Christmas is incomplete without a delicious spread. Sharing food and exchanging joy with loved ones makes the day even more special. So, if you are still planning on what to cook for the grand feast, here a few popular recipes:
Herbed roasted chicken with mashed potatoes and brandy butter
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A Christmas must, team this herby roast with creamy mashed potatoes and some mouth-watering brandy butter on the side.
Chicken roast recipe —
Ingredients:
- Whole chicken: 1 (Preferably below 900gm, cleaned and with skin)
- Onion-ginger-garlic paste: 2 tablespoons
- Lemon juice: 2-3 tablespoons
- Blackpepper powder: 2 teaspoons
- Boiled eggs: 2
- Rosemary: 3 teaspoons
- Thyme: 2 teaspoons
- Salt
- Melted butter
Recipe:
- Poke small holes on the chicken to allow complete marination
- Marinate the whole chicken with onion-ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, black pepper powder, salt and some butter. Marinate the inside of the chicken too
- Cover and refrigerate for minimum 2 hours and preferably overnight
- Bring the chicken to room temperature before baking. Rub the herbs well along with some butter, and place the eggs inside the chicken
- Grease the baking tray with butter and place the marinate chicken on a stand
- Preheat the oven for 15 minutes
- Roast at 160°C degrees for 30-35 minutes
- Check with the help of a toothpick or a fork if the chicken is fully cooked. The skin must be golden and crispy
Tip:
- You can mix the herbs with butter and apply on the chicken too
Mashed potatoes recipe —
Ingredients:
- Boiled potatoes: 5-6
- Melted butter: 4-5 tablespoons
- Full fat cream: 1 small cup
- Roasted black pepper powder: 2 teaspoons
- Salt
Recipe:
- Mash the potatoes well to avoid any lumps
- Add melted butter, half portion of the cream, black pepper powder and salt, and mix well
- Build the creamy consistency by beating the ingredients together. Add the remaining cream as you keep beating
- Check seasoning. The desired consistency should be fluffy and creamy
Brandy butter recipe —
Ingredients:
- Brandy: Half of a small cup
- Unsalted butter: 100gm
- Icing sugar: ½ cup
Recipe:
- Beat the butter until light and fluffy
- Add icing sugar and keep beating until the sugar has dissolved and the butter and sugar mix is fluffier
- Add brandy and beat some more until everything has mixed well
- Place a butter paper on a container
- Pour the brandy butter
- Refrigerate for 3-4 hours and it is good to eat
Beef Wellington
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A quick version of Beef Wellington to try out this Christmas.
Ingredients:
- Beef tenderloin: 1kg
- Finely chopped button mushrooms: 200gm
- Finely chopped shallots/onions: 2 large
- Black pepper powder: 2-3 tablespoons
- Thyme: 1 teaspoon
- Dijon mustard paste: 1 tablespoon
- Smoked bacon/Prosciutto ham: 100gm
- Pastry sheet: 2
- Beaten egg: 1
- Butter
- Salt
Recipe:
- Marinate the tenderloins with salt and black pepper powder
- Add oil on a skillet and heat well. Turn the flame high, place the tenderloins and cook until each side turns brown. Once the tenderloin cools down, brush with mustard paste and keep aside
- In the same pan add butter, fry the onions until translucent and then the finely chopped mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms until the moisture evaporates
- Place a cling film and make a layer of prosciutto ham/smoked bacon. Make a bed of mushrooms and then place the beef. Gently roll the entire set-up forming a log-like structure. Tie both ends tightly and refrigerate for an hour at minimum
- Place the pastry sheets in a rectangular shape and brush some butter
- Bring the beef to room temperature and keep at one end of the sheet, leaving enough space to fold and seal
- Egg wash on all sides and wrap it tightly, tucking it into a tight log
- Trim any excess pastry remainings and lightly crimp the edges with a fork
- Brush eggs on the outer layer and sprinkle some salt from top
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven for 15 minutes at 220°C
- Grease the baking tray and place the beef wellington
- Bake for 30-40 minutes at 220°C or bake until the outer layer is golden brown and the beef inside is cooked
- Allow the food to rest for 10 minutes, slice up and serve
Scalloped potatoes
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A cheesy potato dish that goes perfectly with the herbed chicken and beef wellington.
