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Ravinder Bhogal’s recipe for whole roast cauliflower wellington with cheese sauce

A wellington makes a great centrepiece for a celebration. This one, in which the more traditional beef is swapped for a whole cauliflower, is the stuff of golden, buttery, flaky pastry fantasies. Roasting the cauliflower first, until it’s browned and a little caramelised, only adds to its delicious flavour. Serve with ladlefuls of the silky cheese sauce, and the carnivores are bound to have food envy.Prep 20 minChill 30 min Cook 1 hr 30 min Serves 61 large cauliflower, outer leaves removed, stem trimmedSea salt and black pepperOlive oil, for drizzling2 sheets 325g ready-rolled all-butter puff pastry2 eggs, beatenPicked thyme leaves, to decorateFinely grated pecorino, to serve (optional)For the filling1 tbsp olive oil 1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped3 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped1 tbsp picked thyme250g chestnut mushrooms, blitzed to a fine crumble150g cooked chestnuts, blitzed to a fine crumble200g good-quality ricotta1 handful chervil or parsley, very finely choppedZest of 1 lemonNutmegFor the cheese sauce50g butter50g plain flour½ tsp mustard powder 500ml milk 100g gruyere, grated50g parmesan, finely gratedHeat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4

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José Pizarro’s Christmas recipe for seafood fideuà

Bring a taste of the Spanish coast to your kitchen with this vibrant dish that captures the essence of Spanish cookery. Treat yourself to a glass of fino while the pasta soaks up the saffron-rich shellfish broth, smoked pimentón and juicy tomatoes, while the monkfish, squid, prawns and clams come together in one pan for a beautifully simple, rustic meal. This is definitely one to enjoy with friends and family.Prep 15 minCook 30 minServes 4-63 tbsp olive oil 1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced2 large tomatoes, halved, grated and skins discarded3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced1 pinch saffron strands ½ tsp smoked pimentón 8 baby squid, cleaned, or 2 medium squid, cleaned and sliced300g monkfish tail, cut into chunks250g fideuà pasta, or broken vermicelli 500ml good shellfish stock Sea salt and black pepper 8 shell-on prawns 250g live clamsPut the oil in a large, shallow casserole or paella pan on a medium heat, add the onion and saute gently for five minutes, until softened. Add the tomatoes and garlic, cook for a minute more, then stir in the saffron and pimentón

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Rachel Roddy’s recipe for red cabbage, apple and chestnut pie with ricotta pastry | A kitchen in Rome

A smooth head of cabbage is much more useful, I think, than a bag of leaves as a quick salad option. With just a bit of shredding, salt and a few scrunches, a quarter of a cabbage becomes a voluminous and bright slaw. It is only slightly more work to pull out the box grater to add a coarsely grated carrot, apple or small amount of fresh horseradish to the shredded heap. Alternatively (and this is a suggestion from the wonderful Margaret Costa), chopped dried apricots, walnut halves and orange segments are extremely nice in a cabbage salad, maybe dressed with olive oil, red-wine vinegar, honey and lemon zest.The Macedonian-British writer Irina Janakievska, meanwhile, has introduced me to the pleasure of grated beetroot with a mass of salted cabbage

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Mulled cider recipe by Bert Blaize and Claire Strickett

Warming, Christmassy spices work so much better with sharp, mouth-smacking cider than with wine, and the result is less alcoholic, too – ideal for anyone pacing themselves over the long party season.Serves about 20lemons 2clementines 3cinnamon sticks 2 cloves 6 star anise 2 cardamom pods 2, lightly crushed with the flat of a large knifevanilla pods 2, split lengthwaysfresh ginger 50g, finely choppedgood, dry cider 4 litres dark brown sugar 500g, or less, to tastePeel the lemon in large strips, being careful to leave behind as much of the pith as possible. Peel the clementines, reserving the flesh. In a heavy-based frying pan over a very low heat, toast the lemon peel, clementine peel, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, vanilla and ginger for about 10 minutes, constantly moving everything around in the pan so nothing can catch and burn. Once the aromas of the spices start to fill the air, tip into a bowl and set aside

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Marie Mitchell’s jerusalem artichoke fritters with clementine sauce recipe

For the season that often screams indulgence, I like to search out the light, and these fluffy fritters are a delight that even my toddler will devour. They pair perfectly with the citrus of the moment, but you can easily substitute for other orange varieties, and still get that delicious sweet tang.Serves 4 as starters, or 6-8 as canapésjerusalem artichokes 250g, scrubbed and gratedcarrot 1 medium, peeled and gratedbrown onion 1 small, thinly slicedcornmeal 30g plain flour 70g salt ½ tsp white pepper ¼ tspallspice ¼ tsp all-purpose seasoning ¼ tsp garlic 2 cloves, peeledeggs 2 sunflower oil for fryingseedless clementines 250g, peeled weightghee or unsalted butter 10g lemon juice 1 tsp ground ginger 1 tsp salt a pinch cornflour 1 tspPlace the grated jerusalem artichokes and carrot, and sliced onion in a mixing bowl.Add the cornmeal, flour, salt and spices, before grating in the garlic and mixing through with a spoon.Whisk your eggs and fold into your bowl with the artichoke mix

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Nigel Slater’s recipe for speck and parmesan muffins

If you don’t mind a bit of last-minute cooking, may I suggest you serve these warm? Light, cheesy, rosemary-scented little cakes, they are infinitely more delicious when served from the oven, like their sweet cousin, the madeleine.You could bake them an hour before you plan to eat, keeping them warm in the switched-off oven or, should the oven be busy, wrapped loosely in tin foil still in their baking tin. Ideally, though, they are meant as breakfast muffins, something to serve on Boxing Day morning.Makes 12plain flour 275gcaster sugar 1 tbspbaking powder 2 tspapple 1, medium-sizedeggs 3yoghurt 175mlspeck 200gparmesan 75g, finely gratedTo finishparmesan 1 tbsp, finely gratedrosemary leaves 1 tbsp, choppedpine nuts 2 tbspSet the oven at 180C fan/gas mark 6.Line 12 bun tins with paper muffin cases

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