Ok, let’s see a show of hands. Who put their Christmas decorations up in November?
Apparently, according to a survey in Good Housekeeping, 63% of Brits think November is too early to put up a Christmas tree.
Well, from our observations, it would seem the great British public are telling fibs!
We’ve never seen as many decorations up in November and before you say, here goes Chef ‘The Grinch’ Chris about to have moan, then please stop dear blog reader, as I wholeheartedly agree. On. This. Occasion.
In a normal year, yes I may have had a different view, but after the ‘annus horribilis’ that has been 2020, I am going to give you all a pass this time.
It’s little wonder that people are trying to get into the festive spirit a lot earlier this year as we could all do with a bit of cheering up thanks to the the word beginning with ‘C’ which has dominated our lives in the worst possible way in 2020.
Of course it’s going to be a very different Christmas this year. No office parties, no large family gatherings on the big day and no popping to the pub with your mates wearing your Christmas jumpers (unless you are in Tier 1 or 2 and having a ‘substantial meal’, whatever that is!) and, well you get the drift.
But we’ll all make the most of Christmas, if only to have a bit of normality back in our lives for a few days. And one thing everyone does at Christmas is eat. A. Lot.
Whether it’s a traditional Christmas dinner, party food (we know a great company that makes the best, wink, wink), snacks, chocolate, and not forgetting the alcohol, it’s a time to indulge and forget about the year that was.
But one tip, on Christmas day, with so much food ahead of you, don’t overdo it when it comes to the most important meal of the day, i.e. breakfast.
It was English Breakfast Day this week, so with Christmas Day now only three weeks to the day (Friday 4th as we write) away, we thought we would provide a Christmas Day breakfast that won’t fill you up, but which is delicious.
Hot smoked salmon and toasted bagel breakfast board
Hot smoked salmon:
- 400g smoked salmon fillet (available at your local fishmonger)
Place on a baking tray set at 180oc drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice and heat through.
Dill and horseradish cream cheese:
- 230g cream cheese
- 20g lemon juice
- 40g freshly grated horseradish
- 1 tsp salt
- 10g freshly chopped dill
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside.
- Pickled cucumber
- 235g shaved cucumber
- 5g salt
- 320g white wine vinegar
- 150g caster sugar
- Pinch of chilli flakes
- 10 whole coriander seeds
- 10 whole black pepper corns
Bring to the boil everything but the cucumber, take off the heat allow to cool slightly then add the cucumber and leave to pickle for a couple of hours.
To finish:
- Sliced avocados
- Toasted bagels
- Boiled eggs
- Sliced red onion
Slice in half the toasted bagels, then arrange all the condiments and extras around the warm smoked salmon and let everyone dig in.
About Chris Brown
Sous Chef of SK Foods.
Your food. Our Passion.
