Beginning of a New Year where people make new resolutions and generally relax after a hectic night is the right time to enjoy comfort food keeping winter in mind. One should definitely start their first day of the year with dishes full of flavour that are also simple and easy to make for the whole family to enjoy together.
DEVILLED PRAWNS/ CRABS
Devilled prawns/crabs is a very popular dish in fine-dining restaurants. It is an amazing starter and a party showstopper. Here I am using prawns instead of crabs because it is easily available. The taste though is same and you will not be able to tell whether it is crab or prawns. You will realise how simple and easy it is to make this dish.
INGREDIENTS
• Butter: 1tbsp
• Garlic: 1½ tsp, minced
• Prawns: 10-12
• White sauce
• Butter: 1tbsp
• Flour: 1tbsp
• Milk: 1 cup
• Salt: To taste
• Pepper: To taste
• Nutmeg: A pinch
• Chilli flakes: ½tsp
• Parsley: 1tbsp, finely chopped
For garnishing
• Thin slices of boiled potatoes
• Thin slices of boiled eggs
• Shredded cheese
METHOD
• In a pan add butter. Once melted add the garlic and saute it. Then add the prawns and saute well till tender and turns nice and pink. Season with a little salt. Remove and, when cool, chop into nice small chunks. Do not throw the juices remaining in the pan.
• To make the white sauce:
• In a pan heat butter. Then add the flour and saute till the rawness of the flour goes.
• Then add milk and stir continuously till it becomes slightly thick, but not lumpy. It should have a creamy consistency. It’s time to add nutmeg and chilli flakes. Check for seasoning. Now add the prawns and the juices of the pan. Add parsley. Mix everything well.
To assemble:
• Take small ramekins or small baking dish.
(I have used baking shells as seen in the picture). Pour the prawn mixture into each. Then place a slice of potato and over it a slice of egg. Sprinkle cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes at 190°C.
• Once the cheese has melted, remove and sprinkle little parsley and Tabasco sauce on the side.
CHICKEN CHOWDER SOUP
Chicken chowder soup is a delicious comfort food. This recipe is made with a combination of vegetables, spices and boneless chicken, which make it healthy and easy. Serve this up with some dinner rolls or cracker. Chicken and corn chowder soup is the perfect comfort food on a cool day.
INGREDIENTS
• Bacon: 5 slices cut into small bits (optional)
• Chicken breasts: 3 medium size, cut into small cubes
• Onion: ½, medium sized, chopped very fine
• Water: ¾cup
• Chicken broth: 1¾ cups
• Potatoes: 2 medium, cubed small
• Corn: 1 medium can
• Milk: 1½ cups of
• Parsley: 1tsp
• Salt: A pinch
• Pepper: To taste
• Celery: 2 stalks, chopped very finely
• Butter: 2tbsp
• Corn starch: 2tbsp, diluted in 2tbsp of water
METHOD
• Melt the butter in a pot. Add in the chicken, celery, bacon and onions.
• Season it with parsley, salt and pepper. Stir and saute over medium heat for a few minutes until the chicken turns light brown.
• Pour the water and chicken broth into the pot, and bring it to a boil once, and then reduce the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 45 minutes.
• Now add in the corn, potatoes and milk. Allow it to continue to simmer over medium heat for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
• Now add in the diluted corn starch. Stir until the soup reaches a rich and creamy consistency. You can sprinkle finely chopped parsley for garnish.
• Enjoy with a crusty bread or baguettes.
NOTE: If you would like it more rich then you can put half milk and half cream.
PLUM PUDDING
Plum pudding is definitely a New Year’s celebratory dish. You don’t even need an oven to make it. It is full of goodies. And yes, you must have it with vanilla ice cream.
INGREDIENTS
• Raisins: 1 cup, chopped
• Walnuts: 1 cup, chopped
• Dried currants: 1 cup, chopped (can also use chopped dates)
• Orange juice: ½cup
• Cinnamon powder: 1tsp
• Clove powder: ½tsp
• Nutmeg powder: ¼tsp
• Salt: 1tsp
• All spice powder: ¼tsp
• Brandy: ½cup
• Eggs: 5 large
• Sugar: 1 cup
• Milk: 1 cup
• White flour: 2 cups
• Dry plain breadcrumbs: 2 cups
• Unsalted butter: 1 cup (in case you have salted butter, skip the salt.)
