It’s time to embrace the colder weather with some wonderful Winter Warmer recipes, guaranteed to put smiles on the family’s faces or delight your dinner party guests during the festive period.
Enjoy our curated list of recipes from Olive Magazine, with delicious drinks, scrummy starters, marvellous mains and pleasing puds!
Gingerbread Latte
Check out this recipe from expert barista Celeste Wong, for a step-by-step guide to making the perfect version of this classic winter coffee… including how to make your own gingerbread syrup!
Celeste says, “This is a fun winter coffee to have because it’s full of warming spices. You can either buy a flavoured ginger syrup at your supermarket or there are plenty online. It’s nice to have in the cupboard and can be used for making smoothies or dessert sauces. If you want to make your own syrup, here is a quick and easy recipe and method.”
Check out Celeste on Instagram for more!
Ingredients
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- a small pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp (or more according to taste) soft brown sugar
- 2 drops vanilla essence or or extract
- 60ml double espresso
- 250ml milk of your choice
- to serve vegan whipped cream
- to sprinkle crushed gingersnap biscuits
Instructions
STEP 1
Put the ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar and vanilla into a mug or 300ml cup.
Add the espresso and mix ingredients into a wet syrupy paste (or you can use a drop of boiling water or hot milk to help the sugar dissolve).
STEP 2
Steam your milk. If you are not using a steam wand or milk frother you could heat some milk in a pot or microwave and put it in a french press.
Carefully plunge the filter in an up/down motion to push air through the hot milk to get foamy milk.
STEP 3
Pour heated textured milk into your cup so that the syrup mixes with the milk.
Dollop some whipped cream on top and dust with ginger and/or cinnamon.
Add some crushed gingersnap biscuits on top for extra gingery goodness.
Beef & Red Wine Stew
Cook beautiful pieces of beef shin in a delicious, herby red wine stock until it’s tender. Served with a creamy mashed potato for a crowd-pleasing weekend meal.
Ingredients
- 1kg beef shin, cut into chunks and excess fat trimmed
- 4 tbsp plain flour, well seasoned
- olive oil, for frying
- 2 large onions, diced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- a few sprigs rosemary, plus extra to serve, both finely chopped
- a few sprigs thyme, plus extra to serve, both finely chopped
- 375ml red wine
- 300ml beef stock
- ½ a small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- mashed potato, to serve
Instructions
STEP 1
Dust the beef in the seasoned flour then shake off the excess.
STEP 2
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan.
Brown the beef all over in batches and scoop out onto a plate (add a little more oil if needed).
STEP 3
Cook the onions and garlic with a little more olive oil in a large lidded casserole for 10-15 minutes or until the onions have softened and are translucent.
Stir in the tomato purée, rosemary and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
Add the red wine, bring to a simmer, then add the beef.
Pour in the stock and stir.
STEP 4
Cover and simmer on a low heat (or put in a 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 oven) for 2-3 hours or until the beef is meltingly tender, checking after 2 hours.
Season, then stir through the parsley, extra rosemary and thyme, and serve with mash.
Baked Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Pasta
Fill some giant pasta shells with creamy ricotta cheese and spinach for a very simple vegetarian meal, on the table in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 175g giant pasta shells
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- a pinch dried chilli flakes (optional)
- 200g spinach, chopped
- 125g ricotta
- ½ lemon, zested
- 400g jar tomato and chilli pasta sauce
- 25g parmesan (or veggie alternative), finely grated
Instructions
STEP 1
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/ gas 5.
Cook the shells following pack instructions, but drain when they are still a little al dente as they will cook more in the oven.
STEP 2
Heat the olive oil in a pan and gently cook the garlic (and chilli, if using) for 2-3 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted.
Stir in the ricotta and lemon zest, then season well.
STEP 3
Spoon the tomato sauce evenly across the bottom of a baking dish.
Use a teaspoon to pack each shell with the spinach and ricotta mixture, then put into the dish, making sure the shells are evenly spaced apart.
Dot any left-over mixture on top.
STEP 4
Sprinkle with parmesan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbling and golden.
Vegetarian Cassoulet
This meat-free version of a cassoulet has deep flavour from the rich and meaty mushrooms. Double up on this stew recipe and freeze the extra for another day. When ready to cook, simple defrost and top with breadcrumbs before baking.
Ingredients
- 20g dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 120g shiitake mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 400g tin cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 3 sprigs thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 70g fresh wholemeal breadcrumbs
- 6 leaves sage, very finely chopped
- 1⁄2 lemon, zested
- 10g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Instructions
STEP 1
Put the dried mushrooms in a large heatproof bowl and pour over 200ml of just-boiled water. Let the mushrooms soak for 20 minutes until very soft.
Remove the mushrooms, squeezing any liquid back into the bowl.
Pour the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving for later. Coarsely chop the soaked mushrooms and set aside.
STEP 2
Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large casserole over a medium heat and fry the leek, carrot, celery and garlic with a good pinch of salt for 10 minutes until softened.
