1 heaped tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Squeeze the lemon into a bowl of cold water and as you peel and chop the artichokes, submerge them in the water to prevent discolouration.
Gently cook the onions, potatoes and leeks together in the oil in a pan over a low heat. Do not let them brown and ensure that they are softened before adding the thyme, bay leaf and artichokes. Cover with the stock (bouillon) and simmer for 40 minutes or until the artichokes are soft. Let the soup cool and then purée in a blender until smooth. Transfer the soup back to the pan and cook for a further 5 minutes over a medium heat stirring all the time.
Season to taste with nutmeg and pepper, and remove from the heat. Serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley. This soup is very long-suffering and can be reheated again over several days, but sprinkle it with a little fresh parsley each time. (Always cool the soup, cover and chill in the refrigerator.)
Canapés, Appetizers and Snacks …
Parmesan Biscuits with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche
These biscuits are very quick to make and can be topped with anything you fancy – for a vegetarian alternative try crème fraîche with a tiny dollop of pesto and a strip of roasted pepper. The biscuits can also be frozen, which makes them ideal for Christmas entertaining.
Makes 12 biscuits (double the ingredients for Christmas menu here)
Parmesan biscuits
85g/¾ cup wheat-free flour mix*
1 heaped teaspoon wheat-free baking powder*
½ teaspoon fine salt
55g/12/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large organic free-range egg
2 tablespoons cold pressed extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon organic milk
A little organic milk or beaten egg for brushing
Topping
12 heaped teaspoons half-fat crème fraîche
12 small pieces smoked salmon
12 little sprigs fresh dill
A little lemon juice
A little cayenne pepper
A scattering of rocket (arugula) and a little cold pressed extra virgin olive oil to serve
6cm/2½ in round fluted pastry cutter
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas mark 5.
Sift the flour into a food processor and add the other biscuit ingredients, except the milk. Mix until blended then add enough milk to make a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a floured board and shape into a ball. At this stage you can wrap and either chill or freeze the dough for future use.
Roll the dough out to a thickness of about 1cm/½ in and cut into rounds with the cutter. Roll out the trimmings to make the next batch. Place the biscuits on a baking tray, brush them with a little milk or beaten egg and bake for about 10 minutes until golden. Cool for a few moments and transfer the biscuits to a wire rack to cool completely.
You can also freeze them at this stage and reheat before using.
Place two biscuits on each plate and spoon a dollop of crème fraîche on top of each. Cover with a generous slice of smoked salmon, twisted nicely to sit on top of the crème fraîche. Top it with a little sprig of dill, sprinkle with a little lemon juice and dust with a little cayenne pepper. Arrange a small handful of rocket (arugula) leaves around the biscuits and serve with a drizzle of oil.
Parmesan Biscuits with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraîche
Mini Potato Pancakes with Smoked Trout and Salsa
These pancakes can be frozen, which makes them an ideal Christmas appetizer – simply warm them through, top them and serve. You can change the topping to rare roast beef topped with a dollop of crème fraîche, mixed with horseradish and black pepper. Alternatively, how about using smoked mackerel in the same way and serve it with chopped dill? For a vegetarian option, simply swap the smoked trout for slices of roast sweet peppers (bell peppers). The pancakes are also delicious spread simply with butter or dairy-free margarine.
Makes 18–20 canapés or serves 6 as an appetizer
(double the ingredients for New Year’s Eve menu here)
Pancakes
340g/12oz floury potatoes, such as King Edward, peeled and cut into large chunks
Sea salt
115g/1 heaped cup wheat-free flour mix*
Cold pressed extra virgin olive oil for cooking
Topping
18–20 heaped teaspoons half-fat crème fraîche orTofutti dairy-free Creamy Smooth cream-style cheese (see here for stockist)
2 large fillets of skinless smoked trout
170g/6oz tub fresh salsa* (can be frozen until needed)
Optional
Some rocket (arugula) and extra virgin olive oil
5cm/2in round metal pastry cutter
Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the potatoes and cook until soft. Drain the potatoes in a colander set over the pan, cover with a tea towel and leave to steam dry for 5 minutes. Mash the potatoes in a bowl with a pinch of salt until smooth.
Gradually beat the flour into the potatoes using a wooden spoon; you may have to use your hands towards the end, as the dough may be very thick. Knead the dough lightly on a floured board. Cut in half and roll out to a thickness of 5mm/¼in. Use your cutter to stamp out 5cm/2in rounds. Knead the dough remnants gently back into the remaining ball of dough, roll out again and repeat until all the dough is used up.
Brush a large non-stick frying pan (skillet) with some oil, place it over a medium heat and cook the pancakes on one side until they are firm enough to flip over and are tinged with golden brown. You will need to cook them in batches. Cool the pancakes on a wire rack lined with non-stick baking parchment (wax paper).
You can layer the pancakes in non-stick baking parchment (wax paper), wrap them in kitchen foil and freeze until needed. Defrost and bake for about 3–5 minutes