< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGPreparation Time; 15 minutesCooking Time; 90 minutesYou’ll need:5kg free-range Totally TraditionalTurkey4 tbsp rapeseed oilSea salt and black pepperFor the stuffing:75g butter2 tbsp rapeseed oil8 shallots, peeled and finely chopped3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finelychopped250g dried figs, chopped into smallcubes2 small eating apples250g fresh breadcrumbs3 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped750g sausage meat3 tbsp of parsley, chopped1 large egg beatenSea salt and black pepperWhat to do:Preheat oven to 230°C/Gas Mark 8Remove turkey giblets and reserve.Rinse the turkey inside and out and drywell.Place the turkey in a large roastingpan, brush the turkey generously withrapeseed oil and season with sea saltand black pepper and cover with foil.Place the prepared turkey in the pre-heated oven and cook at thistemperature for the first 30 minutes.Then, lower the oven temperature to180°C/Gas Mark 4 and cook forapproximately 30 minutes per kilo,basting every hour.To prepare the stuffing, heat thebutter and rapeseed oil until the butterhas melted. Add the shallot and frygently until well softened but notbrowned. Stir in the garlic and seasonwell with sea salt and black pepper.Remove from the heat and place in abowl, leave to cool. Peel the apples, cut into quarters,remove the core and cut into smallcubes. Mix the figs, apples,breadcrumbs, sage, sausage meat andChristmas timeIt’s Christmas, or soon will be, which means that it’s time to bring outthose oven mitts and start preparing a feast for the family – andwhatever guests might be coming too. parsley with the shallots, season wellwith sea salt and black pepper usingclean hands and then mix in the beatenegg. The mixture should be quite firm,with wet hands, mould the stuffing intoballs the size of a golf ball. Place on a greased baking sheet andbake in the pre-heated oven for about20 minutes, until golden brown andcooked through. Alternatively you canuse the mixture to stuff an onion, perperson, and place the rest of themixture into an ovenproof dish to cook. Take one small onion per person andpeel, leaving the top of the onion intactand the base root in place. Peel andboil, whole, in salted boiling water for 8-10 minutes, until just soft, drain and coolin cold water. Drain and cut the top offthe onion, about three quarters of theway up, so as to make a lid. Using asharp knife, hollow out the onion andstuff with the stuffing mixture, replacethe lid and brush all over with rapeseed oil. Bake for 30-35 minutes in theoven alongside the turkey until cookedthrough and slightly caramelised. When the turkey is approximately 35minutes before the end of cooking,remove the foil, drain off any of theexcess fat and cook for a further 35minutes or until golden brown.Transfer the turkey to a platter andcover loosely with foil and leave to restfor 20-30 minutes.Serve the turkey carved with stuffingballs or stuffed onions and gravy.Recipe supplied bywww.totallytraditionalturkeys.comROASTED TURKEY WITHSHALLOT STUFFINGWITH FRESH SAGE50-54_Layout 1 15/11/2016 13:01 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY51FOOD & DININGThe China Royal Chinese Restaurant6 Bridge Street, Brigg DN20 8LNTel: 01652 650688 Takeaway Service 01652 654762www.chinaroyal.co.ukThe intimate, warmsurroundings of the ChinaRoyal are ideal for the mostromantic dinner or thelargest banquet. Serving thebest in Chinese cuisine, ithas five star scores on thedoors, and is open throughoutall Bank Holidays.Deliciously Deliciously LincolnshireGoldAwarded for outstanding quality and service byLincolnshireTodayawardWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETBookings now beingtaken for ChristmasWhat to do:Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas Mark 4. Cream the butterand sugar together until light and fluffy. Then blend in theeggs, vanilla, flour and cranberries, adding a little milk ifnecessary to give a fairly soft consistency.Spoon the mixture into lightly greased individual puddingbasins. Cover each loosely with a piece of greased greaseproofpaper. