Darina Allen: Three quick and easy recipes for edible Christmas gifts  

Caramel popcorn and homemade sweet and fiery chilli sauce are among Darina Allen's suggestions 

Sweet Caramel Popcorn

I’m dedicating my entire column to edible gifts for the many food lovers in your life this week.

Lots of savoury treats, delicious accompaniments, pickles, chutneys, spicy salts and a few jars of toasted nuts, sweet and fiery chilli sauce and a super delicious peanut rayu to liven up absolutely everything from fried eggs to cold turkey over the festive season.

Next week we will focus on comforting food for Christmas Eve but I am keeping the blurb to the minimum to fit in as many delicious treats as possible.

During the year, I look out for pots, jars or special glasses in charity or bric-a-brac shops, I have a stack ready to fill with Christmas goodies. Do ramp up the labelling and packaging, ribbons and glitter to add extra excitement and festive cheer.

A hamper of four homemade soups got an ecstatic and grateful response from a couple of busy working mums last Christmas — easy, delicious, fun and quick to defrost even if frozen.

Kumquat Compôte

recipe by:Darina Allen

A gem of a recipe, this compôte can be served as a dessert or as an accompaniment to roast duck, goose or glazed ham. Also delicious with goat’s cheese or yoghurt

Servings

6

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 5 mins

Total Time

 10 mins

Course

 Side

Ingredients

• 235g (8 1/2 oz) kumquats

• 200ml (7fl oz) water

• 110g (4oz) sugar

Method

1. Slice the kumquats thinly into four or five round slices depending on size. Remove the seeds.

2. Put the kumquats into a saucepan with the water and sugar and let them cook very gently, covered, for half an hour or until tender. If they accidentally overcook or become too dry, add a little water and bring back to the boil for one minute — they should be crystallised but slightly juicy.

3. Serve warm or cold. This compote keeps for weeks in the fridge.

Sweet caramel popcorn

recipe by:Darina Allen

A delicious accompaniment to movie night

Servings

4

Preparation Time

 10 mins

Cooking Time

 10 mins

Total Time

 20 mins

Course

 Input

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 225g (8oz) sugar

• 150ml (5fl oz) water

• 50g (2oz) popcorn

Method

1. First make the popcorn.

2. Combine the sugar and cold water in a small heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir over a gentle heat until the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove the spoon and boil until the syrup caramelises to a chestnut brown. Do not stir and do not shake the pan.

3. If sugar crystals form around the side of the pan, brush them down with cold water. When the caramel is ready, it must be used immediately or it will become hard and cold.

4. Spread the popcorn onto a silicone mat or oiled tin and drizzle the hot caramel over. Leave to cool

5. Fill into jars, label and fancy up with ribbons and a sprig of rosemary.

Sweet and fiery chilli sauce

recipe by:Darina Allen

You can serve this over everything.

Servings

1

Preparation Time

 5 mins

Cooking Time

 6 mins

Total Time

 11 mins

Course

 Side

Cuisine

 Irish

Ingredients

• 125ml (4 1/2fl oz) rice vinegar

• 1 tsp salt

• 185g (6 1/2oz) sugar

• 1 clove garlic crushed

Method

1. Put all the ingredients into a little saucepan over a low heat and stir to dissolve the sugar.

2. Bring to the boil and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the mixture thickens to a syrupy texture. Cool and fill into a sterilised jam jar or bottle.

3. Store in a cool, dry place.

Hot Tips

A Year of Baking 2023 Calendar

If you’re looking for a foodie Christmas present, Beth O’Brien (Ballymaloe Cookery School alumni) has created a calendar with baking photos and recipes that you can bake something fun every month. Beth regularly features baking comparison projects, where she bakes nine different recipes for popular cakes, biscuits, pancakes….photographs them and compares the results.

10% of the proceeds will go to the Irish Red Cross to help with their relief effort in Ukraine. For more information, see @bethcooksthings on Instagram.

Midleton Farmers Market – December 23

Don’t miss Midleton Farmers Market on Friday, December 23 to pick up last minute essentials for your Christmas Dinner from 9am – 12.00pm.

How to Cook Well at Christmas with Rory O’Connell

Don’t miss How to Cook Well at Christmas with Rory O’Connell with two episodes featuring lots of delicious festive recipes airing on RTÉ 1 on Wednesday, 21 and Thursday, 22 of December at 6.30pm.

Favourite day of the year

Sounds odd but my favourite day of the year is December 21 – once that day passes, the days gradually get longer and Spring is just around the corner once again. Hallelujah!