Ora enr erereren(es CNR maya He oo chef dishes - rae Mie Pred DS PLUS Diana Henry meets... Nigel SlaterTRUFFLE FLAVOURED WAITROSE SMOKED SALMON & PARTNERSwelcome. ecember means good times are coming (hope, hope, hoping nothing scuppers plans last-minute), and I bring you tidings of joy with this twinkle-filled issue. In between all that cooking, pour a snifter of sloe gin, sit and enjoy festive musings by novelist Sebastian Faulks, then flick on a few pages to Diana Henry's triumph of an interview with Nigel Slater. How heartening it was to discover two things: Diana gets nervous about cooking (or, rather, baking) for Nigel; and he gets panicky when people tell him they love cooking his recipes (worried in case they don’t work... bless him). T'm glad I'm not the only worrier. When I'm at someone’s house and they tell me they're cooking a delicious. recipe, I feel glad but responsible, especially if I spot recipe-tweaking going on. Cue nail-chewing and another glass of wine. So far results have been good - apart from the time a relative made cream che ¢ icing using watery farm-shop cheese instead of the recommended brand, Let's just say the icing was never going to stay on that cake. But back to this glorious Decembe issue, filled from first page to last with recipes you can trust, for a celebration full of warmth and wonder. And perhaps consider Elainea Emmott’s wisdom on p14: remember kindness and invite someone to j you who'd otherwise be on their own. Wishing you joy around your table and a happy Christmas from all of us to all of you. Koes Editorial direetor, delicious. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram @editorkarenb My recipe of the month Nota fan ofthe trad pud? Georgina Hayden's sticky pear and chai spiced pudding (p36) with caramel sauce may just convert you — plus you can make it ou Ciristuias Eve as thore'suo maturing required, daliciousmagazinacauk 8Content 7 dnicous wothiews, Your Christmas 208 orca i yours things todo, your views an boo jes and ule log a boos this month's talking point cook kK 162 Not for sharing The ultimate. 17 Tholntinte gt guide 25 Ctvrona with he sare morringafter taste 20 Anegroni with Sebastian feos Gate. ee Fauka whats inno tacge?,, faourtefesvessher The knowledge. 42 Diana Henry meets. Ng buffet Pur ona spread it’s SKILLS, INFO AND BEST BUYS. Siew Thelegendopens up at chats eal about 190 ders Getmas Kitchen ee 60 Marcus Wateing’s meatfree ur food ed's use--up tps, Tinned aay winners Those are the tricks and product test Soma nee aad ar an oY ars t2elPes he cooks at home 132 Kitchen project: special Rett petsioes wit : 68 TheHsiry Bikers Theiclobster turkey Gill Molle brines fare andbay p28 80 lcecreamis forlite..so enjoy $8 The Helv mac’ cheese revs up the land barbecues the big bird RECIPE VEN BED. it, says Debora Robertson : . wour uotient 188 It's erunch time Your guide PHOTOGRAPH 95. One from the heart & recipe ‘moron Seer ttre aracig * 70 The sharing Christmas to the best roast potatoes F000 STYUNG: a5 eon? Breve breakfast Start the day the 140 Food geek The science EKO HATH ee eee sce cag. bestwaycalm andrelaxed behind great gravy SIYUNG TONY ¢ 7h Change up your cheeseboard 143 Susy Atkin’ greatest hits of HUTCHINSON oe Great Britsh alternatives to 2021 Allthe drinks you need Make life simple. the usual big-day big cheeses 146 Cocktail masterclass Learn EASY FOOD FOR SUSY NIGHTS 86 Sugar & (festive) spice four crowdplaasing tipples 1146 Loss timo, more flavour ‘Abeautful biscuit bonanza 148 Hotoonthe shelves special No-fuss family favourites 88 Make magic with Christmas ‘The best festive timesavers, 122 Useitup What to do with ‘chocolates Te-¢oh! They te-tosted and top-rated all those lovely leRovers, transform into glorious puds 152 Recipe index 60 Marcus doesn't need meat 42 Nigel in burnt toast shocker ~ 70 ‘Sharing platters are the easy for spectacular mains see Diana Henry's intervew way to serve Christmas brekkieOther great stuff. 