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes untilwell risen and just firm.For the sauce place the cranberries in a saucepan with thewater and sugar and heat gently until the cranberries pop andburst and the sauce reduces a little. Stir in the butter andcontinue for a few minutes until the sauce thickens andbecomes slightly syrupy.To serve turn out the puddings and pour on a little of thecranberry toffee sauce. Serve with thick cream or ice creamand the rest of the sauce. Tip: To cook one large pudding you will need 1.2litre/2pintbasin lightly greased. Cover with greased greaseproof paperand tie with string. Allow 11⁄2-2 hours traditional steaming in alarge pan of simmering water, topping up with extra wateroccasionally. Recipe by: www.berryworld.com Not quite as rich and sweet as sticky toffeepuddings but just as delicious. Ideal for aquick weekend pudding any time of the yearServes: 4-6 (depending on size of pudding basins)Prep time: 10 minutesCook time: 30 minutesYou’ll Need:• 110g/4oz butter, softened• 175g/6oz soft light brown sugar• 2 free range eggs• 1 tsp vanilla essence• 110g/4oz wholemeal self-raising flour• 50g/2oz cranberries, chopped• 1-2 tbsp milkSauce:• 110g/4oz cranberries• 4 tbsp water• 110g/4oz soft light brown sugar• 25g/1oz butter• 50ml/floz double creamTOFFEEBERRYWORLDCRANBERRYPUDDINGSJACKSONSBUTCHERS LOUTHTraditional Lincolnshire Butcher - winning the “Lincolnshire Butcherof the Year” on six separateoccasions since 1990.Lincolnshire’s only stockistof Yorkshire Wagyu Beef118 Eastgate, LouthTel: 01507 60279750-54_Layout 1 15/11/2016 13:01 Page 252 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGMakes 4 large burgers or 10 canapé size burgers Prep time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes You’ll need: For the burgers 500g turkey mince 2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped 1 clove garlic, crushed100g rolled oats 1 egg, lightly beaten1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped Oil To serve 4 large baps or 10 mini rolls Mayonnaise Lettuce What to do:Place all the ingredients for the burgers into a large bowl, mix together andpress into either four large patties or 10 small ones. Place on a tray andrefrigerate for at least half an hour.Place the cranberries, maple syrup and orange juice and zest into a saucepan,bring to a simmer and cook until softened and syrupy, then add the pecans.Cook the burgers either in a griddle or frying pan in a little oil, over a mediumheat for approximately 10-12 minutes each side for the large ones and 5-7 minutesfor the small. Make sure to check they are cooked through and piping hot.Serve in warm baps or mini rolls spread with mayonnaise, topped with a littlelettuce and a good spoonful of the cranberry and pecan sauce.Tip:To make a version from left-over turkey simply chop or mince left overdark and white cooked Turkey meat, add some breadcrumbs and a beaten egg ora little mayonnaise to bind, form into patties and fry until golden and piping hot.Serve as above with the cranberry and pecan sauce.Recipe by: Berryworld.com More Turkey Curry? If the answer is ‘No’ thenthis Christmas sandwich loaf is a much moreinteresting way of using up leftover turkey.Serves: 4-6Preparation time: 15 minutes plus standing timeCooking time: 0You’ll need:1 circular loaf3 tbsp cranberry sauce6-8 long Cos Leaves150g mozzarella, slicedjar roasted vegetables (Peppers, aubergines, courgettes etc)leftover turkey breast torn into piecesWhat to do:Cut the top off the loaf approx 1⁄4the way down and pull the softbread out of the centre to make a bowl shape of the crust with a 2cmlayer of bread inside. Spread half of the cranberry sauce in a thin layer all over the insideof the bread bowl then layer half of the Cos leaves over the bottom,tearing them to fit. Add a layer of mozzarella then the roast veg thenthe turkey and top with the rest of the cranberry. Repeat this till thebread bowl is full. End with a layer of Cos leaves.Replace the lid and tightly wrap the whole thing in cling film andbalance a can on top to weigh it down. Leave to firm up for 1-4 hrs.Cut into slices to serve.Note: dry the roast veg and mozzarella on kitchen roll to avoid thebread getting too soggy.Recipe by: Makemoreofsalad.com TURKEY ANDMOZZARELLACHRISTMASSANDWICH LOAFBERRYWORLDTURKEY BURGER BerryWorld CranberryTurkey Burger withCranberry and Pecan SauceCelebrate Thanksgiving or any other specialoccasion by serving these tasty turkeyburgers either as canapés, or as quarterpounders, with plenty of cranberry crunchand lashings of cranberry sauce to sink yourteeth into.For the cranberry and pecan sauce 250g fresh cranberries 100ml