Gordon Ramsay's latest book is the fantastic World Kitchen, which is a collection of his favourite recipes from all over the world. Here is his pick of the best party foods for the Christmas season, from American buffalo wings to meatballs from Italy.
Garlic prawns
Serves 4
600g large raw prawns
4 tbs olive oil
5–6 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 dried red chillies, finely chopped
sea salt and black pepper
To serve:
a few flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
lemon wedges
Either leave the prawns in their shells or, if you prefer, remove the heads, peel and devein, leaving the tails intact. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan. Add the garlic, dried chillies and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Fry over a medium-low heat for about a minute, until the garlic begins to colour very slightly. Immediately tip the prawns into the pan, increase the heat and fry for about 1½ minutes on each side until bright red and opaque. Arrange the prawns on a warm platter or individual plates, drizzle over the garlic-infused oil from the pan, and sprinkle with a little chopped parsley. Serve immediately, with lemon wedges. Accompany with plenty of crusty bread.
Meatballs in tomato sauce
Serves 4-5
500g good-quality minced beef
1 onion, peeled and very finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
50g white breadcrumbs
25g manchego (or cheddar), grated
2 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus extra to finish
sea salt and black pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbs olive oil
For the tomato sauce:
2 tbs olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
120ml dry white wine
2 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes
100ml water
1-2 tbs caster sugar
sea salt and black pepper
To make the meatballs, mix the minced beef, onion, garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese and parsley together in a large bowl until combined. Season well and add the beaten egg to bind, mixing with your hands. Break off a small piece of the mixture, shape into a ball and fry in an oiled pan until cooked, then taste for seasoning. Adjust the seasoning of the uncooked mixture as necessary. With damp hands, shape the mixture into about 16 meatballs, trying not to press them too tightly. Place on a large plate, cover with clingfilm and chill for at least 30 minutes to allow them to firm up.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onion and garlic and fry gently until lightly golden. Increase the heat slightly and pour in the wine. Let it bubble until reduced by half, then stir in the chopped tomatoes, water and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the tomatoes are soft, then remove the pan from the heat.
To cook the meatballs, heat the olive oil in a large, wide pan. Add the chilled meatballs and fry for 5 minutes, turning frequently, until browned all over. Pour the tomato sauce over them and simmer for a further 10-15 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.
Divide the meatballs and tomato sauce among warm bowls and sprinkle with chopped parsley to serve.
Spinach and feta filo rolls
Serves 4–6
1 tbs olive oil
150g spinach leaves, washed and drained
200g feta
1 large egg, beaten
a small bunch of mixed herbs, such as mint, flat-leaf parsley and dill, leaves chopped
sea salt and black pepper
a pinch of sumac (optional)
6 sheets of filo pastry
100g unsalted butter, melted
Heat a frying pan and add the oil. When hot, add the spinach and stir until wilted. Tip into a colander and press with the back of a ladle to squeeze out excess moisture, then pat dry with kitchen paper. Chop the spinach finely and place in a bowl. Leave to cool. Preheat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Crumble the feta over the spinach and mix in the egg, chopped herbs, seasoning and a pinch of sumac, if using.
Work with 2 filo pastry sheets at a time, keeping the rest covered with a tea towel to prevent them from drying out. Brush a sheet of filo pastry with melted butter, then press the second sheet on top. Brush again with melted butter, then cut through both layers into 4 even rectangles. Spread a tablespoonful of the feta and spinach filling along one short end of a filo rectangle, leaving a 2cm margin on both sides. Roll the pastry over the filling just to enclose it, then tuck in the ends on both sides and continue to roll up the "cigar" to the end. Place on a large, lightly buttered baking sheet and brush with more melted butter. Repeat with the rest of the filo to use up all the filling – you should have enough for 12 rolls. Bake the filo rolls in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden and crisp. Best served warm from the oven.
Buffalo chicken wings with sour cream and chive dip
Serves 4-5
3-4 tbs plain flour
1 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
sea salt
10 chicken wings
50g unsalted butter
4 tbs hot sauce (such as Frank's Red-Hot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce)
¼ tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely crushed
vegetable or groundnut oil
For the sour cream and chive dip:
150ml soured cream
3-4 tbs mayonnaise
a handful of chives, finely chopped
sea salt and black pepper
1 tsp lemon juice, or to taste
To serve:
lemon wedges
In a small bowl, mix the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and a large pinch of salt. Put the chicken wings into a large bowl. Sprinkle the spiced flour mixture over them and toss until evenly coated, then cover and refrigerate for an hour.
Meanwhile put the butter, hot sauce, pepper, garlic and a pinch of salt into a saucepan over a low heat. Stir together and heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is blended. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, for the dip: mix all the ingredients in a small bowl, adding salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste. Cover and chill until you cook the wings.
Heat a 6-7cm depth of oil in a deep-fryer or a heavy-based deep pan to 180ºC. Deep-fry the coated chicken wings in batches for 10-15 minutes, or until they begin to brown and crispen, turning them over halfway. Drain on a tray lined with kitchen paper and keep warm while you fry the rest.
Put the crispy wings in a large bowl, pour over the sauce mixture, and stir until coated. Immediately arrange the buffalo wings on a warm platter or in individual bowls. Serve with lemon wedges and the sour cream and chive dip.
Courgette, feta and herb fritters
Fry the fritters in advance and reheat them in a low oven when ready to serve.
