My palette undoubtedly leans towards acidity. For me, there are few things that a squeeze of lemon juice doesn’t improve. My cupboard is never without at least three different vinegars and I happily snack on crunchy cornichons straight from the jar. But even for those with a less fervent appetite for acidity, there is often a notable lack of it in Christmas fare.
At this time of year, tables groan with butter-basted birdies, countless pigs in blankets, stuffing dishes frothing at the edges with hot butter, carefully curated cheeseboards, dollops of brandy butter and various other sources of richness that bring a butter lover like me endless joy. But - and this is a big but - all too often there is little acidity to cut through that richness. In other words, acidity is seemingly neglected just when it’s needed most.
The recipes below are suggestions to address this shortfall. They relate to two unsolicited and potentially unpopular opinions of mine.
Unsolicited and potentially unpopular opinion number one: Ditch the honey/maple glaze
Why is it that carrots and parsnips are so often finished with a honey or maple glaze? Why add more sweetness to vegetables that are naturally so sweet? I prefer to balance that natural sweetness with spice, citrus or, even better, both. For my recipe below - roasted parsnips with kefir, green chilli and mint - I’ve taken the “both” route. This route strays away from traditional Christmas flavours but may well be just the thing for the in-between days when you’re looking for something a little different or a way to perk up leftovers.
Unsolicited and potentially unpopular opinion number two: You are probably missing a crucial element in your leftovers sandwich
Mayo is a trad condiment choice for the leftovers sandwich; it gives moisture and also helps with the all-important structural integrity of the sandwich by acting like a glue upon which the other components can adhere to. No one wants half of the filling to plop out of the bottom of their sandwich as soon as they take the first bite. These are valid reasons for a slick of mayo. However, I don’t think it benefits the sandwich’s balance of flavour. You are essentially adding another rich, fatty component to a sandwich which is hardly lacking in that area. I’m not suggesting that you abandon the beloved mayo, or any other condiment that you are particularly loyal to, but instead proposing that you add one more element to your carefully constructed masterpiece, one that is bright and crunchy and - oh, you guessed it - acidic. Queue “pickle-y” bits. The recipe below is ~ technically ~ a ferment rather than a pickle because its sour, piquant flavour is a result of a chemical reaction between the carrots’ naturally occurring sugars and naturally present bacteria, as opposed to a pickle which achieves its flavour from an acidic brine.
Making a ferment is very straightforward and significantly cheaper than buying one; it’s simply a case of making a salt solution and adding this to a jar of chopped up or grated veg. Time and science does the rest.
Roasted parsnips with kefir, green chilli and mint
Serves 4 as a side
750g parsnips
3 tbsp olive oil
1 green chilli
Small bunch of mint (about 30g)
150g kefir
1 lime
A large handful of pomegranate seeds (from roughly half a small pomegranate)
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Wash and scrub the parsnips then trim and cut into evenly sized wedges. Typically, the bottom part of a parsnip is (a lot) thinner than the top so I usually cut the tops in half lengthwise, or quarters even, and leave the bottoms whole. You want evenly sized wedges so that they cook at the same rate.
Toss the parsnip wedges with the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt then spread out in a single layer on a large, low-sided roasting tray (if your tray isn’t large enough for a single layer, use two: if the wedges are piled on top of one another or too close together they will steam rather than roast). Roast for 25-30 minutes, tossing after 20 minutes, until golden, tender and slightly crisp at the edges.
Meanwhile, finely slice about a quarter of the chilli and set aside for serving. Finely chop the rest, removing the seeds if you prefer less heat. Pick the mint leaves, set aside a small handful for serving, then finely chop the rest.
Put the chopped chilli and chopped mint in a small bowl with the kefir. Grate in the zest of most of the lime. Mix to combine and season to taste. Spread over a large, lipped plate or platter.
Once the parsnips are golden and tender, immediately pile onto the kefir mixture. Top with the pomegranate seeds, reserved chilli and mint. Grate over the rest of the lime zest. Cut the lime into wedges for spritzing on top. Serve straight away while the parsnips are still piping hot.
Carrot, caraway, coriander and nigella seed ferment
The sarnie pictured above and below is not a Boxing Day leftovers triumph because the time is not yet nigh; this one is packed with planks of cheddar, lots of mustard and chives. Would highly recommend.
Makes a 2 litre jar
1kg carrots
750ml water
1 tbsp caraway seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp nigella seeds
25g rock salt
1 tbsp honey
First things first, sterilise your jar by cleaning with hot, soapy water then placing in a low oven to dry thoroughly.
If you’re using organic carrots, there’s no need to peel them, just scrub clean and trim. Otherwise, peel and trim. Coarsely grate the carrots, either with a grater attachment of a food processor if you have one, or with a box grater. Transfer to the sterilised jar.
Put the water, spices, salt and honey in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, stir to ensure the salt and honey have dissolved, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly for a few minutes.
When the liquid is still very warm but no longer scorching hot, pour into the jar and seal. Give the jar a shake to distribute the spices then leave at room temperature to ferment for at least 2 days. After a couple of days, start tasting the carrots and, once they are acidic enough for you, store them in the fridge.
Bits & bobs
As is always the case in December, there are lots of “best of the year” cookbook lists flying around. In my opinion, this is the most thorough, considered and entertaining summary of this year’s cookbooks
One of the most beautiful things I have seen in a long time
A Popeye hit of green for the in-between days
Hugo has been cooking up a storm and has also just released a great podcast episode with Jeremy Lee that I really enjoyed listening to
A hummus-centric lunch is my kind of lunch
Thank you for reading my newsletters this year. Happy Christmas!