I thought that I would be a little different this year so am suggesting either a duck or a goose for your main Christmas dinner course. The goose, I fear, will only work if you are having a big party ? or if you are happy to eat goose right up to the New Year. All other recipes are for six but you can multiply them up to fill your needs. I hope that you enjoy the meal ? and have a great Christmas!

Click on the name of the recipe to go to it.

FreeFrom Chilled Borscht

FreeFrom Victorian roast goose

FreeFrom duck a la mode

FreeFrom celeriac and polenta purée with curly kale

FreeFrom light Christmas pudding

Cressida's freefrom chestnut rum butter

FreeFrom mocha mousse

FreeFrom Chilled Borscht
Corn, egg, gluten, nightshade, nut free, soya and wheat free; can be dairy free

This soup is a wonderful rich Christmassy colour and, if you are going to have a large and heavy meal, is a pleasant way to get going!

500g raw beetroots, topped, tailed and scrubbed
200g sweet potato, peeled
1 medium Bramley cooking apple, cored but not peeled
1 litre water or gluten and wheat-free vegetable stock
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tbsp sour cream/goat, sheep or soya yogurt
depending on what you can eat

Halve or quarter the beets and put in a large pan with the sweet potato, apple and stock.
Bring to the boil, cover and simmer gently for 45–60
minutes or until the beets are quite cooked.
Purée in a food processor then return to the pan.
Adjust seasoning to taste then chill.
Check the seasoning as chilling can dull the flavour.
To serve pour into a tureen or individual bowls and whirl the cream or yogurt into the middle.

Serves 6 – per portion
94 cals - 10g protein
1g total fat – 0.7g sat / 0.2g mono / 0.1g poly
19g carbohydrate of which 12g sugar
4g fibre – 175mg sodium / 0.5g salt
69mg calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin C & folate

Victorian Roast Goose
Gluten, wheat, dairy & egg free; can be nut free

1 large goose
1 kilo rabbit joints (optional)
1 kilo small tart apples or crab apples, cored,peeled and chopped
1 kilo small tart apples or crab apples, whole
225 g gooseberries, fresh or frozen but not tinned
1/2 - 3/4 kilo gluten, wheat and dairy-free brown breadcrumbs
juice 2 oranges
2 eggs
salt, pepper and sage

1 small cooking apple per person or 1 medium apple between two people
25 g butter or 2 tbsp olive oil
liver of the goose, chopped small
100g bacon, chopped small
225 g open mushrooms, chopped small
4 shallotts, peeled and chopped finely
100g prunes, soaked and chopped roughly
100g dark rye or gluten-free brown breadcumbs
100 g walnuts, chopped small or, if you cannot eat nuts, pumpkin seeds toasted and chopped
2 eggs
salt, pepper and pinch cinnamon

Bone the rabbit joints and cut them into reasonable size pieces. Mix the rabbit with the apples, gooseberries and breadcrumbs. Season well. Beat the eggs with the orange juice and add them to the mixture. Stuff the neck end of the goose with this mixture; fill the cavity with the whole apples.
Prick the goose all over, cover the breast with foil and place the goose on a rack above a baking tray.

Lightly fry the liver, bacon, shallot and mushroom in the butter or oil until soft. Add the prunes, walnuts or pumpkin seeds, crumbs and seasoning.
Core the apples, score them as for baking and stuff them with the mixture.
If there is any stuffing left over from the apples or the goose, roll it in little balls, toss it in some seasoned gluten/wheat-free flour, lightly fry them in some butter or oil, reserve them and serve them as extra garnish with the goose.

To cook:
Bake the goose in a moderate oven ( 350F/170C/Gas Mark 4) for 15 minutes to the pound or in a slow oven for 25 minutes to the pound. About 45 minutes before the goose is done, remove the foil from the breast and place the apples round the goose on the tray.

Sauce:
The juices from the goose will be very fat and you may not have time to make gravy from them before serving the bird, if you want to get the fat off properly. If you do have time, make the gravy as usual but add a little cider vinegar or lemon juice to reduce the richness. Otherwise make a good sauce beforehand as follows:

Use the giblets of the goose with some onion, mushroom stalks, celery, carrot, parnips, parsley stalks, peppercorns, bay leaf and 300 ml red wine and 1200 ml water to make a really good stock.

