Whisky venison, rum butter, drunken clementines – this week your decadent recipes pack a festive punch
• The next theme will be WINTER COCKTAILS. Send us your ideas
Believe it or not, the Christmas party season is nigh again, and after the riot of retro party snacks last week, this time it's the turn of that other key ingredient – booze. Though I was disappointed by the absence of a sherry trifle, a few armagnac-soaked prunes and a drunken clementine soon cheered me up. Be warned – these recipes come with an age rating.
I loved Graeme Taylor's peaty chargrilled venison, and a warming cider-baked mackerel dish that made a wonderful Saturday lunch, but with mince pies looming on the horizon, Diane Kitchen's dad's zesty rum butter was a shoo-in. Utterly decadent, it packs a very festive kind of punch; enjoy in moderation.
*Cumberland rum butter*
My dad lives in Cockermouth, and his recipe for Cumberland rum butter makes an appearance every Christmas. It's a treat. Obviously, we have it with mince pies but use the leftovers to spread on toast on Boxing Day. The story goes that the recipe originated when a broken cask of illicitly smuggled rum stored in a larder leaked on to some butter and tasted so good that it became popular. What a lucky accident!
Diane Kitchen, Ilkley
*100g butter*
*200g soft brown sugar*
*1 tbsp milk*
*Grated zest of ½ a lemon*
*A squeeze of lemon juice*
*3 tbsp rum*
*1 *Beat the butter until pale and fluffy.
*2* Gradually beat in the sugar, followed by the milk, lemon zest and juice and rum. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
*3* Serve wellchilled with warm mince pies.
*Penne with vodka and a spicy tomato cream sauce*
This lovely dish was cooked for my husband and me by an American friend some years ago, inspired by Patricia Wells's excellent book Trattoria.
Linda Seal, London
Serves 6-8
*4 tbsp olive oil*
*4 garlic cloves, minced*
*½ tsp chilli flakes, or to taste*
*2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes*
*500g penne*
*250ml double cream*
*2 tbsp vodka*
*30g parsley, chopped*
*Salt*
*1 *In an unheated frying pan large enough to hold the pasta later on, combine the oil, garlic, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook over a moderate heat just until the garlic turns golden, but not brown, which takes around 2 to 3 minutes.
*2 *Stir in the chopped tomatoes, then simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Taste for seasoning. Meanwhile, cook the penne according to the packet instructions and drain.
*3* Stir the pasta gently into the sauce, add the vodka, stir, add the cream and stir again. Cover, reduce the heat to low and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Add the parsley and stir again. Serve immediately. Traditionally, cheese is not served with this dish.
*Drunken clementines*
Sweet clementines poached in a spicy, orange liqueur syrup. Serve with ice cream or creme fraiche, or bottle and store for up to a month ... just in time for Christmas.
Betty Bee (via GuardianWitness)
Serves 6
*12 clementines *
*200g caster sugar *
*1 cinnamon stick*
*6 cloves*
*2 tbsp lemon juice*
* *
*250ml orange liqueur, eg Grand Marnier orCointreau*
*1* Remove the peel and pith from the clementines.
*2* Place the sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a pan with 250ml water and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
*3 *Add the clementines, lemon juice and liqueur to the pan and simmer for another 20-25 minutes.
*4* Serve immediately, or bottle in a sterilised jar and store in the fridge for up to a month. Once opened they will keep for around a week (but they won't last that long).
*Mess d'Agen*
Prunes get a bad press, but good quality ones are fabulous. One of their finer points is their ability to soak up any liquid to which they are introduced. The world's best prunes come from Agen in France in the region that is home to armagnac – together they really are a match made in heaven. Many cake shops and patisseries sell fresh meringues, which are perfect for this dessert.
Tempting as it will be to simply eat the brandy-plumped prunes straight from the jar, it's even better if you make a sort of winter version of Eton mess. Special enough to serve at Christmas.
Bronwyn Wolfe, London
Serves 4
*100g pitted prunes, Agen if possible*
*About 100ml armagnac or other brandy*
*400ml whipping cream*
*Meringue, broken into small shards*
*Soaked prunes, halved*
* *For the meringue
*2 large egg whites*
*A pinch of salt*
*100g vanilla sugar or caster sugar*
*1 *Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the egg whites into a spotlessly clean bowl, add a pinch of salt then whisk until the whites thicken and make firm peaks.
*2* Gradually whisk in the sugar till the meringue becomes glossy and quite stiff. Spread it about 2cm thick on to the baking sheet and then bake for 1½-2 hours until lightly golden and it comes easily off the baking parchment. Turn the oven off, but leave the meringue in the oven overnight to dry out.
*3* Put the prunes into a small pan and pour enough armagnac on top to cover by about 1cm. Warm over a low heat for a couple of minutes, then put the lid on the pan and turn off the heat. Leave to soak overnight – all the booze should disappear.
