[Lifestyle] Florence Knight’s Christmas menu: chestnut fazzoletti, duck with lentils and dates, quince and almond tart

[BirSaNN]

The Session Arts Club chef’s recipes ring the changes on the traditional Christmas lunch

There are some things that should never change at Christmas. Our towering pine tree will always bend as it touches the ceiling, dripping with mismatched baubles, tinsel and lights, and a plump handmade fairy sitting on top. Lunch will always be served later than planned and everyone will share their terrible cracker jokes while wearing a paper crown. For me these are part of the immutable rituals of Christmas, but our meal is something that has changed.

We’ve moved on from turkey to a rich savoury duck sitting proud with its crisp skin and blush flesh. Bowls of steaming lentils sticky with dates are punctuated with bitter deep purple radicchio. This works as a perfect pairing and I no longer miss roast potatoes, although they would still eat well with this meal. Creamed horseradish and pickled walnuts still play an important role at our table keeping at least some of the traditionalists’ content.

 

Crab, samphire and chilli

Succulent samphire coated in rich crab mayonnaise is a wonderful way to begin the meal.

 

For 4
samphire 90g
good quality mayonnaise 40g
dijon mustard ½ tsp
brown crab meat 100g, picked
lemon juice of 1 small
Tabasco to taste
Worcestershire sauce to taste
baby spinach leaves 150g, washed
chives 1 small bunch, finely chopped
tarragon 8 sprigs, picked and roughly chopped
red chillies 2, deseeded and finely diced
white crab meat 200g, picked

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Once boiling, add the samphire and cook for 2 minutes or until tender with a little bite. Drain and refresh in ice-cold water.

In a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise with the mustard, brown crab and lemon juice. Stir in a couple of drops of Tabasco and Worcestershire sauce to taste.

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Drain the samphire, removing all excess water. Gently fold it into the spinach, herbs, chilli and white crab meat, and then into the bowl of mayonnaise in two turns so as not to overwork the mixture. Divide it evenly between plates and arrange in piles.