Changing Food… One Meal At A Time!
Winter
Jan Fullwood Food Consultant
(aka JamJarJan)
NOTES FROM A CHAOTIC KITCHEN
Welcome to daily life in a chaotic, well-used kitchen…..
A constantly busy, always evolving space: full of cooking, eating and creating (dinner, treats, mess), for work and for play, for family and friends.
Let me introduce myself and my family:
- A Food and Recipe Consultant who is ‘never knowingly under-catered’, I’ll whip up a five-minute muffin mix at a moment’s notice. I’m constantly creating, evaluating and tasting, always cooking, eating and learning something new
- Long-suffering Hub, who just wants a clutter-free kitchen and peace and quiet. Happiest in the garden. He grows, I cook and preserve
- Eldest Cheffy Son and his Pastry-chef girlfriend, who cook catering quantities of restaurant quality food at every opportunity
- Protein & carb-obsessed younger Student Son, currently at uni. Loves food, but cooking not his forte - student survival skills ongoing
We all eat to live. Let me help you live to eat.
Share my learning and experiences to make the most of your meals too.
What's in Jan's Pan?
NOVEMBER 2025
The long dark nights of November always hit hard, as we yet again forget how little daylight we have to go about our business at this time of year. But the dark skies are soon lit with flashes and bangs, whether to celebrate the Diwali festival of lights or Guy Fawkes facing groundhog day atop a burning bonfire, and are all the more spectacular for the backdrop of the night.
Once the final firework has fizzled out, it‘s clear we need more light in our lives, as Christmas lights soon follow to cheer up the darkness. The big day comes earlier every year, as if we all need to focus on a light at the end of the tunnel. November is the month for Christmas markets as the frenzy of preparation begins. Whether you agree with this blatant commercialism or not, take it for what it is and embrace the cheer. Save the real meaning of Christmas (whatever that means to you) until the Big day. ‘Christmas is all around‘, as Billy Mack sings, and baking for me is love, actually, and there’s plenty of that to be done this month,
One downside is that the poor chefs are working later and later in the run up to Christmas as the celebrations begin. Update on the timeplan - it's not going well. They arrive home after a long day of cooking for others, don't always want food set aside, leading to a back log of leftovers which, of course, I can't bear to waste. So we're back to cooking on the hoof, to fit in with busy schedules and cater for everyone in and out of the house at various times. Needless to say we are still eating well, but meals are getting later and that is not ideal.
It’s also interesting catering for a new member of the household with perhaps more traditional tastes, who has not been subjected to such an eclectic range of food throughout their childhood. My own upbringing was similar, with very set, traditional meals, but as a working parent family food always had to fit around my recipe writing and testing schedule, which made it erratic, variable and unpredictable. This meant my boys were introduced to every ingredient imaginable, and didn’t appreciate that wasn’t the norm, although they did sometimes crave the familiar foods that their friends enjoyed. Our meals have evolved to include a mixture of good solid home-cooked comfort food, sometimes with a cheffy twist, depending on who is cooking, and the odd (very) social media inspired experiments (Katsu tacos anyone?), so all tastes are catered for.
Even Student Son, remarkably, has upped his game this year. He bought a bargain piece of gammon for £5, or so he thought, until he got to the till and discovered it was £5/kg so for 2.6kg not quite the steal he'd hoped for. To give him his due, he cooked it with a honey and mustard glaze, realising it was money well spent after all. Spurred on by this, he bought a whole chicken and set about jointing it himself, a skill well worth having to make your money go further (but not your usual student skill for sure). Fear not, Student Son hasn’t gone totally Mary Berry on us, he’s still mainly living on student staples that can be whipped up in half an hour max so it doesn’t interfere with his beer time. We’ll make a proficient chef of him by his third year - Michelin-starred beans on toast anyone?
So read on for a round up of November’s activities, as the preparations for the Big day begin in earnest. Promise no Xmas decs here til December though!
But also check out the work of The Hertford Pantry, below. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have family, friends, a hot meal or a roof over their head this Christmas, so consider helping in whatever way you can. Support your local food bank or charities so everyone can have the best time possible and embrace the true meaning of Christmas amongst the commercial madness.
What's in Jan's Pan
Stir up Sunday
Stir up Sunday is an excuse to get ahead, and a good reason to convert my kitchen to a cook school for the express purpose of educating my hungry friends. Food is a bonding event, and it's such a therapeutic way to spend a morning. To ensure we could all cook our cakes we made mini cakes which only take 45mins at 150C Fan (170C or Gas 3). Line 10 x 10cm ramekins with greaseproof paper and divide your favourite 20cm Christmas cake recipe between them.
My go to is the Good Housekeeping Chocolate Christmas Cake, recipe Here The prunes make it mega moist, but I usually substitute some of the fruit weight with dried cranberries or sour cherries, and what cake doesn’t benefit from a handful of dark chocolate chips?
Decorate with marzipan and fondant icing and get creative with Christmas cutters. These make the perfect gifts, and I always make a batch for charity hampers put together by Hertfood- read more about this local charity below.
