S3E1 Christmas at Home

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S3E1 recipes

Triple-Decker French Toast with Peanut Butter, Banana, Salt-&-Vinegar Crisps & Maple-Glazed Bacon

Childhood chaos meets brunch glory: sweet-salty-crunchy stacked and seared.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 1
Prep / Cook / Total: 5 min / 6–8 min / 11–13 min
Skill level: Easy
Equipment: 10–12 in (26–30 cm) nonstick pan, spatula, blowtorch (optional)
Ingredients
  • 3 large eggs 
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla paste or seeds from 1/2 pod (about 2 g) 
  • 3 slices white sandwich bread 
  • 2 oz (60 g) smooth peanut butter 
  • 1 ripe banana, peeled and thinly sliced 
  • 3.5 oz (100 g) salt & vinegar potato crisps (chips) 
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil 
  • 2 tbsp (30 g) butter 
  • 6 slices streaky bacon, cooked 
  • Maple syrup, for glazing
Method
  1. Whisk eggs with vanilla and cinnamon in a shallow bowl. 
  2. Spread peanut butter on each bread slice. Top each with banana and a scatter of crisps. Stack into a triple-decker; press gently. 
  3. Dip sandwich all over in egg mixture, letting it soak but not collapse. 
  4. Heat pan over medium; add olive oil and butter. Cook sandwich, turning about every 30 seconds, until evenly golden on all sides, 3–5 minutes total. 
  5. Brush bacon with maple syrup; kiss with a blowtorch or flash in a hot pan 20–30 seconds to glaze.

Plating 

  • Halve the sandwich. Swipe a spoonful of peanut butter on the plate, rest maple bacon on it, and serve alongside. 
Tips & substitutions
Swap crisps for kettle chips if needed. Add a pinch of salt to the egg mix if your PB is unsalted.
Dietary tags: contains meat (bacon optional)
Allergens: egg, dairy, peanut, gluten
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Assemble right before cooking; bacon can be cooked and chilled 3 days, then glazed to order.
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Tea-Smoked Salmon with Brown Bread Purée & Crispy Capers

Gentle lapsang smoke over tender salmon, anchored by a silky “brown bread” cream and salty caper crunch.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 8
Prep / Cook / Total: 20–25 min active / 25–30 min / ~45–55 min
Skill level: Intermediate
Equipment: wire rack that fits a sheet tray, foil, blender, saucepan
Ingredients

Salmon & smoke 

  • 2.2 lb (1 kg) salmon, skin on, pin-boned 
  • Olive oil, for drizzling 
  • Fine salt 
  • 1 cup (150g) raw rice 
  • 1 cup (150 g) lapsang souchong tea leaves 
  • 1 cup (150 g) brown sugar 

Brown bread purée 

  • 2 shallots, peeled and sliced 
  • 6 garlic cloves, sliced 
  • 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) olive oil 
  • 4 cups (about 250–300 g) coarse sourdough breadcrumbs (from stale loaf) 
  • 2 cups (480 ml) chicken stock 
  • 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream 
  • 1/2 cup (115 g) cold butter, diced 
  • Fine salt, to taste 

Crispy capers 

  • 1 cup (120 g) brined capers, drained and patted dry 
  • Olive oil, for shallow-frying
Method
  1. Purée: Sauté shallots and garlic in olive oil until golden. Add breadcrumbs; toast 5 minutes. Add stock and cream; bring to a boil. Blend smooth while warm; emulsify in cold butter; salt to taste. Keep warm or reheat gently. 
  2. Smoke setup: Heat oven to 320°F (160°C). Mix rice, tea, sugar. Line a sturdy tray with foil; spread smoke mix. Set over a direct burner until it just smokes. 
  3. Salmon: Oil and salt salmon; place on a rack set over the smoking tray. Loosely tent with foil, transfer to oven, and smoke-roast 15 minutes. Remove; keep loosely covered and cool to warm room temp. Flake. 
  4. Capers: Fry capers in a slick of olive oil over medium heat until puffed and crisp; drain on paper towel. 

