Whether you make them all or decide on one, these recipes are sure to impress the family during Christmas lunch.
From the couscous salad, with its burst of colour and the salmon trout tart, to the cola glazed gammon and stuffed beef fillet, there's enough variety to please everybody.
Couscous Christmas Salad (Serves 6-8)
Ingredients
2 cups plain couscous
1 cup chickpeas prepared as per pack instructions
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup raisins
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
¼ cup coriander, chopped
Method
Add two cups of boiling water to the two cups of couscous in a bowl. Add one tablespoon olive oil, salt, raisins and spices. Stir to mix. Cover and leave until the water is absorbed and the couscous is tender, about 5-10 minutes.
Remove lid, fluff the couscous with a fork, add remaining oil and prepared chickpeas.
Reserving some for garnish, stir in pomegranate seeds and coriander.
SMOKED TROUT TART WITH PESTO
(Serves 6-8)
Picture: Chris Collingridge
388This can also be made and served as individual tarts as a starter.
Ingredients
375g sheet of ready-made puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
1 red onion, cut into thin wedges
15ml capers
15ml lemon juice
15ml olive oil
80ml crème fraîche
200g smoked trout, cut in ribbons
1 lemon, thinly sliced for garnish
125ml bought basil pesto
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Unroll the pastry on a baking sheet, score a 1cm border around the edge of the tart.
Prick the centre with a fork. brush with beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes, until golden and crisp.
Remove and cool. Mix the onion and capers with the lemon juice and olive oil.
Top the pastry with dollops of crème fraîche, then the onion mixture and the smoked trout.
Drizzle with pesto and serve cut into squares.
COLA GLAZED GAMMON (Serves 6-8)
Angela Day. Final. Dischem Christmas. 291116.
Picture: Chris Collingridge
387
INGREDIENTS
2kg boneless gammon
330ml ginger ale
330ml beer
1 onion, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
3 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
GLAZE
330ml cola
40ml Dijon mustard
125ml brown sugar
15ml lemon juice
45ml brandy
METHOD
Put the gammon into a roasting pan. Add the remaining ingredients.
Cover with foil and roast at 180ºC for 1½ hours.
Remove and cool slightly.
Remove the netting and peel off the rind.
Score the surface of the fat.
Brush with glaze and return to the oven and roast for another 30-40 minutes.
GLAZE: Pour the cola and mustard into a pot and bring to the boil. Simmer until reduced by half and thickened.
Stir in the lemon juice and brandy. Brush over the gammon.
BEEF FILLET STUFFED WITH SUNDRIED TOMATOES AND FETA
(Serves 6)
Stuffed fillet. Picture: Chris Collingridge
Ingredients
1 beef fillet cleaned and trimmed
100ml sun dried tomatoes, roughly chopped
100g grated halloumi cheese
100g crumbled feta cheese
1 bunch of spring onions, chopped
45ml chopped basil
salt and pepper
30ml olive oil
Method
Cut a slit in the top of the fillet to create a pocket for the filling.
Combine the tomatoes, cheeses, spring onions, basil and seasoning. Fill the pocket with the mixture.
Use string to secure the shape of the fillet and keep the filling in place.
Heat the oil in a roasting pan on top of the stove and carefully brown the meat all over. Take care not to lose any of the filling.
Roast at 200°C for 30 minutes for medium rare.
Remove from the oven and rest the meat, covered, for 10 minutes before carving into slices. Serve warm or cold.