Nigella Lawson - live webchat - Tuesday 13th December 1 - 2pm

[RachelMumsnet]

It's time for our final Christmas cookery webchat, and you won't be disappointed.... We're thrilled that the domestic goddess herself, Nigella Lawson is joining us at MNHQ for a live webchat on Tuesday 13th december at 1pm.

Just as Cranberry-Queen-Delia caused a shortage of fresh cranberries, 1996 saw the sales of goose fat rocket after it was championed by Nigella as the essential Christmas cooking ingredient. So if you want to know how to make the perfect roast potato or discover the secret to a succulent turkey, join us next Tuesday or send a question in advance to this thread.

Ahead of the webchat, we've been given permission to share Nigella's recipes for cranberry sauce and chestnut stuffing, both from her book Nigella Christmas which is now out in e-book format.

@NettoHoHoHoSuperstar

I'm awestruck! Hi Nigella. I'm doing goose for Christmas dinner this year and would like to know if you have a specific stuffing recipe to go with goose? We love stuffing.

Also, could I just say that your everyday brownies from Kitchen are brilliant. I make them all the time.
Oh, also, can I have your house.
Thanks

Well, there are a couple of stuffings that I use for goose, one is a mashed potato stuffing via Ireland, and the other hails from Denmark and is predominantly made with dried pears and fresh (or frozen) cranberries. The sharp, fruity stuffing is just perfect with the fattiness of the goose. I think I'd like to fiddle a bit with the mashed potato stuffing, and am thinking of introducing apple and black pudding! However, the pear and cranberry (a little crunch given by pecans, though you could easily use walnuts which are often cheaper) stuffing is my favourite of the moment!

Would you? - pleeeeaaassseee - don't worry DW would be here and a few selected friends too - I'd even let you help out in the kitchen too .

Do people get nervous about inviting you around for some nosh?

Nigella, I posted my adoration for you and How to eat early in the thread. (in case you think I've over looked that!)

I'd love a little inside goss on life with the elusive Mr. Saatchi...have you watched any good DVD box sets recently? If not, what do you watch on TV together and who has the remote??

Sounds fab, thank you so much for replying. I too have also just ordered Cooking with coco......

@drinkystinkyyuletidegubbins

Nigella - Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease help. Like other posters, we're hosting Christmas this year - 9 adults and 3 kids - and your Christmas book has become my bible. Half of the attendees dont eat pork, the other half dont eat beef - we'll be doing turkey on christmas day but any recommendations of a fabulous non-pork based stuffing? And any recommendations of a non-beef, non-pork main for boxing day buffet?

You have got your work cut out for you! But sometimes having some options taken away can simplify matters (that's the way I advise you to look at it!) and certainly a pork-free stuffing is not a problem. I do a cornbread, cranberry and orange stuffing which - even though you make the cornbread from scratch - is simplicity itself. If you have a copy of Feast, it is on p12! And for your boxing day buffet, can't you do something with the leftover turkey? I've got a fab glass noodle and turkey salad on my website right now. But for boxing day itself, before people get really jaded, I wouldn't sniff at cold turkey, cold stuffing, hot jacket potatoes with sour cream and chives, and lots of pickles and chutneys....

@midnightexpress

Oh cripes, I LOVE Nigella! Welcome to MN. Your banana bread recipe from Domestic Goddess is almost obscured by banana cake batter, we have made it so many times. Also love one of the beef stews in How To Cook, the Involtini in Feast, and, Oh! The mushroom sandwich. The mushroom sandwich in How to Eat. Mmmmm. Your American pancake recipe (with added blueberries) is our standard start the weekend recipe. And and and.

Anyhoo. My question: your children must be approaching the leaving home stage. What single recipe/dish do you think they will take away from home with them?

Nobody ever answers my questions on these webchats btw, so PLEASE answer this one.