maple syrup Juice and grated zest 1 orange 25g pecans 50-54_Layout 1 15/11/2016 13:01 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY53Serves: 4Preparation time: 20 MinutesCooking time: 20 Minutes (plus 2hrs 15 for simmering time the ham).You’ll need4 eggs1 ham hock, soaked in cold water overnight 4 sticks of Fenland celery1 small or half a head of celeriac, peeledHandful of celery leaves2 tbsp olive oilSalt and pepper 1 tbsp malt or white wine vinegarA celery family salad,this dish bringstogether seasonalFenland celery, leavesand all, with celeriacand ham hock ñ agreat all-round meatthat sits very happilyin this warm andflavour-filled wintersalad. THREE CELERY SALAD WITHHAM HOCK, MUSTARD ANDA POACHED EGGFor the dressing 1 tbsp cider vinegar2 tsp grain mustard1 tsp Dijon mustard2 tbsp olive oil2 tbsp vegetable or corn oilSalt and pepper What to doRinse off the ham hock, place in a large saucepan andcover well with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmergently for about 2 hours, or until the meat is just comingaway from the bone. Leave to cool in the liquid.Cut the celeriac into rough 2cm, odd-sized pieces andblanch in boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes until justtender. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Cut the Fenland celery into cm-thick slices on theangle and blanch for a minute in the celeriac water; drainand leave to cool.Heat the olive oil in a heavy or non-stick frying pan andfry the pieces of celeriac for 3-4 minutes, seasoninglightly as they are cooking, until they are lightly coloured.Transfer to a plate and leave to cool a little.Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a tablespoonof malt or white wine vinegar. To synchronise cooking theeggs, carefully crack them into cups then pour into thepan of simmering water for a couple of minutes. Removethe eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and dry onkitchen paper.For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients togetherand season with salt and pepper. Remove the ham hockfrom the bone and break into bite-sized pieces. Arrangethe celeriac, Fenland celery with the celery leaves onserving plates. Add the ham hock, spoon over thedressing and place a poached egg on the top. Tip:Fenland celery is a heritage variety of celerygrown in the Cambridgeshire Fens. In 2013, Fenlandcelery was awarded Protected Geographical Indication(PGI) status and joined the ranks of Parma ham,Champagne and Melton Mowbray Pork Pies. Fenlandcelery is only grown in small pockets of Cambridgeshire,Suffolk and Norfolk using traditional farming methods.The deep, peaty soils in the Fens work towards givingFenland celery its nutty-sweet flavour and paler colour.Fenland celery is available from October to Decemberand can be found in Waitrose, Marks & Spencer, Tescoand Ocado.Recipe by: fenlandcelery.com 50-54_Layout 1 15/11/2016 13:02 Page 454 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFOOD & DININGPicture yourvenueClick’em InnSwinhope, Nr Binbrook, Market Rasen, LN8 6BSTel: 01472 398253 Web: www.clickem-inn.co.uk The Click’em Inn is a family-owned freehouse,established for over 30 years in its current incarnation.Steeped in history, the inn is open seven days a week,offering a wide choice of drinks, including six real alesavailable at any time, with a regularly changing selection of personally recommended guestales. The kitchen is open all week for evening dining, plus lunchtimes on certain days of theweek. The menu varies from day-to-day with the chef’s specials, alongside regular meals. Exotic Thai Restaurant205 High Street, ScunthorpeTel: 01724 843204Exotic Thai Restaurant is a testament to traditional Thaicuisine. The only Thai restaurant in Scunthorpe, Exotic Thaican accommodate up to seventy guests for a deliciouschoice of authentic starters, main courses and an impressiveselection of fish dishes along with a choice of tasty desserts.The Exotic Thai prides itself on authentic Thai cuisine with friendly service, giving a truetaste of the east.Hammer & PincersSwineshead Road, Boston, PE21 7JE • Tel: 01205 361323Email: wayne.salmon@btconnect.com www. hammerandpincers-boston.co.ukThe Hammer & Pincers pub is a welcoming, warm pub that servesa great range of cask ales, fantastic food and offers service with a smile. It has a selection ofmeals available throughout the day, starting with breakfast