*4* To make the mess, whip the cream till it is quite stiff. Crush the meringue into small shards and cut the prunes in half, then gently stir them through the cream. Serve in large bowls with an armagnac on the side for sipping.
*Laphroaig-cured venison steak*
The whisky really brings the gamey flavour out of the venison. If you prefer, you could swap for something less intense, like Aberlour or Glenfiddich. Chargrilling or griddling can replace the barbecue coals when the snow starts!
Graeme Taylor, scotslarder.co.uk
Serves 2
*6 bay* *leaves *
*2 sprigs rosemary*
*6 juniper berries*
*A glass of Laphroaig *
*2 venison steaks, around 250-350g each*
*Oil, for greasing*
*1* Bruise the bay and rosemary with a pestle and mortar or a heavy knife and bash the juniper. Pour the whisky over the herbs and mix round to release the oils into it. Pour this over the venison and make sure that it is well coated. Leave for an hour.
*2* Remove the venison, oil and season.
*3* Barbecue over hot coals, or in a hot griddle pan for 2 minutes each side, for a rare steak (amend cooking time to your preference.) Delicious served with skirlie and a dram.
*Mackerel in cider*
Mackerel is one of my favourite fish dishes and I am always looking for different ways of cooking it. Mackerel at this time of year are larger, and perfect for this dish, which is simple, quick and delicious!
pilgrimskitchentales (via GuardianWitness)
Serves 2
*2 mackerel, gutted, head and fins removed*
*1 tbsp olive oil*
*1 small onion, sliced*
*½ tsp caraway seeds*
*1 bramley apple, cut into chunky slices *
*200ml cider*
* *
*1 tbsp parsley, chopped *
*1* Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cut the mackerel into 5cm chunks.
*2* Heat the oil in an ovenproof saute pan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes until it begins to soften.
*3* Increase the heat and stir in the caraway seeds. Fry for 1 minute. Add the apple and cook for a couple more minutes. Pour in the cider, bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute.
*4* Remove from the heat, season and nestle the mackerel chunksin the mixture.
*5 *Put the lid on and bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve.
*Send us your recipe ideas *
For your chance to be crowned Guardian home cook of the year, send us your ideas for WINTER COCKTAILS.
Recipes will appear on 7 December.
Email your recipe suggestions to recipes@theguardian.com or upload your recipes and images to theguardian.com/witness by noon on Wednesday 4 December.
Please include your name, address and phone number (conditions apply) Reported by guardian.co.uk 23 hours ago.
• The next theme will be WINTER COCKTAILS. Send us your ideas
Believe it or not, the Christmas party season is nigh again, and after the riot of retro party snacks last week, this time it's the turn of that other key ingredient – booze. Though I was disappointed by the absence of a sherry trifle, a few armagnac-soaked prunes and a drunken clementine soon cheered me up. Be warned – these recipes come with an age rating.
I loved Graeme Taylor's peaty chargrilled venison, and a warming cider-baked mackerel dish that made a wonderful Saturday lunch, but with mince pies looming on the horizon, Diane Kitchen's dad's zesty rum butter was a shoo-in. Utterly decadent, it packs a very festive kind of punch; enjoy in moderation.
*Cumberland rum butter*
My dad lives in Cockermouth, and his recipe for Cumberland rum butter makes an appearance every Christmas. It's a treat. Obviously, we have it with mince pies but use the leftovers to spread on toast on Boxing Day. The story goes that the recipe originated when a broken cask of illicitly smuggled rum stored in a larder leaked on to some butter and tasted so good that it became popular. What a lucky accident!
Diane Kitchen, Ilkley
*100g butter*
*200g soft brown sugar*
*1 tbsp milk*
*Grated zest of ½ a lemon*
*A squeeze of lemon juice*
*3 tbsp rum*
*1 *Beat the butter until pale and fluffy.
*2* Gradually beat in the sugar, followed by the milk, lemon zest and juice and rum. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.
*3* Serve wellchilled with warm mince pies.
*Penne with vodka and a spicy tomato cream sauce*
This lovely dish was cooked for my husband and me by an American friend some years ago, inspired by Patricia Wells's excellent book Trattoria.
Linda Seal, London
Serves 6-8
*4 tbsp olive oil*
*4 garlic cloves, minced*
*½ tsp chilli flakes, or to taste*
*2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes*
*500g penne*
*250ml double cream*
*2 tbsp vodka*
*30g parsley, chopped*
*Salt*
*1 *In an unheated frying pan large enough to hold the pasta later on, combine the oil, garlic, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook over a moderate heat just until the garlic turns golden, but not brown, which takes around 2 to 3 minutes.
*2 *Stir in the chopped tomatoes, then simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Taste for seasoning. Meanwhile, cook the penne according to the packet instructions and drain.
*3* Stir the pasta gently into the sauce, add the vodka, stir, add the cream and stir again. Cover, reduce the heat to low and let rest for 1 to 2 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Add the parsley and stir again. Serve immediately. Traditionally, cheese is not served with this dish.
