I have gone for a really quick and easy and delicious vanilla ice cream that doesn’t require any fancy equipment and can be made in a trice if you suddenly have extra people for a meal.

I have also chosen a chicken recipe that is a bit different and would make a lovely Christmas lunch for those not needing, or unable to get, a turkey.

Simple vanilla icecream

• 600ml whipping cream
• 200g condensed milk
• 1 tbs vanilla paste or extract. The flavouring will not do here!

Whip the cream to soft peaks. Add the condensed milk and vanilla and whip again to soft peaks.

If you wanted to add flavouring now you could. Drizzling through fruit coulis is good, or some chunks of chocolate, or anything else you fancy

Pour into a freezer box and freeze. It will take at least 3 hours, or less in smaller containers. And that is that.

Do remove from the freezer at least 15 minutes before you want to use it or it can be a bit difficult to scoop

Pot Roasted Nutmeg Chicken

My recipe is adapted from Diana Henry who was inspired by the Italian pork cooked in milk. It does sound strange, but it really works, and produces truly juicy chicken and delicious sauce.

For 6

• Large chicken, the best you can afford
• 2 tbs olive oil melted with 25g unsalted butter until hot in a pan big enough to hold the chicken fairly snugly
• Salt and pepper
• About 400 ml whole milk ( we like a lot of gravy, so use a bit more!)
• 10 garlic cloves peeled but left whole
• 3 bay leaves
• Good grating of nutmeg…I use about 1 tbs, but that might be too much for you!
• Zest of 2 unwaxed lemons

Season the chicken then brown all over in the pot. Drain off the fat to roast your potatoes in. Throw in the garlic and bay leaves. Pour over the milk and add lemon zest and nutmeg.

Bring to just under the boil, cover and put in oven on 160 fan/ gas 4. Baste occasionally, and after 45 minutes remove the lid. Cook for another 45 minutes.

Remove chicken to warm plate to rest for 15 minutes, and remove the fat from the sauce. I should warn you, the sauce will look curdled and awful at this point!

I use a stick blender and whiz up the sauce and the softened garlic, adding some vej juices if not enough. Taste it and add more nutmeg if you fancy it. It is not a thick sauce.

Carve the chicken as normal, and serve with the warm sauce poured over it. Diana Henry suggests serving with orzo or rice, we like it with mash or roasties.

A very Happy Christmas to you all, and do please send me ideas or requests on bellingdonm@hotmail.com .