Festive food without stress
Mention the first edition of her book A Simply Delicious Christmas and she goes back to that awful moment, two days after the book hit the shops, when she realised there was a mistake in Myrtle Allen’s plum pudding recipe.
Readers were advised to add 2lbs of breadcrumbs to the mixture — about three times the amount needed – and reports of bready puddings were coming in from all over the country.
As might only happen in Ireland, the team in Ballymaloe got on to the Gay Byrne Show and the national newspapers in a frantic attempt to set the record straight. Then, they set to making hundreds of puddings to replace those that had already been made.
Darina recalls the story now as an example of how Christmas can get everyone into a knot.
“The pressure builds up much earlier now and that concerns me,” she says. “Expectations are huge compared to when I was a child... But I would say to people to get positive — and to get ready.”
Part of getting positive is realising that cooking for Christmas is not difficult.
“A lot of people think they couldn’t make a Christmas cake or a plum pudding, but it’s not rocket science. All you have to do is follow a simple recipe.”
And in the 25-year-anniversary revised edition of A Simply Delicious Christmas, just published, rest assured that Myrtle’s recipe is just as it should be. All the old favourites are there, but the addition of 100 new recipes shows how much Ireland’s eating habits have changed over the last few decades.
Couscous, pomegranates and kumquats are included in several recipes, ingredients that were unknown here in 1989. There are also several recipes that reduce sugar and cater for food intolerances.
“Food allergies were virtually unheard of when the first edition came out, but I’ve included lots of options for those who are dairy and gluten intolerant,” Darina says.
There are choices for those looking for lighter Christmas options, too. Grape with melon and mint is a light starter and a favourite in the Allen household. There are recipes for light soups, all kinds of vegetable dishes and several healthier alternatives to the plum pudding, including poached pears.
“I hear people talking about health food, but I think the term has been so debased,” Darina says. “They mean lite and low-fat products when they talk about eating healthily, but health food is fresh food that is in season.
“I would advise people to cut down on [pre-prepared food] this Christmas and shop in their local markets. Buy vegetables directly — kale, carrot, Jerusalem artichoke, broccoli. They cost half nothing.”
And how does she propose getting children (and adults) to eat possibly that most-hated green of all, the poor little Brussel sprout? Easy, says the Ballymaloe cook. Try her recipe for Brussels sprouts with toasted hazelnuts and candied bacon.
“If that doesn’t convince them, nothing will,” she laughs.
- The first thing on the list is make a list. Several, in fact. She can’t stress the importance of it enough. Write out what needs to be done and who will do it. In the Allen household, grandchild Fiadh Little (16) will hand out the tasks. Appoint your own taskmaster.
- Write up ten days of menus. You will see exactly what is needed and when there will be leftovers.
- Delegate. Get everyone involved. Getting the children to join in will ease the pressure and pass on the skills of cooking.
- Cook for the freezer – stews, soups, breadcrumbs. But freeze them in manageable two-portion containers. “If eight or 10 people turn up and they look like they won’t leave until you feed them, you don’t want a big ice block coming out of the freezer.”
- Stock up the store cupboard. Make sure you have cured meats, cans of haricot beans for stews, tins of sardines and tuna for salads, cheese and Panforte, which you can cut into little slices.
- Say ‘yes’. When someone offers to bring something, accept the offer graciously. “Unless you’re a superhero or a saint, you can’t do everything yourself without feeling flattened and overburdened. SPECIAL OFFER: Get Darina Allen’s Simply Delicious Christmas for just €20 (usual price €27.99). To order call 01-5009570. Please quote the Irish Examiner. Free delivery within Ireland.
A new natural food supplement, Heart Up Plus, that claims to lower cholesterol and reduce blood sugars could help those at risk of heart disease.
In Ireland, 100,000 people die of cardio-vascular disease every year, according to the Irish Heart Foundation.
To help combat this, Irish company True Life conducted research with food scientists and nutritionists to develop Heart Up Plus.
It’s a low GI wholegrain barley that binds with excess cholesterol and helps prevents its absorption
