I was born in west Africa, and brought up between there, France and the UK in a French-Lebanese-British family. Unsurprisingly, then, our Christmas lunch was more than a bit diverse: my father always insisted on some British and Lebanese elements, while my mother contributed French dishes and technique; west African produce was also a must, because the house would be full of all nationalities, including our African family. Not only that, but our Christmas would invariably start with a guest list of about 20, and another 20 or so waifs and strays would always then turn up in need of feeding and watering. Today’s dishes were part of our regular seasonal festivities, as good in the sunshine as they are robust enough for a chilly British winter.
Mackerel sambousek
Lebanese feasts always feature some form of pie, and sambouseks are tiny little ones with various fillings. Smoked fish is very popular in west Africa, and these smoked mackerel pielets make a delicious nibble. They can also be made in advance, frozen and baked straight from the freezer on the day. If you can’t get hold of fresh horseradish, use 150g hot horseradish sauce, perhaps pepped up with a dollop of dijon mustard to taste, instead of the fresh horseradish and creme fraiche.
Prep 15 min
Prove 40 min+
Cook 40 min
Serves 8
For the dough (or use 500g shop-bought pizza dough)
1 tbsp instant yeast
375g plain flour
1 tsp salt
80ml olive oil
For the filling
4 peppered smoked mackerel fillets, skinned
1 large red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon
1 tbsp grated fresh horseradish (see recipe introduction)
150g creme fraiche (see recipe introduction)
Salt, to taste
Melted butter, for brushing
Put yeast, flour and salt in a mixer fitted with a dough hook and work gently for about 30 seconds, just to combine. Add 100ml lukewarm water, work again gently to form a dough, then turn up the speed to medium and add up to another 100ml lukewarm water as needed, until the dough comes together into a smooth ball – be careful not to add so much water that you end up with a sticky dough. Put the dough in a large bowl, cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to prove for about 40 minutes, until doubled in size.
While the dough is proving, flake the fish into small pieces and put in a bowl with the onion, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and the horseradish. Mix to combine and bind, then work in half the creme fraiche and mix again to bind. Add the rest of the creme fraiche a little at a time (you may not need it all), until the mixture has a dropping consistency (you don’t want it too thin, or the filling will run). Season with salt to taste.
On a well-floured surface, roll out the risen dough as thinly as you dare – aim for about 2mm thick – then use a round 10cm cutter to cut out as many circles as the pastry will yield: you should easily get 16-20. Put a heaped teaspoon of the fishy filling in the centre of each pastry circle, fold over into half-moons, then crimp the edges with the back of a fork. Brush evenly with melted butter, then refrigerate (or freeze) until ready to bake.
To bake the pies, heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7, and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper. Put the pies on the tray, taking care not to overcrowd them (if need be, use a second lined tray), then bake for 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature.
French-Caribbean-style crab gratin
You’ll need four dressed crabs in their shells (ideally, ones made with no breadcrumbs added) and four empty crab shells (ask the fishmonger for those – they ought happily to give them away for free); alternatively, bake these in little individual gratin dishes.
Prep 15 min
Cook 55 min
Serves 8
4 dressed crabs in the shell, plus 4 empty crab shells
50ml vegetable oil
1 white onion, peeled and diced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2 large red chillies, stalks, pith and seeds discarded, flesh finely diced
1 small fennel, trimmed and finely grated
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 small glass white wine (about 125ml)
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp sugar
Juice of ½ lime
100g breadcrumbs
1 small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to garnish
Crusty bread, to serve
Spoon the white meat out of the dressed crabs and set aside – you’ll use this as garnish later.
Put the oil in a heavy-based pan on a moderate heat, then saute the onion, garlic, chilli, fennel and ginger for about eight minutes, until soft and translucent. Add the cayenne pepper, cook, stirring, for another five minutes, then stir in the brown crab meat. Tip in the wine and cook until almost all the liquid evaporates. Add the tomatoes, thyme, sugar and lime juice, then cover, turn down the heat and leave to simmer very gently for 15 minutes.
Divide the sauce evenly between the eight crab shells (or gratin dishes). Top with the white crab meat, breadcrumbs and chopped coriander, then leave to cool. Refrigerate until you’re ready to serve – the crabs can be prepared up to this stage three days ahead.
To cook the gratins, heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7, then bake for 12-15 minutes, until bubbling. Serve hot with crusty bread.
Slow-roasted spiced lamb shoulder
Lamb, mutton and goat are the proteins of choice in the Middle East and most of Africa, especially at big celebrations. You can’t really go wrong with a slow roast, because it gives you plenty of time to spend with your guests.
