Don’t Panic

 Read more from Gerald

I have no wish to cause uproar in the aisles, mayhem in the markets and panic buying of turkeys and the like, but realising yesterday that there is less than a month to Christmas I thought it perhaps time to give a thought or two as to what to eat over this hospitable and celebratory season.

I don't know about you, but the main course of Christmas dinner is the least of my worries; be it ham, beef, lamb, pork or turkey it can be ordered in the next week or so with time given later to thinking about what to do with it. No, it's the "what shall we have when the guests arrive" or "the neighbours are coming for a drink" or "I've got the girls coming for a Christmas lunch" and all the other social occasions that start about now and go through to the end of the holidays that often cause the problems. You want something a little different and special without it breaking the bank or taking days to prepare.

Bruschetta and crostini are my out and out favourites for just such occasions and can offer enough variations that with some imagination and a good memory/notebook you should get through the party season without repeating yourself once. Whilst both essentially food on a slice of bread, the bruschetta (said with a ‘k' rather than the softer ‘ch') is made with a larger slice of good Italian or country bread which has been cooked over a grill, barbecue or hotplate whilst crostini are smaller slices from something like a baguette which have been toasted, baked in the oven or fried.

By and large most recipes, scaled up or down, are suitable for both but there are some though that are better on one or the other, for example a garlicky chicken liver pate with radish slices and capers would be ideal for both but the original bruschetta topping of a rub of garlic, a drizzle of fresh olive oil and a sprinkle of salt remains best on bruschetta.

One recipe that indeed works on both is the combination of blue cheese and pear. Mash a wedge of blue cheese with sufficient cream cheese to make a thick paste then spread this mix over the toasted or oven-baked slices. Add a layer of overlapping thin slices of fresh pear and garnish with toasted walnut halves. On bruschetta and with a simple crisp salad these would make a pleasing light lunch.

On another occasion try making a salsa by seeding and chopping fresh tomatoes and mixing them with some chopped spring onions, parsley and a little garlic Season with salt and pepper and leave for half an hour then drain off the accumulated liquid, dress the salsa very lightly with a vinaigrette and spoon it onto baked or toasted slices of bread. Over these crumble some feta cheese, garnish with cooked prawns and parsley and drizzle over a little flavoursome olive oil at the last minute. If you are making crostini you can use shrimps, even tinned ones, in place of the prawns. A variation of this recipe is to use raw shelled prawns and pop the bruschetta under the grill until the prawns are cooked and the feta lightly browned then garnish with the parsley and serve hot.

For vegetarians and their guests this recipe works very well. Half lengthwise and deseed red, yellow and green capsicums then place skin-side up under a hot grill and cook until the skins have blackened. Put the peppers in a plastic bag or wrap in a clean tea towel and allow them to cool. When cool peel off the skins, slice the peppers into thin strips and put in a bowl. To these add a thinly sliced small red onion, some shredded fresh basil and a clove of garlic, crushed and chopped. Mix the vegetables, lightly dress with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pile this mix onto the toasted or baked slices and sprinkle with a few toasted pine nuts.

The combinations are almost limitless. I usually keep a shelf in the fridge stocked with things like a packet of smoked salmon, a good salami, sundried tomatoes, olives, some cheeses like blue, Parmesan, Brie and perhaps a goats cheese, some streaky bacon or if I feel flush, some pancetta, perhaps some gherkins and together with what salads and vegetables I have in the crisper, tins in the cupboard and herbs in the garden, I am prepared for any occasion. For the bread, I have loaves in the freezer and slices of baguette or sourdough, when brushed with oil and baked until dry and golden in the oven and allowed to cool, keep perfectly well in airtight tins in the pantry.

Although French and so technically neither bruschetta nor crostini, there is one more recipe I would like to share and it uses an ingredient that I would never be without in my kitchen… anchovies.

This version of anchoïade may not be to everyone's taste but I think it delicious.

Heat the oven to 220C˚. Empty two 50g tins of anchovies together with the oil in which they are packed into a food processor then add 4 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil or parsley, 4 tablespoons of the best olive oil you have, 2 teaspoons of red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons of tomato puree, some pepper and a little salt, (remember the anchovies are salty) then blitz until smooth.

Spread this paste thinly on slices of country bread or sourdough and bake in the oven for 5-10 minutes until crisp. Arrange thin slices of the best tomatoes you can find on the hot bread, sprinkle with some chopped herbs like parsley, basil or chives and serve at once.

I could give you many other recipes and combinations but half the fun is inventing your own and anyway you might need something to take your mind off the rest of the Christmas preparations.