So what is wrong with blood and gristle?

Boxing day is inevitably a matter of recovery, possibly exercise and cold turkey both literally and metaphorically. Livening up cold turkey is one of the key post-christmas skills and I will give one of the best recipes on Monday, but for Boxing day its a matter of keeping things simple. I always plan to cook too many tatws, so that the next day they can be thickly sliced and sautéed along with a few slices of black pudding. Served with the cold remnants of the red cabbage, sausage stuffing and the turkey itself along with some reheated gravy this is great boxing day meal.

Black pudding is one of the neglected dishes, although I see it increasingly used in high quality restaurants. its flavor if not used to excess can enliven venison, transform liver and it’s even been used in ice cream. OK so its made by cooking blood with a filler until it is think enough to congeal, but so what? You need a quality supplier. Always buy in the form shown, use a local butcher who understands game with a local supplier. When you find a good one (and I have in Marlborough with Sumbler Brothers) then you have received a great blessing.