We started out our delicious feast with this sumptuous appetizer. I originally wanted to use endive leaves, as they are in season. After looking high and low, all around town and to no avail, I settled for baby lettuce leaves. It worked just as well. Here’s what you’ll need:

250g Philladelphia cream cheese

2 Tablespoons of milk

1 Tablespoon dill + more for presentation

1 Tablespoon chives, finely chopped

8 smoked salmon slices

8 baby lettuce leaves

20g of caviar

Put it together

1) Wash the lettuce leaves and pat dry with a paper towel

2) In a food processor, whip the cheese, dill, chives and milk for about 1-2 minutes

3) Lay out the lettuce leaves on a decorative plate

4) Spread the cream cheese mixture on the lettuce leaves

5) Top with smoked salmon rolls

6) Sprinkle with a little bit of caviar and dill

7) serve with some lemon slices or wedges

And voila! Simple yet appetizing.

Foie Gras, reminds me of christmas’s past and is one of my favorite things to have during the holiday season. It’s very rich, has a mild liver taste, wonderfully creamy, melts in your mouth with a soft texture like silk on your tongue!

So, I went into borough market to get some of the delicacies I required for my over the top 7-course Christmas Menu! This is my first attempt at making Foie Gras, so I asked the lovely French Delicatessen gentlemen and he suggested 30g of black truffles for 500g of Foie Gras lobe. I chose to pair it with the pomegranate as it’s in season and my father’s sent me a  bottle of delicious pomegrante mollasses, I wanted to make use of!

Here’s what you’ll need:

500g foie gras lobe- at room temperature

30g fresh black truffles

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

Seeds of 1 pomegranate

2 tablespoons pomegrante mollasses- can be found in any Middle Eastern shop

Here’s the process:

1)  Clean the lobe by gently removing the main vein. To do this, it is best to seperate the lobe into halfs. The foie gras will melt in your hands and your grip may slip. Keep paper towels handy.

2) marinate over night: sprinkle with the salt, pepper and evenly grate the black truffle all over.

3) Gently cut into small cubes

4) Remove 1/3 of the foie gras and place on the end of the cling film sheet nearest to you. 

5) Using the sheets of cling film-tightly roll and wrap into sausage shapes. Repeat for each sausage another 2 times, to ensure it is well wrapped.

6) Twirl ends and then tie into a tight knot.

7) Heat water to a constant temperature of 80c and poach for 6 minutes

5) let cool and sit in fridge overnight or a couple of days, till ready to serve! 

Serve the foie gras with some toasted brioche slices, pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of pomegranate mollasses.