Cooking the pudding
The Christmas season is usually heralded by a decision to make the pudding. One of the most detested parts of this job is the traditional boiling process. I have solved this predicament by mastering the ‘in oven’ process. It’s brilliant, simple, no steam to damage or stain the wall and the pudding turns out exactly as granny used to make.

First, mix your favourite recipes as normal. Don’t forget to cover and leave it to stand overnight. The following day the next important step is to allow everyone in the house to give it a stir with the wooden spoon and make a wish.

Place the mixture in the prepared bowls. Use Pyrex or earthenware bowels. Do not use plastic, or you will spend weeks scraping plastic off your oven or, worst still, your oven could catch fire. Never place plastic in an oven, it may sound obvious, but I know people who have.

Cover lightly with greaseproof paper or make a pleat in the centre of the paper and tie tightly down under the rim of the bowl. Cover with foil and again tie down tightly under the rim of the bowl.
Stand each prepared bowl in a deep casserole dish or turkey’s roasting dish and fill it fully with boiling water. Cover the casserole with lid or the roasting tin with tinfoil and tie tightly under the rim of the dish. At this stage be careful lifting the dish as it will be quite heavy and contain boiling water.

Bake in the middle of the pre heated oven, Gas mark 2, Electric 300ºF/150ºC for approx. 6 hours for a 2pint/1.1litre bowl. The time is exactly the same, as you would cook your favourite recipes on the top of the cooker.

Check the water level after 3 or 4 hours and top up if necessary. A useful hint is when the door of the oven is opened and there is no visible sign of steam, then you have done an excellent job of sealing the cover.

Another frequently asked question is: “My old family recipe is delicious but it contains suet. Can I use butter or margarine?” The answer is yes, simply replace the same quantity by weight of butter or margarine for example 1/2 lb or 225gm of suet use 1/2 lb. butter or margarine If using butter or margarine, melt the butter etc. in the microwave or in a pot on the cooker and pour into the mixture. Give the ‘in oven’ process a try and you will never make a pudding on top of the cooker again.
F. Corr

Parsley and Thyme Stuffing for the turkey
If you want to find out how good this stuffing will be for the turkey, try it out the next time you cook a chicken. For an average size turkey multiply the ingredients by 4.

200g (6 oz) loaf bread
2 handfuls of fresh parsley
2 sprigs of thyme stripped from the stalk
50g (2 oz) butter
1 onion finely chopped

Melt butter in saucepan and add the onion, sauté for about a minute.

Make the breadcrumbs in the food processor and add the parsley and thyme so that it all gets mixed together. Mix this with the onion and butter.

The stuffing should be fairly loose and crumbly and not too wet but firm enough to hold its shape when gathered together in the hand. I always taste the stuffing at this stage to see if it needs any seasoning. The salt in the butter is usually enough.

You can make the stuffing the day before using it, but never leave it in the bird for any length of time.
A. Ingle

Bulgur Wheat Salad
This is a very refreshing salad which requires no cooking and comes as a great relief to the digestion after the overindulgence which can occur at Christmas.

1 cup bulgur wheat
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 scallions, white bulbs and green tops, finely chopped
11/2 cups chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Place the bulgur in a medium-sized bowl. Cover with boiling water, and let stand until soft (30 mins to 1 hour). Strain the bulgur well and squeeze until all moisture has been extracted.

Transfer the bulgur to a large bowl. Mix in the onions and scallions with your hands. Stir in the parsley, mint, olive oil, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss in the tomatoes. Refrigerate for a while before serving.
A. Ingle

Miso
After all the excesses of Christmas a bowl of Miso Soup is a good way to get the digestion back in order. Buy your Miso and Wakame in a health food store before Christmas so that you have it to hand when you need it.

Miso is made with soya beans fermented in salt over a long period of time. The fermentation process produces bacteria and enzymes which stimulate the digestion. The liquid from the fermentation is shoyu or tamari.

Miso is a Japanaese invention which is now also produced in Europe. It contains 34% protein and is rich in calcium, phosphorous, iron, other minerals and lecithin. It can be used in many ways in soups, mixed with vegetables, mixed with Tahini as a spread and in puddings.

Miso Soup
1 teaspoon soybean oil
2 cloves garlic, mashed
Half cup onions, sliced lengthwise
1 teaspoon fresh ginger root, grated
Half cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 cup mushroom, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons miso
1 tablespoon dry sherry, to taste
4 cups water

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and onions, sauté until soft. Add fresh ginger root, carrots and mushrooms. Cook an additional 5-10 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Dissolve miso in a quarter cup of the water and add it to the vegetables in the saucepan along with the remaining water and dry sherry. Reheat and serve. Serves 6

Onion Wakame Miso Soup
1/8 of a medium sized onion chopped per person
1 small strand of wakame washed and cut into 1” pieces
1/2 tsp Miso per person
1 large cup of water per person

Bring water to the boil and add onion. Simmer until the onion has become transparent. Add the Wakame and simmer for a few minutes more. Turn the heat off and puree the Miso a little of the soup water, mixing it into the soup gently. Cover the soup and let it sit for about five minutes until the flavours have harmonised.
P.Duffy

Chocolate Truffles
Making chocolate truffles is great fun and they make a very acceptable gift when you call in to see friends for that Christmas drink. They should be kept in the fridge and eaten within a few days.
To make about 25 truffles you will need:

4 oz (110g) best-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa)
1 tablespoon of brandy or whiskey
1 oz (30g) castor sugar
3 ozs (85g) unsalted butter
1 egg yolk
cocoa powder and/or chopped nuts
paper cases

Put the chocolate, whiskey, butter and castor sugar into a saucepan and melt on the lowest possible heat. Cool slightly and whisk in the egg yolk. Leave in the fridge to set. Shape into balls, roll in cocoa powder or chopped nuts and put into paper cases.
A. Ingle