December harvest

LightandfruityChristmas starter

Pears

Ripen Tesco Conference pears at home to best enjoy the sweet, juicy flavours.

P E A R & G O AT ’ S C H E E S E S A L A D

Serves 6 as a starter Takes 25 mins Cost per serve 99p

Thyme or parsley will work just as well as rosemary; you can also swap the flaked almonds for pecans, or toasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

1 red onion, thinly sliced ½ lemon, juiced 3 ripe seasonal pears 80g pack watercress, spinach & rocket 1 rosemary sprig, leaves picked and roughly chopped

99 p

PER SERVE

125g pack soft goat’s cheese 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds For the cranberry vinaigrette 2 tsp red wine vinegar 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tbsp cranberry sauce ¼ tsp Dijon mustard

1 Put the onion in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water; set aside for 5 mins, then drain. 2 Meanwhile, put the lemon juice in a mixing bowl and half-fll with cold water. Core the pears, slice each into 6 wedges, then transfer to the lemon-water. 3 Put all the vinaigrette ingredients in a jug and use a hand blender to blitz smooth; season to taste. Add 1-2 tsp water as needed to loosen. 4 Toss together the salad leaves, onion, half the rosemary and 2 tbsp cranberry vinaigrette. Transfer to a serving platter, top with the pears, then crumble over the goat’s cheese and scatter with the almonds and remaining rosemary. Drizzle with the remaining dressing to serve.

Each serving contains

Energy Fat Saturates

Sugars Salt 690kJ 166kcal 10g 4g 11g 0.1g 8% 14% 18% 12% 2%

of the reference intake. See page 97. Carbohydrate 12g Protein 5g Fibre 3g 1 of your 5-a-day; source of fibre

Medjool dates 1 Beat the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl until pale and fluffy. Mix in the egg yolk to combine. Dates are high in fibre. 2 In a separate bowl, mix the flour, Tesco’s are harvested by almonds and cinnamon with a hand for a rich flavour. pinch of salt. Add to the mixing bowl, a little at a time, to make a D A T E L I N Z E R B I S C U I T S soft dough. Shape into a disc, then wrap in clingflm and transfer to Makes about 26 biscuits the fridge for 1 hr. Takes 1 hr 10 mins plus chilling 3 On a lightly floured surface, roll Cost per biscuit 11p out the dough to 2-3mm thick. Cut out rounds with a 6cm cutter

The biscuit dough can be (dipping the cutter in flour frst will frozen from the end of step 2. help give neat edges), then use a Alternatively, freeze the cut-out, small snowflake (or other festively unbaked biscuits, then bake from shaped) cutter to stamp a hole frozen for an extra 2 mins. in the centre of half the rounds. Transfer to lined baking sheets, 80g unsalted butter, softened then return to the fridge for 40g caster sugar 20 mins. Reroll the offcuts 1 large egg yolk and repeat to stamp out more 100g plain flour, plus extra for dusting biscuits; you should end up with 40g ground almonds approximately 52 rounds. Preheat ¼ tsp ground cinnamon the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C. 120g Medjool dates (from a 200g 4 Bake the biscuits in batches for pack), pitted 8-9 mins until dry and very pale 1 tsp icing sugar, for dusting golden. Leave to cool on the sheets for 5 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 5 Meanwhile, put the dates in a heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for 15 mins, then drain, reserving a mug of the water. Use a blender to blitz the dates with 5-6 tbsp reserved water, as needed, to make a smooth, spreadable paste. 6 Dust the icing sugar over the biscuits with the snowflakes cut out. Spread date jam onto each non-dusted biscuit, leaving a small border around the edge, then sandwich with the dusted biscuits. Will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container, though best eaten on the day they’re made.

Each biscuit contains

Energy Fat Saturates

Sugars Salt 284kJ 68kcal 4g 2g 4g 0g 3% 5% 9% 4% 0% of the reference intake. See page 97. Carbohydrate 7g Protein 1g Fibre 1g

Festive family bake

U S E I T U P

Stuff leftover dates with goat’s cheese, top with pecans and drizzle with maple syrup for a speedy canapé. GIVE ME MORE!

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