It’s hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner….love it or loathe it, there is one undeniable charm about the festive season – the FOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD…..
Get festive and fruity this December with these tasty recipes from Del Monte
Recipes From Del Monte – Tamarind Chicken and Pineapple Bites
Gluten-free (please check ingredients on products used) Serves 30 Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook time: 10 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
- 350g boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 2 tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 tbsp chilli jam
- 2 cloves garlic, grated
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 can (435g) Del Monte®Pineapple Chunks in Juice
- Lime juice
Method:
- Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces,roughly 30 in all.
- Combine the tamarind paste, chilli jam and grated garlic in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken pieces and mix well.
- Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat and add the oil. When hot, add the coated chicken pieces. Cook briskly for about 10 minutes, turning now and then, until the chicken is cooked through, sticky and starting to caramelise. Watch towards the end of cooking to make sure the pieces don’t burn – turn the heat down a little if necessary.
- Tip out onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. Sprinkle with a little more salt and leave to cool to room temperature.
- Drain the can of pineapple chunks. Thread one piece of pineapple and one piece of chicken onto each cocktail stick and arrange on a plate. Spritz with lime juice, and serve.
Recipes From Del Monte – Leftover Turkey Salad with Pears and Burrata
Gluten-free Serves 4 Prep time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 can (410g) Del Monte®Pear Halves in Juice
- 1 head of chicory
- A handful of rocket leaves
- 350-400g cold cooked turkey (or chicken), in small pieces
- 1 burrata cheese
- Dried chilli flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper
Ingredients for the cranberry dressing
- 3 tbsp cranberry sauce
- Juice of half a lemon
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Method:
- Combine all the ingredients for the dressing, whisking them together well.
- Drain the pear halves and cut each into 4-6 segments.
- Separate the chicory leaves and arrange on four plates. Add the rocket leaves over this. Dot the pieces of pearsand turkey in and around the leaves. Drain the burrata and, working over a bowl, carefully tear it into four pieces. Place one on top of each salad, pouring on any cream that escapes into the bowl. Spoon the cranberry dressing over the salads. Scatter a pinch of chilli flakes, if using, over each plate, give each one a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and serve.
Recipes From Del Monte – Mandarin and Cranberry Trifle
Vegetarian Serves 10 Prep time: 30 minutes, plus 1-24 hours for chilling
Ingredients:
- 3 cans (298g) Del Monte®Mandarins in Juice
- 300g fresh or frozen cranberries, plus a few to decorate
- 75g caster sugar
- 300g ready-made plain sponge cake
- 500g ready-made vanilla custard
- 300ml double cream
- Edible glitter, to finish (optional)
Method:
- Drain one can of mandarins, keeping the juice. Put the cranberries, sugar and 100ml of the mandarin juice into a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 3 minutes, pressing the cranberries here and there with a wooden spoon to help them burst. Take off the heat and set aside to cool completely.
- Break or cut the sponge cake into bite-size chunks and press into the base of a 2-2.5 litre trifle dish, pressing it down into a fairly even layer. Trickle the remaining reserved mandarin juice over the sponge.
- Drain the other two cans of mandarins (you won’t need the juice this time) and combine all the drained fruit together. Choose about a dozen of the best mandarin segments for decoration and set aside in a covered dish in the fridge. Spread half the remaining mandarins over the sponge. Then spoon half the cooled cranberry compote over the mandarins. Spread the vanilla custard over this. Arrange the second lot of mandarins over the custard, then the remaining cranberry compote.
- Refrigerate the trifle at this stage for an hour, or up to 24 hours, to let everything settle.
- When ready to serve, whip the double cream until it holds soft peaks. Spoon it over the fruit. Arrange the reserved mandarins on top of the cream, along with a few whole cranberries. Finish with a little edible glitter, if using.