• Baking powder: 1tsp
METHOD
• Toss the raisins, dates, walnuts, orange juice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, salt and allspice powder together and pour the brandy and let it sit for a while.
• Now whisk the eggs with the sugar, then whisk in the milk.
• Sift in the flour and whisk. Then stir in the breadcrumbs followed by the melted butter.
• Now stir in the soaking fruits and nuts with the soaking liquid.
• Next stir the baking soda in a small bowl with 1tbsp warm water and stir this quickly into the batter.
• Take a round baking bowl and grease it and put the batter in it.
• Cover the batter with a parchment paper cut according to the size of the bowl. It should sit on the batter.
• Then cover the bowl with cling foil twice.
• Then cover the bowl twice with aluminium foil. Tie a string around the rim of the bowl so that the foil is tight in its place.
• Now take a large pot in which you can place the bowl. Put water in it. It should be half way below the top of the bowl.
• Bring the water up to a gentle simmer.
• Place a cookie cutter or other similar ring in the pot and place the bowl on top of it, to prevent the bowl from touching the pot.
• Cover the pot and steam the pudding for 4 hours, checking periodically that the water level remains the same.
• Remove the bowl from the pot. Uncover and allow it to cool a bit before turning it over on to a plate.
• Cut a slice and have with a nice big dollop of vanilla ice cream.
• You can drizzle some maple syrup over the pudding. It really tastes good.
FULL ROAST CHICKEN WITH STUFFING AND HONEY GLAZED POTATOES AND CARROTS
This is an exotic dish to be had on New Year. It is amazing and so very delicious. A showstopper for sure. I will show you step by step how to prepare it. You just can’t go wrong with this recipe.
INGREDIENTS
• For the stuffing for the chicken:
• Rosemary leaves: 1/3 cup, very, very finely chopped
• Lemon zest: 2tbsp
• Pepper: 1tsp
• Sea salt (coarse salt): 2tsp
• Olive oil: ¼ cup
• Chorizo or herbed sausage or pancetta: 100g, diced into small pieces
• Unsalted butter: 170g
• Shallots: ½ cup minced
• Garlic: 4 cloves, minced
• Panko breadcrumbs: 2 cups
• Walnuts: ¾ cup, toasted and chopped
• For the chicken:
• Chicken: 1 big, weighing about 2kg, or 2 small ones
• Oil: 2tbsp
• Flour: 1tbsp
• Chicken stock: 1½ cup
• For honey glazed carrots and potatoes:
• Potatoes: 2-3 large, cut into big chunks
• Carrots: 2 large, cut into chunks
• Olive oil: 1½tbsp
• Ginger: 1½tsp, grated
• Cumin powder: ½tsp
• Coriander powder: ½tsp
• Honey: 2tbsp
• Salt: To taste
• Pepper: To taste
METHOD
• For the stuffing for the chicken:
• In a bowl combine the rosemary, lemon zest, pepper and salt. Keep it aside.
• Now take a large saucepan and the sausage/pancetta and olive oil and cook on medium heat for about 3-4 minutes till it turn crisp. Then with a slotted spoon remove and keep it aside.
• In the same pan add butter on medium low heat. When the butter has melted add the shallots and the garlic and cook for about 3-4 minutes.
• Now add the Panko breadcrumbs and cook for about 2 minutes till the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the butter.
• Now turn off the heat and add walnuts, parsley, the sausage and 2tsp of the rosemary salt that we had kept aside. Allow the stuffing to cool.
• For the chicken:
• Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
• Drizzle each chicken with oil and season generously with the rosemary salt, reserving 1tsp for the gravy.
• Now stuff the cavity of the chicken with the stuffing.
• Tie the legs of the chicken together with a string so that the stuffing does not come out.
• Place the stuffed chicken in a baking dish. Put the dish on the middle rack of the oven.
• Roast for 60 minutes. Your chicken should be done by now. (If you are using small chicken the time to cook will be less. See that it is nicely browned.)
• Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Pour all the pan juices in a cup.
• For the gravy for the chicken:
• In a pan heat a tablespoon of butter. Then add the flour and whisk. Then add the juices of the chicken and the chicken stock. Whisk well till it all combines and the gravy thickens. Season with rosemary, salt and pepper.
• For honey glazed carrots and potatoes:
• Par-boil the carrots and the potatoes. They should not be totally cooked.
• In a pan heat the oil. Then add the potatoes and the carrots. Add the ginger, coriander and cumin. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook for about 10 minutes till the potatoes are cooked fully.
• Then add honey and toss the vegetables around for a minute.
For serving:
• Place the chicken on a plate surrounded by the vegetables.
• You can serve the gravy separately or pour it over the chicken.
• All you need with it is a nice green salad.
VEGETABLE AND MUSHROOM PIE
A vegetable pie with a lovely flaky crust on top is a welcome sight on a New Year day or any other day. This dish is full of healthy vegetables and all its goodness. You will make it again and again for sure.
INGREDIENTS
• Mushrooms: 200g
• Carrots: 2, cut into small chunks
• Cauliflower: 1 cup, florets
• Celery: 1 piece, cut fine
• Potatoes: 2 large, cut into small chunks
• Green peas: 1 cup
(I have used frozen ones)
• Pearl onions: 10-12
• Broccoli florets: 1 cup
• Cream: 1 cup
• White flour: 2tbsp
• Garlic: 2tsp, minced
• Vegetable stock:
2 cups
• Sage and thyme: 1tbsp, chopped very fine (or dried ones if fresh is not available)
• Vegetable bouillon cube: 1
• Salt: To taste
• Pepper: To taste
• Butter: 4tbsp
• Chopped parsley: 1tbsp
• Puff pastry: Enough to cover your baking dish. (I have given the recipe for puff pastry in my previous article on British pub food published on December 5).
METHOD
• In a large pot, heat butter. Then add mushrooms, garlic and carrots. Saute for 3 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Then add the potatoes and saute for a minute.
• Add fresh sage and thyme and the vegetable cube.
• Add the flour and saute till the raw smell of flour goes, or for about a minute.
• Now add all the other vegetables including the pearl onions. Add the stock and cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
• Add the cream and fresh parsley. Give it a good stir and let it bubble for about 3-4 minutes.
• The consistency should not be runny. It should not be thick either because it will cook in the oven also.
• Remove and put in your baking dish.
• Now roll out the puff pastry as to the size of your baking dish using little flour.
• Quickly dust of excess flour and place it over the vegetables.
• Tuck the sides of the pastry well so that it is sealed on all sides.
• Brush the pastry with little milk.
• Sprinkle little salt and pepper.
• Make 2-3 thin slashes on the pastry.
• Bake in a pre-heated oven for 30 minutes at 200°C, or till the pastry is nice and golden.
• Enjoy with a sour dough or a nice crusty bread.
NOTE: I like to put 1tsp of chilli flakes in the filling. It tastes good.
PARSLEY POTATOES
Parsley potatoes is a great accompaniment for any main dish like roast chicken, meat, etc. In my recipe of stuffed chicken you can put parsley potatoes and just honey glazed carrots. It works wonderfully.
INGREDIENTS
• Potatoes: 4 large, peeled and cut into big size chunks
• Garlic: 3 cloves, minced
• Butter: 2-3tbsp
• Parsley: 1 cup, chopped
• Salt: To taste
• Pepper: To taste
METHOD
• Heat some water in a pot. Add ¼tsp salt.
• Then add the potatoes. Cook till fork tender. Drain and keep aside.
• Heat a pan with butter. Then add the garlic. Cook till raw smell of garlic is gone. Then add the potatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Now add the parsley and just toss the potatoes around for a minute or so.
• Easy to make and extremely delicious.
Durri Bhalla is a cookery expert and author of Indian Bohra Cuisine and Inner Truth To Good Health And Weight Loss. You can find her at @DurriBhallaKitchen on Instagram, Durri’s Kitchen on Facebook and Durri Bhalla on YouTube.