*Drunken clementines*
Sweet clementines poached in a spicy, orange liqueur syrup. Serve with ice cream or creme fraiche, or bottle and store for up to a month ... just in time for Christmas.
Betty Bee (via GuardianWitness)
Serves 6
*12 clementines *
*200g caster sugar *
*1 cinnamon stick*
*6 cloves*
*2 tbsp lemon juice*
* *
*250ml orange liqueur, eg Grand Marnier orCointreau*
*1* Remove the peel and pith from the clementines.
*2* Place the sugar, cinnamon and cloves in a pan with 250ml water and heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 5 minutes.
*3 *Add the clementines, lemon juice and liqueur to the pan and simmer for another 20-25 minutes.
*4* Serve immediately, or bottle in a sterilised jar and store in the fridge for up to a month. Once opened they will keep for around a week (but they won't last that long).
*Mess d'Agen*
Prunes get a bad press, but good quality ones are fabulous. One of their finer points is their ability to soak up any liquid to which they are introduced. The world's best prunes come from Agen in France in the region that is home to armagnac – together they really are a match made in heaven. Many cake shops and patisseries sell fresh meringues, which are perfect for this dessert.
Tempting as it will be to simply eat the brandy-plumped prunes straight from the jar, it's even better if you make a sort of winter version of Eton mess. Special enough to serve at Christmas.
Bronwyn Wolfe, London
Serves 4
*100g pitted prunes, Agen if possible*
*About 100ml armagnac or other brandy*
*400ml whipping cream*
*Meringue, broken into small shards*
*Soaked prunes, halved*
* *For the meringue
*2 large egg whites*
*A pinch of salt*
*100g vanilla sugar or caster sugar*
*1 *Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2. Line a baking sheet with parchment. Put the egg whites into a spotlessly clean bowl, add a pinch of salt then whisk until the whites thicken and make firm peaks.
*2* Gradually whisk in the sugar till the meringue becomes glossy and quite stiff. Spread it about 2cm thick on to the baking sheet and then bake for 1½-2 hours until lightly golden and it comes easily off the baking parchment. Turn the oven off, but leave the meringue in the oven overnight to dry out.
*3* Put the prunes into a small pan and pour enough armagnac on top to cover by about 1cm. Warm over a low heat for a couple of minutes, then put the lid on the pan and turn off the heat. Leave to soak overnight – all the booze should disappear.
*4* To make the mess, whip the cream till it is quite stiff. Crush the meringue into small shards and cut the prunes in half, then gently stir them through the cream. Serve in large bowls with an armagnac on the side for sipping.
*Laphroaig-cured venison steak*
The whisky really brings the gamey flavour out of the venison. If you prefer, you could swap for something less intense, like Aberlour or Glenfiddich. Chargrilling or griddling can replace the barbecue coals when the snow starts!
Graeme Taylor, scotslarder.co.uk
Serves 2
*6 bay* *leaves *
*2 sprigs rosemary*
*6 juniper berries*
*A glass of Laphroaig *
*2 venison steaks, around 250-350g each*
*Oil, for greasing*
*1* Bruise the bay and rosemary with a pestle and mortar or a heavy knife and bash the juniper. Pour the whisky over the herbs and mix round to release the oils into it. Pour this over the venison and make sure that it is well coated. Leave for an hour.
*2* Remove the venison, oil and season.
*3* Barbecue over hot coals, or in a hot griddle pan for 2 minutes each side, for a rare steak (amend cooking time to your preference.) Delicious served with skirlie and a dram.
*Mackerel in cider*
Mackerel is one of my favourite fish dishes and I am always looking for different ways of cooking it. Mackerel at this time of year are larger, and perfect for this dish, which is simple, quick and delicious!
pilgrimskitchentales (via GuardianWitness)
Serves 2
*2 mackerel, gutted, head and fins removed*
*1 tbsp olive oil*
*1 small onion, sliced*
*½ tsp caraway seeds*
*1 bramley apple, cut into chunky slices *
*200ml cider*
* *
*1 tbsp parsley, chopped *
*1* Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Cut the mackerel into 5cm chunks.
*2* Heat the oil in an ovenproof saute pan and gently fry the onion for 5 minutes until it begins to soften.
*3* Increase the heat and stir in the caraway seeds. Fry for 1 minute. Add the apple and cook for a couple more minutes. Pour in the cider, bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute.
*4* Remove from the heat, season and nestle the mackerel chunksin the mixture.
*5 *Put the lid on and bake for 25 minutes. Garnish with parsley. Serve.
*Send us your recipe ideas *
For your chance to be crowned Guardian home cook of the year, send us your ideas for WINTER COCKTAILS.
Recipes will appear on 7 December.
Email your recipe suggestions to recipes@theguardian.com or upload your recipes and images to theguardian.com/witness by noon on Wednesday 4 December.
Please include your name, address and phone number (conditions apply) Reported by guardian.co.uk 23 hours ago.