I I’ve grown as a host, and I’ve come to realize that those rich dishes that crown our festive tables shine most brightly when surrounded by contrasting, lighter morsels — before, around, and after, not just on the day itself. I’m having fun angels and demons on horseback, Grilled eggs, mini sausages wrapped in bacon, mince pies crowned with foie gras, fried bread and cheese pizza, buffalo wings, pate en croute, crab beignet, oysters Rockefeller, shrimp tostadas and rich… TamalesBut, mostly, I save them for parties earlier in December. On Christmas Day itself, I start with lighter meals, as better preparation for the rich meal ahead. Three delicious appetizers are served alongside fizz Another one next to him …
Chilled shrimp with brandy mayonnaise
My grandmother Jenny knew how to entertain. She would add mayonnaise to brandy, and I do the same at home and in my restaurant Plaquemin lock. Jenny used to boil her own prawns, but our frozen cooked Atlantic prawns in the shell (the ones that come by the pint at the pub) are also excellent.
Preparatory school 10 minutes
He cooks 10 minutes plus cooling
serves 5 for a start10 kanaabe
1kg of cooked frozen prawns from sustainable sourcesOr cooked Atlantic, raw Vannamei or other tiger/king prawns
150 grams of mayonnaise (homemade or store bought)
1-2 A tablespoon of brandy
A couple of gratsLemon peel (optional)
For court soup (if cooking shrimp from scratch)
3 celery stickstrimmed and cut into pieces
1 large orange or lemonskin, cut into pieces
1 head of fenneltrimmed and cut into pieces
1 small onionpeeled and cut in half
300 ml of white wine
3 liters of water
60 grams of salt
Defrost shrimp. If using raw shrimp, place all stock ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the shrimp, let it boil for a minute, then drain it. Distribute the boiled shrimp on a plate, leave it to cool gradually to room temperature, then place it in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Place the mayonnaise in a pretty bowl, add the brandy to taste, and add a touch of grated lemon peel, if you like. Serve the cooled shrimp on a large platter with a bowl of mayonnaise next to it for dipping. Also remember a bowl of warm water with lemon slices, and an empty bowl to peel the shrimp.
The Guardian aims to publish recipes for sustainable fish. Check reviews in your area: UK; Australia; we.
Benzimonio (raw vegetables and olive oil)
Benzimonio It’s simply a bowl of noodles and oil, but it’s not just pre-cut carrot sticks, pickled celery sticks and watery cucumbers: the exquisite benzimonio is full of sophistication and flavour.
Preparatory school 15 minutes
serves 10
1 head radicchio – Late Treviso, If you can get it
1 small head Pontarelle (½ large), woody base removed, spears cut in half lengthwise, or 1 red or white scar, leaves broken at base
1 bunch of radish, Half, and leave on
1 head of fennel, Trimmed, halved and last-minute sliced into thin slices
4 slices of yeastcuts off into pieces
200 ml Extra virgin olive oil -The greener, grassier and pepperier it is, the better
1 A teaspoon of crunchy salt
Black pepper
Cut the radish leaves at the base and arrange them neatly on a plate with the pentarelle spears (or dandelion leaves), radishes, fennel and bread pieces. Put the oil in a bowl in the middle, add salt and a little ground black pepper, and serve.
Artichoke, radish or celery frittata
was at Trattoria Antica Torre in Barbaresco, ItalyIn the middle of truffle season, my understanding of frittata shattered like an eggshell. At this restaurant, and others in the area, they specialize in 40 yolks the job (Talliolini), in which a kilo of flour is mixed with the yolk of the dough. This makes for a very rich pasta (especially good with white truffle) and lots of leftover egg whites. So, the thin, delicate, ethereal onion frittata you use as an appetizer is made mostly with egg whites, and is a very different beast from the rich, thick omelet I’ve known up to this point — in fact, not a beast at all, but delicious, homey, and elegant all at once.
Preparatory school 10 minutes
He cooks 25 minutes
serves 2 for a start, or 6 to gnaw on it
2 medium artichokesOr clean, trim, chop tough leaves, remove bottlenecks, half a small head of radish, or 2 celery sticks
4 egg whites
2 whole eggs
20 grams grated Parmesan
35 grams of butter
Salt and black pepper
1 A tablespoon of extra virgin olive oilOr any vegetable oil
Slice the artichoke or radish very thinly lengthwise (about 1-2 mm); If using celery, cut it crosswise or along the side. In a bowl, beat the egg whites, whole eggs and Parmesan cheese with a fork until completely smooth.
Melt 25g of butter in a 28cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat until it starts to foam, then add the vegetables and season – enough for the next egg as well. Fry for three minutes until soft but slightly browned, then add the beaten egg mixture, distributing evenly; Use the back of a spoon to fill in any gaps. Fry for four minutes, or until the egg is almost cooked.
Grease a plate with oil, then serve the omelet on it. Add the last 10g of butter to the pan, and when it foams, insert the omelet back in and fry for another two to three minutes, until fluffy. Turn out onto a clean plate and serve after cooling to room temperature.
Jacob Kennedy is the chef-patron of Buca di Lobo in London.
