Bonfire Night Feast

On paper, Bonfire Night represents the historical day when Guy Fawkes, a radical Catholic soldier, failed to carry out the infamous Gunpowder Plot on Parliament. However, to everybody else, it means propping home-made Guys on top of a huge bonfire and watching it blaze away whilst consuming delicious toffee apples and mulled cider alongside family and friends.

 

On the 5^th November, the country is alight with orange flames and the crackling of fireworks as the skies come alive with sparkling colours. Being a child on Bonfire Night was so very exciting, although, with the Peter Pan-like manner I sometimes endeavour to reveal, I still enjoy spelling my name with a sparkler.

 

After being out in the cold all evening, there is nothing better than coming into a warm kitchen, regaining feeling in your toes and consuming delicious, comfort food. The recipes below are what I consider to be a perfect end to Bonfire Night.

Chicken Crumble

Serves 6

Ingredients:

5 free range chicken breasts, diced

200g chopped pancetta

2 leeks – chopped

1 onion – finely chopped

3-4 garlic cloves – crushed

Bunch of thyme

Bunch of sage – chopped

3 bay leaves

250ml white wine

½ pint chicken stock

200g button mushrooms (wild mushrooms, optional)

3 tbsp flour

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

Olive oil

Salt & Pepper

For Crumble topping:

6 slices wholemeal bread

150g chestnuts

200g smoked cheddar, grated

1 clove garlic – crushed

100g dried cranberries

Thyme (use from above)

1 tbsp redcurrant jelly

1 tsp Dijon mustard

Salt & Pepper

 

Method:

·        Preheat oven to 180’C

·        In a large pan, heat olive oil, add garlic, onion, pancetta

·        Cook for a few minutes until they soften, add chicken, cooking for a further 10 minutes stirring constantly, making sure the chicken is cooked

·        Add leeks, thyme, sage and cooking for a further few minutes

·       Mix in flour, so all the mixture is covered, then add stock, allowing to simmer for 5 minutes

·        Once thickened, add wine, redcurrant jelly, mustard

·        Season well with salt and pepper

·       Add bay leaves, mushrooms, cooking for a few minutes on a low heat whilst you prepare the crumble

·       Place all the crumble ingredients into a food processor, blending until it reaches a crumble consistency

·       Pour casserole into a oven proof dish, covering it all with the crumble

·       Place the crumble in the oven, cooking for 30-40 minutes until the top is crispy.

Baked toffee apples

Serves 6

Ingredients:

 

6 apples

80g dark muscovado sugar

60g hazelnuts, crushed

80g raisons

2tbsp brandy

1tsp ground cinnamon

Juice of ½ an orange

For toffee sauce:

 

      55 g butter

      170 g muscovado sugar

      150 ml golden syrup

      150 ml double cream

Method:

·         Preheat oven to 180’C

·         Remove cores from apples, scoring around the diameter with a knife

·         Mix sugar, raisons, cinnamon, brandy, hazelnuts and juice

·         Place apples on baking tray and stuff the centres with mixture

·         Cook for 20-25 minutes until apples soften

·         For sauce, heat butter, sugar, syrup in saucepan until sugar melts, add cream, simmer gently for 3-4 minutes

·         Pour toffee sauce over the apple and serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.