108 EXCLUSIVE Treat Gill Meller shares a nifty vers cy curry buffet the turkey 7 a knockout trifleClarence Court THE HOU! \ " > ™, a FABULOUS EGGS°BYEABULO Each freshly oid Clarence Court€gq is unique, These colourful treasures are patiently laid by traditfoftakbreed birds originating from rare breed ancestors. Thei heritage gives them a unique hue cond flavouPFeminiscent of a bygone’er0. For eggs how they should be, simply ook far the crow,a delicious. ree le VIEWS COOK & WIN MEET THE READER DIARY DATES TALKING POINT. AND MORE. This month Tasty Christmas telly for a night in, news and views, and a plea to remember community. Plus: snap your dish for a chance to win a high-tech kitchen gadget Off'the beaten path Christmas markets fairs in cathedrals and country houses, making those last bits of Christmas shopping a delight. Fuel yourself with mince pies and mulled wine and discover what handmade goodies aand-winter-airs delciousmagazinacouk 7at the Museum of Archi mouthwatering gin by over 100 leading architec engineers, between 4 Dec Based in London's Belgravia, it has daly gingerbread house-building workshops too. Tickets £14 (over 12), thegingerbreadeity.com 8 daliciousmagazinecouk PICKUP... presents at newly opened Crimple food halll in Harrogate ‘The timber- clad building will house goodies from over 50 producers, and there's arestaurant too, crimple.couk Things to do, dates to note, sofa entertainment and more A uate eae based chef Fadi Kattan in Pomerat cer teas a ner Support... charity The Food Chain at its ‘concert on 14 Dec at St Paul's Church, Covent Garden, enjoying carols, readings and cinnamon stars (for a donation). The Food Chain “feeds the fight against HIV’, offering meals and cookery classes te Londoners living with the virus Got free tickets at actorschurch.orgChristmas viewir for food lovers Le ‘ANDI OLIVER'S ATASTE OF HOME Andi celebrates Christmas home cooking by visiting three very different households in Glasgow. BBC Two this Christmas BOILING POINT Feted as ‘a feast of passion ‘and doliium, ths film folowe service in a high-pressure kitchen on ‘Magic Friday’, the last Friday before Christmas, In cinemas from 3 Dec ng _ SEER MAsTens Ale aficionados compate to be the best brewer (and sell their brews commercially), watched by beer sommelior elciousmagazinacouk 41\ > UR RUNS =" aac aa asses a SSMeet the reader caren carne heal By Coma B vith husband Wayne (pictured) and crise erence 12,and Hope, nine When did you start ‘cooking? When Thad children, so Tknew what ‘they were eating, [ove to ramp up the tunesand cook! ‘Treasured food memory? Eatingconch in Tobago on ‘our wedding anniversary. Favourite family recipe? ‘Mynan’s barabrith (Welsh ‘ruiteake), She taught meand T've taught my kids. Aaron ‘makesitbetterthan me. ‘Most used cookbook? ‘The Curry Guy Bibleby Dan ‘Toombs. I'mstill learning so follow the recipes closely. Drink order? I'm craft gin fan—Thave more than 35 bottles. Each has its own, ‘way of being garnished to accentuate the flavours, Ideal weekend? A cook-up forthe family: Often this falls to Wayne, proud owner ‘of 10 barbecues - with four or five regularly lit at once! Christmas traditions? Jerk porkbapson Christmas Eveat my mum's with family after abeach walkand prosecco. Then home for Christmas stories, new Pisand hot chocolates around the fire. Christmas food memory? Makingthecakeasa child and helping tir the pot. Now Year's Eve plans? Dinnerand dancing! @) delicious. world. Cook it like ' delicious. (a From the savoury to the sweet, food editor Jen Bedloe shares her verdict on your October creations And the winner is. ‘The runners-up JAMES DAUBENEY'S KUNG PAO CHICKEN. sen sa =the coatingand texture look ‘mouthwatering, Great result” “Tloved this, James % ANNA SKENTELBERY'S PUMPKIN DOUGHNUTS. & Anna's doughnuts win her a Gozney Roccbox za oven worth £499, KEELIN ELLIS'S CHICKEN ‘Jon says “These came up trumps forme this ‘SHAWARMA KEBABS ‘month great fryingand