Little iced Christmas puds
Not everyone likes a traditional Christmas pudding, and these smaller ones are much lighter than their bigger, traditional counterpart
Crispy potato stacks with chilli, squash and garlic sauce
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- More effort
- Serves 6
Skip to ingredients
Ingredients
- 50g butter, plus extra for greasing
- 4 tbsp vegetable stock
- 1 tsp each, thyme and rosemary leaves, finely chopped, plus extra sprigs
- 1kg medium King Edward potato or Maris piper, very thinly sliced
- 4 shallots, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 small fiery red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
- 600g acorn squash, deseeded and cut into small wedges
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 280g large chestnut mushroom, sliced 1cm thick
- about 160g pack taleggio cheese, cut into 6 slices, then halved
- about 24-30 fried sage leaves, to serve (see know-how below)
For the garlic butter sauce
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 4 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp white wine
- 85g butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ tsp thyme leaves
Method
- STEP 1
Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line a baking tray with buttered baking parchment. Butter 6 x 10cm metal rings (2-3cm deep) and place on the tray. Melt the 50g butter with the stock, bubble briefly, then add the chopped herbs and a little pepper. Set aside for a few mins to infuse.
- STEP 2
Place one-third of the potatoes in a couple of overlapping layers to cover the base of the rings. Brush with some of the butter mix, scatter over half the shallots and chilli, brush with a little more butter, then season. Continue layering and buttering, pressing down gently as you go. Finish with a layer of potatoes and a final brushing of butter. Cover loosely with foil, bake for 20 mins, remove the foil, then bake a further 25 mins or until the potatoes are tender and golden.
- STEP 3
Meanwhile, tip the squash in a single layer into a roasting tin and toss with 2 tbsp oil, a few thyme and rosemary sprigs and black pepper. Roast with the potatoes for the final 20-25 mins until soft and starting to brown.
- STEP 4
Make the sauce: simmer the shallot, garlic and sage with the vinegar and wine until the pan is almost dry (you should have about 1 tsp liquid left). Immediately add the butter, a piece at a time, over a low heat, stirring as you go until you have a creamy sauce. Sieve into a small pan and thin with about 1 tbsp of warm water, so it is a pouring consistency. Throw in a few thyme leaves and set aside.
- STEP 5
When ready to serve, heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan. When hot, add the sliced mushrooms. Fry for 1-2 mins until golden on both sides, turning once only. Season with salt and pepper.
- STEP 6
Heat the grill to high and remove the rings from the potatoes. Lay the mushrooms on top of the potatoes, then lay 2 overlapping slices of cheese on each. Grill until the cheese has just melted. Top with a pile of squash and a scattering of fried sage leaves, then gently lift onto hot plates. Briefly reheat the sauce and drizzle a little around each serving.