Prep 10 min
Cook 3 hr 15 min
Serves 8
1 large boned shoulder of lamb (roughly 2½-3kg with bone in) – ask the butcher to bone it for you. If you’re making your own stock for the rice, keep the bones and trimmings, ideally chopped into smallish pieces
500ml hot lamb stock
For the paste
3 tbsp pomegranate molasses
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated
100ml olive oil
2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground fennel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp black pepper
First make the spice paste. Put the molasses, garlic and olive oil in a bowl, mix to combine, then stir in the ground cumin, fennel, cinnamon and black pepper. Rub the lamb shoulder all over with the paste mix, then roll and tie it to make a joint. (Alternatively, ask the butcher to roll and tie it for you; if he’s really friendly, give him the paste and ask him to rub it over the meat first.)
Put the joint in an earthenware roasting pot for which you have a lid, then roast uncovered at 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4 for 15 minutes. Turn the joint, roast still uncovered for another 15 minutes, then pour in the lamb stock and cover the pot. Turn down the oven to 140C (120C fan/275F/gas 1, roast for another hour, then turn over the joint and roast for a further hour and a half. So long as it’s rolled properly, the joint should hold its shape, and the meat should by now be so soft that you can push the handle of a wooden spoon right through without any resistance.
Serve right away with the pan juices, the jewelled rice and yoghurt below (the meat doesn’t need to rest because it’s been cooked slowly for a long time at a low temperature).
Jewelled rice
This is the core of this whole meal, because rice is the celebratory carbohydrate at many a Middle Eastern and west African table. The onions are probably the most important element, and they need a lot of oil, but, on the bright side, you’ll be left with a load of onion-infused oil to use in all sorts of ways. As for the nuts, if, like me, you love them, add more and as many varieties as you like, though the pine nuts and almonds are essential; unfortunately, they all have to be peeled, too. If you don’t want to make your own stock, use ready-made lamb stock or lamb stock cubes dissolved in water. All the elements can be made well ahead, leaving you just the rice to cook on the day.
Prep 20 min
Stock 6 hr
Cook 1 hr 15 min
Serves 8
For the stock (optional)
Bones from 1 large lamb shoulder
1 small garlic bulb, unpeeled and cut in half horizontally
1 white onion, unpeeled and cut in half
1 large carrot, cut in half lengthways
1 bay leaf
5 black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp cumin seeds
For the crispy onions
500ml neutral oil – I use cold pressed rapeseed oil
3 large white onions, peeled and thinly sliced
For the nuts
100g blanched peeled almonds
100g pine nuts
50g shelled and peeled pistachios
50g shelled and peeled walnuts
4 tbsp reserved crispy onion oil (see above and method)
For the rice
50ml reserved crispy onion oil
25g clarified butter, or lamb fat
50g vermicelli, broken up into 2½cm lengths, if need be (some brands come already broken up; optional)
250g long-grain rice (yes, that’s a lot, but it keeps well)
20g crispy onions (see above and method)
375ml hot lamb stock
2 tsp salt, or to taste
Seeds from 1 pomegranate, or 1 tub shop-bought pomegranate seeds
If you’re making your own stock (and I highly recommend it), put the shoulder bones in a roasting tin with the halved garlic bulb, onion and carrot, then roast in a very hot oven – 240C (220C fan)/475F/gas 9 – for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned. Add two litres of water to the tin, stir to deglaze, then tip the lot into a very large saucepan or stock pot and add the bay leaf, peppercorns, cinnamon and cumin. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a low simmer and cook for up to six hours, skimming off and discarding any foam and impurities that bubble to the surface along the way. After six hours, strain, cool and refrigerate overnight. Before using, skim any fat off the surface, and discard or save for another use – I’d use it in the rice.
First, make the onions. Heat the oil in a deep-sided pan to 180C, add the sliced onions and fry, turning constantly, for 10-15 minutes, until they turn a uniform golden brown – be careful, though, because with onions there’s a very fine line between golden and burned! Take off the heat and keep stirring until the oil stops bubbling.
Set a metal sieve or colander over a second large saucepan, then drain the onions into the sieve – again, take great care, because the oil will be very hot. Reserve the oil. Spread the drained onions over a large baking tray lined with kitchen towel, then leave to cool and crisp up. Once cooled, store in an airtight container. (NB: crisp onions are fundamental to this recipe, but if you find deep-frying them daunting, you can instead shallow-fry and brown them slowly in a frying pan for about 30 minutes – they won’t be as crisp, but they will be sweet.) The onions can be made up to a week ahead.
Now for the nuts, which each need to be roasted separately, because they all cook at different speeds. Heat the oven to 160C (140C fan)/325F/gas 3, put each type of nut in a separate bowl and stir a tablespoon of the reserved onion oil into each bowl. One by one, spread the nuts on a lined oven tray and roast until golden and browned – depending on the type of nut, they’ll take anywhere between five and 15 minutes each, so keep checking and take great care they don’t burn. Drain each batch of toasted nuts on kitchen towel, leave to cool, then store in an airtight tin. The nuts can also be made up to a week ahead.
