As the nights draw in, this warming winter dish is all you need to stay contented this season. Tony Beales, managing director of Beales Gourmet at The Italian Villa, shares one of his wintery wonders.

With the festive season fast approaching, my team have been enjoying serving up dishes with a bit of winter flair.

Just because the season is cold, doesn’t mean the food you eat needs to be “stodgy” and boring!

On the contrary, winter is the perfect time to enjoy warming flavours – no matter whether you prefer sweet or savoury.

Our delicious chicken and Parma ham recipe is the perfect example of how to combine sensational flavours and textures, and is the ideal recipe for you to try out at your next dinner party – of course if you’d prefer, our team of chefs and service team are happy to come and give you the ultimate dinner party experience in the comfort of your own home!

Prefer something sweet? Winter is the perfect time to enjoy dishes like our rhubarb & Bramley apple crumble, which we serve in individual pots with jugs of warming custard and a mini apple fritter for extra crunch!

And if you’re a chocoholic (like many of us are!), our dark chocolate tart with flavours of clementine (coulis and jelly), toasted hazelnuts and a white chocolate crisp should be just what the doctor ordered.

Whatever you decide to do this festive season, make sure to check our website for our Festive Recipe of the month video, featuring an incredible turkey dish using local Blandford Farms turkey.

Until then, wrap up warm and enjoy the run up to Christmas…

Chicken & Parma ham, served with dauphinoise potato, roasted winter vegetables, and a Madeira jus

Serves 4 people 

  • ½ cauliflower
  • 2 large beetroots
  • 1 butternut squash
  • 4 chicken breasts, skinned & boned
  • 8 slices of Parma ham
  • 4 portions of dauphinoise potatoes (see separate recipe)
  • 250ml Madeira jus
  • seasoning
  • pea shoots
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • olive oil
  • 1 head of garlic
  • fresh rosemary & thyme
  • 100g butter

Make your dauphinoise potatoes by following our recipe online (bealesgourmet.com/blog). Chill and then cut into portion sizes. Wrap the chicken breast up in 2 slices of Parma ham and set aside.

Cut the butternut squash in half-length ways, put some garlic, paprika and fresh herbs in the middle, wrap in foil and bake for 45 minutes or until soft in the middle.

Once cooked, spoon out the flesh, discard the garlic and herbs and blend until smooth. (You could add some double cream to the puree if you wanted to make it richer) Once blended (and passed through a sieve if necessary), set aside.

Prepare the cauliflower and beetroot and cut into the portion sizes, allowing 3 pieces of each per plate.

Roll in olive oil and seasoning and roast on 175 degrees C for approximately 30 minutes.

To cook the chicken, heat a little oil in a non-stick pan and seal off one side until golden brown. Then add the butter garlic, rosemary and thyme to the pan and infuse all the flavours over the chicken until the other side is golden in colour. Then place in the oven and cook to 72 degrees C in the centre of the breast. Rest for 5 minutes before cutting.

To plate up- Heat the dauphinoise potatoes, the butternut squash puree, the cauliflower and beetroot. Start by spreading the puree on the plate, then add the potato and (sliced) chicken to the plate.

Then place on the vegetables and drizzle over some Madeira jus (or chicken gravy). Finally decorate with the pea shoots. Voila!