We also made our own mincemeat, which is so much easier than you think. There are various methods - Good Food magazine favours the soaking method, Delia cooks low and slow in the oven to coat the fruit in the fat of the suet and an old delicious. magazine recipe simmers on the hob. We tried the latter plus the mix and soak method, which I have to say is my preference; the mincemeat is cooked again in the oven anyway, so why use extra fuel when the results are just as good. I always love to add some fresh apples and cranberries to the mix before baking to counteract the sweetness of this sugary confection. Shop-bought ones are just too sweet and sickly for my taste, so it's homemade all the way, with a lovely rich sweet pastry flavoured with orange and ground almonds for a really short and buttery contrast to the fruity filling, another recipe from my Good Housekeeping days. Good to have on hand for impromptu entertaining on the run up to Christmas, if they last that long of course...
Christmas Markets
Before the fireworks are barely done and dusted, Christmas begins with a vengeance. Festive markets pop up everywhere throughout November, and I have been guilty of going to more than my fair share this year. A last minute invite to the Spirit of Christmas at Olympia was fun, but for me was lacking any xmassy spirit and seemed to be mainly overpriced cashmere and designer coats. It did however, have a whole section of Great Taste producers so I enjoyed tasting a range of excellent products yet again. Once you know about the Great Taste stars you see them everywhere…
The Good Housekeeping Live and Country Living Christmas Fair was much more enjoyable. Held at the Business Design Centre in Islington, Raymond Blanc Claire Balding, fresh out of Celebrity Traitors, and Dawn O’Porter talking about her writing to name just a few. Something for everyone and plenty of gift ideas, and yes, more Great Taste stars twinkling on the food stalls.
Raymond is stepping back from Le Manoir but at 75 remains incredibly passionate, an absolute inspiration. The poor interviewer didn't have a chance with his typically French effervescence - he was fizzier than French champagne as he went off at a tangent and wouldn’t sit still. If only his view of treating staff well by not overworking them and honouring their hours was an industry standard. Hospitality is such a tricky beast in so many ways, but it can be so rewarding when staff are treated well.
We enjoyed a demo from Barbers Chocolate. Based in Devon, founder Michael is a pastry chef who teaches at Ashburton Cookery School, so he treated us to a Christmas wreath version of the Paris Brest patisserie. They look to future-proof the planet with their ethically sourced chocolate, so he used their cacao husk infusion product, that ensures all the bean is used, to flavour the milk. Find them at the South Devon Food Hub if you're down that way. I bought some at the show and their Peruvian blonde chocolate mysteriously disappeared on the way home….
Meanwhile, back in Hertford, the hart-shaped lights were switched on at the end of the month, so it is now officially Christmas in our county town. It’s had its fair share of markets too, including the annual chalets at the castle, stalls at the Millbridge rooms and the Eco fair in the Corn Exchange, all on the last weekend of November. The newly rebuilt theatre, now known as Beam, is host to the monthly Makers and Bakers fair, with proper artisan crafts and local produce, well worth supporting.
Artshed at Three Lakes in Ware, famed for its fantastic craft courses, hosted another artisan fair, with the opportunity to try craft workshops and buy from local makers. These markets are definitely the best, showcasing real talent.
A weekend trip to Bournemouth also boosted the Christmas vibes, a town close to my heart as I spent much of my childhood there visiting my grandparents. The town centre is diminishing as so many are but the Winter Gardens are cheered up by the appearance of chalets and a pop up ice rink. Not a patch on the old Bournemouth rink, where my parents spent their courting days, but fun nonetheless to complete the full festive experience.
From small village fetes to winter wonderlands, there will no doubt be something to seek out in a town near you, hopefully even in December when you really do want to start your shopping in earnest. Find the mulled wine stall, send the kids to see Santa (whatever their age) and embrace the winter warmth - cheers!
All things tomato
Pride of place above, a delicious lasagne meal cooked for me by the DofE student I have mentored for the skills section of his gold award. I first took him on as a shy 15 year old with no idea which end of the spatula to hold, to teach him the basics of cooking for his Bronze award. I am proud to see how he has grown into a confident and capable young adult who is happy to cook for his family and invite me to dinner to sample his food. Cooking and serving a meal is a skill in itself, and he smashed it. There’s nothing more rewarding seeing someone take on a new skill and learn from scratch, and now he’s set for life. If you can cook, the chef’s perks are there for the taking - go Alex!
One of the benefits of being a member of the Guild of Food Writers is that I am occasionally lucky enough to be invited to fancy hotels for press events. In this case the fancy hotel was the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge, and the press event was Red Gold from Europe, launched by ANICAV (Associazione Nazionale Industriali Conserve Alimentari Vegetali) to showcase their members’ canned tomatoes.
