Merry Christmas 2017
A Wok on the Wild Side would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
In the words of the festive tune, it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas when the leg of ham is in the fridge, when I put cranberry sauce on my shopping list and I wonder if mango sorbet will go well with Christmas pudding.
Hopefully I will wake up early enough on Christmas Eve to get the largest oysters for dinner and prepare a vegetarian alternative to turkey and ham for my vegetarian daughter.
Please remember the disadvantaged and needy and help them enjoy the festive season as well.
Donate to your favourite charity or perhaps volunteer to help serve Christmas lunch to the elderly at your local town hall.
We can all help in our own way to make this earth a happy and peaceful place.
If you want to buy a goat for a needy family in India, a cute story card for children and beautifully handmade gifts, check out Oxfam's website on www.unwrapped.oxfam.org.au for ideas.
Most of us enjoy a leg of ham at Christmas, but do you know how to store the leftovers and what to do with them besides eating ham sandwiches for the next two weeks?
For tips on slicing, dicing and storing ham, visit www.pork.com.au
Meanwhile, try this absolutely decadent recipe, if you dare.
Candied bacon rocky road
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp brown sugar
175g rindless bacon rashers
400g dark chocolate,roughly chopped
280g white and pink marshmallows, roughly chopped
200g glace cherries
150g Turkish Delight chocolate bar, roughly chopped
1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts
Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan-forced.
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Combine maple syrup and brown sugar in a small bowl.
Place bacon onto prepared tray and brush generously with maple syrup glaze. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn bacon and brush with maple syrup mixture. Bake for a further 15 minutes. Stand and cool. When cold and crisp, finely chop the bacon.
Grease and line a 26cm x 16cm x 3cm deep baking pan with baking paper.
Place chocolate into a large heatproof bowl. Microwave on high in 30 second bursts, stirring with a metal spoon after each burst, until just melted. Stir until smooth.
Remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes.
Stir through marshmallows, cherries, Turkish Delight, peanuts and half of the bacon through the chocolate. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Stand at room temperature to set (or refrigerate in hot weather). Cut into squares and serve.
Eat small amounts and savour the flavours.
Bon appetit!
