Recipes tagged with: make ahead

You can make this dessert ahead and refrigerate, in which case remove it about an hour before serving to allow it to develop its' full flavour. Or prepare the stewed apple and the breadcrumbs and layer up just before serving. The toasted breadcrumbs will stay crisp if you store them in an airtight container. In Denmark this traditional dessert is covered with whipped cream and little blobs of redcurrant jelly before serving. Try adding cinnamon or spices to the apple mix and chopped hazelnuts to the toasted breadcrumbs.

There are so many recipes for Pesto Sauce and lot's of discussion as to whether it should be hand made in a pestle and mortar or in a mini food processor. Either way. it's quick to make, especially if you don't weigh the ingredients, but use a tea cup or American measuring cup. It's more about proportions rather than an exact science.

This deliciously creamy ranch dip is the perfect accompaniment to our southern fried chicken or to spoon onto a barbecued beef steak. It's good to serve as a dip with celery sticks, carrot batons and cucumber too. It's quick and easy to make and doesn't require exact measurements if you are in a hurry.  Use any soft and creamy blue cheese for the dip with a more crumbly cheese to fold in. You can thin it with a little milk if you fancy using it to dress a salad.

This is a traditional South African recipe which is also quite similar to a Suffolk rusk. Given to me by my husbands cousin; Peta Gale, and handed down through the family. The rusk is an early morning ritual, dipped into a cup of tea. This recipe makes about 50 small rusks that will keep in an airtight container for weeks. Makes about 20 whole rusks (40 halves). 

A delicious piquant aubergine dish originating from Sicily. Sicilians all have their own version of this slightly salt, sour and sweet dish, with many variations depending on what vegetables are available. Fennel is very good in place of the celery. Serve hot or cold, but never straight from the fridge!

I don't know how many generations of my family this recipe has passed down through. Christmas pudding was always made a year ahead in our family. Puddings would be kept in a cupboard in the cool dairy. They'd be black, dense and rich by the time we ate them. I've added figs to this recipe as I like a sqidgier pudding. I also prefer to eat them the year that I make them when they are still juicy and soft. You will need two x 2 pint (1.2 litre) pudding basins, baking parchment, foil or cotton pudding cloths,  string and a steamer.

You can't beat a thin and delicate crepe oozing with juicy oranginess. Perfect as a hot pudding on a cold day, this recipe can be made ahead and the filled crepes just popped into the pan at the last minute to add the flambe touch!

A marinated and slow cooked duck casserole which does not have a thickened gravy. It is sweet from the fresh sun ripened tomatoes, deliciously citrussy from the orange zest and juice with a briny saltiness from the olives. It tastes even better the next day.

This is a two part recipe. Firstly the dry herb and spice mix that can be made ahead and kept in a jar ready for use. Then there's the 'fresh' element of garlic, lime and coriander that is added when you have your meat ready to marinade. This recipe will be enough for 2 whole pieces of flank, each one serving 3 or 4 people if used in fajitas.

Flank steak is often seen on a menu described as a bavette steak. This is not the cut to use if you don't 'do' rare. The flank has long muscle fibres and can be tough if overcooked, it's also very lean and best sliced thinly across the grain for optimum tenderness. Cook it on a very high heat for 2 or 3 minutes a side and then cover with foil and rest for 10 mins. I generally put mine in the oven after it has been turned off, so no heat, just warm surroundings.  .

Here is a recipe for quick flaky pastry also known as rough puff pastry. Freezing the butter before grating helps keep the pastry easier to work and the pastry nice and light. Sausage rolls and cheese straws are my favourite use for this pastry although my Grandma used to make the most amazing apricot pie.

A toasted muesli, nice with fresh fruit and yoghurt for a vegetarian breakfast, this is a very adaptable recipe using any grains, seeds and nuts that you fancy.

Plan ahead for this recipe as it will take 4 days to cure. You must turn the fish each day and use the freshest salmon possible. It really is so much better than anything that you will buy in a pack from the supermarket, and cheaper too! Serve with Dill and Mustard sauce and on rye bread.

This is a very old recipe that my mother makes and has been on the table at family mealtimes for as long as I can remember. Chutney should always be matured for at least three months before eating. This recipe will keep for a good year or two in a cool pantry and will darken and thicken over time.

This recipe makes a 450g loaf. It keeps really well in an airtight tin for 1-2 weeks, becoming slightly sticky.  A lemon icing and chopped stem ginger gives a great finish.

Make this jelly as hot as you like by adding more crushed chillies or leaving the whole dried chillies to simmer for longer when cooking. Ancho chillies add mild heat and sweetness while the chipotle adds deep smokey heat. Use whole fresh chillies if you prefer. Eat with barbecued meat (great as a glaze on pork or chicken) also delicious with cream cheese and crackers. The recipe makes about 3 standard size jam jars (378ml/1lb)