja Gran Reserva 2004, Vina Eguia (from £8.99, Majestic)
- Torres Floralis Moscatel Oro NV (£9.29, Waitrose)
Peter’s festive white wine sangria (the Navidangría)
Ingredients
- 1 bottle (750ml) white wine, nothing too expensive
- 300 ml white grape juice
- glug of (clear) lemonade
- splash Limoncello
- splash Cointreau
- splash Spanish brandy
- 50 ml (or to taste) of sweet Spanish Moscatel wine eg Torres Floralis Moscatel
Method
Chill the white wine and grape juice beforehand. Pour the bottle of white wine and the grape juice into a big jug. Add the lemonade, Limoncello and Cointreau. Then add the sweet Moscatel, tasting as you go. Don’t make it too sweet! Serve over an ice cube and a slice of orange.
Peter’s Boxing Day Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 200 ml vodka (ideally, Twisted Nose Wasabi Vodka)
- 750 ml tomato juice (Tom’s spicy tomato juice)
- Tabasco
- Worcestershire sauce
- Harvey’s Bristol Cream
- King’s Ginger liqueur
- Sugar syrup
- Pinch celery salt
- Ice cube to serve
- Celery stick to stir, nothing else
Method
In a large jug, pour in vodka followed by the tomato juice. Add splashes of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce to taste. Add Harvey’s Bristol cream and King’s ginger liqueur followed by sugar syrup. Pinch of celery salt. Stir it all up using a celery stick. Pour in a tumbler over a glass of ice. Drink with spicy Asian turkey salad.
Susie’s Winter Bellini
Serves 4
- Roughly chop 2 x chilled tinned peach halves and purée thoroughly in a blender.
- Add the chilled juice of 2 tangerines, 25ml sugar syrup, 2 drops of orange flower water and stir.
- Pour into four champagne flutes and top up with chilled prosecco, stirring carefully as you go.
- Approx 1 part purée to 2 or 3 parts prosecco.
Susie’s Boxing Day Mocktail
- For each person put an ice cube (with tangerine zest frozen into it) into the bottom of a tall glass.
- Pour on the juice of 3 tangerines (approx. 40ml), 25ml cranberry juice and top up with ginger beer.
- Finish with a disk of tangerine and a sprinkling of cinnamon.
Alternatives…
- Use Elderflower fizz or fizzy apple juice instead of ginger beer
- Add Ginger and lemongrass cordial for a sweeter, spicier drink.