Our New Year's Rescue Recipe

Whatever shape your New Year’s Eve took, whether today you wake with a sore head or one filled with the thought of a fresh start and a new leaf turned, 1st January is a day that will always call for something feel-good. So, we turned to one of our longtime favourite food writers, Flora Shedden, to ask her to rustle up for us a rescue recipe to get the year off to a good start (or as good as can be all things considered). Eat them all in one glorious sitting if you fancy a special start to the year or tackle just the course that speaks to you most, saving the others for another January day. They’re all part of our new monthly food column with Flora, so there’s plenty more feasts like this one to follow. Now if only Flora could do the actual rustling up of the nourishing eats below in our very own kitchen…

“The clock has struck midnight, glasses have been clinked and celebrations have drawn to a close. New Year's Day is always a slow affair in our house, and often involves gentle starts with pyjamas and cosy socks being the main outfit of the day. Effort should be minimal. After spending the past week feasting and indulging I like to take this time to cook a meal that is quick, warming and flavourful, swapping the stodge for something more refreshing and bright. A colourful way to welcome the new year, the fizz will stay on the menu for a few more days I think though…"

Parsnip and Potato Rösti

Makes one large rosti to feed 4-6

Ingredients

500g parsnips, peeled
500g potatoes
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
A sprinkling of black pepper
10 large sage leaves
A small handful of parsley
A glug of olive oil
For garnishing: crème fraîche, parsley and dill to serve

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees.
2. Coarsely grate your vegetables (it's easiest in a food processor if you have one).
3. Take a small handful of the potato and parsnip mix, and squeeze firmly (over a bowl or the sink) to get rid of any excess liquid. Place in a large mixing bowl and repeat with the rest. Doing this in smaller handfuls is the best way to do it as you will be able to extract more liquid which makes for a better rösti.
4. Now add the eggs and seasoning to your bowl and mix well before introducing the finely chopped sage and mixing some more.
5. Heat a large cast iron or non-stick frying pan (I used one that is 26cm in diameter) with a generous glug of olive oil.
6. Once it’s hot add the rösti mix and press down to flatten. Lower the heat to a medium and cook for five minutes.
7. Take the pan off the heat and finish the rösti in the oven for 25 minutes or until the centre is soft and cooked through.
8. Allow it to cool for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a spatula.
9. Place a place on top and flip the rösti over to release it from the pan. It’s ready to be enjoyed there and then and works well with crème fraîche, parsley, dill and even your choice of chopped nuts and seeds. Keep any leftovers to be crisped up and enjoyed with a poached egg the following day.


Fennel, Chicory and Chilli Salad

This recipe makes double the amount of chilli dressing you require, but I prefer it that way as there is nothing better than having a jar of this deliciousness in the fridge for the month of January. You can drizzle it on soups, goats cheese toasts, in roasted veg or salads. It is the perfect provider of heat during this cold dark month.

Feeds 4, with extra dressing to store in the fridge

Ingredients
3 red chillies
3 green chillies
100g extra virgin olive oil
The zest and juice of 1/2 orange
1 garlic clove
2 tsp honey
A pinch of salt and black pepper
1 large fennel bulb, or 2 smaller ones
2-3 bulbs of chicory
2 clementines or 1 large orange
25g macadamia nuts, toasted

Method
1. In a dry frying pan, char the chillies over a high heat. They’ll take a few minutes on each side and you’re looking to blacken the skins well.
2. Once cooked, place in a heatproof bowl and cover with a plate or some cling film to seal. Allow them to cool for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, measure out your oil, orange zest and juice and whisk together. Finely grate your garlic and add it to the dressing, whisking again before adding the honey and seasoning.
4. Once the chillies have cooled, cut them in half, discard the seeds and finely dice... You can remove the charred skins if you like (they’ll come away easily) but I enjoy the smokiness they provide. Add the diced chilli to the dressing and whisk a final time to combine, introduce any extra seasoning to taste then set it aside until you’re ready to serve.
5. For the salad, quarter your chicory and slice your fennel bulb into 5mm slices.
6. Heat the same frying pan you used for the chillies over a high heat again. Add the veg and cook on both sides until they begin to colour. I like my fennel to keep a bit to it but if you prefer it to be soft simply cook for longer over a lower heat.
7. Top and tail the citrus and use a sharp knife to cut the peel off. Slice into discs. 8. Once the fennel and chicory it cooked arrange on your platter with the citrus and spoon over some dressing - lots if you like a big kick or less if not.
9. Chop the macadamia nuts and sprinkle over the top.
10. Enjoy warm with your rösti or this is also very tasty with some flatbreads and yogurt, or with a herby roasted chicken.

The excess dressing will keep well in the fridge in an airtight jar or container for two-three weeks.


Clementine Fizz

The perfect tipple to wash it all down

Makes 4

Ingredients
100g freshly squeezed clementine juice
100g Cointreau
A bottle of Prosecco or English sparkling
Ice

Method
1. Stir the clementine juice and cointreau together with a generous amount of ice. You can use a shaker if you prefer, but it’s not vital.
2. Then simply strain between your four glasses and top each up with fizz. Done!

Keep a watchful eye for our next feast with Flora arriving in February...