Christmas, the best time of year!

We celebrated with an early family Christmas dinner and now, Christmas has been and gone and although I don’t cook as such on Christmas Day ( seriously) we have been very busy.

For starters, himself broke his leg! On the golf course! Took him over a week to go to the hospital! Men!

However, it did not deter us from our planned trip to Berlin. Himself had spent a year at University there doing a Post Doc, a lifetime ago. We have returned many times since and this will be it for a while, though despite him hobbling around with a massive surgical boot and a crutch!

Christmas markets were everywhere, and were certainly worth a visit, a definite upgrade to the ones we visited in Belgium last year( where we incidentally lived for 13 years !)

Christmas Eve was Oysters Rockefeller and just Oysters which we love. Himself is the one who makes these and having a broken leg certainly didn’t hinder him in the least.

A walk in Richmond Park was planned, but obviously this didn’t happen, but we had seafood to prepare and guests were coming. Shrimp , Langoustine, Lobster , salmon, smoked salmon, Marie Rose Sauce, American style cocktail sauce, all to be seen to. Nowhere near as daunting as making Salmon Coulibiac, Beef Wellington, Turkey or Goose, but nonetheless the work to be done!

Actually for the second year running we went just four stops on the Tube to Farringdon, the home of the world famous Smithfield meat market. It is located in the Square mile of the city of London and has been there for over 800 years! on Christmas Eve, they sell off their meat, a tradition that dates back to the 14 th century, as there wasn’t refrigeration. Apart from anything else, it is really fun ! People dress up, it is really crowded and people take wheelie bags with them so that they can buy a years supply of meat at hugely discounted prices. It isn’t an auction, chiefly salesman announces what is up for sale, be it 6 kilos prime ribs of beef, half a lamb, a goose, a turkey, several kilos of stewing beef, a while saddle of lamb! Whatever it is, there is plenty to go around for all, the butchers walk around a stage, the buyers hold up their cash, then the meat comes over their heads and the cash passed forward.

We go to the regular Smithfield market when we need something special, ie a whole filet of beef. However not for the sleepy heads as the market opens at midnight and most of the traders gone by 7 am, though some of them do stay open later.

I think most people will buy Marie Rose sauce, I don’t but I do cheat! Once upon a time,I would make my own mayonnaise to make this sauce but nowadays there is such a choice of bought mayonnaise that one might just go ahead and buy a good one.

To make Marie Rose sauce, mix 200ml of mayonnaise with 2-3 tablespoons of tomato ketchup, ½ teaspoon of hot sauce, ¼ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning AND here is the secret ingredient Brandy or Whiskey to taste! Try it ! Makes a World of difference !

Marinara sauce can be made simply by using some canned ingredients so saving time on cooking. And this sauce can then be used as a pizza topping and also as a base for puttanesca sauce ( by adding some oregano and anchovies) , bolognaise sauce and any other tomato based sauces.

Simply put all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. Add more seasoning to your taste .

 1 small tin tomato paste, 

1/2teaspoon salt, 

a pinch of sugar,

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or I use preserved garlic,some capers

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano,  can of good tomatoes and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Stir to combine. Take a small taste and adjust the flavor and texture to your liking by adding more oil,or seasonings.

We have decamped now to the French Alps, Himself is out of the boot but no skiing for him, ( me neither, 5 knee surgeries are a disincentive). It was -16C (3.2F) which was COLD but the sun shone, now however temperature has risen and the snow has come!

And now I’m off to make a Tartiflette! Check back if you want to make some decidedly yummy but unfortunately full of calories!