pipingskills on show Jon says..."Socolourful - Well done! a simple, joyfl plate of food. a Want to have a go? Cookit ike aici, this month and SRNR you could wine wag coox expert ToswTEand ror cooking from serach but also the for Toes, a simpler life? The Magimix Cook Expert odes Ee toon sets on wthall the chopping lena ting cacrsape and cooking, eo youcan become the culinary sensation you always wanted to be With more than 12 different functions in one ‘cooking food processor, the Cook Expert enables you to create hundreds of recipes, from starters to desserts, all at the touch of a button, magimix.co.uk GET COOKING AND SHARE A PHOTO WITH US by 31 December 2021" > Follow us on social @deliciousmag @ W dociovemagazinacauk 12delicious. world. The filkoug point Are we still in it together? Many are hoping to embrace the festive season more warmly than ever this year. And yet, says Elainea Emmott, terrible though the worst pandemic months were, they brought communities together AA. J ee tie of yoar that starkly divides the friendly nod to our neighbours when we see them haves and the have nots - especially in cities, _on the street; picking up, rather than stepping over, WHAT DO fas the two groups often live chaek by iow! a neighbour's overturned, foxlooted rubbish; YOU THINK? Those who lve in 21st-century Dickensian poverty signing for someone else's Amazon deliveries; will ba making do with good company in the face af the offer of a “D'you need a hand with that?", Impending strife while, just @ couple af doors away, vegetables left with kindness on the doorstep from Has the sense of community nurtured by Covid wealthy neighbours make merry with the contents an allotment glut. I's about creating ties that bind petered out, or oF heaving, industrial-stye fridges. and weave us together, whether in town or country, it alive and well This Christmas, we have the semi-detached or council house where you lve? threat of empty shelves as Let us know supermarkets struggle to get Community is also about acknowledging the presence of “Christmas i: sot ig, tories and though the atime for giving, — diverse poople on your stec, Jeiclousmagazine. econcmy may have come back wore all faces have a place and all couk yay oe but Ifearthe Yes! a chon not all the essential workers have businesses need support. Christmas AA chefs and waiters have called it giving stopped is atime for giving, but | fear the uit, fed up with working long when lockdown __ #8 topped when lockdown ended hours for por pay unappreciated. d and we retreated into cur ner Who vil eed us at Chetnas, wo ended Seroogen sawing the drapes, cr waving our contactors ced feesting shrouded aecuaon ith corde Who wil bring us ou egy pudding? ne eye on the font door, hoping nobody knocke Butts not only aut own wante we should bo Trea that hard to offer abt of conversation, thinking about a text a nad? Hove we forgotten the lessons of During the pandemic, rising Infections and Gow? The sence in every household, watching deathe atlected everyone, ich and pace andthe theunforunate carted eu on stetchers;the physical divide of brick and street seemed briefly strained NHS; hospitals ful ofthe dng { to dissolve as neighbours reached out to one How many will step up to the responsibility E trator with convaaatons ard aval gestures. thatthe den cf community demande? Lat's i Community spit: that ed old bag of try to do that thie chtmas at east responsbiy resting nthe hallway. about quiet, Let's vemember those unseen people i uminstagrammable acts of kindness, extended around us and what the spirit of pb: tothovein nod of a stangors comfort That Chitinase all about. @ i COMMUNITY SUPPORT: HOW YOU CAN HELP ‘Tofindyour neatest food bank, vist the Trussell Trust website (russelltrustorg/get-help/find-a-foodbank). Buy an extra tin cortwo a the supermarket and donate it to help yourloeal community. Christmasisa busy time for many charities and they too need your support - make