at 9.30am on weekdays, and thenlunches and dinners. Every Sunday it offers a sumptuous carvery with a range of meats andvegetables to choose from. It also offers a range of entertainment and room for large parties. Hammer & Pincers now serve food all day on Saturday and Sunday.Merrimans Lounge & RestaurantGreat Fen Road, Wyberton Fen, BostonTel: 01205 362378Merrimans is based in a unique timber framed buildinglocated on the outskirts of Boston, where all food is freshlyprepared in the restaurant kitchen, using only locallysourced ingredients. As well as the À la Carte and char-grillmenu, there are also early bird, lunch and children’s menus.Merrimans can provide the very best in business buffet lunches as well as catering forcharity functions and special occasions.TheBluebell Inn & RestaurantMain Street, Belchford, Horncastle Bookings 01507 533602www.bluebellbelchford.co.ukOpen 7 days a week. Monday - Saturday 11.30am - 2.30pm & 6.30pm - 11pm, Sunday 12PM - 10.30pm. Lunch served 12pm - 2pm. Evening Meals 6.30pm - 9pmThe Bluebell Inn has a reputation for serving top quality food and drinkGood foodFine DiningGreatAtmosphere Cup your hands around this tasty tipple and feeltoasty inside and out. Fruity and comforting, thesmooth warmed golden rum perfectlycomplements the dry cranberry and sour apple.This drink can easily be made in larger quantitiesfor groups or parties.You’ need: 2 parts Warmed Cranberry juice2 parts Warmed apple juiceHalf part Cranberry cordial1 part Golden RumHalf part ChambordWhat to do:Warm all the ingredients, being careful not to boil, and ladleinto a wine glass, garnish with a string of redcurrants.COURTESY OF BELVOIR FRUIT FARMSSANTA’S LITTLEHELPERTo promote your services callAngie Cooper on 01472 310302or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk50-54_Layout 1 15/11/2016 13:02 Page 5FOOD & DININGthe heaviness that mires other trifles. Every dish left us hesitating just longenough over each meal to appreciate theartistry before we tucked in. Throughoutthe evening it surprised us just howaffordable each dish was, despite the levelof detail, quality of the ingredients and theoverall taste. It’s little surprise the Hotel ispart of Select Lincolnshire, with itsguarantee of quality local produce, or thatnew manager Barry Flint is so passionateabout the establishment. But the Humber Royal isn’t just thedomain of local diners, with the hotelplugged into the local business scene,having joined the Business Hive. It boastsexcellent facilities for corporate events andbusiness meetings, from the meeting roomand conference area, its bars, ample freeparking and its partnership with GrimsbyGolf Club to offer packages with use oftheir facilities. While there’s plenty on offerfor anyone staying at thehotel, The Brasserie isequally as open to everyone,whether it’s popping in fora drink, a fabulous creamtea or enjoying theexquisite evening meals. The lounge area of the Brasserierestaurant in Grimsby’s Humber RoyalHotel boasts an impeccably stocked bar,modern furnishings and airy ambience.The vast open windows look out over aglorious vista, with the golf coursestretching out to the horizon and back.The perfume of fresh flowers greeted us aswe sat studying the menu with acomplementary drink and an amuse-bouche of Thai Fish Cakes – though itchanges daily. To start, I opted for the Cote Hill BlueRisotto Cake, which consisted of a silky,flavoursome risotto, encased inbreadcrumbs and deep fried until it waslight and crispy. The creaminess was offsetwith the accompanying tomato couliswhich added an astringent dimension. Mypartner was equally as drawn to theMediterranean option with the MezzaPlatter – a selection of smoked meats,tapenade (a mix of chopped olives, oil,capers and anchovies), hummus, olives andtoasted pitta bread, all strikingly served ona wooden slab. Following our starters was certainly a tallorder, but our options were every bit asenticing. I’m usually drawn to the fish dish,but hesitated over the surf and turf option.For me, pairing fish and meat has alwaysbeen a naff affair, but the dish I waspresented with smashed everypreconception. The delicate flavour andlight texture of the cod loin rested on topof a crispy panko crumbled pork schnitzel,completed with sautéed new potatoes andan unctuous messine sauce. The Rack ofLincolnshire Lamb and Spiced Shoulder ofLamb my partner ordered was everything