Now for the rice. Put the reserved onion oil and clarified butter (or reserved lamb fat) in a heavy-based pan on a moderate heat, until the butter starts foaming gently. Add the vermicelli, if using, and cook, stirring, until the pasta turns golden brown. Add the rice, stir until well coated in the fat, then stir in 20g of the crispy onions. Pour in the hot stock, season with salt and keep stirring until it starts bubbling. Part cover with a lid and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring every five minutes, until most of the stock is absorbed. Turn the heat right down, cover with a clean tea towel and then a lid, then leave to steam, still on the heat, for a further 15 minutes. Keep warm on the lowest possible heat until ready to serve.
To serve, fluff up the rice with a fork, then turn it out on to a platter. Scatter the onions, nuts and pomegranate seeds all over the top, and serve.
Yoghurt and cucumber salad
Yoghurt is a stalwart of the Mediterranean table. Paired with refreshing cucumbers, it makes a great accompaniment for any lamb dish and is also delicious with rice.
Steep Up to 2 hr
Prep 20 min
Serves 8
4 firm small Lebanese cucumbers, or 1 large regular cucumber (although that will usually have far less flavour)
2 tsp salt
350g thick Greek-style set yoghurt, strained
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tsp sugar
1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely grated
Peel the cucumbers, cut them in half lengthways, then scoop out the seeds. Cut each cucumber half in half again lengthways, then cut the flesh into cubes. Put these in a colander, add the salt, toss, then leave to drain for up to two hours, until you’re ready to use.
Put the yoghurt in a bowl with the herbs, sugar and garlic, stir well, then cover and put in the fridge until needed.
To assemble the salad, rinse the salted cucumber, pat it dry with a clean tea towel, then stir it into the yoghurt mix. Taste, adjust the seasoning if need be, and serve.
Rum and pineapple cake
Pudding is essential to any celebration, and this one is a lovely variation on a traditional Christmas fruit cake influenced by the west African Creoles who brought back rum from the West Indies. You’ll need a 23cm loose-bottomed nonstick cake tin and, ideally, a baking belt, to ensure an evenly cooked cake.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 8-10250g self-raising flour
10g ground cinnamon
10g ground black pepper
10g ground ginger
15g sea salt
½ whole nutmeg, finely grated
10g baking powder
200g soft brown sugar
125g unsalted butter
125g vegetable oil
50g full-fat Greek yoghurt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs (250g)
200g raisins, soaked in 75ml dark spiced rum for at least 24 hours
75ml dark spiced rum, for flambeeing the cake on the day
Creme fraiche, to serve
For the syrup
1 vanilla pod, split open, seeds scraped out and empty pod reserved for the pineapple 75g sugar
75ml fresh pineapple juice, or water
50ml rum
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
For the pineapple
1 spent vanilla pod, left over from making the syrup
50g caster sugar
50g softened butter
1 pineapple, peeled, cored and eyes removed
Put the first seven dry ingredients in a large bowl. Put the soft brown sugar and butter in an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, then beat until creamed and smooth. Beat in the oil, yoghurt and vanilla, then work in the eggs. Mix in the rum-soaked raisins, then turn down the speed to low, tip in the contents of the bowl of dry ingredients and gently bring together for a few seconds. Do not overmix the cake batter.
Heat the oven to 195C (175C fan)/385F/gas 5½. Remove the paddle, then, with a spatula, gently stir and fold the batter to make sure the flour is fully incorporated. Pour the mix into the lined tin, then wrap the tin with a baking belt and cover the top with a circle of buttered greaseproof paper.
Bake the cake for 55-60 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, then transfer the cake tin to a rack and leave to cool completely. The cake can be baked up to two weeks ahead (or even longer if you want to feed it some extra rum).
While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup and fruit. Put all the syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan, heat gently, stirring occasionally, just until all the sugar dissolves, then take off the heat.
Now for the pineapple. Put the reserved empty vanilla pod and sugar in a blender or food processor, blitz on a high speed, then beat in the butter. Tip the butter mix into a large ovenproof saucepan, set it over a medium heat and, the moment the butter starts to foam, add the whole peeled pineapple. Turn to coat, then pan-roast, turning constantly, for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7. Transfer the pineapple pan to the hot oven and roast for 20 minutes, turning once halfway. Remove from the oven and leave the pan to cool completely.
Once cool, lift out the pineapple, cut it in half lengthways, then cut each half lengthways into four long pieces. Put the pineapple pieces in a suitable container, pour all the syrup over the top, cover and keep in the fridge until ready to use, turning the fruit as often as you remember. You can make the pineapple up to a week ahead.
To serve, turn out the cake from its tin and transfer it to a platter. Gently warm the pineapple and syrup a little (a little turn in a microwave would do the trick), and gently warm the rum in a small saucepan.
Arrange the pineapple batons on top of the cake, pour most of the syrup over the top and take to the table, along with the pan of warm rum. Carefully set the rum on fire, pour it all over the cake and serve with plenty of creme fraiche and the rest of the syrup drizzled all over the top.
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Stosie Madi is chef/co-patron of The Parkers Arms in Newton in Bowland, near Clitheroe, Lancashire