Essential Tips for Christmas Cooking
Taste of Christmas and AEG love these ‘Essential Tips for Christmas Cooking’ from Daylesford Organic The Cookery School’s chef Vladimir Niza.
The Cookery School is kitted out with state-of-the-art AEG ovens and hobs so we are delighted that all of these tips have been perfected on AEG appliances!
The tips which will be posted on the Taste Club each week in the run up to Taste of Christmas. We think you will love these great ideas for perfect roast potatoes, roast turkey, delicious cranberry sauce and much more!
1. For the perfect roast potatoes, pick small potatoes like Rates, steam them the day before for 25 minutes in the steam oven until half cooked. Leave them uncovered in the fridge overnight. Next day, on the induction hob, cook them in lard, beef fat or butter with garlic, thyme and rosemary for about 15 minutes until golden and finally sprinkle with sea salt. (Vladimir used the AEG steam and multifunction oven and the AEG MaxiSense Induction Hob)
2. For perfect cranberry sauce that isn’t too sharp, don’t overdo the sugar; instead add the zest and juice of a very juicy orange. The faster you cook the fresh Cranberries the more nutrients, colours and fragrance you will retain, induction hobs are my first choice for fast cooking. (Vladimir used the AEG Induction Hob)
3. Make the cranberry and bread sauce and prepare peel and steam all the vegetables the day before and chill them as fast as you can. Reheat all the vegetables next day using the steam oven and serve. Because the vegetables have been steamed and not boiled there will be not many losses of flavour, nutrients and natural colours, leaving you with plenty time to enjoy Christmas with family and friends. (Vladimir used the AEG steam and multifunction oven)
4. Parsnips are a crucial component of Christmas Lunch. Steam them for 10 minutes in the steam oven then roast with butter and glazed honey using the powerful induction hob. (Vladimir used the AEG steam and multifunction oven and the AEG MaxiSense Induction Hob)
5. Roast the carrots and parsnips in frying pans on the induction hob instead, in case that you need the oven for long roasting recipes like Turkey or Geese. (Vladimir used the AEG MaxiSense Induction Hob)
6 . Make sure the vegetables are all ones that can be prepared well in advance and just reheated a few minutes before serving – things like red cabbage laced with chopped apples and vinegar are perfect. Brussels sprouts can be steamed for seven minutes in the steam oven, refreshed and then re-heated in a little butter. And instead of roast potatoes, dauphinoise potatoes are a good substitute – creamy, rich and garlicky. (Vladimir used the AEG steam and multifunction oven and the AEG MaxiSense Induction Hob)
7. When preparing sprouts, leave the green outer leaves on; they add a wonderful colour and taste good; don’t be tempted to undercook or serve ‘al dente’ – they need to be tender. The natural bitterness of sprouts makes marrying them with sweet or salty ingredients ideal, so to maintain the Brussels Sprouts natural flavours and nutritional properties I would recommend steaming them rather then boiling. Chestnuts and bacon slivers are the classic examples but try experimenting with ingredients like honey and chorizo. (Vladimir used the AEG steam and multifunction oven and the AEG MaxiSense Induction Hob)
8. Roast your Christmas meat using a mixture of steam and dry roast for perfect moist retention on meat without compromising the crispiness. Steam combi ovens are my first choice for Christmas roasts. Mix fleur de sel (or you can use Maldon salt) with olive oil and coat your Christmas meat before roasting. As fleur de sel doesn’t dissolve, it will leave a salty crunchy crust to your meat. (Vladimir used the AEG steam and multifunction oven)
9. You can turn almost any leftover into a fabulous soup. Using the formula: 1 part onion, 1 part potato, 4 part any veggies and enough stock to cover you’ll get lots of much-needed vitamins during the season of over-indulgence, induction hobs are my first choice. (Vladimir used the AEG MaxiSense Induction Hob)
10. When serving champagne or prosecco place the glasses in the freezer for about five minutes as this will make the drink even more refreshing.
CLICK HERE FOR VLADIMIR NIZA'S RECIPE FOR THE PERFECT STUFFING
CLICK HERE FOR VLADIMIR NIZA'S RECIPE FOR CHRISTMAS PUDDING
