Phyllo Cups with Two Cheeses and Crispy Parma Ham
Serves 8-10

Make lots of these divine little nests and freeze them in an airtight container for later use. It is more practical to use up the whole roll of pastry because it becomes dry and flaky if re-frozen uncooked.

1 roll (500 g) of phyllo pastry
± 120 g melted butter
3-4 slices of Parma ham
250 g cream cheese or creamed cottage cheese
100 g smoked cheese
1 t (5 ml) Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
2 T (30 ml) finely sliced chives

Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Butter one sheet of phyllo pastry, cover with a second sheet and cut into 16 squares about 10cm x 10cm (cutting with a pastry wheel gives the best results). Brush the 24 hollows of two muffin pans with butter.

Place 2 squares on top of each other to form a star shape (see illustration). With your fingers, push the pastry into the hollows of the muffin pan. Continue in this way until all 24 pan hollows are lined. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden.

To Crisp The Ham
Turn the oven to its lowest setting between 80ºC and 100ºC. Place the Parma ham slices onto a cooling rack on top of a bigger baking tray in the oven. Dry out for 30 minutes. Switch the oven off and leave the ham in the oven for another half an hour. Snip with scissors into smaller pieces for garnishing. Store in an airtight container if not using immediately.

The Filling
Spoon the cream cheese into a medium mixing bowl. Grate the smoked cheese (including the brown outside - it is not rind, but discoloration from the smoking). Add the grated smoked cheese, Green Onion Seasoning and sliced chives to the cream cheese and blend together.

To Serve
Spoon a tablespoon of cheese filling into each phyllo cup. Top with crispy Parma ham and garnish with extra chives. Serve at room temperature with a glass of cold sparkling wine.

 Chef's Tip:

Buy phyllo pastry from a supplier with a rapid turnover - phyllo past its prime is dry, crumbly and difficult to work with. Cover unused phyllo with a damp cloth while you're working to prevent it becoming brittle.

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Wood Smoked Christmas Turkey with Pecan Stuffing
Serves 8-10

Once the presents have been opened many of us are looking for a way to get out of the house on Christmas day. Cooking the turkey according to this wonderful method on the braai is the answer! In addition, the cooking time is shortened considerably.

We have used a baby size turkey and brined it beforehand to ensure that the meat will be absolutely succulent and well flavoured throughout. The smoke flavour from the braai is intensified by putting some pre-soaked foil-wrapped wood chips on the fire for a slow continuous release of aromatic smoke throughout the braaing time.

1 baby turkey or 1 large cornish hen or 2 large free range chickens

BRINE
½ cup (125 ml) coarse salt (or if using table salt reduce by 2 T (30 ml))
½ cup (125 ml) brown or yellow sugar
2 litres cold tap water
¼ cup (60 ml) lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients together to dissolve. (Must be prepared the day before as it is best to brine the turkey overnight).

SMOKE BOMB
1 cup wood chips
½ cup fresh rosemary needles
1 litre of warm water

Soak everything together for 1 hour. Drain off the water and roll the chips and herbs in a 40cm length of foil to form a thick sausage shape. Slash every 5cm to expose the chips. (Can be prepared the day before).

TURKEY
2 x 100g packets Ina Paarman's Poultry Stuffing Mix
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
2 cups (500 ml) cold water
1 cup (100 g) pecan nuts or almonds, chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Chicken Stock Powder
1 x 200ml Ina Paarman's Lemon & Herb Coat and Cook Sauce

Remove the two drumstick/thigh portions from the turkey - the drumstick and thigh must remain all in one piece. Brine the body of the bird and the leg portions overnight in the fridge or for at least 4 hours. Remove and pat dry. Mix the stuffing mix with the olive oil, cold water and nuts. Leave to hydrate for 12 minutes. Stuff the body cavity with this mixture. Brush the turkey with olive oil and season with a mixture of Green Onion Seasoning and Chicken Stock Powder.

Start braaing the drumstick/thigh portions first. After 30 minutes place the stuffed carcass on the grid. Support the carcass in a V-shaped rack or place two clean stones on either side of the body.

Cook slowly until done - about another 1 - 1½ hours over a low heat. Baste the turkey during the last half an hour with Lemon & Herb Coat and Cook sauce. Slice the white and dark meat separately. Arrange on a large meat platter with the stuffing and onion relish. Serve gravy separately in a gravy boat.

GRAVY
2 x 200 ml Ina Paarman's Ready to Serve Gravy
2 T (30 ml) butter

Warm the gravy. Stir in the butter and serve on the side with the turkey.

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Onion, Tomato and Chilli Relish
Serves 8-10

This delicious condiment is served at room temperature with the turkey. (Can be prepared the day before).

4-5 medium/large onions, cut in half and finely sliced
2 T (30 ml) sugar
2 cups (500 ml) red wine
1 x 200ml Ina Paarman's Ready to Serve Tomato & Chilli Sauce
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Green Onion Seasoning
1 T (15 ml) butter

Place the onions, sugar and red wine in a medium size saucepan, half cover with a lid and simmer for 35 minutes until the onion has softened and the wine has just about boiled away. If still watery, remove the lid and boil fast over high heat to reduce the wine further. Add the Tomato & Chilli sauce, seasoning and butter. Pour into clean glass bottles if pre-preparing and keep in the fridge. Serve at room temperature with the turkey.

