A Cornish Festive Feast

Chef Patron Jude Kereama welcomes in the festive foodie season at his restaurants, Kota and Kota Kai, in Porthleven.

There is always a sense of excitement when the first Christmas parties are held at the restaurants, which this year will coincide with the Porthleven Christmas market weekend  and the big Christmas lights switch on which take place from Friday 29th November to Sunday 1st December. It’s a fun event in the local calendar where families come to catch a glimpse of Santa and maybe receive a little sweet treat from the big fella himself. Everybody gets into the Christmas spirit with mugs of hot chocolate, mulled wine, and mulled cider to warm themselves from the wintery weather. It’s a really fabulous night in the village as we all get together to wish each other a bit of Christmas cheer.

At Kota Kai this December, we are really looking forward to hosting our Christmas parties and for the first time we are holding celebration nights each Friday from 29th November, where we will have DJ sets to help get everyone in the party mood. We still have space for some last-minute bookings so don’t miss out. We still have space for some last-minute bookings. At Kota, we are introducing a three-course set menu at £37.50 with a few trial nights of our new concept for 2025. As we come into our 20th year of being open, we celebrate with a new style of menu and dining experience, which we have been keeping under wraps for a while, there are very exciting times ahead!

Christmas at home is always a special occasion as we celebrate with the whole family and friends. I love to cook for the big day and we have many courses. We always start with bubbles and canapés while we open our presents. I then love to follow with some seafood courses to make it a bit lighter. We will probably have some oysters as they are wonderful at this time of year, followed by a cured salmon or trout dish, a warming small cup of soup, turkey with all the trimmings, sticky toffee pudding and then finish with some homemade mince pies and cheese. It might sound like a lot, but we like to eat over many hours while we play games, chat, watch the King’s message… and drink wine! 

I will do a lot of prep before the big day. Oysters can be shucked and ready to go before guests arrive. I’ll cure the salmon/trout three days beforehand and slice the day before use so it is ready to be plated. The soup can be made a couple of days before and kept in the fridge until needed. The secret behind my turkey is that I’ll take the legs and debone them four days before, make a stuffing and then re-roll the legs into a ballotine and cook. I’ll then just roast them to re-heat and slice. 

The turkey crown will then be brined for at least 36 hours which helps the breast to stay moist when you cook it on the big day. I normally make a chicken gravy base four weeks before and freeze it so that it becomes the base of my turkey gravy. I also boil my potatoes for roasties the day before along with the other vegetables and bread sauce. The sticky toffee pudding can be made a month before and frozen. Mince pies are exactly the same, just bake them a few weeks before, freeze and then defrost on the day before warming in the oven and serving with clotted cream. If you do this all before it certainly makes Christmas less stressful and gives the chef more time for celebrating with everyone. I sincerely wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

During the Christmas period, Kota Kai will only be closing on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and will then be open during the whole period leading up to the last big party of the Year on New Year’s Eve. 

Kota is open throughout the festive period for lunch on Christmas Eve and for dinner throughout (closed on Christmas Day and Boxing day). Kota will also be holding a New Year’s Eve extravaganza night with a multi-course dinner for those who are lucky enough to get in. Seats are very limited!

Cured Salmon with Yuzu Miso Dressing

This makes a great party dish because you can cure the salmon a couple of days in advance. It looks impressive, sliced and spread on a big platter. The yuzu dressing can be made the day before, too. That leaves you the next day to decide what to serve it with. I love it with pickled vegetables and either toast, slices of bread, or a salad. The yuzu miso dressing is zingy and light and cuts through the richness of the fish. If you can’t find yuzu, replace it with an equally zingy mix of lemon and lime juice. This is a dish you can serve all year round and it even goes with a glass of bubbles.

Serves 6
PREP TIME: 35 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

1 side of salmon

For the Yuzu Miso Dressing:

• 3 tbsp white miso paste
• 3 tbsp yuzu juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 4 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
• 125ml cold-pressed rapeseed oil
• Salt and cracked pepper

For the curing mix:

• 350g sea salt
• 350g caster sugar
• 50gm dill, chopped
• Zest of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Zest of 1 orange

METHOD

1. To make the cure, mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Using your hands, rub it all over the top and bottom of the salmon, wrap it tightly in cling film and leave it in the fridge overnight.
2. To make the dressing, put all the ingredients except for the oil in a blender and combine.
3. Slowly drizzle in the oil to make an emulsion and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. On the day of serving it, scrape the cure off the salmon, rinse it, then pat dry with kitchen roll.
5. Slice it thinly and lay on a platter. Drizzle over with the yuzu dressing and serve with the sides of your choice, alongside that all-important glass of wine.