Chop 1 large onion, 1 carrot, 1 stalk of celery, 1 parsnip, 2 rashers bacon, 50g mushrooms, 2 tomatoes, 1/2 head fennel and some parsley stalks.
Cook them very slowly in 50g butter or 3 larage tablespoons of olive oil until they are well browned.
Add 3 tablespoonsgluten-free flour, stir well and continue to cook till the roux is well browned.
Gradually add 1200 ml of the stock, bring to the boil and simmer gently for 1 hour. Strain the sauce. Adjust the seasoning to taste and add 2 tablespoons cider vinegar and 100g cranberries. Simmer for a further 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 12 – per portion
cals –2g protein
16g total fat – 5g sat / 7g mono / 2g poly
29g carbohydrate of which 5.5g sugar
10g fibre – 984mg sodium / 2.5g salt
83mg calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin B1, B6, folate & magnesium

FreeFrom Duck a la mode
Corn, soya, egg, nut free; can be wheat/gluten & dairy free

This recipe is from an 18th century recipe book and was intended for wild duck. However, it tastes excellent with domesticated ducks adn is a great alternative for a rather more modest Christmas feast.

2 medium ducks with giblets
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and chopped roughly
1 medium carrot, scrubbed and diced
2 rashers of streaky bacon, chopped
4 mushrooms, chopped
1 heaped tablespoon wheat, corn or potato flour
large glass of red wine
900ml water or stock
2 sprigs parsley & 2 bouquet garni
freshly ground black pepper

50g butter/dairy free spread or 3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons seasoned wheat, corn or potato flour
4 anchovy fillets, chopped very small.
4 shallots or small onions, peeled and chopped very small
300ml Marsala or sweet red wine
a large bunch of fresh herbs – parsley, thyme, bayleaves
2 lemons

Remove the giblets from the ducks. Set the liver aside.
Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the onions, carrot, bacon and mushrooms.
Fry briskly for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it burning, or until the vegetables are well tanned.
Add whatever flour you are using and continue to cook and stir for a further few minutes until the flour is also lightly browned. Gradually add the wine, stirring continually, and then the stock or water.
Add the giblets, parsley and bouquet garni. Bring to boil, reduce to a simmer and cook at a gentle simmer for an hour.
Strain the gravy and season with black pepper and with sea salt if it needs it.
Joint the duck into 4 breasts and 4 legs, removing any excess fat or skin. You can use the carcase and wings to make an excellent duck soup.
Heat the butter, spread or oil in one large or two smaller heavy lidded pans. Briskly fry the duck joints until they are lightly browned on all sides. Remove onto kitchen paper and pat dry. Throw out the excess fat or reserve for other purposes. Wipe the inside of the pan or pans with kitchen paper.
Roll the joints well in the seasoned flour and return them to the pans.
Chop the duck liver very small and add to the pans along with the chopped anchovy and onions.
Add 600ml of the gravy and the Marsala along with the herbs, well tied together. Ensure that the liver, onion, anchovy and herbs are well submerged in the sauce. Bring to the boil, cover and reduce to a simmer for 40 minutes.
Remove the herbs and adjust the seasoning to taste.
Grate the rind from the lemons and add to the sauce. Squeeze the juice and add gradually to your own taste.
Serve the duck joints with the sauce spooned over the top, the celeriac purée and a green vegetable.

Serves 6–8 - per portion
632cals - 65g protein
35g total fat - 11g sat / 18g mono / 4g poly
7g carbohydrate of which 2.5g sugar
1g fibre - 0.4mg sodium / 1g salt
Calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin B1, B2, B6, B12, zinc & iron

FreeFrom Celeriac and polenta purée with curly kale
Egg, gluten, nightshade, nut and wheat free; can be dairy and/or soya free

This is a really delicious ‘sort of’ purée which would be delicious with the turkey but can really stand on its own as a vegetarian dish. Kale can be quite bitter but, surprisingly, the combination of butter or oil and lemon juice removes the bitterness almost entirely.

1 medium sized celeriac, peeled and diced
100g pre softened polenta
200ml boiling water
2 tbsp plain goat, sheep or soya yogurt
180g de-stemmed curly kale cut in small pieces
25g goat butter, dairy free spread or 2 tbsp olive oil
juice 1/2 a large lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Steam the celeriac until soft (about 15 minutes) then
turn into a food processor.
Meanwhile, add the boiling water to the polenta in a small pan. Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, simmer briskly for a couple of minute then allow to stand for 8–10 minutes.
Process the celeriac for a couple of minutes then add the polenta and the yogurt and process again. Add extra yogurt if too stiff, season to taste and then keep warm.
Meanwhile, steam the kale for 5–6 minutes or until just cooked. Turn into a bowl and add the butter, spread or oil and the lemon juice and mix well.
Mix the kale well into the celeriac and polenta purée. Serve at once or keep warm and serve with a roast.