 Variation:

Instead of the wine use red grape juice and 2 T (30 ml) of lemon juice.

Can be made up to a week in advance and stored in the fridge.

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Skewered Chipolatas with Devils on Horseback
Serves 8-10

250 g rindless streaky bacon
250 g de-pipped prunes
500 g chipolata sausages
1 x 200 ml Ina Paarman's Honey Mustard Coat and Cook Sauce
10 Sosatie sticks

Cut each bacon strip in half across the width and roll each prune in a piece of bacon. Thread the wrapped prunes and chipolata sausages onto Sosatie sticks. Braai slowly with the turkey for the last half an hour or cook in the oven at 200ºC for ± 25 minutes. Place on a flat serving dish and serve with Honey Mustard sauce on the side to spoon over or dip into.

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Vegetable Terrines on a Bed of Greens
Serves 8-10

This is the ideal red, green and white vegetable dish to prepare in advance for Christmas. We gave it a classy French touch served on a bed of mixed greens. If you don't want to set the vegetables in the egg and cream custard serve it as a stir-fry on the bed of greens.

1 punnet courgettes
1 punnet button mushrooms (reserve 3-4 of the smallest ones to slice for a final garnish)
3 T (45 ml) olive oil
1 t (5ml) sugar
1 x 240g Ina Paarman's Sun-Dried Tomato Quarters, drained
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Lemon & Black Pepper Seasoning
1 cup (250 ml) fat reduced cream or regular cream *
2 eggs *
1 punnet watercress

* For terrines only, leave out for stir-fry option.

Slice the courgettes into ½ cm thick rings and season lightly. Slice the button mushrooms. Sauté the vegetables in the oil until bright in colour, but not drawing water. Season lightly and add sugar. Cut the sun dried tomatoes into smaller pieces. Mix the sun dried tomatoes in with the vegetables. This concludes the stir-fry option.

Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. For terrine option, divide stir-fried vegetables 8-10 well oiled small moulds or mini loaf tins or one medium size terrine pan. Leaving at least 1cm headspace. Beat the cream, eggs and seasoning together and pour over the vegetables, once again dividing the mixture evenly among the moulds. Leave to rest for 15 minutes. Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Leave to cool down and keep refrigerated in the moulds until serving time. (Can be prepared the day before, but bring to room temperature for serving). Serve on a bed of watercress and garnish with sliced raw mushrooms.

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New Potato and Herb Salad
Serves 8-10

A lovely alternative to the usual heavy mayonnaise dressed potato salads. Make this salad on the day and serve at room temperature.

1½ kg small new potatoes
1 x 250 ml Ina Paarman's Herb Dressing
2 t (10 ml) Ina Paarman's Garlic Pepper Seasoning
½ cup (125 ml) flat-leafed parsley, chopped
½ cup (125 ml) mint, roughly chopped
¼ cup (60 ml) chives finely sliced
½ cup (125 ml) rocket

Cut the potatoes in half (or quarters if they are bigger). Steam or boil the potatoes until tender. Drain. While they are still hot, combine with the dressing and seasoning. Just before serving mix the potatoes with the parsley, mint, chives and rocket.

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Christmas Ice Cream Bomb
Serves 12

Wonderful to pre-prepare. To save time we are using 2 litres of a good quality bought vanilla ice-cream.

FOR THE OUTSIDE CRUST
250 g biscotti or sponge finger biscuits (for homemade biscotti recipe click here)
100 g melted butter

Crush biscuits to an even, fine crumb in the food processor and mix with the melted butter by adding the butter in a slow stream through the feed tube of the processor. Press on to sides and bottom of a 2½ litre glass mixing bowl. Chill in the freezer until firm.

INSIDE CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM LAYER
100 g dark chocolate, coarsely grated
1 litre vanilla ice cream

Remove the ice-cream from the freezer and soften with a knife until pliable but still lumpy. Mix the dark chocolate into the softened ice-cream. Press this over the crumb-lining around the sides and bottom so there is a deep well in the centre. Freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

FRUIT AND NUT CENTRE
½ cup (125 ml) seedless raisins
2 T (30 ml) brandy or orange concentrate
1 cup (100g) pecan nuts, coarsely chopped
100 g glacé cherries, sliced
1 litre vanilla ice-cream

Combine raisins and brandy. Microwave for 30 seconds on high or heat on top of the stove until warm. Cool. Remove remaining ice-cream from the freezer and soften until pliable but still lumpy. Mix the raisins, nuts and cherries into the ice-cream. Spoon this into the well to fill the entire bowl then freeze overnight until firm. To serve, loosen the sides, by swiveling the bowl in hot water for a minute. You may have to help it out by slipping a flexible blade knife down the side of the bowl in one or two places. Tip it out on to a serving plate. Serve garnished with a holly leaf and a stemmed cherry.

 Chef's Tip:

Remove the ice cream bomb from the freezer about an hour before serving and leave it in the fridge.

Cut with a sharp cooks knife dipped into boiling water.

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