Carlton Food Network - 12 Chefs of Christmas Book

Based on the Carlton Food Network programme of the same name, 12 Chefs of Christmas represents the highly imaginative take on Christmas dinner from a round dozen of the top chefs and food writers working in the UK. The results bring together food influences from round the world in an dazzling range of meals. Mridula Baljekar gets the idea of alternative Christmas fare going with her subtly-spiced, Indian-influenced "Marinated Turkey with Spiced Potatoes and Green Beans", following this with an exotic fruit dessert. Ross Burden takes it even further with a Thai-inspired meal, centred round "Stir-Fried King Prawns with Asparagus and Long Beans" ("Mango Tart" to follow). Alex Floyd turns to Scotland and "Braised Pheasant with Whisky and Juniper Haggis Stuffing" with a traditional "Clootie Dumpling" boiled in a cloth to conclude. More exotic is South African Peter Gottgens' "Kudu Fillet with Boerewors Stuffing", accompanied by "Morogo and Samp Risotto". Henry Harris, of the Fifth Floor Restaurant at Harvey Nichols in London, offers a sumptuous feast starting with "Wild Mushroom and Pecorino Tarts", moving through "Entrecote Vigneronne" with "Celeriac and Horseradish Compote" and concluding with "Date and Goats' Cheese Savoury". (His menu is prefaced by the rather odd claim that it is traditionally British. Perhaps these days it is.)Other cooks include the great Bruno Loubet, the Nosh Brothers, Thane Prince, Tony Tobin (a vegetarian Christmas, this), and concludes with the irrepressible double-bill of Antony Worrall Thompson and Aldo Zilli. To anyone wearying a little of the totally traditional Christmas menu, 12 Cooks of Christmas offers a cornucopia of alternative recipes and ideas. And not a Brussels Sprout in sight. --Robin DavidsonRead More