Eat, drink and be merry

PHOTOS: Dook | PRODUCTION and Recipes: Vicky Crease 

Red is said to create excitement and energy, as well as stimulate the appetite – the ideal colour, then, for a relaxed festive meal.

Abandon the idea of serving courses during the festive season, and rather fill the table with sweet, savoury and decadent all at the same time. Fill your plate, pour a glass of bubbly and enjoy!

Blood-red Vodka chocolate cupcakes with pink peppercorns

Ingredients

200g brown sugar

110g butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

50g melted dark chocolate

half teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

100g cake flour

125ml boiling water

3 egg whites

1 cup icing sugar

red food colouring

80ml vodka

2 tablespoons pink peppercorns

topping of your choice (fresh rose petals, candies, fresh strawberries, Turkish delight slices)

Method for the cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

2. Beat the sugar and butter with an electric mixer and add the egg and vanilla essence, beating well.

3. Fold in the melted chocolate but do not over beat.

4. Combine the bicarbonate of soda and flour and add this to the mixture in stages, alternating with the water. The mixture will be fairly runny and smooth.

5. Place paper cupcake cases into a 12-cavity muffin tin and spoon the chocolate mixture into the cases.

6. Bake the cupcakes for approximately 25 minutes. Remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool.

For the icing

1. Beat the egg whites until stiff.

2. Add the icing sugar and beat until the mixture is thick and glossy.

3. Pour a small quantity of red food colouring into the meringue icing and adjust the colour according to your liking.

4. Stir the vodka into the icing mixture.

To assemble

1. Spread the red icing neatly over each cupcake with a spatula and then sprinkle a few pink peppercorns on top while the icing is still partially wet to ensure that they stick properly.

2. Add your choice of toppings to the cupcakes, such as fresh rose petals, candies, fresh strawberries and Turkish delight slices.

SERVES 12

Char-grilled lamb cutlets on creamy parmesan mash with deep-fried sage and pomegranate rubies

Ingredients

12 large potatoes

80g salted butter

150g grated Parmesan cheese

400ml fresh cream

coarse Maldon sea salt

cracked black pepper

200ml sunflower oil

1 bunch fresh sage

12 French-manicured lamb cutlets

30g crushed garlic

rubies of 1 pomegranate

Method for the mash

1. Boil the peeled potatoes in a pot of rapidly boiling water until soft.

2. Drain the potatoes and mash them together with a dollop of salted butter until smooth.

3. Stir in the grated Parmesan.

4. Pour in the fresh cream and mix until the mash reaches the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the deep-fried sage

1. Heat the oil in a pot over a high heat.

2. Add fresh sprigs of sage and fry them until crispy.

3. Drain the sage on paper towel and set it aside.

For the lamb

1. Rub the crushed garlic, salt and pepper into the lamb cutlets.

2. Char-grill the cutlets in a hot griddle frying pan until lines form on the lamb.

3. Assemble immediately.

To assemble

1. Fill six beautiful glasses with mashed potato and then insert a lamb cutlet into the mash, leaving the bone protruding for easier handling.

2. Garnish each with deep-fried sage and pomegranate rubies.

SERVES 12, COCKTAIL STYLE

Turkey with poached golden delicious apples

Ingredients

6 peeled Golden Delicious apples

500ml red wine

200g brown sugar

1 large turkey

salt and pepper, to taste

ground allspice

60g salted butter

Method for the apples

1. Place the peeled apples into a pot containing the wine and sugar.

2. Poach the apples gently until they turn a deep red colour but still retain their shape. Set them aside until the turkey is ready.

For the turkey

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. Place the cleaned turkey in a large roasting pan and season with the salt, pepper and ground allspice.

3. Rub the butter into the turkey, cover with foil and place it in the oven, covered with foil for the first hour.

4. Remove the foil and then roast the turkey until it is golden brown.

5. Allow about 2 hours of cooking time, turning the turkey frequently.

Presentation

1. Place the cooked turkey on a large silver tray and stuff the poached apples into the bird’s chest cavity.

2. Pour about 2 soup ladles of the juice remaining from the poached apples over the turkey and decorate it with chains, coins and any other festive paraphernalia you have available.

SERVES 12

Gorgonzola and caramel pear phyllo tartlets

Ingredients

2 pears

400ml red wine

150g brown sugar

100ml water

4 sheets phyllo pastry

60g melted butter

140g Gorgonzola cheese

fresh thyme

Maldon sea salt

Method for the pears

1. Slice the pears into thin slivers lengthways, keeping the stalks intact.

2. Place the pears, wine, sugar and water into a pot and simmer until the liquid has reduced and turned sticky. Set aside.

For the phyllo tartlets

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

2. Cut the phyllo pastry into squares of about 8cm wide.

3. Keep the pastry covered with a moist (but not wet) cloth while you work to prevent it from drying out and cracking.

4. Brush the first layer of pastry with the melted butter and position the next layer at an angle to the previous pastry sheet. Repeat with each sheet.

5. Mould the pastry into individual mini muffin tins and bake in the hot oven for approx 10 minutes, taking care that the pastry cases don’t burn.

6. Set aside to cool completely.

To assemble

1. Mash the Gorgonzola until it has a smooth consistency.

2. Place a small teaspoonful of the cheese into the phyllo pastry cases and top each tartlet with a caramelised pear sliver.

3. Garnish each tartlet with fresh thyme.

Presentation

Place Maldon sea salt on a platter and then arrange the tartlets on top of this. The salt also helps to keep the tartlets in position during serving.

SERVES 12

Vicky Crease is a well-known chef and caterer from Johannesburg.

Vicky Crease Catering + Events: 011 880 5776, www.vickycrease.com, vicky@vickycrease.com