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Belfast Live

Entertainment

Nadia Breen

Christmas dinner recipes: Lidl NI and Belfast head chef share some tasty dishes for you to prepare

Lidl Belfast NI Oil Shu

Lidl NI and the head chef of a Belfast restaurant have shared some tasty festive recipes for you to try.

The retailer along with chef Matt Jordan from Shu have created a menu for a luxurious Christmas dinner that is sure to delight your loved ones this holiday season.

Try out some of the starter, dinner and dessert recipes below!

Prawn Cocktail

Prawns, Marie Rose Sauce, Baby Gem and Toasted Crumpet (Lidl NI)

Suggested Wine Pairing: Sauvignon Blanc Val de Loire IGP

Begin your Christmas dinner party with a firm favourite; the classic Prawn Cocktail.

From the Lidl Christmas Range:

Cooked and peeled prawns: £1.65

For the crumpet

Ingredients

(Serves 6)

· 3 eggs

· 10g soft brown sugar

· 175g self-raising flour

· 100g warm water

· 20g fresh yeast or 10g dried active yeast

· 4g salt

· 25g wholemeal flour

Method

· Place all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix with paddle attachment for 3 mins, or until smooth.

· Leave to stand for 10 mins.

· Heat a pan on medium heat and place a ladleful of mix into a crumpet ring on the pan.

· Cook until large bubbles appear on the surface, flip over and colour the other side until golden brown.

· Remove from the ring and continue to cook the mix until cooked through.

· Reheat in the toaster when serving.

For the Marie Rose Sauce

Ingredients

· 250g mayonnaise

· 130g tomato ketchup

· 1/2 tsp paprika

· 1 tbsp brandy

· Salt

Method

· Mix all ingredients together and adjust with salt if needed.

For the vinaigrette

Ingredients

· 50ml white wine vinegar

· 150g vegetable oil

· 5g sugar

· 10g mustard

Method

· Whisk together and use to dress baby gem leaves for prawn starter

To serve

Mix together the Marie Rose sauce with Lidl cooked prawns, before layering on top of the crumpet and vinaigrette-dressed baby gem lettuce leaves.

Mushroom and chestnut velouté

Suggested Wine Pairing: South African Premium Fairtrade Chenin Blanc

This filling, flavoursome soup using fresh mushrooms will be a hit with vegetarians and meat eaters alike.

Ingredients

(serves 4)

· 1 shallot, peeled and sliced

· 2 cloves garlic, crushed

· 500g button mushrooms, sliced

· 100g cooked chestnuts

· 1 litre whole milk

· 50g butter, unsalted

· Salt to taste

Method

· Warm the milk in a saucepan.

· Sweat the shallot in a small amount of vegetable oil with a pinch of salt until softened, then add the garlic and sliced button mushrooms.

· Cook on a high heat, stirring constantly until the mushrooms are cooked through, for approx 5-10 mins.

· Add enough milk to cover the cooked chestnuts and simmer for 5 mins.

· Blend in a high-speed blender/ food processor until smooth, add the softened butter and blend for a further 30 seconds, then taste and adjust seasoning with salt as required.

To serve

Serve with a brioche roll and some chestnuts placed for garnish.

Roast turkey dinner

Suggested Wine Pairing: Pinot Noir Vin de France

Follow this step-by-step guide and top tips from Shu Head Chef Matt Jordan to create a succulent turkey and delicious gravy.

From the Lidl NI Christmas Range:

Boned and rolled turkey 2kg: From £15.99

Pork, sage and onion stuffing balls: £1.99

Honey and mustard roast parsnips: £3.49

Red cabbage with Bramley apple: £2.89

Brussel sprouts with bacon and cranberries: £2.59

Fresh cranberry and port sauce: £1.69

For the Turkey

Ingredients

(Serves 6)

· Boned and rolled turkey

· Salt and Pepper

· Olive Oil

Method

· Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

· Rub the turkey with a generous amount of olive oil, salt and pepper.

