Mary Berrys Christmas Stuffing Food

CHESTNUT STUFFING

Steps:

• Preheat oven 200C/400F/Gas 6. Butter a shallow ovenproof dish.
• Add 600ml/1 pint water into a pan with the onion and apricots. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about five minutes. Drain.
• Put the breadcrumbs into a large bowl. Melt the butter in a frying pan and pour half of this onto the breadcrumbs.
• In the remaining butter, fry the chestnuts over a high heat until lightly browned. Tip into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add the apricots, onion and parsley to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• Turn into a buttered, shallow ovenproof dish and bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes until crisp and hot right through.

MARY BERRY'S CHRISTMAS STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and fry gently for 8-10 minutes, or until softened.
• Stir in the remaining stuffing ingredients, except for the vegetable oil, until well combined. Season to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Using wet hands, shape the sausage meat mixture into 16 equally-sized balls. Place on a lightly greased baking tray, cover with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Add the stuffing balls and fry for 4-5 minutes, turning once, until golden on both sides.
• Return the fried stuffing balls to the baking tray (or, if there is room, place them in the same roasting tray as the turkey or chicken). Bake the stuffing balls for 20-25 minutes, or until cooked through. If they brown too quickly during cooking, cover with kitchen foil.
• Serve with roast turkey, roast chicken, or other roast meat.

MARY BERRY'S CHRISTMAS CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Peel the tomatoes - prick them with a sharp knife, place in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for a few seconds then drain and cover with cold water. The skins will now come away easily.
• Chop the tomatoes and aubergine and seed and chop the peppers. Put in a large heavy-based pan with the onions and garlic and bring to the boil. Cover with a lid, lower the heat and gently simmer for about one hour, stirring occasionally, until tender.
• Tip the sugar, vinegar, salt, coriander, paprika and cayenne into the pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to boil for 30 minutes or so, until the mixture achieves a chunky chutney consistency and the surplus watery liquid has evaporated. Take care towards the end of the cooking time to continue stirring so that the chutney doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.
• Ladle the chutney into sterilised or dishwasher-clean jars (Kilner jars are ideal) and top with paper jam covers. Seal the jars while still hot. Leave to mature for at least a month in a cool dark place.