Merry Meals

We are pleased to share three hearty and fun Christmas recipes from renowned chef Jackie Cameron. Give these a try if you’re out of ideas or need some inspiration. Here’s to merriment and joy for this festive season!

Stoney Ginger Beer, Fresh Peach & Cherry Glazed Dargle Christmas Ham
Ingredients:
2kg “Dargle Valley Meat” – Gammon Ham (Bone-out)

For the Glaze:

• 150g butter, salted
• 300g treacle brown sugar
• 90ml Dijon mustard
• 3 cups Stoney Ginger Beer

Extra:

• 5 whole peaches, pip removed
• 1 punnet fresh cherries
• whole cloves
• toothpicks

Method:

1. Put the gammon into a large pot (cook the gammon in the sous-vide style, in the vacuum-pack bag that the gammon comes in) with enough water to cover it.
2. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Chef’s note: on average, for every 1kg of gammon, cook for 45 minutes – start the clock once the water starts boiling.
3. Once cooked, remove the outer skin and score. Chef’s note: with a knife, cut fat to form shallow incisions which could result in shapes; for instance, triangles.
4. Glaze – melt all the glaze ingredients together and reduce to a light syrup consistency.
5. Using toothpicks, place many 1/8 slices of peach in and around the gammon. Finish with cloves, by sticking them into the gammon, and top with the glaze. 
6. Place the gammon in the oven at 180°C for 40 minutes or until beautifully glazed. Baste every five minutes or so. Chef’s note: a term meaning to lightly moisten meat while in the oven to prevent the outer surface from drying out.
7. Allow to cool. Slice and serve. 

Pumpkin/Butternut Pie with Gourmet Greek Feta, Spring Onions, Chives & Crystallised Pecan Nuts
Makes: 1 Pie

For the Crystallised Pecans
Ingredients:

• 120g pecans
• “Oryx” salt
• 65g brown sugar
• 65ml water
• 10g butter, salted 

Method:

1. Toast pecans gently with a bit of salt.
2. Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook (very lightly stir and then leave; only stir to prevent sticking) until the moisture has evaporated. Then start stirring while regulating the temperature to allow the sugar around the nuts to crystallise. 
3. Turn out onto greaseproof paper and separate the nuts.
4. Sprinkle it with salt and cool.

For the Filling
Ingredients:

• 1 Pâte Brisée Pie Shell, cooked (22 cm springform cake tin)
• 62.5g light brown sugar
• 5g ginger powder 
• 5g cinnamon powder
• 5g mixed spice 
• 6 whole “Midlands” eggs
• 500ml pumpkin/butternut purée (reduce and thicken if needed; this is an important step, you must have two cups of thick pumpkin/butternut puree)
• 250ml “Millac Gold” cream
• 125ml full-cream milk
• 5g fine “Oryx” salt
• “Oryx” black pepper 

Extra:

• chives
• spring onions
• “Gourmet Greek” feta

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Have a baked pâte brisée pie shell ready.
2. Whisk the sugar, spices, and eggs until well combined.
3. Fold in the pumpkin/butternut puree.
4. Slowly pour in the cream and milk, and mix until combined.
5. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Fill the baked pie shell with the mixture, cover with foil, and bake at 175°C for 1 hour and 38 minutes.
7. When done, allow to slightly cool and firm up, even overnight is good. Garnish with fresh chives, spring onions, feta cheese, and crystallised pecans. 

South African Christmas Trifle
Please note: the trifle in the image is 4 x the recipe.

Malva Pudding
Yields: about 8 portions. Oven tray: 16 x 25 cm

Ingredients:
For the pudding

• 200g white sugar
• 2 “Midlands” eggs
• 15ml apricot jam
• 150g “Champagne Valley” cake flour
• 5g bicarbonate of soda
• a pinch of “Oryx” salt
• 15g salted butter
• 5ml vinegar
• 100ml full-cream milk

For the Sauce

• 200ml “Millac Gold” cream
• 50g salted butter
• 150g white sugar
• 100ml hot water
• 50ml apricot jam

Method:

1. Beat the sugar and eggs until light and creamy.
2. Add the 15ml apricot jam.
3. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt. Set aside.
4. Melt the butter and vinegar together, then add them to the milk.
5. Alternating, add the milk mixture and the flour mixture to the egg mixture.
6. Put the mixture into an oven tray (16 x 25 cm), cover with foil and bake at 180°C for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes or until cooked.
7. While the pudding is baking, heat all the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar granules dissolve. Pour it over the malva pudding when it is done baking.

Dried Fruit Compote
Yields: about 8 portions.

Ingredients:

• 500g dried fruit
  Suggested:

100g prunes

200g apricots

100g dried banana (if using banana, add at the end of the cooking process for only five or so minutes, otherwise they become very mushy)

60g pears

40g apple

• 5g star anise
• 10 whole cloves
• 5g cinnamon powder
• 1 vanilla pod – split
• 4 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 cup white sugar

Method:

1. Place all the above ingredients into a pot, stir until the sugar is dissolved, and bring to the boil.
2. Allow to simmer until the fruit is soft, but not mushy.

Amarula Crème Anglaise
Yields: 250ml

Ingredients:

• 30g white sugar
• 1/3 cup full-cream milk
• 1/2 cup “Millac Gold” cream
• 1/2 vanilla pod, beans scraped from pod
• 2 whole “Midlands” eggs
• Amarula

Method:

1. Bring the sugar, milk, cream, and vanilla to a boil.
2. Whisk the eggs lightly.
3. Add the hot liquid to the eggs slowly, while stirring.
4. Place over a double boiler and stir continuously until a custard is formed. To test this, the mixture should coat the back of a spoon. What this means is that if one runs their finger over the back of the spoon, a line should be created and hold itself. This would then mean the sauce is ready. If the line closes, then it is still too thin. Flavour with Amarula.

Fresh Orange Jelly
Yields: 16 x 20 cm tray.

Ingredients:

• 500ml orange juice, freshly squeezed
• white sugar, to sweeten if necessary
• 1/4 vanilla pod
• 4 sheets of gelatine or 8g/12ml of powdered gelatine

Method:

1. Slice the vanilla bean in half. With the back of your knife, scrape out all the seeds and set aside.
2. Bring the orange juice, sugar, split vanilla beans, and seeds to a boil.

If using gelatine leaves:

1. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Place gelatine sheets into the water and allow them to bloom. When the sheets are soft, squeeze out the excess water, and add it to the warm orange mixture. Strain and set aside.

If using gelatine powder:

1. Put 30ml of cold water into a teacup. Sprinkle with gelatine powder and allow it to bloom for five minutes. Put a small saucepan of water on the heat, bain-marie style, and place the teacup in the centre. Stir the gelatine and water mixture until all the gelatine is dissolved; otherwise, jelly babies may form in your end product. Once dissolved, add to the warm orange mixture. Strain and set aside.
2. Grease a tray and fill it with the orange mixture.
3. Cover with cling wrap and place in the fridge to set overnight.

Extras:

• whipped “Millac Gold” cream
• roughly chopped nuts
• fresh mint 
• brandy, to taste

Assembling the Trifle
Yields: 8 servings

Method:

1. Hand-break or cut the malva pudding into chunks and layer this alternately with the jelly, compote fruit, crème anglaise, and brandy.
2. Top with a dollop of whipped cream, nuts, and fresh mint.

Photo Credit: Michael Stewart Photography
www.jackiecameron.co.za