Enhanced stuffing balls for Christmas dinner

Stuffing comes in two very different types. One is using sausage meat and the other comes in a dried packet and this recipe is using the dried type that you get in a packet and this will show you how easy it is to enhance it and make it something quite special.

One pack of dried sage and onion stuffing
370ml boiling water
10 cooked chestnuts
liver from the giblets (turkey or goose is good here)
knob of butter

1. As per the instructions of the packet mix the boiling water with the stuffing and add the knob of butter and leave to cool.
2. Chop the chestnuts into pea-sized pieces and add to the mixture
3. Sautee the finely chopped liver in a pan for a few minutes and add to the mixture
4. When it is all cool roll into snooker ball sized balls and place on a greased baking tray.
5. Place in a pre-heated oven at 200 degrees with 20 minutes. 

Easy, tasty and festive!

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Sprouts, pancetta and chestnut mix

This is sprouts at their best and a perfect accompaniment to a Christmas dinner.

Ingredients:

500g of Brussels Sprouts

100g of cooked chestnuts

50g of chopped pancetta

Salt and pepper to taste

For the best sprouts steam them until just tender (roughly ten minutes) then leave to one side to cool. In a frying pan fry chopped pancetta - there is no need for oil - over a high heat until the pieces begin to darken and become crispy. Turn off the heat and chop the cooled sprouts into smaller pieces. Chop the cooked chestnuts (Merchant Gourmet's plastic packed chestnuts are fine) roughly and add them and the sprouts to the pancetta. Mix together under a medium heat for five minutes, stirring regularly. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper according to taste. 

This side dish can be prepared in advance and reheated to accompany the Christmas dinner. 

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