Two Recipes

A Lazy Sunday

Ingredients
2 relaxed cats
1 interesting book
1 splendid breakfast
1 pair of comfortable shoes
1 splendid dinner
2 pints of Mr John Hull’s excellent beer
1 pub quiz
tea and coffee

Method
1. Relax, have a lie in and read the interesting book whilst listening to the relaxed cats purring.
2. Cook and eat a splendid breakfast, linger over tea and coffee.
3. Laze around for a while.
4. Put on comfortable shoes, go out for a walk stroll amble. Enjoy the sunshine, but wear warm clothes in the frosty weather. Avert your eyes from any Temples of Tat with giant animatronic Santas, inflatable snowmen, 8 ft tall wooden soldiers or gigantic illuminated sleighs.
5. Visit family to deliver Christmas presents, chill out, chat and drink more coffee.
6. Cook and eat a splendid dinner.
7. Garnish with a couple of pints and a pub quiz.

Boozy Mincemeat

Ingredients
500g/ 1lb 2oz washed currants
500g/ 1lb 2oz washed raisins
500g/ 1lb 2oz washed sultanas
500g/ 1lb 2oz Bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces
500g/ 1lb 2oz vegetable or beef suet
100g/ 4oz blanched almonds, coarsley chopped
350g/ 12oz demerera sugar
1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon
2 rounded tsps mixed spice
Grated zest and the juice of 1 large lemon
250g/ 9oz chopped mixed peel
125ml/ 4fl oz dark rum
125ml/ 4fl oz Amaretto di Saronno
175ml/ 6fl oz brandy

Method
1. Tip everything into a very large bowl. Mix very thoroughly.
2. Cover and leave for around 24 hours, stir the mixture from time to time.
3. Pack into sterilised jars, cover with a circle of waxed or greaseproof paper and seal the jars. Store in a cool, dark dry place.

Notes
Based on a recipe by Ruth Watson in Good Food Christmas Made Easy ed. Mary Cadogan
Don’t hold back on the booze, it’s what preserves the mincemeat.
The original recipe suggests using within 6 months, but it makes loads and I’ve just used the last from 3 years ago.