Pigs in Blankets, Shredded Sprouts with Pancetta, Luxury Bread Sauce

Nigel Barden
17 minutes ago
3 min read

by Suzanne Mulholland from The Batch Lady Saves Christmas (Ebury/Penguin) Photography: Andrew Hayes-Watkins

PIGS IN BLANKETS

Perhaps the most popular part of the Christmas meal – these are great made in advance, ready for the big day!

Prep: 5 minutes | Serves: 4

Grab and cook

12 chipolatas or 24 cocktail sausages

12 slices of streaky bacon

(halved if using cocktail sausages)

IF MAKING AHEAD FOR THE FRIDGE OR FREEZER

1 Wrap each sausage in a slice of bacon.

2 Add to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

OVEN

Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Add the frozen sausages to a baking tray and cook for 15–20 minutes.

AIR FRYER

Remove from the freezer and leave to fully defrost. Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Add the frozen sausages to the air fryer and cook for 12–15 minutes.

IF COOKING NOW

Follow the method in the ‘making ahead’ section up until the end of step 1.

OVEN

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Add the sausages to a baking tray and cook for 15–20 minutes.

AIR FRYER

Preheat the air fryer to 180°C. Add the sausages to the air fryer and cook for 12–15 minutes.

SHREDDED SPROUTS WITH PANCETTA

These sprouts are too delicious for words. They will convert even the biggest sprout hater!

Prep: 10 minutes | Serves: 4

Cook ahead

500g Brussels sprouts

1 tbsp olive oil

150g pancetta lardons

½ tsp ground nutmeg

50g pine nuts

salt and pepper

IF MAKING AHEAD FOR THE FRIDGE OR FREEZER

1 Remove and discard the outer leaves and stalks of the sprouts, then thinly slice them.

2 Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat, then add the lardons and cook until golden.

3 Add the shredded sprouts and cook for 3–4 minutes, then stir in the nutmeg and pine nuts.

4 Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Add to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.

MICROWAVE

Remove from the freezer and allow to fully defrost. Tip into a microwaveable bowl and heat through until piping hot.

HOB

Remove from the freezer and allow to fully defrost. Tip into a frying pan and cook through until piping hot.

IF COOKING NOW

Follow the method in the ‘making ahead’ section up until the end of step 3. This is now ready to eat.

MAKE IT VEGAN

To make this vegan, substitute the pancetta for chopped cooked chestnuts.

LUXURY BREAD SAUCE

Bread sauce might be my favourite part of the Christmas meal.

Prep: 15 minutes | Serves: 4–6

Cook ahead

1 onion

14 cloves

2 cups (480ml) whole milk

½ tsp ground nutmeg

2 bay leaves

1 cup (150g) fresh white breadcrumbs

½ cup (120ml) double cream

salt and pepper

IF MAKING AHEAD FOR THE FRIDGE OR FREEZER

1 Stud the onion with the cloves and add to a saucepan. Pour over the milk and add the nutmeg, bay leaves and some salt and pepper. Place over a medium–low heat and gently simmer for 10 minutes to allow the milk to infuse.

2 Remove from the heat and strain the milk through a sieve into a bowl. Discard the solids.

3 Pour the milk back into the saucepan and add the breadcrumbs and cream. Place back on the heat and cook for 5 minutes until thick.

4 Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cooled, add to a labelled freezer bag and freeze flat.