Serves 5-6
3 medium or 2 large courgettes, about 500g
sea salt and black pepper
2 tbs light olive oil, plus extra to fry the fritters
1 large onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 large eggs
200g feta, diced
a small handful of mint sprigs, leaves chopped
a small handful of dill sprigs, leaves chopped
2 tbs pine nuts
3-4 tbs plain flour
To serve:
lemon wedges
flat-leaf parsley sprigs (optional)
Trim the courgettes and coarsely grate them into a sieve set on top of a bowl. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt, mix well and leave to stand for about 10 minutes. (The salt will help to draw out excess moisture.) Squeeze the grated courgettes with your hands to remove some of the juices, then tip into a large bowl. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs olive oil in a wide frying pan and sauté the onion, with a pinch each of salt and pepper, for 5-6 minutes, until softened. Leave to cool slightly, then add to the courgettes and mix well. Add the eggs, feta, chopped herbs, pine nuts and 3 tbs flour to the courgette mixture. Add a generous grinding of pepper and mix well until evenly combined. (As the feta is salty, you probably won't need to add salt.) If the batter seems too wet, add another 1 tbs flour and mix well. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a wide frying pan. You will need to fry the fritters in batches: drop several spoonfuls of the batter into the pan, spacing them apart, and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Transfer to a warm plate lined with kitchen paper and keep warm while you cook the rest – there should be enough for 20-24 small fritters. Serve the courgette fritters warm, with lemon wedges and a parsley garnish, if you like.
Dolmades
If you are cooking the rice from scratch, you'll need about 200g uncooked weight.
Serves 4
230g packet vine leaves in brine
2 tbs olive oil, plus extra to drizzle
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
400g cooked white rice, preferably long-grain
100g pine nuts, toasted
100g sultanas
¼ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cinnamon
a pinch of caster sugar
2 ripe tomatoes, skinned, deseeded and chopped
a small handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped
a small handful of mint, chopped
sea salt and black pepper
about 300ml vegetable stock
juice of ½ lemon, plus extra to drizzle
extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
To remove excess salt from the vine leaves, put them into a large bowl and pour on boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for a few minutes, then drain off the liquid. Rinse under cold water and drain again. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and garlic for a few minutes, stirring, until softened. Tip into a bowl and add the cooked rice, pine nuts, sultanas, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, tomatoes, herbs and seasoning.
Now stuff the vine leaves with the rice filling. Lay a vine leaf, shiny side down, on a clean surface. Place a heaped teaspoonful of the filling in the middle of the leaf, nearer to the stem edge. Fold over the stem end to cover the filling, then tuck in both sides of the vine leaf and roll up like a cigar. Repeat with the remaining vine leaves and filling. Drape a clean, wet tea towel in a wide pan to lie flat on the base, with the sides overhanging the edge of the pan. Pack the vine leaves on top in tight, neat layers. Add the stock, lemon juice and a drizzle of oil. Cover the dolmades with a piece of baking parchment, then place a small heatproof plate that just fits inside the pan on top. (This is to prevent the dolmades from unwrapping during cooking.) Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for an hour. Remove the plate and then carefully take the dolmades out of the pan by lifting the tea towel. Transfer to a tray and leave to cool. Chill for a few hours, or overnight if preparing ahead. Take the dolmades out of the fridge 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with lemon juice and a little extra-virgin olive oil to serve.
Tabbouleh
A gorgeous bulgur-wheat salad with fresh herbs, tomatoes and spring onions. This is best mixed when you are about to serve it, as the lemon juice will discolour the herbs with time.
Serves 4-6
75g bulgur wheat
250g ripe plum tomatoes
juice of 1 small lemon, or to taste
3 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
3 spring onions, trimmed
a bunch of flat-leaf parsley, about 75g
a bunch of mint, about 75g
seeds from ½ small pomegranate, to garnish (optional)
Put the bulgur wheat into a bowl, pour on a generous amount of boiling water, then cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to swell for 10 minutes. Tip the bulgur wheat into a fine sieve and drain very thoroughly, then return to the bowl. Finely dice the tomatoes and add to the bulgur wheat, along with the lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil and some salt and pepper. Mix well, using a fork, and then leave the bulgur to soak up the juices and soften a little more. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Meanwhile, finely chop the spring onions and roughly shred the parsley and mint leaves with a sharp knife. When you are ready to serve, fold the herbs through the bulgur wheat and garnish with a scattering of pomegranate seeds if you wish.
Baba ganoush
Serves 4-6
2 large aubergines, about 600-650g
a little oil
juice of ½ lemon, or to taste
1½ tbs tahini (sesame seed paste)
2 tbs natural yoghurt
2 fat garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 thyme sprig, leaves picked
sea salt and black pepper
To serve:
extra-virgin olive oil, to drizzle
a few pinches of sumac, or a little chopped flat-leaf parsley, to sprinkle
Preheat the oven to 220°C/Gas 7. Prick each aubergine several times with the tip of a sharp knife, then place both on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Roast in the hot oven for 45-60 minutes, turning them over halfway, until the skins are wrinkly and the aubergines feel soft when lightly pressed – they should almost collapse upon themselves.
Leave the aubergines until they are cool enough to handle, then peel away the blackened skins and put the flesh into a colander. Press with the back of a ladle to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then tip the aubergine flesh onto a board and chop roughly (or blitz in a blender for a smooth texture, if preferred).
Put the chopped aubergine into a bowl and add the lemon juice, tahini, yoghurt, garlic, thyme leaves and seasoning. Mix well, then taste and adjust the seasoning. (Cover and chill if not serving immediately.)
Spoon the baba ganoush into a serving bowl and drizzle a little extra-virgin olive oil over the surface. Sprinkle with a little sumac or chopped parsley to garnish, and serve with warm flatbreads.