Serves 6 – per portion
cals –2g protein
16g total fat – 5g sat / 7g mono / 2g poly
29g carbohydrate of which 5.5g sugar
10g fibre – 984mg sodium / 2.5g salt
83mg calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin B1, B6, folate & magnesium

FreeFrom light Christmas pudding
Dairy, gluten, nightshade, nut, soya and wheat free; can be egg free

This is paler and less solid than the traditional Christmas pud.– but very tasty. For those who want the 'real thing', we refer you to our Christmas tasting table...

200g each raisins, currants and sultanas
200g polenta
70g suet, vegetarian or other
grated rind and juice 1 large orange
1 small eating apple, cored and chopped small
1 level tsp each ground nutmeg and cinnamon
2 large eggs, beaten or
3 heaped tsp gluten and wheat-free baking powder
100ml brandy, sherry or fruit juice

Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl then add the eggs and brandy, sherry or juice and mix thoroughly.
Spoon into a bowl and pat down. Cover with a double thickness of parchment or greaseproof paper held in place with string or rubber bands.
Steam for 3–4 hours, remove from the pan, replace the paper covering with fresh and store until needed.
To serve, re-steam for at least an hour, or heat in a microwave for 2–3 minutes, then flame and serve with brandy butter, cream, ice cream, Cressida's delicious chestnut rum butter below, or whatever you can eat.

NB Because there is less fruit in this mixture than a normal pudding it will not keep quite as well, so you might wish to freeze it if you make it more than a couple of weeks ahead of time.

Serves 6 – per portion
464cals – 9g protein
14g total fat – 6g sat / 4g mono / 2g poly
99g carbohydrate of which 73g sugar
3g fibre – 324mg sodium / 0.8g salt
110mg calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin B1, B6, folate & magnesium

Cressida’s freefrom chestnut rum butter
Corn, dairy, egg, gluten and wheat free;  can be soya free

This is Tasting-Table Cressida’s delicious alternative to brandy butter for those on dairy-free diets.

250g cooked chestnuts
200ml goat, soya or oat cream
80g muscovado sugar, pale or dark depending on how ‘dark’ you want your ‘butter’ to taste
70ml rum (or brandy or whisky if you prefer)

Put all the ingredients in a food processor and whiz until smooth. Taste and add extra sugar or alcohol if you think it needs it.
Serve with Christmas pudding or mince pies.

Serves 6 – per portion
62cals – 3.5g protein
1.5g total fat – 0.2g sat / 0g mono / 0.1g poly
9g carbohydrate of which 6g sugar
5g fibre – 217mg sodium / 0.5g salt
90mg calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin C & folate

FreeFrom Mocha Mousse
Corn, egg, gluten, nightshade, nut and wheat free; can be dairy or soya free

A very different, and rather sophisticated, alternative to finish of a very rich meal.

1 level tbsp cornflour
400ml coconut milk
1 x 2 shot expresso /100ml very strong black coffee
50g dairy free dark chocolate, 70/85% cocoa solids
2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
2 tbsp brandy or ginger wine
6 tsp goat, oat or soya cream
18 fresh coffee beans

Mix the cornflour with some of the coconut milk to
make a smooth paste. Gradually add the rest of the coconut milk and the coffee while gently heating the mixture, stirring continuously, until it thickens. Add the sugar and chocolate, in pieces, and continue to stir until both are melted.
Remove from the heat, cool slightly and then add the brandy or ginger wine.
Spoon into individual expresso cups or small glasses, cover and put in the refrigerator to chill.
To serve, gently pour a teaspoon of cream onto the top of each mousse and place three coffee beans in the middle.

Serves 6 – per portion
362 cals – 32g protein
16g total fat – 5g sat / 7g mono / 2g poly
29g carbohydrate of which 5.5g sugar
10g fibre – 984mg sodium / 2.5g salt
83mg calcium

Good Source of: Vitamin B1, B6, folate & magnesium