Plating 

  • Warm purée and load into a squeeze bottle or spoon a bed onto plates. Flake salmon over, shower with crispy capers, finish with a good olive-oil drizzle. 
Tips & substitutions
No lapsang? Use jasmine tea plus a drop of liquid smoke. Purée too thick? Thin with warm stock.
Dietary tags: pescatarian
Allergens: fish, dairy, gluten
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Purée 3 days chilled; loosen with cream to rewarm. Salmon best day-of; leftovers 2 days chilled.
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Beef Wellington with Chestnut–Mushroom Duxelles & Red Wine Butter Jus

Classic Wellington, tightened up: seared fillet, Parma wrap, chestnut duxelles, shattering puff.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 8–10
Prep / Cook / Total: 45–60 min active + chill / 30–40 min bake / ~2 1/2–3 hr including chilling
Skill level: Advanced
Equipment: large skillet, rack, plastic wrap, pastry brush, instant-read thermometer
Ingredients
  • 4.4 lb (2 kg) center-cut beef tenderloin (fillet), trimmed 
  • Olive oil, for searing 
  • Fine salt 
  • 2 lb (1 kg) button mushrooms, very finely chopped 
  • 1 cup (160 g) canned chestnuts, finely chopped 
  • 2 oz (60 g) fresh thyme, leaves picked 
  • Dijon mustard, for brushing 
  • 10 slices Parma ham 
  • 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry 
  • 1 egg, beaten (egg wash) 

Jus 

  • 1 qt (1 L) beef stock 
  • 6 tbsp (80 g) cold butter, diced
Method
  1. Sear: Heat skillet over high. Oil and salt the fillet; sear, turning every 30 seconds, to an even crust, 3–5 minutes total. Add thyme; roll through aromatics 1–2 minutes. Rack-cool; chill. 
  2. Duxelles: In the same pan, cook mushrooms and chestnuts with a pinch of salt over medium-high until completely dry. Cool on a tray; chill. 
  3. Wrap: Brush cold fillet with Dijon. Lay plastic wrap on bench; shingle Parma into a rectangle. Spread half the duxelles over ham. Place fillet in center; use wrap to roll into a tight log. Chill 1–2 hours to set shape. 
  4. Encase: Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll pastry; place fillet near lower edge, spread remaining duxelles on the exposed pastry where the roll will sit, then roll up to fully enclose. Tuck ends, seam down on a lined tray. Egg wash. Score if you like. 
  5. Bake: 30–35 minutes until deep golden and 125–128°F (52–53°C) in the center for medium-rare (carryover to 129–130°F / 54°C). Rest 20–30 minutes on a rack. 
  6. Jus: Reduce stock to about 1 cup (250 ml). Off heat, whisk in cold butter to gloss; season. 

To serve 

  • Slice thickly; serve with red wine butter jus. Classic sides: roast potatoes, grilled broccolini, and pickled beets. 
Tips & substitutions
Prosciutto can sub for Parma. If pastry warms, chill 10 minutes before baking to prevent blowouts.
Dietary tags: none
Allergens: gluten, dairy (butter), egg
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Wrapped log can chill 24 hours. Bake to order. Leftovers slice and reheat gently.
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Fruit-Mince Pie Slice with Pistachio Ice Cream

All the holiday mince-pie vibes, none of the fiddly crimping.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 12
Prep / Cook / Total: 20–25 min / 45–50 min / ~1 hr 10 min plus cooling
Skill level: Easy–Intermediate
Equipment: stand mixer with paddle, 9×13 in (23×33 cm) tin, coarse grater
Ingredients

 

Filling 

  • 2.2 lb (1 kg) jarred fruit mince 
  • 1 cup (140 g) toasted almonds, roughly chopped 
  • Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated 
  • Zest of 1 orange, finely grated 
  • 2 Granny Smith apples, coarsely grated 

Pastry 

  • 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter, very soft 
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling 
  • 4 tbsp (60 ml) vegetable oil 
  • 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour 
  • 4 tsp (16 g) baking powder 
  • 2 large eggs 
  • 1 tsp fine salt 

To serve 

  • Pistachio ice cream (or any good vanilla/pistachio) 
Method
  1. Heat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×13 in (23×33 cm) tin with parchment. 
  2. Filling: Mix fruit mince, almonds, citrus zests, and grated apples; set aside. 
  3. Pastry: In mixer, paddle butter and sugar until pale. Beat in oil. Add flour, baking powder, eggs, and salt; mix just until it clumps. 
  4. Press about 2/3 of dough evenly into the tin. Spoon filling over. 
  5. Grate remaining dough on the coarse side of a grater over the top; sprinkle with a little caster sugar. 
  6. Bake 45–50 minutes until golden and set. Cool to room temp before slicing. 

Plating 

  • Slice bars; serve with a scoop of pistachio ice cream. 
Tips & substitutions
Swap almonds for pistachios to match the ice cream. If fruit mince is very thick, loosen with a splash of apple juice.
Dietary tags: vegetarian
Allergens: gluten, egg, dairy, tree nuts
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Keeps 3–4 days airtight; freezes well up to 1 month.
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