Wealden Times | WT214 | December 2019 | Guide to Christmas supplement inside

Hot Stuff
Jazz up your Christmas feast with three deliciously
different takes on a festive stuffing
Restaurants’
Chestnut Stuffing
by Paul Webbe from
Webbe’s Restaurants
Roast Stuffed Squashes with Christmas Spices
by Abel & Cole
Preparation time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 75 mins
Serves: 6-8
Pull up a sleigh and sit down to
the best meal of the year, starring
Abel & Cole’s brilliant winter
squashes and wonderful spices.
• splash of olive oil
• 1 leek, washed and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves
• thumb of ginger
• 6 cardamom pods
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 300g white basmati rice, washed
• 3 large winter squashes,
around 2kg each
• 50g pine nuts or almonds
• handful of flat leaf parsley
Warm a splash of olive oil in the frying
1 pan. Add the leek and season. Stirfry
for 5-8 mins until soft and glossy.
Stir in the garlic and ginger. Add
2 the cardamom, fennel seeds and
cinnamon. Drain the washed rice. Stir it
into the pan. Pour in 750ml hot water and
cover. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat
down. Simmer for around 5 mins until the
rice is almost cooked and still a little wet.
Slice the tops off the squashes and
3 scoop out the seeds. Stir the pine
nuts or almonds and parsley into the
rice. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Divide between the squashes.
Pop the squashes on a baking tray
4 or in a roasting tin and put the
tops back on. Roast in the middle
of the oven for about 50 mins until
tender. Carefully lift the squashes onto
a platter or board. Serve in slices
For more festive inspiration,
visit abelandcole.co.uk
• 100g butter
• 2 medium onions, peeled,
halved and finely chopped
• 150g duck, chicken or
pork livers, chopped
• 2 tsps thyme leaves
• 3 tbsp chopped sage
• 30-40 chestnuts, lightly
toasted, peeled and quartered
• 50g fresh white breadcrumbs
• sea salt and freshly
ground black pepper
1Melt the butter in a thickbottomed
pan. Season the
onions, livers, thyme and sage and
cook on a medium heat for 2-3
mins. Remove from the heat, mix
with the chestnuts and breadcrumbs
and adjust seasoning to taste.
2Form the mixture into a sausage
shape on some clingfilm, and roll
it up tightly. Poach in a saucepan of
simmering water for 5 mins. Leave
to cool, then put in the fridge.
3When cold, remove the cling
film and slice into about
4cm rounds. Roast on baking
parchment until caramelised.
Find out more about Webbe’s
Restaurants and their festive menus
at webbesrestaurants.co.uk
23 wealdentimes.co.uk