It's so hard to know what exactly they'll take with them. I think certainly my general enthusiasm for food, and for feeding them but in terms of actual recipes, I think it will be a toss up between my sunday night pasta (pasta, chicken stock, butter, touch of cream) and my mother's praised chicken, which is a kind of cross between poached chicken, braised chicken, and chicken soup (recipe on my website)! There would also be a strong case for pasta with ham and peas and custard cream hearts. I rather feel the pasta dishes will be the ones they take with them initially, but I think my ma's chicken might be what they feed their families much later.... I live in hope!

Nigella, what are your views on polygamy?

If things ever sour with Charles, DH & I would have you.

Just sayin'.

Hi Nigella. We've got a really busy week this week with the build-up to DD's 2nd Birthday on Saturday and Christmas beyond that. I can see that there are going to be a few nights where the children are going to get fed evil oven chips just because I don't have the time or the inclination to make anything else.

What do you feed your family when you're busy and tired??

@MordechaiVanunu

Nigella, I posted my adoration for you and How to eat early in the thread. (in case you think I've over looked that!)

I'd love a little inside goss on life with the elusive Mr. Saatchi...have you watched any good DVD box sets recently? If not, what do you watch on TV together and who has the remote??

We really love The Good Wife (a Ridley and Tony Scott prog starring Juliana Margulies, sorry if I've spelt her name wrong) and I am afraid to admit I have conceded remote powers entirely....

Another plea for a low carb (possibly very creamy) and non-alcoholic pudding for after Xmas dinner from someone unfortunate enough to have gstational diabtes at Xmas time...

@JollyBear

Hello Nigella,

I love all the chocolate cakes in feast but my cling film melted on the chocolate. loaf cake. Did my cheap cling film just not cut the mustard?

It should have recommended ovenproof clingfilm, but it is safer to dispense with it altogether if you've had melting issues. I am sorry!

Oh thank you for answering my question. I remember most of those recipes from your books I think. Must try the chicken.

@mrsmplus3

Hi Nigella,

I will be spending all day on Christmas eve preparing the Christmas dinner for the next day (feeding 11).
Once that's done, the last thing I will want to do at night on Christmas eve is start making a dinner for me, my husband and 3 kids for that night.

Can you recommend an easy but tasty meal we could all eat on christmas eve? We're not too fussy but kids wouldn't want anything too fancy either.
I'd be prepared to make a Christmas eve meal on the 23rd though if that's any help to you?

Thanks in advance. Hope you have a wonderful time at Christmas and hope to see you on the telly again soon.

Mrs M

I would suggest you make what I do which is my macaroni cheese de luxe, although admittedly you will have to reduce portions quite a bit as I cook a ham and macaroni cheese for a big supper on Christmas Eve hoping for leftovers afterwards. Cold ham augments cold turkey, and having some macaroni cheese in the fridge to reheat when fractious children need to be fed is a big plus over this time of year!

@AitchTwoOHoHoHo

omg that mushroom stroganoff... now add double cream, now add butter, a gallon more cream then more butter... delicious of course.

are you bringing out a diet book any time soon? i do like your japanese-ish recipes in HTE, more of those please. naturally low-fat and healthy but without any actual mealtime sacrifice is what i'm after, please.

I'm working on an Italian-inspired book at the moment and I feel this is fantastic food for feeling wonderful and eating well!

@OliviaMumsnet

Nigella

Am gutted not to be able to make it into the Towers today.

Just want to say along side almost everyone else on the thread that think you are fab. My domestic goddess book has so many spatters etc it falls open to the the page. Will be whipping up some of your courgette cake into muffins for a new baby later.

V quick but rather specific one, I made the rest of the office some of your butter cut out biscuits when I went to visit last week. (and covered in edible glitter - they were super kitsch, hope you would approve)

Do you think the leftover dough will work as those stained glass biscuits where you do the clever thing with the boiled sweets and melt them? (have never attempted)
TIA

I'm sorry to miss you - but I am afraid I cannot answer your question as much as I long to make those clever stained glass window things with biscuits, I somehow feel I might never get around to it.....

I couldn't get through Christmas without your Christmas book Nigella and I would happily forego sex forever in exchange for the gingerbread stuffing. I make it EVERY year.