We were treated to canapes and a three course meal, all in the name of spreading the word about the benefits of tomatoes from Europe and Italy in the UK. A presentation followed, to demonstrate the quality, safety, sustainability and versatility of these high quality canned tomatoes, which was showcased in their simple but stunning fresh pasta dish with tomato sauce. The warm chocolate souffle tart rounded off the meal beautifully, but I managed to take most of it home on my white blouse when I cut into the crisp pastry and unleashed the airy souffle filling all over me. I guess I'm thankful they hadn't worked tomato into their dessert.
They are of course preaching to the converted, as tinned tomatoes are an absolute store cupboard staple, but it did prove that you can't beat quality tomatoes that have been tinned at their peak. Look out for the Mutti brand to name but one.
I set to using the sample from the goodie bag in my slow cooked beef stew with cheesy dumplings, a perfect lazy Sunday dinner. I then added black beans and chipotle paste to leftovers to serve with tortillas, salsa and avocado for an easy Monday meal. Altogether very satisfying.
Serves 6-8
Beefy tomato stew
500g diced beef, tossed in seasoned flour
1 onion, chopped,
2 carrots, diced
half butternut squash, deseeded and diced
1 x 400g tin peeled plum tomatoes
600ml hot beef stock
4 tbsp tomato puree
1-2tbsp dried herbs
For the cheesy dumplings
200g self raising flour
100g suet (beef or vegetable)
100ml natural yoghurt
50ml milk
50g Mature Cheddar cheese, grated
chopped parsley
Put all ingredients into a slow cooker. Cook on medium for 6-8 hours until the beef is tender. Season well.
To make the dumplings, put the dried ingredients into a bowl and add the yoghurt. Add enough milk to bring them together to a soft dough. Stir in the cheese and herbs and season to taste.
Roll into 6-8 balls and drop into the stew for the last half hour of cooking, before serving with some green veg
What’s in Jan’s soup bowl
Lettuce soup for the Hertford Pantry
All this talk of fine food and Christmas delights reminds me that we are not all so fortunate, and some can't gurarantee where their next meal may come from. There's also a large gap in food education, and so I have recently offered help at The Hertford Pantry, a charity set up locally to provide free fresh food to local families in need.
It was originally started by Manic Ceramics shop owner, Debs Bonafield, who created Hertfood, which has fed local families since the 2020 Covid pandemic. Partnering with local Green Party councillor and JP, Maura Connolly, they set up The Hertford Pantry which not only redistributes food surplus that would otherwise go to landfill, but allows those in need to benefit from products still good to go. In fact it’s open to all who want to prevent food waste on such a large scale. Check out the details here, and see how you can help the cause
My first aim is to provide recipes that can be handed out to make use of some of the most common foods, and help to build up a resource bank of recipes that can be handed out.
I've started with lettuce soup, mainly to show that lettuce is not just for salads or summer, but is great when cooked too and can be turned into something more suitable for the winter months.
It's an interesting challenge, as you can't take for granted that everyone has an oven, or maybe even a hob, or freezer, so I have tried to consider the worst case scenario when writing these recipes, to make them accessible for all. Also, check out an app called Bank the Food, which helps to highlight which products are most in demand for local food banks near you, or donate items at your local supermarket to help make a difference to someone this Christmas.
Lettuce Soup
Serves 4-6
Makes approx 1.8 litres
Prep 15mins
Cook 13-15 mins
1 large potato, chopped into small pieces (no need to peel)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into small pieces
1 head (approx 400g) lettuce, trimmed and shredded or torn
4 spring onions, sliced
1 litre hot vegetable stock, or boiling water
1 small tin peas or sweetcorn, drained, or a couple of handfuls of frozen
2-4 tbsp natural yoghurt if you have it
· Put the potatoes, lettuce and spring onion into your largest pan
· Pour in the hot stock or boiling water with a pinch of salt
· Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes until the potatoes and carrot have softened. Don’t worry, it may seem like a lot of vegetables to water but the lettuce will wilt down.
· Add the peas or sweetcorn and cook for 3-5 minutes more
· Stir in the yoghurt if using.
· Season to taste with salt and pepper
· Serve it chunky, or lightly mash the potatoes with a fork to thicken the soup. If you have a hand blender or processor you can blend it until it is smooth.
Delicious served hot or cold. The soup will keep for a day in the fridge.
Recipe Tips
You can use any salad leaves that are available. Remove any old or damaged leaves and wash well before cooking. Romaine, little gem, iceberg, round lettuce, or bags of mixed leaves all work well. You can also use watercress, spinach and pak choi. Add more delicate leaves with the tinned or frozen veg.
Gently wilt lettuce or bags of salad in a pan with a splash of water to serve as a side dish, or add to stews or pasta sauces.
If you don’t have any stock cubes you can make your own vegetable stock by covering washed vegetable peelings such as carrot, the tops of the spring onions or leeks with 1 litre of boiling water in a pan or bowl. Add some thyme, rosemary or bay leaves if you have them. Cover and leave to infuse for an hour or more. Strain and use the liquid as required.
A teaspoon or so of Marmite also makes a good stock.
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