Ingredients:
- Thinly sliced potatoes: 3 large (quarter of an inch in thickness)
- Bacon: 100gm
- Finely chopped garlic: 1 teaspoon
- Roasted and grounded black pepper: 2 teaspoons
- Full fat cream: 1 large cup
- Grated cheese (cheddar): 1 medium cup
- Beef/chicken stock: 1 small cup
- Flour: 2 teaspoon
- Butter
- Salt
Recipe:
- Fry the bacon in a non-stick skillet with a small dash of butter until crispy. Give a rough chop once the bacon is in room temperature and keep aside
- In the same pan, add some more butter and heat. Add garlic and fry until golden
- Now add the flour, keep the flame low and saute for a minute or until it starts to change colour
- Add the stock and mix well to avoid any lumps
- Add cream in small portions and keep stirring until the entire quantity is used and the ingredients in the pan have come together
- Add salt and black pepper powder
- Cook the cream for 3-4 minutes before adding the cheese. Mix well and cook until desired consistency has been achieved
- Grease a mould and pour some creamy sauce
- Add a layer of potatoes, some bacon, a dash of black pepper and repeat the process until all the layers have been made
- Grate some extra cheese over the sauce on the top
- Preheat the oven for 15 minutes
- Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the potatoes have cooked through and the cheese surface is golden brown at 200°C
Stir-fried green beans and roasted vegetables
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Add some goodness of vegetables too, for a balanced platter.
Ingredients:
For stir fried green beans —
- Green beans: 100gm
- Grated garlic: 1 and ½ teaspoon
- Grated ginger: 1 teaspoon
- Light soy sauce: 1 and ½ tablespoons
- Rice wine: 1 tablespoon
- Chilli flakes: 1 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Vegetable oil/butter: 2-3 tablespoons
Recipe:
- Blanch the beans for 2 minutes and drain excess water
- Add oil/butter in a nonstick pan and heat
- Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds, and then add ginger. Saute for another 45 seconds to a minute
- Add the beans, mix well and give a good toss
- Add soy sauce and rice wine, and sprinkle the chilli flakes
- Toss again and turn off the heat
For roasted vegetables —
- Baby carrots, cut into halves: 8 pieces
- Baby potatoes, cut into halves: 6 pieces
- Baby onions, peeled: 6-7 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes cut into halves: 7-8 pieces
- Crushed black pepper powder: 1 teaspoon
- Lemon juice: 1 teaspoon
- Olive oil: 1-2 tablespoons
- Sugar: One small pinch
- Rosemary and thyme mix: 1 teaspoon
- Salt
Recipe:
- Grease the baking tray and preheat the oven for 10 minutes
- Toss the vegetables with salt and pepper in a mixing bowl and spread on the baking tray
- Sprinkle the herbs, lemon juice and sugar
- Roast for 20-25 minutes at 200°C
Cake with rum-soaked raisins
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Bring a sweet end to the Christmas spread with a large slice of a fruity, boozy cake.
Ingredients:
- Flour: 1 and ¾ of a small cup
- Rum soaked raisins: 15-20 pieces
- Powdered sugar: 1 small cup
- Full fat milk: ¾ of a small cup
- Melted butter: 200gm
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon
- Chopped cashew and almonds: 2 tablespoons
- Tutti frutti: 1 tablespoon
- Vanilla essence: 1 drop
- Eggs: 3
- Mixed spice: 1 teaspoon
- Cinnamon powder: 1 teaspoon
Recipe:
- Sieve flour and baking powder
- Beat butter, sugar and eggs until light and fluffy
- Mix flour with butter, sugar and eggs mix and fold gently, adding milk in small quantities
- Addvanilla essence, cashew and almonds, tutti frutti and rum soaked raisins, and give one final mix
- Grease the cake mould and sprinkle some flour
- Pour the batter and tap lightly to release any air bubbles
- Preheat the oven for 10 minutes
- Bake the cake at 200°C for 30-40 minutes, checking periodically with a toothpick