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Wondering what to cook for Christmas dinner?

 

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat…  and up and down the land people are pondering the perennial question:  what to make for Christmas dinner?  It’s never easy cooking for family and friends, especially for a special occasion that only comes once a year and most of us have been stuck in a supermarket the day before Christmas panicking by the chiller cabinets with no inspiration as to what to make.  Never fear – help is at hand!  Here are some Christmassy ideas from my archives with something for everybody, from the old hand who is tired of making the same old Christmas meal year after year, to the nervous newbie attempting their first Christmas meal.  And there is everything you need for a celebration, from cocktails and canapé inspirations, right through to desserts. Merry Christmas!

CHRISTMAS CANAPéS & COCKTAILS

SquareChristmastinisquare

 

 

 

 

 

Christmastini cocktail with homemade cranberry clementine vodka

Rassecco (prosecco & raspberry vodka cocktail)

Sloe gin (homemade) and Sloe Lovin’ cocktails

Peppadew cheese puffs

Savoury palmiers

Cheese olives

Serrano ham, goat’s cheese & honey crostini 

TomatoBruschetta

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato, olive & basil bruschetti

 

CHRISTMAS STARTERS/APPETIZERS

 

Smoked salmon & packerel parcel © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Smoked mackerel & salmon paté parcels

Crab-stuffed portobello mushrooms © J Horak-Druiff 2006

 

 

 

 

 

Crab-stuffed portabello mushrooms

Smoked salmon avo stack © J Horak-Druiff 2012

Smoked salmon and avocado stacks

Chicken liver & Cognac paté © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

 

 

Chicken liver and Cognac paté

Roasted nectarines in Prosciutto © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

Roasted nectarines wrapped in Prosciutto

 

 

CHRISTMAS MAIN COURSES

 

Roast Christmas gammon © J Horak-Druiff 2010

 

 

 

 

 

Glazed roast gammon

GammonWithBrandyAndCoke

 

 

 

 

 

Brandy and Coke glazed gammon

Whole leg of lamb on the braai © J Horak-Druiff 2010

 

 

 

 

 

Whole leg of lamb on the braai (barbecue)

SousvideduckWithOrange

 

 

 

 

 

Sous vide duck breasts in a charred orange & Cointreau sauce

Roast duck with pancetta & potatoes © J Horak-Druiff 2008

 

 

 

 

 

Roast duck with pancetta and potatoes

Nigel Slater slow-roast lamb © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

 

 

Nigel Slater’s slow-roast spicy lamb

Schweinsbraten © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Schweinsbraten(Austrian slow-cooked pork shoulder)

 

 

 

 

 

Pot-roast pheasant with apples & pancetta and a bread gravy

 Salmon en Croute © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

 

Salmon en croute

 

CHRISTMAS SIDE DISHES

French beans with almonds and garlic © J Horak-Druiff 2010

 

 

 

 

 

French beans with toasted almonds and garlic

Rotkohl 1 © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Braised red cabbage with apples

Sauteed Brussel sprouts © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

 

 

Simple sautéed Brussels sprouts with garlic & shallots

Brussels sprouts with caramelised garlic lemon chilli © J Horak-Druiff 2011

 

 

 

 

 

Brussels sprouts with caramelised garlic, lamon & chilli

Brussels sprouts shredded with pancetta © J Horak-Druiff 2011

 

 

 

 

 

Shredded Brussels sprouts with pancetta & pine nuts

Sprout gratin title © J Horak-Druiff 2012

 

 

 

 

 

Easy cheesy Brussels sprout gratin

Butternut squash bake © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

 

 

Creamy butternut squash bake

NdujaSprouts

 

 

 

Spicy Brussels sprouts with nduja and preserved lemon

 

 

CHRISTMAS DESSERTS

 

 

 

 

 

Cape brandy pudding

 

 

 

 

 

Christmas pudding semi freddo with brandy sauce & cinnamon streusel

RedWineRoastedPears

 

 

 

 

 

Spiced pears roasted in red wine (gluten-free)

CharredClementinePuddings

 

 

 

 

 

Individual charred clementine puddings

CranberryClementineUpsideDownCake

 

 

 

 

 

Clementine & cranberry upside down cake

Cranberry pear upside down cake © J Horak-Druiff © 2008

 

 

 

 

 

Cranberry pear upside down cake  

Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake © J Horak-Druiff 2007

 

 

 

 

 

White chocolate & raspberry cheesecake

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate orange trifle in a glass

 

 

 

 

 

Nigella’s spiced chocolate orange cake (gluten-free)

SpicedPersimmonCake

 

 

 

 

 

Gingerbread-spiced persimmon cake

ChestnutChocolateTorte

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate chestnut fondant (almost gluten-free)

Peppermint Crisp tart

 

 

 

 

South African Peppermint Crisp pudding

Chocolate blackberry almond torte © J Horak-Druiff 2008

 

 

 

 

 

Chocolate, blackberry & almond torte (gluten-free)

 

 

 

 

 

Decadent flourless chocolate cake (gluten-free)

 

 

 

 

 

Cranberry ginger caramel self-saucing pudding

 

 

 

 

 

Individual chocolate fondant puddings

 

 

 

 

 

Marmalade bread & butter pudding

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Jeanne Horak is a freelance food and travel writer; recipe developer and photographer. South African by birth and Londoner by choice, Jeanne has been writing about food and travel on Cooksister since 2004. She is a popular speaker on food photography and writing has also contributed articles, recipes and photos to a number of online and print publications. Jeanne has also worked with a number of destination marketers to promote their city or region. Please get in touch to work with her Read More…

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