Q: any suggestions for a Christmassy themed casserole dish for Christmas Eve (not your lamb tagine - that is coming out for New Year). Tx

@bananamam

Nigella!!! Awestruck...hi.....

What are YOU having for christmas dinner?...Also we are thinking of beef..just a simple roast, any way to to spruce it up?

Fab to have you on MN!!

If I don't have turkey for Christmas Dinner it just wouldn't feel like Christmas. However, a rib roast of beef is a big treat and very festive. I make mine Christmassy by making a pork and stilton gravy to go with (recipe in the Xmas book). And you could do sprouts and chestnuts and some roast potatoes and maple-glazed parsnips to go with. But I would tend to hold the bread and cranberry sauces!

Yes!!!!

I've been chatting with Nigella about life with Chaz (at least that's I'm going to play it with my mum!!!)

And then order The Good Wife coz Nigella recommended it to ME!!!!

Hello!!
Can you think of anything nice to do with Poussin? I have a couple I got out for dinner and I'm being indecisive. I'll make whatever you suggest...

@BIWIshYouAMerryChristmas

I love your books, and the way that you write. In particular, I love the chocolate birthday cake in your How To Eat book. I have made it so often for my boys, who are now 19 and 16, that it falls open at that page, and is very spattered and stained!

But the one recipe of yours that I really didn't like was your Ham in Coke. Yet other people here and in real life rave about it.

When I'd cooked it, the liquor was revolting. It smelt like petrol. I definitely didn't want to keep it to use in making soup! What do you think went wrong? ( I didn't use diet Coke, I used normal Coke)

Maybe nothing went wrong - maybe you just don't like it! We all do have different tastes, you know, and there is no reason why everyone would be enthusiastic about the same recipes. And enough people - as you say - do rave about the ham in coke, so I can't see it as anything other than a matter of taste. I know not everyone likes the coca cola ham stock after and for them my black bean soup notion is therefore unattractive, but I have only ever been able to write recipes that I like, and I suggest if the stock tastes unpleasant, don't cook with it!
Have you tried my ham in ginger ale, btw?

hi Nigella, love your chocolate cheese cake recipe. . the baking stuff's helped distract from xmas atm.

not sure if it's been asked or not yet, but what's the one thing in your kitchen you absolutely could never be without?

That's ok Nigella! (faints) I didn't waste it. I just picked off the melty bits and enjoyed it regardless.

[quote ShirleyKnot]Oh Holy Wow!

Nigella!

Firstly, I'd like to say how much I bloody love your recipes, books and TV programmes - I have never made a recipe of yours that I didn't love and you have inspired me over and over again. I love how you make us readers/watchers feel like a friend and a part of your family (I love it when your children are mentioned in your books - and always say "Oh my GOD! Look at have they've grown!" when they appear in your programmes) I'll stop all the awe struck stuff now. At least. I'll try.

(Apart from one thing. The Rosemary Remembrance Cake - I just want you to know that I have baked this cake on many occasions for many friends and family. It has been wonderful to be able to provide some way of letting people know that I'm thinking of them during times of grief and I just wanted to thank you so much for that)

So, my question - apart from the obvious - can I come for tea one day? - I'm going to ask about the recent photo shoot you did for the front cover of Stylist (as part of your guest editor edition), How many wet wipes did it take to get rid of that caramel? and did you manage not to stick your tongue out to have a taste?

@outwardbound

Hello there :)

Who would you be most nervous cooking for?

Well, I'm going to make a yule log with a 6-year-old this afternoon, and I'm pretty nervous about that!

@Brunhilde

Nigella - agree with Mistressofpemberly - How To Eat best written cook book ever.

Am a huge fan of your tips on fripperies - nail polish, wrapping paper, best sites (dh holds you totally resp for my crack-addiction to Stumbledupon).

So, come on, beguile us with the latest beautiful, delightful nonsense that gives us joy.

Working up an enthusiasm for Evernote Food (a free app)