Cork Food: Festive sidekicks get a spruce up

The main character gets all the attention, but what are they without their trusty sidekicks? Same for Christmas dinner – it can’t all be about the turkey and ham!

But sometimes, the trusted festive sides of roasted everything can be a bit, well, obvious! So, let’s give our sidekicks a little spruce up to surprise all your guests with!

Charred Brussels, Blue Cheese and Buttermilk Ranch

Ingredients

· 1 net of brussels sprouts, peeled, halved and blanched

· 1 tsp olive, sunflower or rapeseed oil

· 1 red onion, peeled, halved and finely sliced

· 2 tbsp Sage Products

Buttermilk Ranch

· Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

· Blue cheese (Cashel or Crozier Blue), crumbled

Method:

1. Pre-heat a heavy bottomed frying pan over a medium high heat. Add the oil and brussels cut side down in the pan and leave to cook until golden brown.

Add the red onion, then toss all together and cook for another 10 minutes until the onions are softened and the sprouts are nicely coloured.

2. Tip into a bowl or platter than has been warmed. Dollop in the buttermilk ranch dressing and most of the parsley, some salt and pepper and toss to coat.

3. Crumble over the blue cheese and the remaining parsley and serve.

Ginger and Hot Honey Glazed Carrots

I love the flavours of ginger and honey together with carrots. The honey enhances the natural sweetness of the carrot, the ginger gives a gentle heat, while the chili in the hot honey gives a palate-pleasing hot heat.

Ingredients

· Carrots (I find one whole carrot per person is more than enough), peeled, top and tailed and cut in half lengthways.

· 1 tbsp olive, sunflower and rapeseed oil

· 2-3 tbsp Blarney Hot Honey · ½ tsp ground ginger

· Sea salt

Method:

1. Steam the carrots until al dente, and pre-heat the oven to 190°C.

2. Remove the carrots from the steamer and toss into a roasting tray. Drizzle over the oil, honey and ground ginger and toss together to combine.

3. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking.

4. Serve on a warmed platter and drizzle over any roasting juices from the pan, and season with sea salt. I like to serve with the hot honey and a honey drizzle stick in case people would like a little extra over.

Chicory Salad, Walnuts and Dijon Dressing

Chicory is such a great winter salad leaf from the endive family. This means they have a little bitter bite and a satisfying crunch that cuts through the richness of the other dishes on the festive dinner.

The walnuts give a lovely depth of flavour and crunch, and the fresh but piquant Dijon mustard dressing lifts the whole dish so it can stand out from the other dishes.

Ingredients

· 2-4 heads of chicory, get a mix of red and green chicories if you can

· 25g walnuts, toasted in a dry pan

· 1 tsp Dijon mustard

· 1 tsp honey

· 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

· 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Click off the chicory leaves from the head, rinse them and spin or pat them dry.

2. Heat a frying pan over a high heat, add the walnuts and toast them without any oil until hot. Set aside.

3. Make the dressing by putting mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, and oil into a jug and whisk until fully combined and emulsified (thickened).

4. Scatter the chicory leaves about a serving platter, top with the walnuts and then pour over the dressing. Toss together and serve.

Braised Leeks with Hazelnut, Parsley and Butter Crumb

I love the contrast of the softened leeks with the texture of the crumb. If you have a nut allergy, substitute hazelnuts for breadcrumbs.

Ingredients

· 2 leeks, topped, tailed, cleaned and halved

· 2 tbsp butter

· 1 tbsp olive, sunflower or rapeseed oil

· Bunch of thyme

· 300ml chicken or vegetable stock

· Whole hazelnuts, roughly chopped

· Bunch of parsley, leaves only, roughly chopped

· Knob of butter

· Salt and white pepper

Method:

1. Place a sauté pan over a medium heat, add the oil, melt the butter and add the thyme.

2. Lay the leeks cut side down in the pan and allow to cook for 3-5 minutes to colour a little. Turn over the leeks and add the stock, lower the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook all the way through.

3. In a separate frying pan, melt the butter and add the parsley and hazelnuts. Season with a little salt and ground white pepper. Cook until the mixture is softened and beautifully buttery.

4. When the stock has reduced and the leeks have cooked through, place them cut side up on a serving dish, spoon over any remaining stock and top with the hazelnut and parsley crumb.

I love the flavours of ginger and honey together with carrots. The honey enhances the natural sweetness of the carrot.

Chicory is such a great winter salad leaf from the endive family.