OluchilloydBlog

Now a South American inspired dish for your New Years’ Eve spread. As long as you slice the beef into fairly small strips this makes a great sharing option… Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 25 minutes/Serves: 8 Ingredients:2 Sweet bell Peppers, sliced1 Red Onion, cut into 8 wedges3 tsp Olive Oil250g Mushrooms, thickly sliced160g Tenderstem […]

I couldn’t produce a list of finger foot or sharing food for a New Year’s Eve party without including a Nigerian recipe now, could I. So here’s a classic suya dish adapted to be made with chicken wings… ideal for sharing! Prep time: 15 minutes/Cook time: 45 minutes/Serves: 8 (+marinating) Ingredients:For the Suya Spice Blend:3

You can use-up your leftover panettone to make this stunning dessert that’s ideal for your New Year’s Eve celebration. 20/30/Serves 8 (+chilling) Ingredients:900ml Chocolate Ice Cream900ml Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream180g Panettone, cut into 2cm thick rectangles25ml strong Espresso coffee200ml Double Cream1 tbsp Cocoa Powderfinely-grated zest of 1 OrangeEdible gold glitter spray (optional) Method:Line a 900g

These savoury vegetarian stuffing balls are too good just to serve as an accompaniment, so why not serve them as part of your New Year’s Eve spread instead? Accompany with cranberry sauce or a dipping sauce. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time 30 minutes/Makes: 24 Ingredients:1 tbsp Olive Oil2 Onions, finely chopped300g frozen Spinach, defrosted150g fresh

This is a great way of converting leftover Christmas pudding into mini Christmas pudding canapés that make a wonderful New Year’s Eve nibble. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Makes: 20+ (+20 minutes chilling) Ingredients:Leftover Christmas PuddingCream sherry (or grape juice)Plain ChocolateWhite chocolateMint sprigs, to decorate Method:Heat some leftover Christmas Pudding in a microwave until

This beautiful layered pie looks beautiful when sliced and makes and excellent alternate Christmas centrepiece that everyone in the family will love. You can even serve cold for a Christmas picnic on the beach if your Christmas is in a hot country. Prep time: 30 minutes/Cook time: 75 minutes/Serves: 10-12 Ingredients:2 tbsp olive oilknob butter1

Here is a twist on the traditional cauliflower cheese where a whole cauliflower is roasted. This makes an excellent alternate main course for Christmas, but it can equally be served as an accompaniment to the main course for Christmas or Thanksgiving. However you serve it, it makes a spectacular addition to your festive table. Personally,

This is a vegetarian Christmas Eve dish that also works as a starter. I’ve based the recipes on ingredients you can get in South Africa, but substitutions are also included. Prep time: 40 minutes/Cook time: 90 minutes/Serves: 6 Ingredients:For the pastry:225g (8oz) plain flour, plus extra for dustingpinch salt150g (5½oz) cold butter, cut into cubes50g

This is a great dessert for between Christmas and New Year that lets you use-up any leftover marzipan and opened jars of mincemeat. I’ve used quinces and a couple of pears as the main ingredient as they’re available in the local Spar at the moment and they’re Christmasy to me. You can easily substitute the

Shortbreads are usually sweet, but this is an unusual savoury version, meant to be served with cheese. It’s great with cheese at the end of a meal or you can serve as part of a starter or smorgasbord. These also make great edible Christmas gifts. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 20 minutes/Makes: 35-40 Ingredients:150g (5½oz)

I think hodgepodge pies are fantastic. As the name suggests, the contents are typically what you have available. This version is for Christmas roast leftovers. If you have mash or any cooked greens add those to the pie, too (you can use them instead of the Brussels sprouts). Prep time: 30 minutes/Cook time: 90 minutes/Serves:

The nut roast has become a bit of a Christmas joke, mostly after the 1970s versions. However, this version brings things up do date so you have an easy but satisfying dish for your vegetarian guests that will go well with the remaining trimmings. Prep time: 30 minutes/Cook time: 65 minutes/Serves 4 Ingredients:1 tbsp olive

Colcannon is a traditional Irish recipe of mashed potatoes blended with greens (typically cabbage). Here I’ve adapted it for South Africa by using the ubiquitous butternut squash, adding a little chilli flakes and blending with kale. This recipe is adapted to be cooked in a microwave. This makes an excellent alternate Christmas accompaniment. Prep time:

Roast potatoes are one of the classic accompaniment to Christmas dinner. Here the potatoes are boiled a little longer than normal, drained and smashed (which gives them a larger surface area) then they’re roasted and because of the smashing they come out extra crispy. Prep time: 10 minutes/Cook time: 80 minutes/Serves: 6 Ingredients:1.5kg floury potatoes

Using shop-bought mincemeat from the store-cupboard you can knock together a last minute Christmas pudding that can be made on the big day itself with no waiting and no maturing. So if you’ve forgotten to prepare or buy your Christmas pud this could just be the recipe for you. It’s also great for making beforehand,

Here is an alternate Christmas pudding that can be prepared on they day. It’s citrusy and syrupy and can be steamed or cooked in a microwave. Prep time: 20 minutes/Cook time: 90 minutes steaming/15 minutes microwave/Serves: 8 Ingredients:3 tbsp golden syrup2 clementines or satsumas, thinly sliced175g butter175g golden caster sugar3 eggs, beaten85g self-raising flour85g fresh

For my husband, who really loves his red cabbage dish for Christmas this is a really great recipe as it can be prepared in the microwave, removing the hassle of having another pot on the stove. This is also a versatile dish as it works as an accompaniment to just about any meat dishes and

This is an excellent stuffing for your Christmas turkey, but it’s so good that it really shouldn’t be reserved for Christmas. Use this recipe as your go-to year-round stuffing. Prep time: 60 minutes/Cook time: 30 minutes/Serves: 8-10 Ingredients:200g white bread (about 5 thick slices, crusts included)1 large onion, quartered2 garlic clovesgenerous handful of fresh parsley450g