Preserved lemons and limes. Photo / Babiche Martens
Crikey, it is so hard to believe Christmas is less than a month away - but I must admit it is my favourite time of the year. When else can you
decorate the house from top to toe with reckless abandon, including the
outside, for the neighbours
to ooh and aah over? Silver balls and Johnny
Mathis on the stereo... call me a sucker for Christmas. But, of course,
food is the most important accoutrement so let's get on with it.
I think a living present is a fab idea. Select three different herbs, plant them in an attractive pot or box, wrap them and write 3-4 ideas for recipes using what has been planted. You could also add a small bottle of extra virgin olive oil, some flaky sea salt and perhaps some organic garlic.
Another idea is to preserve lemons and limes. They are so easy and such a delicious additive to many dishes, from a tagine to a stew or even just incorporating thin slices into a summer chicken salad or throwing among the seafood on the barbie. This recipe, like the next, needs some time for the flavours to develop so get going.
Cherries are gorgeously perfect and ripe now. No need to do much more than scoff them but if you douse cherries in cognac then add a few
flavourings, they make a great pressie and will keep for at least two months - delicious spooned over turkey, pork, duck or lamb. Failing that, get yourself the best quality vanilla bean icecream and ladle these plump cherries over.
