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Christmas Ploughmans

33 replies

Glow23 · 13/10/2025 13:50

We are not wanting to have a hot christmas dinner this year for a few reasons but want to have a Christmas style/ ultimate ploughmans!
can anyone recommend anything to make/prepare or perhaps buy from M&S etc to make it special?

OP posts:
RainbowZebraWarrior · 14/10/2025 10:37

Here's my Christmas chutney recipe as promised @Seaside3

Makes around 8 or 9 250ml jars.

750 grams any kind of apples and pears peeled, cored and chopped small (I blitz in the food processor) roughly a half and half mix weight wise.
2 medium onions (chooped very small or blitzed)
350 grams soft pitted dates (blitz in food processor or roughly chop)
4 medium Tomatoes also blitzed (optional)
400 grams caster sugar
½ teaspoon Mixed spice
1 teaspoon ground ginger (or grated fresh ginger if you have it)
1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
A good grating of Nutmeg
400 millilitres red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or sherry vinegar
50ml Balsamic Vinegar
50ml Soy
2 teaspoons Maldon salt
2 teaspoons Chilli flakes
Generous teaspoon crushed garlic
Teaspoon white pepper

First, sterilise your jars. Then get all of the ingredients into a big pan and give it a stir. Bring to the boil (stirring regularly; don't let the sugar catch) once boiling, turn down to simmer for an hour stirring regularly. It should thicken and smell dark, rich and spicy (although you will always get that 'catch you at the back of the throat element from the vi ear until the chutney has been able to mature)

Switch off heat and let cool for about 40 mins. Fill jars and keep somewhere safe for a couple of months when it will have fully matured and be delicious.

This will keep for a good year or two, but I actually have some from 14 years ago! I used to make this and sell it in my café / deli.

Here are 'some I made ealier' The lighter jar is this year's, which was made last week and will go darker. The darker jar is from last year and I added more balsamic vinegar as I wanted it really dark. I also left out the tomatoes last year and added some sliced garlic. It's a very versatile recipe!

Figs are also good in this if you don't have dates.

Christmas Ploughmans
Christmas Ploughmans
Foxyboombastic · 14/10/2025 11:03

Marks and Spencer Truffle cheddar is out of this world good. They also do really nice ‘sable’ grapes

Tatiepot · 14/10/2025 11:13

Some lovely ideas here - I've got Christmas Day on my own this year (DC are with their dad) so a bespoke ploughman's (mine will prob have a fish pate as well as cheese) sounds like just the thing...with Lancashire crisps!

Comtesse · 14/10/2025 11:52

Brie with truffles is lovely if you can get it - nice treat!

Seaside3 · 14/10/2025 14:13

Thanks @RainbowZebraWarrior ive taken a couple of screen shots, so will make at some point!

MargoChanellingBarbara · 14/10/2025 19:53

A classic

Christmas Ploughmans
UpMyself · 14/10/2025 19:57

Damson cheese.

mindutopia · 15/10/2025 13:05

Pigs in blankets. They freeze well and even though it’s a ploughman’s, you can’t have Christmas without pigs in blankets.

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