Cookin' around the Christmas tree

Fed up with traditional Christmas dinners? Why not learn from the rich, famous and beautiful people (some of them all three at once) and cook this cracking alternative five-course meal, writes OISÍN DAVIS

I HAVE A very limited conversational range. If someone can’t talk to me about food, booze or entertainment, I switch off. Thankfully my day-to-day work at Dublin’s Sugar Club brings me into contact with those who share my passion for the dinner table, the bar and the stage. With a steady flow of performers passing through my doors, I have shared many a food and beverage story over the years. And quite a few recipes too – to such an extent that I decided to upload them on a website called The Rock Cook Book (rockcookbook.com).

Christmas seemed to be the perfect excuse to get in touch with some of them again, to see what they were cooking for the big day. So here they are: the culinary secrets of the stars.

ANDREW MAXWELL

STARTER: GRILLED OYSTERS WITH A PIQUANT BUTTER SAUCE

The first course is the most important part of the Christmas meal for Maxwell, primarily as it's the only one he can ever remember. Yuletide boozing starts early for him. So much so that when it comes to dessert, his family start running bets on who's going to be asleep first – him or his granddad. He recommends washing down these oysters with bubbly. It'll be February before you can see him live again – he hits Vicar Street on the 19th – but his DVD, One Inch Punch, recorded at the same venue, will keep you laughing in the meantime.

INGREDIENTS

16 whole live oysters

2 cloves of minced garlic

3 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of freshly ground flat leaf parsley

½ teaspoon of chilli flakes

Pinch of pepper and salt

METHOD

Heat the olive oil and butter in a pan over a medium heat.

Add in the garlic, give it a quick stir and cook for about half a minute. Then lob in everything else and stir it up again. Turn off the heat and let it chill.

You then have to carefully shuck all your oysters – if any of them are open, bin them. The flesh of each oyster should be intact on one side – discard the other.

Place all of the oysters on a flat baking tray, taking care to make sure none of their natural juices spill.

Drop a teaspoon of the sauce on to each oyster and put the tray under a heated grill for about five minutes. They are done when the edges curl up a little and the sauce has browned.

HYPNOTIC BRASS ENSEMBLE

THE BREAD: KELBONE STRIPS

When the hardest-working brass band on the planet is not on the road, they love getting stuck into some home-cooked nosh. They have just finished a gruelling Gorillaz tour with a good smattering of their own shows thrown in too, so they will really be looking forward to a nice bit of Chrimbo RR. This is a dish of their own concoction called Kelbone, a hand-prepared dough that is boiled, then flavoured and baked. A lovely aromatic bread to have on the side – excellent soakage.

4kg whole wheat flour

200ml of water

2 beaten eggs

2 tablespoons of citrus pepper

1 tablespoon of lemon juice and oregano, yyy 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper

1 clove of minced garlic

METHOD

Mix the flour with water until the texture is firm and slightly moist.

Let the dough sit for four to five hours in an uncovered bowl or pot.

Take a handful of dough and wash it under cold water – until the water is clear.

Repeat until it’s all done. The dough should have now reduced to a quarter of its original size.

Cut the dough into strips about two inches wide and five inches long.

Boil the pieces in a pot of water with a drop of oil, the oregano and garlic until the texture is firm.

Put your oven to 180 degrees. Place the strips on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush them with the beaten egg and then evenly sprinkle them with the citrus pepper. Bake for about 40 minutes at 180 degrees and serve warm.

LISA HANNIGAN

THE SALAD DISH

FANS OF the charming Lisa Hannigan will know that she is not just a fine songstress, but a dab hand at baking too. She has uploaded cake and cookie recipes before on her blog and if they are anywhere as tasty as this salad, then I for one will be getting the oven mitts out over the holidays. On New Year’s Eve she will be playing alongside Cathy Davey, Jerry Fish, Jape and Neil Hannon for Turning Pirate’s Mix Tape Party in Vicar St. They should politely ask her to contribute to the backstage catering; now that would be one heckuva rider.

INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

A good pinch of cayenne

1 tablespoon olive oil

Big handful of puy lentils, rinsed

A big bowl of baby spinach and rocket

Half a packet of feta, crumbled

A small handful of pumpkin seeds

DRESSING

1 shallot chopped finely

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Handful of fresh mint, chopped finely

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon mustard

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Salt, pepper

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Halve and peel the butternut squash, scoop out the seeds and chop into inch-sized chunks. In a roasting tray, toss the squash with the cumin, paprika, cayenne and oil. Roast in oven for about 45 minutes, taking them out half way through to mix about a bit.

While that’s cooking, cover the lentils in water and boil for 20-25 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Whisk all the dressing ingredients together and set aside.

In a big serving dish, mix the salad leaves, the lentils, the crumbled feta, the warm roasted squash and toss in the dressing. Garnish with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds.

CAMILLE O’SULLIVAN

THE MAIN COURSE: ROAST GUINEAFOWL

One of these days, I may well have to gatecrash the O’Sullivan family home for Christmas. Here’s why: Camille’s French mother puts together an annual five-course feast that includes such delights as sausage crepes and a roasted main course of guineafowl. Nice! The past 12 months have seen Camille perform a month-long residency at Edinburgh Fringe, another at The Apollo London, plus a rake of shows with the likes of Tim Robbins, Marianne Faithful and Peaches that have taken her from Dublin to Sydney. No wonder she’s looking forward to mammy’s cooking.

INGREDIENTS

2 guineafowl, remove and discard giblets

8 streaky rashers

75g of butter

70ml of sherry

250ml dry white wine

Fresh tarragon

The juice of a lemon

METHOD

Heat your oven to 180 degrees.

Place a little knob of butter and a sprig of tarragon into each guinea fowl.

Wrap the breasts of each bird with four streaky rashers and bang them in the oven, ideally on the same tray for one hour. Every 15 minutes or so you should baste them, and after 45 minutes take the bacon off.

Take out the guineafowl and let them rest. Remove half of the fat on the tray and pour in the wine and sherry. Stir it all up and bring it up to the boil. Add lemon juice and then season with a pinch of salt and pepper. This is your gravy.

Carve the birds on a serving plate. Strain the gravy and pour it over them. Serve with roast potatoes and steamed French beans.

AFRO CELT SOUND SYSTEM

DESSERT: KHEER RICE PUDDING

RECIPE: JOHNNY KALSI

For our final course, we look to the East with a fine suggestion from Johnny Kalsi of Afro Celt Soundsystem. They were last here in November performing in the National Concert Hall and if you were at this year’s Picnic, there’s a good chance you would have seen them ripping it up on the main stage. Johnny’s Punjabi heritage is what led him to mastering the dhol drum and the region’s superb cuisine. His kheer pudding is a sweet fragrant dish and a staple throughout India. I reckon it’s a much nicer option than our lead-belly inducing Christmas pud.

INGREDIENTS

150g of basmati rice

180ml of water, plus more for steeping

1 litre of milk, ¾ litre of cream

120g of sugar

120g of raisins

1 teaspoon of ground cardamom

60g of chopped pistachio nuts for garnish.

METHOD

Steep the rice in a bowl of water for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse it.

Add 1½ cups of water and rice to a pot. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat without the lid on. When it starts to boil, cover it, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes. Then take it off the heat.

Meanwhile, combine the milk and cream in a large saucepan along with the sugar, raisins and cardamom. Add the rice and bring to a gentle simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat, let it cool and scoop into small bowls. Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of pistachios.