ameat dish should be. The meat was someof the most succulent either of us had evertasted, with each component cooked totheir respective bests. But meat alone ameal does not make, and the braisedfennel, with its anise inflections, struck aflavour harmony with the rich umami ofthe lamb. For me, no desert is quite completewithout the addition of meringue, so theRaspberry Créme Brulee served with ahome-made biscuit, broken brandy snapsand toasted meringue, was really a no-brainer. It was the Strawberry Trifle toppedwith Chantilly Cream that caught mypartner’s eye, topped with chocolateshards and a flourish of herb. While adefinitely indulgent dish, it had none ofThe Humber Royal Hotel,GrimsbyStepping inside the Humber Royal, it’s plain to see that the hotel is one of Grimsby’s best kept secrets, but with itsstunning backdrop of the golf course, excellent business facilities and impeccable menu, it’s about time that changed. Deliciously Deliciously LincolnshirePlatinumAwarded for outstanding quality and service byLincolnshireTodayawardWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETFor more information, to book a table/room visit www.thehumberroyalhotel.co.uk oremail reservations.grimsby@icon-hotels.co.uk, alternatively you can call 01472 240024. 55_Layout 1 15/11/2016 11:52 Page 156 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYThough undeniably majestic, thesparrowhawk belongs to the group ofanimals most of us would rather admirefrom afar then welcome into the home(or garden). The hardy bird was almostwiped out in the fifties due to agriculturalpesticides, but has enjoyed a comeback torival Elvis’ leather clad ’68 special. Somehomeowners have taken to shooing themaway from their bird tables, where theirincreased numbers is leaving little for theother birds. The name is a giveaway, butthe hawk dines on sparrows and smallerbirds, and a backyard bird table is an allyou can eat buffet. We won’t deny that seeing asparrowhawk swoop off with a chirpingfledgling can be difficult to stomach, notto mention upsetting, but MotherNature’s cruel streak does ensure thevictim species is healthy by weeding outorange or, in some cases, red. The sparrowhawk is one of our smallestbirds of prey with even the larger femaleonly around the size of a pigeon. Don’tlet their size fool you, they’re adept atkilling and employ a variety of cunninghunting tactics such as ambushing preyfrom a perch, or flying low and suddenlychanging direction. Its pale underside andcontrasting top help break up the bird’soutline so it can better swoop down onits prey, and there are plenty of victims topick from. More than 120 differentspecies of birds have been recorded asprey. But the sparrowhawk isn’t withoutits own enemies and will often find itselfat the mercy of goshawks or the tawnyowl. A female sparrowhawk mighteven kill a prospective suitor. The sparrowhawk is active allyear, so chances are you’ll beable to spot one throughoutthe festive period. It’s probablybest not to think about thefledglings, though. With a reputation for scarfing down fledglings and disturbing anotherwise tranquil garden, the sparrowhawk has a lot to answer for. Butit can’t be all bad, can it? Lincolnshirewildlifethe sick and unwary – those thatwouldn’t survive their first winterregardless of predation. The bird gainedfull protection in Britain in 1961, so it’sprobably best not to take the law intoyour own hands. The appearance of a sparrowhawk ispretty typical, but the colour of its eyesdepends on age and gender. Youngerbirds tend to have greenish-yellowcoloured eyes which become a brightershade of yellow within the first few yearsof their lives. In some older males,though, the eye colour can becomePHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/TBALLA56-57_Layout 1 14/11/2016 14:14 Page 1PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/STEVEN WARD56-57_Layout 1 14/11/2016 14:14 Page 258 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYWEDDINGSPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/DIANA SAVICH58-64_Layout 1 14/11/2016 14:28 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY59WEDDINGSBeing one of the most common times for proposals,for those lucky enough to receive a ring in theirstockings, it’s never too early – or too late – to startplanning your big day. Once upon aChristmas60 ÁOnce upon aChristmas58-64_Layout 1 14/11/2016 14:29 Page 2Next >