adonation to your favourite cause, 46 docousmagazinacouk Follow us on social @deliciousmag @ Wee |). () oe eSTREET- i. 2 BRING A TASTE OF CHRISTMAS PTAA Le There’s something for everyone in Baker Street’s NEW festive range. CC ROC TS RUINS UES OC RRL CRUEL ita yao BAKER iia CHOCOLATE & ORANGE CAKE TRUFFLES MARZIPAN APPLE " STOLLEN STOLLEN BITES: ‘STOLLEN BITES COOKIES AVAILABLE AT SELECTED TESCO, ASDA, CO-OP, NISA AND OTHER CONVENIENCE STORES & ONLINE WITH OCADONereus) Vani eee emg es yet only the very best 6% make it eee) ie SO en ee Only ifit meets the Crtacr Ga Reker seg ae a ar ExTRAVIRGIN aa pons 1 bThe lastimiae GIFT GUIDE Nothing under the tree yet? No problem. Here are ideas in abundance for food-loving friends and family ‘Naw from Carluccio's: a These postcards designed ridiculously moist, gently | by artists with diverse nouro boozy panettone jam-packed | and physical support needs with maraschino cherries. | include a 100g chocolate bar. £24.95 for 9009, From £7.25, ccarluccios.com ~arthouseunlimited.org Charming picturebook A ‘Complete with wooden Year in Fleurville by Foicita | drizzler, this MES china Sala introduces children to | honey pot will look sweet on, seasonal growing and eating | the breakfast table. Wrap With one recipe per month. | with ajar of local honey. Scribble £12.99 £7.50, merksandspencer.com Luise Pickford's beautifully wrapped sets of greetings cards feature her vibrant prints of fruit and veg /) €12 for four, ~ louisepickford.net Heritage brand Cornishware ie a claseie. The storage jars can be personalised and have an airtight seal £55 for @ 1.68 litre jar, ‘corishware.co.uk \Venice-based food writer ‘Skye McAlpine’s recipe journal, menu cards, place and note cards nod to Italy with marbled detail From £12.75, papier.com sorted. We Little ones can stir-fry ‘and season veg with this mini wok set, complete with 3 lid that ‘doubles as a puzzle, £26, jojomamanbebe.co.uk Chococe’s single-origin hot chaeolate flakes taste richly rounded, with a range of intensities to choose from. £9.50 for 2009, ‘chococo.co.uk ‘The patterns on Athens: based ceramiciet Myrtals herb planters are created using her grandma's doilies, £31.50", crabtree-evelyn.co.uk dalciousmagazinecouk 37Players work together to Have a nibble on your Chance card gather ingredients and bake ‘nd eat your Go To Jal card in this treats for forest critters in fun (and less interminable) edible Bake-Off favourite Kim-Joy's version of Monopoly consisting of 12 Magic Bakery game. hand: iced gingerbread biscuits Suitable for 8+ years, £48, biscultoers.com £19.99, travellingman.com Seagalt’s unisex studio Best-drassed table alert. Enriched with saffron, ‘aprons (in 12 colours) give interiors brand British Colour | coriander and cardamom, good coverage, with secure Standard maintains ahistorie | Azaline saffron vermouth cross-over straps and archive of colours, a8 seen in| makes aromatic manhattans premium material these striking dinner candles. land negronis. From 27.50, £20 for 4, ££24,95 for 7Scl, gerrysutk seasalteornwall.com britisheolourstandard.co.uk com & masterofmalt.com Lifetime membership of The Wine Society delivers access to expert-chosen wines at great prices, plus events, 2 quarterly mag and £20 off the first order. £40, thewinesociety.com Coffee subscription RISE selects beans from different toasters each month, with ‘bonus treat from brands like Tony’s Chocolonely. From £19.99, risecotfeebox.co.uk FRILD EGoS AND RIO} a ey c a KITCHEN, "S Frrciniart Victoria Moore's handy -Amonth-by-month feast of | Gift a monthly serving of guide details what wine food knowledge by Dr Annie | _cooking inspiration, fully todrink with everything Gray with Jay Rayner and |_tested recipes and stories from anchovies towasabi, friends fromthe hit BBC from the world a food with plus tasting/pairing basics | Radio 4 programme The | a subscription to delicious. and key grape profiles. kitchen Cabinet ‘See p110 for this month's Granta