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Brum restaurants kicked the backside out of the British culinary scene throughout 2014, bringing in awards and accolades like other cities weren't even trying. Fitting then that our final feature of the year involves three of the very best Birmingham-based chefs teaming up to create the ultimate Christmas feast. It's your duty to cook at least one dish on the big day. We'll see your lovely faces in the New Year...
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TO START: BRIXHAM CRAB AND SALMON CAKES WITH CRANBERRY SALAD
By David Colcombe, Opus
Christmas Day often involves serious volumes of meat so your starter is the perfect time to go for something light. I’ll be cooking up one of my favourites this year – salmon fishcakes. With goose as the main course, fishcakes can ensure that you offset the forthcoming richness with a quick and easy to prepare alternative. Served with cranberry amongst the salad, the dish has a festive feel to it, but if you want it to be a real showstopper then do make sure you take extra care with your garnish. You can also make the cakes to varying sizes, in fact I'd recommend it, so that those who would rather a smaller start to proceedings can opt for a lesser portion. Oh, and a helpful tip: Make sure you serve them warm, but not hot as they will dry out quickly. Here's the recipe. Serve it with something that is not too acidic or citrus-heavy, but is dry, a little fruity and still rounded, like a new world Pinot Gris or a Spanish or Portuguese Verdejo.
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TO FOLLOW: SLOW HONEY-ROAST GOOSE
By Brad Carter, Carters of Moseley
It's all about goose for mains. It's pricier than turkey, of course, but mains at Christmas isn't time to scrimp. Also it's almost impossible to find a bad quality goose, but it's very easy to buy a bad turkey. We should eat much more goose in the UK at Christmas because it's what we always had until the Americans brought turkey over here. It's a fantastic bird that should be associated with Christmas way more. Now, you’re slow-cooking this goose, but don't put it in overnight, because that will be way too long. I cook it with cloves and Szechuan pepper, there's cranberry in there, all very Christmassy and it has a lovely Chinese feel to it too. Add in the honey and it all goes beautifully with the gamey meat. Trust me, it works. If you have a meat probe put it in the breast of the bird and if you're at between 58°C and 60°C, it's done. It'll be blushing pink, but nicely cooked. Here's the full recipe. You'll notice I insist you drain the fat. Please do that, it's very important, and use it to cook your root vegetables. That'll save you about £6 on a pot of fat. Serve the bird with roast potatoes and parsnips. A splodge of maple syrup and slight sprinkle of marjoram on the parsnips in the last five minutes of cooking will really bring them to life.
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DESSERT: CHRISTMAS PUDDING SOUFFLE
By Adam Stokes of Adam's
I have to cook this each Christmas without fail. Every year I try to get out of it, but unfortunately a special request always comes in from the in-laws and the wife. The beauty of this dish is that it's so light. How often are you stuffed by the time you get to dessert and Christmas pudding sounds terrifyingly heavy? Not with this. All the flavour, none of the heft. Now, most people are scared off by the word soufflé, but this one is pretty much foolproof, just don't drink too much beforehand! There aren't many ingredients and you can prepare the base the day before and really concentrate on getting the egg whites right (i.e. whipped into firm peaks), lining your pots and making sure the oven is hot. Those three are the key to it. There's no smoke and mirrors here, your soufflé will rise if you focus on those pointers. The recipe's here. Eat with a fruity dessert wine like an Alvear Pedro Ximenez 1927, then retire to the living room for Home Alone, hands down the best Christmas movie ever made.
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