Deliciously festive!

Emma Parkin gives us some recipes for yummy festive dishes that are quick to make and perfect for both Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.

Why not be adventurous this Christmas by serving up a delicious roasted lamb joint instead of the traditional turkey? At least this way, you won’t be eating leftover turkey for the next two weeks!

Making the Christmas dinner doesn’t have to be a stressful affair. Careful planning and organisation can save a lot of potential tears and hassle when it comes to hosting a dinner.

These recipes are easy and quick to prepare. Try and do the bulk of your preparation such as chopping, marinating and peeling, on Christmas Eve so you only have the bare minimum to do on Christmas Day.

Roast leg of lamb with Béarnaise sauce
Serves 6-8

6 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped
4tbsp chopped fresh mint
10 cloves of garlic
12 anchovy fillets
1 leg of lamb, de-boned
3 lemons, halved
olive oil, to drizzle
125ml grape juice

Béarnaise Sauce
1/2onion, chopped
6tbsp white wine vinegar
12 black peppercorns, crushed
3 sprigs fresh tarragon or thyme
6 egg yolks
280g butter, cut into cubes
salt

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3.
2. Mash the rosemary, mint, garlic and anchovies together. Spread half of this mixture over the inside of the leg of lamb. Tie the meat up neatly with string and rub the outside with the remainder of the herb mixture.
3. Put the lamb in a roasting tin with the lemons and drizzle with some olive oil. Roast the lamb for 11/2 hours. Baste the lamb several times and turn it over a couple of times so that it cooks evenly. Squeeze the juice of the lemons over the lamb, lift out of the roasting tin and wrap in foil. Set aside for 20 minutes.
4. Add the grape juice to the pan juices and place the pan over a medium heat and stir to deglaze the pan. Season to taste. Pour this gravy over the lamb.
5. Then make the Béarnaise sauce. Put the onion, vinegar, peppercorns and tarragon or thyme into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Cool and strain into a bowl.
6. Beat the egg yolks into the onion and herb mixture. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk until the mixture thickens a little and begins to turn creamy. Add the butter a little at a time, whisking it in until the sauce has thickened. Season to taste. Serve the Béarnaise sauce alongside the roasted lamb.

Fat 49g, Carbs 3g, Energy 586kcal, Protein 32g Sodium, 0.4g Fibre 0.4g

Lime jelly custard trifles
Serves 5

1 Chivers lime jelly tablet
1/2 pint boiling water
1/2 pint cold water
100g shortbread biscuits, broken up
250ml ready-made custard

1. Add the jelly tablet to the boiling water. Stir the mixture to help the jelly tablet to dissolve in the water. Then make up to one pint with cold water.
2. Pour into a glass bowl and leave in the refrigerator to set.
3. Layer the set jelly and custard into 5 individual glasses and top with broken up shortbread biscuits. Serve chilled.

Fat 7g, Carbs 25g, Energy 168kcal, Protein 3g, Sodium 0.1g, Fibre 0.5g

Light fruitcakes
Makes 10-12

250g butter
225g sugar
5 eggs
1tsp almond essence
25ml brandy
450g strong white flour
2tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
250g glacé cherries
250g light sultanas
50g crystallised ginger, chopped
100g glacé mixed fruit, chopped
100g glacé citrus rind
120g blanched almonds, halved

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 21/2. Grease a 12-hole muffin tin.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one by one while beating continuously. Add the essence and brandy. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and stir into the butter mixture.
3. Stir in all the fruit and nuts. Place paper bun cases into the muffin tin and fill them with the mixture. Bake the cakes for one hour or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Fat 22g Carbs 84g Energy 594kcal Protein 8g Sodium 0.4g Fibre 4g