• Home
  • Contact
  • Recipes
  • Edible Gifts
  • Links

Cornucopia Cooks

Cornucopia kor-nuh-KOH-pee-uh. noun - the horn of plenty, symbol of abundance

  • Cook to Order
  • Private Dining
  • The pop in pops out
  • Cooking Classes
  • Cornucopia events

10 vital ingredients

December 15, 2013 By Sandy

To help create a wonderful Christmas day……

This list is by no means comprehensive and indeed there are vital omissions. However, it is a start and if you have any suggestions to add then please let me know and I  will happily expand the list……

1. The morning tipple

Whether it is to relieve imminent stress or tension or just to relax, this is a MUST. I suggest 10.00 – 11.00 am is a good time to start. The choice is endless :

  • A lovely chilled dry sherry
  • Bloody Mary with plenty of celery salt and horseradish
  • Bucks fizz (fresh orange juice of course)
  • Bellini
  • etc…..

2. The bird

Now the choice is huge and has probably already been made.

  • If you are having turkey, I find Delia’s advice invaluable. 
  • For goose I think Goodman’s give reliable cooking times.
  • Cooking times for various types of poultry and methods of cooking.

Once cooked the most important thing is remember to rest your bird. Cover it with foil and as many tea towels as you can spare – anything from 30 – 50 minutes is good!

3. The stuffings

My favourites are:

  • Sage and onion
  • Chestnut
  • Apricot, orange  and ginger

4. The trimmings

Apart from stuffing balls, pigs in blankets (chipolatas wrapped in streaky bacon) and devils on horseback (prunes wrapped in streaky bacon) are a must….

5. The potatoes

Follow  these instructions for  perfect roasties

6. The vegetables

  • As many different ones as possible….
  • Parsnips – roast in the normal way, but add some honey for the last 20 minutes;
  • Brussels – only boil for 5 – 8 minutes ( no need to start boiling with the bird);
  • Carrots – delicious if you add some orange zest to the water when you boil;
  • Savoy cabbage – fantastic coated in butter and grated nutmeg;
  • Peas – as they come;
  • Braised red cabbage;
  • etc…….

7.The gravy

Use the best stock you can get or make your own. Deglaze the pan you roasted your bird in, add flour and then add the stock slowly. If it goes lumpy pass the whole lot through a sieve.

8.The wine

Pop along to Eynsham Cellars and browse their shelves or ask their advice. 

9.The coffee

Freshly ground, strong and plentiful…….

10.The late night snack

Honey roast ham, various pickles, left over cold bird and trimmings with cranberry and red onion relish. (recipe for honey roast ham and relish following soon!)

Filed Under: A few suggestions

This week at Cornucopia Cooks

This week at Cornucopia Cooks

Pop out week….

Current Freezer Stock

Check out what's in the freezer

Latest blogs

2021 news

First “pop out” of 2021, Friday 5th February.

Christmas 2020

Plenty on offer this year.

More Posts from this Category

Customer comments

Some ready meal feedback

My friend & I both agreed that the duck a l’orange was the tastiest “take-away” we’ve had during lockdown ….

Christmas dinner proposal feedback

Thank you for making my Christmas and my bubble friend’s Christmas so enjoyable this year

More Posts from this Category

Sandy’s latest recipes

Short Ribs, Korean style

Mejedra / mejudra

Mango, lime and ginger cheesecake

All recipes

Recipes

Tweets

  • Thank you to @YourSSE for your prompt response and communication with respect to power outage in parts of Eynsham. November 16, 2020 7:52 pm
  • Thank you to @lyallandco and @EynshamCellars for rehousing my freezer stock while @YourSSE restore power due to an… https://t.co/qMQ9ExGAfM November 16, 2020 7:49 pm
  • go to twitter

Search the website

Contact

1, High Street, Eynsham, Witney, Oxon, OX29 4HA [email protected] 07551876285

Copyright © 2021 Cornucopia Cooks