The Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater: Read Along Thread

[Dillidilly]

Here we go people!

I thought we could start reading the Introduction from October 15th at a gentle pace to allow people to join the thread. Then all set for Chapter 1 on November 1st.

The Christmas Chronicles is currently just over £20 on Amazon. Maybe people could share all the options for those who are just joining us, who still want to get a copy.

I'm hoping this thread will be a lovely, gentle, uplifting transition into the Christmas period where we can share our thoughts, recipe attempts and inspiration from Nigel x

@Wildernesstips

I’m a few days behind, but I made the Leek, Sausage & Cannellini bean dinner. Was a little disappointed - mine were a bit watery and I really needed the kick of a generous amount of whole grain mustard with it.

I fancy the aubergine & lentil meal but no-one else in my family would eat it.

I made that tonight too! Discovered last minute I didn't have an cannellini beans in the cupboard so used a Bootstrap Cook hack and rinsed the tomato sauce off a tin of baked beans!

I liked it well enough, it did need a lot of seasoning. I added a good pinch of chilli flakes to the leeks too and I added a wilted bunch of spring onions in with the leeks, figuring that they couldn't do any harm. It was easy enough that I'd make it again on a night when the only thing in the freezer is sausages.

Making it tonight so thanks for the tip

11 NOVEMBER
Martinmas, a ham dinner and a citrus cake

Welcome @SorryPardonWhat, me too!

@Idbemonica1 and @ElizabethBennetismybestfriend Can you make the lining paste with butter instead of Trex, in your experience? As I would never use up the rest of the Trex!

Happy Martinmas everyone.

I've had problems with my savarin tin the last few times. Lining paste, eh? Thanks for the tip. The tree tin looks amazing, can't wait to see the photos of the people using them.
Today I made the grilled aubergine, but went completely rogue and served it on mushroom risotto. It actually worked quite well.
Given the trouble I had with the brandy I will not be attempting mincemeat this year. Reading the chapter made me curious to try a real meat mince pie though. With mince though. Umbles do not appeal at all!
I also felt indignant on behalf of Atora

I found I still have three jars of mincemeat from last year (with Atora) so no need to make any this year.

Nigela description of roast ham today had my mouth watering. I don't do it very often as DS doesn't like it but when I do I poach it in water with onion, bayleaf, peppercorns, a clove and a bayleaf or two. Then glaze with a mix of Dijon mustard and redcurrant jelly before finishing in the oven. I wonder what Nigel thinks of cooking it in Coke (I've never tried).

Jd Williams have the Lego Classic large creative box for £22.99 in their sale. It's ranging from 32/39.99 elsewhere. I had to pay £3.50 delivery though.

Wrong thread

Welcome anyway lol!!

Sorry Nigel!

Next year I actually will buy suet directly from the farm shop but this is left over from last year and I’m firmly committed to not buying anything I don’t actually need this season.

Mind you it does at least have the endorsement of an (arguably) higher authority than our Nigel.

herecomesthesun you can make lining paste with butter if you prefer, i know what you mean about the Trex- i've still got the remainder in the back of the fridge . With butter your lining paste will last in the fridge for a few weeks, the trex version lasts longer x

I've just found this thread, may I join in please?!
I'm finding it so hard to resist reading ahead 😀

12 NOVEMBER
A pot-roast partridge

@OmaSwims of course!

I'm hoping to make the citrus cake from 11th today

Not strictly relevant, but the orange poppy seed cake has reminded me that I had a dream about making Nigella's clementine cake last night. For some reason I was trying to make it at work without anybody noticing.

I won't be doing that, but am planning to make mincemeat this weekend, although I still have loads left from last year.

I’m making the citrus cake too, but it will have to wait as we’re celebrating a birthday tomorrow so I have to make a cake for that first. Once we’re done eating that I will make Nigel’s cake.

I really fancy ham, might do it next weekend - again, can’t do it this week as we’ve got a celebratory leg of lamb to do.

I did finally get to make the apricot brandy and also some cranberry gin.

@ExcessiveIyDisorganised

I found I still have three jars of mincemeat from last year (with Atora) so no need to make any this year.

Nigela description of roast ham today had my mouth watering. I don't do it very often as DS doesn't like it but when I do I poach it in water with onion, bayleaf, peppercorns, a clove and a bayleaf or two. Then glaze with a mix of Dijon mustard and redcurrant jelly before finishing in the oven. I wonder what Nigel thinks of cooking it in Coke (I've never tried).

Nigella's ham in coke is bloody delicious. Firmly recommend. I did one in ginger beer (with a ginger marmalade glaze) last year on the recommendation of a friend, it was nice enough but there's just something about the coke one. I'll probably do Nigel's version at some point before Christmas to compare, and can see my Boxing Day ham being cooked in coke but with Nigel's glaze.

And I shall call it Nigel-la's hybrid ham

And I shall call it Nigel-la's hybrid ham

We had the coke ham at BILs last year, I thought it was very nice.

We usually do ours with a marmalade glaze, sometimes mustard, but this year I’m doing Delia’s blackened ham with Cumberland sauce.

I also always do a traditional Danish roast pork joint at some point over the holidays. I wish I could get the gravy/sauce we call it in Danish, to taste just like my grandmother’s.

Ooh @HollyandIvyandAllThingsYule tell us about your pork? I love other people's Christmas traditions, I think that's why this book is so lovely - it's clearly 'his' stuff rather than 'here's how English people do Christmas'.

I've always made a ham on Christmas Eve for it must be over 20 years. It started with a recipe in a Christmas Good Housekeeping magazine.

I do everything by eye now and vary the glaze, but my old GH recipe specified 10 black peppercorns, which I've religiously followed...rather comforting to see Nigel approves lol

Turkey stuffing is in progress here. The turkey balls are in the fridge, and the sauce is cooling. I have errands tonight so trying to get ahead. It's subs galore, redcurrants instead of cranberries and instead of lardo I have used......Atora suet! I apologise to Nigel, lol. Needs must though.
Loving the Nigel-la hybrid ham

I just can't bring myself to use Coke as a cooking ingredient, I imagine the ham turning out sweet which I would not like (I'm not keen on sweet/savoury combinations generally but especially with meat).