Whether you're celebrating with friends or loved ones this Christmas or want some inspiration to use up leftovers for a Boxing Day treat, these dishes are quick, easy and delicious!
Vegan Stuffed Mushrooms
Prep time: 25 mins Cook time: 25-30 mins Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 100g button mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 6 big open-cap mushrooms
• 2 cloves of garlic, grated
• 2 tsp chopped rosemary
• 1 can (415g) Del Monte® Pear Halves in Juice, drained and roughly chopped
• 50g dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• 50g almonds, roughly chopped
• 50g soft white breadcrumbs
• Salt and pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the onion, frying until soft. While the onions are frying, roughly chop the stalks from the open-cap mushrooms. Add to the pan along with the button mushrooms and cook for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes longer, before removing from the heat.
Add the rosemary, pears, cranberries, almonds, breadcrumbs and plenty of salt and pepper to the pan and stir well into the mix. Pack this mixture into the big mushrooms and then transfer them to a small, oiled oven dish and cook in the oven for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and tender.
This is also a great dish for serving as a side dish or stuffing – just dispose of the larger mushrooms and pack the mixture into an oven dish and cook as above.
Gluten Free Leftover Turkey Salad with Pears and Burrata
Prep time: 10 mins Serves: 4
Ingredients for the cranberry dressing
• 3 tbsp cranberry sauce
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper
Ingredients
• 1 can (410g) Del Monte® Pear Halves in Juice
• 1 head of chicory
• A handful of rocket leaves
• 350-400g cold cooked turkey (or chicken), in small pieces
• 1 burrata cheese
• Dried chilli flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper
Method:
Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, whisking them together well.
Drain the pear halves and cut each into 4-6 segments. Separate, wash and dry the chicory leaves and arrange on four plates. Add the rocket leaves over this. Dot the pieces of pears and turkey in and around the leaves. Drain the burrata and, working over a bowl, carefully tear it into four pieces. Place one piece on top of each salad. Spoon the cranberry dressing over the salads. Scatter a pinch of chilli flakes, if using, over each plate, give each one a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and serve.
Pineapple and Cherry Eton mess
Prep time: 15 mins Serves: 6
Ingredients
• 1 can (565g) Del Monte® Pineapple Slices in Juice
• 600ml double cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• 200g Greek yoghurt
• 6 meringue nests
• 100g dried cherries
• Fresh cherries to garnish
Method
Drain the can of pineapple slices (reserving the juice) and cut the slices into small pieces.
Whisk the double cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form, then fold in the Greek yoghurt and 2 tbsp of the reserved pineapple juice until smooth.
Break the meringue nests into pieces and gently fold into the cream along with the pineapple pieces and dried cherries until combined.
Divide between six glass tumblers, top with a fresh cherry and serve immediately.
The ‘Perfect’ British Trifle
Prep time: 45 mins, plus 8 hours setting time Serves: 10
Ingredients
• 160g pack of trifle sponges (or use sponge fingers)
• 100g raspberry jam
• 150ml pale cream sherry
• 2 cans (420g) Del Monte Fruit Cocktail in Juice
• 1 pack (135g) raspberry (or strawberry) flavour jelly cubes
• 500ml ready-made custard
• 400ml double cream
• Dark chocolate, to finish
• Edible gold stars, to finish (optional)
Method:
Slice each trifle sponge in half horizontally, spread with jam and sandwich back together. Use the jammy sponges to line the base of a 2.5litre-capacity glass trifle dish. You can crumble up the last sponge and use the crumbs to plug any obvious spaces. Trickle the sherry all over the sponge layer, making sure it soaks into all the sponges. Give it 10 minutes to soak in then use a spoon to press down the sponges a little.
Tip the fruit cocktail into a sieve over a large measuring jug, to catch the juice which you’ll need in a minute. Arrange the drained fruit over the sherry-soaked sponge in an even layer.
Cut the jelly into individual cubes. Follow the instructions on the pack for making the jelly, which should go like this: pour 285ml just-boiled water into a jug. Add the jelly cubes and stir for a couple of minutes until they have completely dissolved. You now need to add 285ml cold liquid – the reserved syrup from the fruit cocktail should be more or less the right amount! If it’s more than that, pour a little off, and if it’s less, add some cold water to get the right quantity. Combine with the hot jelly liquid and stir well. Pour the jelly slowly and carefully all over the fruit cocktail. Put the bowl in the fridge for at least 8 hours so the jelly can set.
Once set, pour the custard on to the jelly so that it settles in an even layer. Pour the cream into a mixing bowl and whip with electric beaters until it holds soft peaks. Spoon it gently over the custard and use a palette knife to create a nice swirly finish. Use a potato peeler or a knife to create chocolate shavings (a peeler is easier, but if you pull a knife blade over the smooth side of a chocolate bar, you can create larger curls). Scatter the chocolate over the whipped cream, finish with a few gold stars if you have them, and your trifle is ready to serve.
