Day 208: an essential duo

Key for the main event and essential for the many leftover-based feasts and sandwiches that follow: Day 208 is Nigella’s Redder than Red Cranberry and her Mother's Bread Sauce. I’ve actually been using these recipes since I started hosting Christmas about ten years ago, and I often make a triple batch of the cranberry sauce to jar up and give out as prezzies, or take with to December wine/cheese/nibble nights (back when they were a thing). I’ve found that by decanting the gleaming, liquid ruby jewel into sterilised jars, while it’s still piping hot, and sealing immediately, that it lasts for quite a while in the cupboard. In fact, I know one December I opened a jar from the previous Decemeber and it was absolutely fine; following N's tip of thinning with a spritz of lemon juice - or clementine juice - if necessary.

Nigella’s Redder Than Red Cranberry Sauce

Spread inside a festive twist on Nigella's Toasted Brie, Parma Ham and Fig Sandwich - using turkey and smoked bacon/sliced bacon and stuffing roll - is a thing of dreams.

Nigella’s Mother's Bread Sauce

Even though I could eat this with every poultry-based roast dinner, all year round, I save the enjoyment for one double batch every year; making it only at Christmas and relishing in the fridge-side dunking of roast potatoes, bacon and stuffing rolls and cold roast turkey (particularly the jelly-sodden, dark meat you find at the bottom of the platter) - alternating dunks between gravy and bread sauce.

I stirred through double cream after this photo was taken.