SOMETHING TO MULL
OVER!
Margaret Williamson January 2014
Whether you make your own mulled wine, or buy some litre
bottles of Gluhwein from your
favourite German discount store, it's lovely served warm with mince pies over the
festive season. You can dress it up with orange and lemon slices, cinnamon
sticks, cloves and extra sugar to taste. Once the New Year arrives, though, any
leftovers (open or sealed) look well past their drink-by-date but Gluhwein can be used in some very tasty
ways.
Poached Pears in
Mulled Wine (for 6) – Take 6 hard pears (those bought in for Christmas that
never seem to ripen will do fine), 300 ml/half a pint of mulled wine (add a
strip of lemon peel and a pinch of ground ginger if you wish) and 100 g/4 oz of
sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the wine, then heat until boiling, stirring
regularly (about 5 minutes in a suitable container in the microwave, or use a
pan on the hob). Meanwhile, carefully peel the pears, leaving them whole with
stalks intact, and stand them in the hot wine. Microwave or simmer them for
another 5 minutes or so until just tender, basting them with the syrup a couple
of times. Remove the pears, stand them upright in a serving bowl, and boil the
syrup uncovered for another 5 minutes to reduce it. Pour over the pears, leave
to cool, then chill in the fridge. Delicious served with ginger or cinnamon
biscuits – if you have any of those Dutch cinnamon biscuits sold at Christmas,
they are ideal.
Fruity Chicken in Red
Wine, or Cock-au-Van (for 4) – Try replacing red wine with mulled wine in
your favourite coq au vin recipe. I
use 4 fresh chicken pieces, 1 tbsp olive oil, 100 g/4 oz chopped bacon, a
chopped onion, a clove of garlic if liked, 100 g/4 oz mushrooms, 3 level tbsp plain
flour and 300 ml/half a pint of mulled wine. Add salt and pepper to taste and a
few sliced olives if you like them. No need for herbs - the mulled wine will
give the dish a good fruity flavour. Cook by microwave, pressure cooker, slow
cooker or casserole, as you wish.
Fruity Chicken Pie
(for 2) – Again, you can use mulled wine rather than red wine in a
delicious chicken or turkey pie, if you have an oven. Chop up 2 fresh chicken
breasts (or an equivalent amount of leftover cooked chicken or turkey). Cook them
as you will for the pie filling, with 1 tbsp olive oil, 50 g/2 oz chopped
bacon, a chopped onion, 75 g/3 oz chopped mushrooms, 2 tbsp plain flour and 300
ml/half a pint of mulled wine, adding salt, pepper and thyme to taste. Put this
cooked filling in a deep pie dish, cover with shortcrust or puff pastry (a
packet of ready-made flaky pastry is easiest if you can get it), bake for 30
minutes or so at 220 C, 425 F, gas mark 7, or just 'High'.
Winter Walk – If none
of the above appeal to you, simply heat up the leftover mulled wine and fill a
thermos flask to take on a winter walk or picnic. Not recommended for cycle
rides, though!
-o0o-
|