The Last Bite by Anna Higham

Author:Anna Higham [DK]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780241593622
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd

g DRIED FRUITS g Contents

Mincemeat and quincemeat

Mince pies are the herald of festive cheer here in the UK. They are in the back of my mind as soon as the British apple season starts but I hold out until October when quinces are available to start making the mincemeat, and then until 1 December to bake my first mince pie. If you’re not quite that organized (who is really?) then you can make this at any time in the run-up to Christmas. The longer you can give it to rest before baking into pies, the better: I’d suggest at least a couple of weeks. The inclusion of beef mince harks back to a time when mince pies were more about the meat than the fruit. It gives the pies a gentle savoury undercurrent rather than an overtly beefy flavour. The beef and suet also add to the unctuously sticky texture of the mincemeat. The “quincemeat” (a name I wish I could take credit for but which originally came from Nigella Lawson) came out of a need for a meat-free version. The mix of raw and cooked quince gives textural interest, while the addition of dates recreates the sticky quality of the beef and suet. The long, slow roast here helps give the mincemeat a mellow but very rich flavour. Most recipes do not cook out the alcohol beforehand; doing so here really integrates the flavour of the different spirits into the mincemeat and adds complexity. It also smells phenomenal as it bakes. This recipe makes quite a lot of mincemeat but if you’re going to all that trouble then I’m sure you’re going to want plenty of pies as a reward down the line. I won’t judge if you keep the majority for personal consumption.

Mincemeat

makes 2.2kg (4lb 14oz), enough for about 36 pies

400g (14oz) fatty minced (ground) beef

1 whole nutmeg, grated

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground black pepper

300g (2 cups) Cox or Braeburn apples, coarsely grated

350g (2⅓ cups) sultanas (golden raisins)

350g (2⅓ cups) dried currants

250g (1¼ cups) dark muscovado sugar

200g (7oz) beef suet

zest and juice of 2 oranges

zest and juice of 2 lemons

125ml (½ cup) brandy

125ml (½ cup) rum

50ml (¼ cup) Port

Quincemeat

makes 2.2kg (4lb 14oz), enough for about 36 pies

1 whole nutmeg, grated

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground allspice

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground black pepper

5g (1 tsp) salt

325g (2 generous cups) apples, coarsely grated

175g (1 generous cup) poached quince, diced

175g (1 generous cup) quinces, peeled, cored and grated

300g (1⅓ cups) dates

350g (2⅓ cups) sultanas (golden raisins)

350g (2¼ cups) dried currants

250g (1¼ cups) dark muscovado sugar

zest and juice of 3 oranges

zest and juice of 3 lemons

125ml (½ cup) brandy

125ml (½ cup) rum

50ml (¼ cup) Port

The methods for the mincemeat and quincemeat are identical except for the first step and the cooling. For the mincemeat, fry or roast the minced beef just enough to give a little colour and to ensure it’s cooked through. Add any fat that comes off in the cooking to your mix along with the beef.

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