He’s the Bake Off star you most want a bear hug from – and now he’s here to help you avoid a Crimbo kitchen crisis. Bear hugs not included. Soz.
When the rest of the Bake Off contestants were frantically assembling towers of baked goods or flapping a tea-towel over their creations, he was often seen casually sipping a cup of tea or offering to help his fellow bakers with a last minute pastry emergency.
So who better to help you cook your way to a crisis-free Christmas Dinner this year than 30-year old Selasi Gbormittah?
As he arrives at the heat kitchen and whips on his apron, he tells us: “Now I feel at home.”
His chilled out style is clearly still intact. He’s come up with a Christmas menu that will allow you plenty of time to enjoy your favourite Christmas tipple (Selasi says he loves a cheeky mulled wine) and crank up the festive choons (Wham’s Last Christmas, in case you were wondering. We won’t judge.)
SELASI’S STRESS-FREE CHRISTMAS TIMETABLE
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8.30am Turn on the music really loud and disturb the neighbours. They won’t mind – it’s Christmas!
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9am Check on the meat you’ve been marinating the night before and walk around the house for a bit putting things off until you really need to do them.
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9.30am Put the duck in the oven
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9.45am Change the track and pour yourself a drink
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10am Start peeling your veg and leave it in water so it stays fresh
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11am Once the duck is cooked, take it out to rest and put in the salmon. Par boil the potatoes and pour another drink.
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11.20am Drain the water from the potatoes and toss them in the pan to make them nice and crispy when they are roasting. Drizzle in some oil, sea salt and rosemary and put on a baking tray until the salmon is out of the oven.
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12pm Take out the salmon and put in the potatoes for 20/30 mins
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12.20pm Start cooking the rest of the veg and have a bit of a dance around the kitchen while no-one is looking.
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12.45pm Take the juices from the meat to make a gravy
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1pm Voila – your dinner is ready!
Now try this PROPER TASTY Christmas recipe …
SAUSAGE, BACON AND CRANBERRY FILO CUPS
“This is my take on pigs in blanket. It’s easy to prepare in advance and you don’t have to make the pastry from scratch, you can buy it pre-made and throw away the receipt. I won’t tell anyone!”
Makes 20
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Ingredients:
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20 cocktail sausages
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10 rashers smoked bacon
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Jar of cranberry sauce
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9 sheets of filo pastry
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50g unsalted butter (melted)
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Method
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- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
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Preheat the oven to 180 degrees
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- Place sausages on a pre-lined tray and roast for 18-20mins until cooked and set aside.
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Place sausages on a pre-lined tray and roast for 18-20mins until cooked and set aside.
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- On a separate tray, roast the bacon for 20 mins until cooked and crispy and set aside.
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On a separate tray, roast the bacon for 20 mins until cooked and crispy and set aside.
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- Prepare your filo pastry by laying one sheet on your worktop and brushing with melted butter. Lay another sheet on top and repeat this process once or twice more.
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Prepare your filo pastry by laying one sheet on your worktop and brushing with melted butter. Lay another sheet on top and repeat this process once or twice more.
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- Using a mini muffin tray brush with butter and set aside.
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Using a mini muffin tray brush with butter and set aside.
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- Cut the the filo into squares 5cm by 5cm and gently lift and place into muffin trays until you have the required quantity.
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Cut the the filo into squares 5cm by 5cm and gently lift and place into muffin trays until you have the required quantity.
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- Bake the filo pastry for 10-13mins until golden and leave to cool.
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Bake the filo pastry for 10-13mins until golden and leave to cool.
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- Chop the sausages and bacon and place into the filo cases. Top with cranberry sauce and serve.
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Chop the sausages and bacon and place into the filo cases. Top with cranberry sauce and serve.
Fancy Selasi’s orange and honey roasted duck? Or his quick puff pastry mince pies? Check out this week’s heat mag for the full interview and ALL the recipes!