insideKENT Magazine Issue 21 - Nov/Dec 2013 | Page 98

FOOD+DRINK THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS MEAL BEGINS WITH THE perfect cookware Turkey? Check. Festive tablecloth and impressive centerpiece? Check. Cookware to make your life easier and your food perfect? Um, well, no. Cookware isn’t usually on the Christmas shopping list, but this year, why not make it a top priority? These suggestions from Judge Cookware will not only help you out in the kitchen this Christmas, but all year long. Roasting Peeling It’s one of the necessary evils of cooking. Make it easy with Judge’s swivel head peeler – works like a charm, and looks good too. For the turkey: How about roa sting the perfect turkey without the need to baste? Say hello to Judge’s oval induction roaster. Perfect for all sorts of roasts, the oval roaster cooks a beautiful, moist turkey, and can be used in the oven or on the hob. It’s easy to clean, and keeps your oven clean too with the sturdy lid. For the potatoes: Use the Judge roasters, available in three sizes to suit any size family. These non-stick high performance pans can be used for anything from spuds to parsnips to pigs in blankets. Carving Steaming The healthiest and most space efficient way to cook veg is in a steamer; it’s also easier to keep a check on how the veg is cooking compared to boiling. The beauty of the Judge electric steamer is not only the way it steams perfect veg, but that it’s oval, so its footprint is better for countertop cooking and storage. Comes with a rice steamer too (it might not be used for Christmas dinner, but it comes in handy, we promise). Stay true to your Christmas carving roots with the traditional Judge Sabatier carving knife, or go all modern with the Judge electric carving knife. The Judge Sabatier knife range is designed with the professional and home chef in mind, and are backed by Judge’s 25-year guarantee. If you like all things gadgety, the electric carving knife is the one for you. Designed for simplicity and power, the electric knife effortlessly slices and carves with minimum fuss and maximum precision. Preparing and Serving To make your gravy, you need a good non-stick pan. We’d recommend the Judge Vista non-stick draining pan with pouring lips (no gravy spillage when transferring to the gravy jug – genius!). The thick-based stainless steel pans and have glass lids and double-sided variable draining lids and are suitable for all hobs, and come with a 10-year non-stick guarantee. Once your gravy is made, pour it into the Judge thermal gravy jug and leave it without a worry. This thermal 500ml jug will keep your gravy warm while you prepare the rest of your feast. 98 WIN a Judge red oval roaster and Judge electric carving knife! Get your Christmas off to a perfect start with the Judge Oval Roaster and Judge electric carving knife. For your chance to win, enter online at www.insidekentmagazine.co.uk/win Judge’s Top Tips Plan, plan and plan! Plan the cooking, plan the shopping, plan the serving, and plan everything in between; it organises the mind, and reduces the chance of a last minute hitch. It’s amazing how many jobs can be forgotten, so planning can also highlight tasks that can be done in advance to reduce the workload on the day, so that the cook can enjoy it too. Tasks that can be done in advance: • Sort out all the cooking and serving dishes, the glasses, silverware and napkins for the dinner (so often they are hidden away and can take a while to find). • Put white wines and Champagne to chill, and open the red. • If you are using frozen foods, check if they are to be cooked from frozen or need to be defrosted. • Parboil the potatoes and parsnips for 15 minutes; cool and keep refrigerated. • The night or day before, trim the sprouts, chop up broccoli and cauliflower, and dig out all the dry ingredients and spices you’ll need. • The day before, make the stuffing for the turkey, and prep the turkey for roasting in the morning. • Create a work plan but add some extra time as the quantity of food is often more than normal and so food can take a little longer to cook etc • Take time to set the table. Get other family members involved and agree where everyone is sitting. This is the best way to check you have enough of everything. (there’s nothing worse than being a chair short). A few key timings to consider: The starting point is the joint – aim to finish cooking this about 1 1/2 hours before serving. Potatoes allow an hour, parsnips 45 mins, but the rest depends on recipes. www.judgecookware.co.uk www.insidekentmagazine.co.uk