Add the chestnut and shiitake mushrooms and cook for 5 minutes until they have started to brown.
Sprinkle over the paprika and cook for 1 minute.
STEP 3
Add the beans, tomatoes, thyme and bay along with the reserved porcini mushrooms and their soaking liquid, stirring together.
Season, bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer for 15 minutes until the beans have softened.
Remove the lid and cook for a further 5 minutes until the liquid has reduced slightly.
STEP 4
Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium-high.
Combine the breadcrumbs, sage and lemon zest in a large bowl.
Drizzle over 1 tsp oil and toss together.
Stir the parsley into the stew and season to taste. Sprinkle over the breadcrumbs and put under the grill for 4-5 minutes or until golden and crisp topped.
Serve.
Slow-Cooked Brisket
Ingredients
- 1.5kg rolled beef brisket joint
- groundnut oil, for frying
- 2 onions, chopped
- 1 tbsp plain flour
- a large glass red wine
- 300ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 8 whole sprigs thyme
- 1 star anise
- 2 carrots, peeled and quartered
- 2 sticks celery, quartered
Instructions
STEP 1
Heat a large frying pan until hot.
Rub the joint all over with oil and season really well.
Sear on all sides until golden, making sure you get a nice dark colour.
Transfer to the slow cooker.
STEP 2
Add the onions to the same frying pan and cook for 10 minutes or until starting to go golden at the edges.
STEP 3
Sprinkle over the flour, stir well and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Gradually add in the wine, stirring, then stir in the stock and Worcestershire sauce.
Tip the onion mixture on top of the beef, then add the thyme and star anise, and tuck in the carrots and celery.
STEP 4
Set the slow cooker to high and cook for 5 hours.
Take out the brisket and put on a plate. Scoop out the carrot, celery and thyme, and discard.
Serve the brisket with the gravy, which should be nicely thickened with the melted onions.
Enjoy!
Apple Crumble
A super-easy, old school Apple Crumble that’s a guaranteed family favourite. A classic dessert that never fails to impress on a cool winter’s evening, with hot delicious custard.
Ingredients
- 1kg bramley apples, peeled
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- custard or ice cream, to serve
- 350g plain flour
- 175g salted butter, chilled and diced
- 100g golden caster sugar
Instructions
STEP 1
To make the crumble, put the flour and butter in a food processor and pulse to rough breadcrumbs.
Stir in the sugar and a big pinch of salt.
STEP 2
Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
Cut the apples into quarters and remove the cores.
Thickly slice and toss with the lemon juice, 150g of the sugar and the cinnamon.
Put the apples in an ovenproof dish and scatter over the crumble mix, spreading it evenly.
Sprinkle over the rest of the sugar.
STEP 3
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden on top and bubbling around the edges.
Serve with custard or ice cream.
Enjoy!
Celery & Stilton Soup
At a time when most households have plenty of festive cheeseboards out, make the most of those cheesy leftovers with this velvety smooth soup. You’ll need a wedge of stilton, a bunch of celery and a healthy glug of cream for this delicious recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 1 bunch celery, leaves picked and sticks chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 medium floury potato, peeled and chopped
- 750ml vegetable stock
- 100ml single cream
- 100g stilton, crumbled
- chives, snipped to make 1 tbsp
Instructions
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a stock pot or large pan and fry the chopped celery and onion for 8-10 minutes until softened but not golden.
Stir in the potato and stock, then simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the potato is tender.
STEP 2
Blitz the mixture with a stick blender until smooth, then stir in the cream and most of the cheese.
Heat gently until the mixture is steaming and the cheese has melted.
Season well, then add a splash more stock or water if you prefer a thinner soup.
STEP 3
Ladle the soup into bowls.
Crumble over the remaining cheese, then top with the reserved celery leaves, the chives, some more black pepper and a little olive oil.
Enjoy!
Spiced Toffee Apple Traybake
Ingredients
- 250g plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 75g soft light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 150ml vegetable oil
- 350g Bramley apple sauce
- to serve toffee sauce
- 25g butter, plus extra for the tin
- 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar
- 2 eating apples, peeled and cut into wedges
Instructions
STEP 1
To make the apple topping, heat the butter in a pan and stir in the brown sugar until melted, then add the apples and toss.
Leave to cool a little.
STEP 2
Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
Butter and line the base of a deep 22-23cm square cake tin.
Mix the flour, bicarb, ginger and mixed spice in a bowl.
Put the sugars, eggs, oil and apple sauce in a separate bowl, and whisk to combine.
Gradually add the dry ingredients, beating until combined.
STEP 3
Spoon the mixture into the tin.
Arrange the apple pieces and drizzle the sauce from the pan on top and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Keep an eye on it and cover the cake with foil for the final 5-10 minutes if it’s browning too much.
STEP 4
Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out. Serve warm as a pudding or at room temperature.
Drizzle with toffee sauce to serve.
Enjoy!
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