· Cook the turkey according to its size – for a 2kg turkey this will be about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

· Use a meat thermometer and make sure the turkey is over 73degrees.

· Let the turkey sit for 20 minutes before serving.

For the Gravy

Ingredients

· 1 large shallot

· 2 cloves of garlic

· 6 sprigs of thyme

· 200ml Madeira fortified wine

Method

· Heat all the ingredients together until the mixture has reduced by about two thirds.

· Add all of the juices from the cooked turkey.

· Thicken the mixture with beef stock.

To serve

Serve the turkey with a generous helping of gravy and Lidl sides.

Baked butternut squash

Suggested Wine Pairing: Australian Premium Chardonnay

An alternative take on the traditional Christmas dinner which is simple to make.

For the Honey Roast Walnuts

Ingredients

· 100g walnuts

· 100g sugar

· A dash of chilli

· 1 tsp of honey

Method

· Boil 100g of walnuts with 100g of sugar and 100ml of water for 5 minutes.

· Pour off the liquid and fry the nuts in a deep fryer at 160degrees for 2 minutes until they are shiny, crispy and delicious.

· Toss the walnuts in a bit of honey and chilli.

For the sage and red wine vinaigrette

Ingredients

· 1 shallot

· 50ml red wine vinegar

· 5g sugar

· 10g Dijon mustard

· 6 leaves of sage

Method

· Dice and sweat down the shallot with the sage leaves, chopped.

· Add the sugar, red wine vinegar and Dijon mustard, and whisk together until thoroughly mixed.

For the Squash

Ingredients

(serves 2)

· 1 small butternut squash, peeled and halved

· Olive oil

· Salt

· Pepper

· 100g goat’s cheese

· Greens of choice – broccoli or kale

Method

· Preheat the oven to 160 degrees.

· Season each portion (1/2 squash) with olive oil, salt and pepper and then bake in the oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

· Check the squash is cooked by pressing in a knife and making sure it is soft.

To serve

Serve the squash with your greens of choice, the honey roast walnuts, the sage and red wine vinaigrette, and with 50g of crumbled goat’s cheese. Serve with a dollop of cranberry sauce.

Chocolate melt in the middle pudding

Suggested Wine Pairing: Bordeaux Sauternes

This mouth-watering chocolate pudding is the perfect after-dinner treat for those with a sweet tooth.

Add Lidl NI Deluxe Luxury Ice Cream in a variety of flavours (Brandy Butter with Brandy Sauce, Coffee with Whiskey, Crème Liqueur, or Salted Caramel Millionaire): £2.99

For the chocolate ganache

Ingredients

· 200g white chocolate, chopped

· 100g double cream

Method

· Bring the cream to a boil and pour over the chopped white chocolate.

· Blend with a hand blender until smooth or whisk together if you don’t have a hand blender.

· Chill the mix until set and once set take a heaped tablespoon and roll into a ball with your hands, before setting aside in the fridge until needed.

For the pudding

Ingredients

(serves 5)

· 200g dark chocolate 70%

· 85g butter, unsalted

· 190g egg white

Method

· Melt the dark chocolate and butter together and whisk in egg whites until the mix is smooth.

· Pour into lined ramekins and press a ball of the chocolate ganache into the centre of the mix.

· Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight if possible.

· Pre heat oven to 200degrees and bake the fondants for 7 mins.

· Allow to rest for two minutes and serve with Lidl Northern Ireland Christmas ice cream.

Christmas Pudding

Wine Pairing: Prosecco Spumante DOC

This twist on the traditional Christmas pudding features a raspberry and thyme gin-infused custard created by Chef Matt Jordan, that you can easily make at home.

From the Lidl NI Christmas Range

Wild Burrow Raspberry and Thyme Gin £15.99

Deluxe 24-Month Aged Christmas Pudding: £11.99

Ingredients

(Serves 4)

· 100ml Wild Burrow Raspberry & Thyme Gin

· 500ml milk

· 100g sugar

· 100g double cream

· 50g cornflour

· 110g egg yolk

· 1 vanilla pod