Books £12.99 BBC Books £16.99 special offer IN NEED OF MORE IDEAS? Visit our gift guide hub at deliciousmagazi 18 dolciousmagazinacouk ‘The Tongue Tinglinaly Hot Trio of chill jam, chill sauce and chilli mustard from Tracklements will pep up Boxing Day buffets. £14.20, delis, farm shops & tracklements.co.uk @) .co.uk/christmasgittsOey WA TSS a TS ak TTT: MM hy PL ics LEGRUYERE’ UE THE TASTE OF SWITZERLAND SINCE 115 Tei a rls aSe ete are LO |ethe Q&A. The acclaimed novelist on his foibles, predilections and traditions. Can he cook? What's in his fridge? And where does he stand on turkey gravy? First, what's your drink order? Negroni or old-fashioned to start, Then white burgundy and either edtes du rhéne, bordeaux ora New World pinot ~ from Oregon or Otago maybe — with the main course. Do you have any food vices? | vulgarly prefer salad nigoise ‘with tinned tuna Ghough you have to pay foranice Spanish tin, not the eat food variety). ‘What are you known for in the kitchen? Do you follow recipes? ‘Known for’ maybe putting ta bit strongly..But getting something edible out on timeis my strong point. You will never leave singing the chef's praises, but nor will your leave hungry. Prawn cocktail with homemade mayonnaise, ahint of sarlie,a touch of vodka...Gambas ‘marinated, grilled and served with areduction made froma stock of their shells and heads ‘with mace, white wine and eream, served on couscous... don't really eat puddings, but I madequitea nice apple snow during lockdown, like cooking slow with quite ‘lotofingredients. Luckily my ‘wife isa better cookand she does more than Ido. What's in your fridge? ‘Weare tryingto lose weight, but greek yogurt, anchovies, kalamata olives, goose fat, small cornichon: Amora mustard, semi-skimmed milkand Wine Society white burgundy have survived the cul ‘Who or what has been the greatest influence on your attitude to food? My mother wasa very good cook, ‘moving from traditional English Into Robert Carrier/Elizabeth David country -lots of sweetbreads and kidneys, —_— Do you abide by any Christmas traditions? My family tikes all the regular traditions. The Making of the Turkey Gravy is particularly honoured. eS — ao What's your most treasured food memory? Family picnics from the back of the car with various slightly dubious things my children insist are ‘traditional. My father’s 70th at the brasserie Le Dome in Paris. Sole in olive ol, ‘reah cod with black truffle, meursault. everything quite salty and served very hot. Her gravy, whatever it accompanied, was unbeatable How do you charge your imagination? Sleep, reading, meeting people, drinking wine. Going to places and staring. Do you think everyone should read fiction? How else can youknow how people ‘work? What they think? How they feel? It's like lifting the bonnet ‘What have you learned about the human experience? It’s mess. The job of ood fiction is toneveal some pattern and order, while at the same time realistically conceding the chaos. Tricky job, What are your hopes for 20227 The future? ‘To lose weight and to recover, full fitness. [would love to see politics (in allcountries, but inthis one especially) attract some more grounded and intelligent individuals What dream are you yet to fulfil? ‘Towin Wimbledon, What keeps you awake at night? Heartburn, Do you have any hidden talents? Tkeep looking, but so far. What makes you feel alive? Sittingonasunny terrace after three hard sets of tennis. @ Sebastian Faulks's new ‘book, Snow Country (Hutchinson Heinemann £20), is out now dolictousmagazinacouk 22T ALL NO PESTOS ARK CREATED RQUALVie @l.e ah BY Vs WY, Ve BY Va VANZINata9 ia Sek PRIMULA.CO.UKchristmas cookbook. > La war i A sprukle of | ardust Gather friends and family, set the festive table to make it sparkle and get ready for good times... We asked nine leading lights of the UK food scene to share their favourite celebration dishes PHOTOGRAPHS: STUART WEST. FOOD STYLING: JESS MEYER. STYLING: LAUREN MILLER re