Follow our detailed guide to cooking the perfect Christmas dinner - and make sure to print our handy shopping list, below.
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Menu
Cherry Champagne Cooler
Prawn Timbales with Lemon Aioli
Herbed Roast Turkey with Cranberry Stuffing Bacon Rolls
Vegetables of choice served with:
~ Caraway & Honey Oil
~ Herb & Garlic Dressing
~ Toasted Almond & Dill Butter
Spiced Pavlova Stack with Marinated Fruits & Marsala Cream
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Shopping list:
Use this as a checklist first, as some things may already be in your cupboard, fridge or garden.
Fruit/veges
- 12 large strawberries
- 1 cup cherries or raspberries, plus extra berries for garnishing dessert
- 4 lemons
- 4 limes
- 2 oranges
- 1 large tomato
- 2 large onions
- 2 red onions
- Potatoes
- Veges for roasting
- Green veges or salad
- Baby or micro greens (for garnishing starter)
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Basil and coriander (1/2 cup each)
- Other herbs: dill, parsley, mint, sage, rosemary, thyme
Grocery
- 8 eggs
- 1½ cups mixed dried fruit
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- Sugars: brown, white, caster
- Cinnamon stick
- Mixed spice
- Caraway seeds
- Smoked paprika
- Celery salt
- Vanilla extract
- Cornflour
- Gelatin
- Rosewater
- Satay sticks
- Olive oil
- Lemon-infused oil
- White balsamic or white wine vinegar
- Liquid honey
- Aioli
- 3 cups chicken stock
- Roast chicken gravy mix
- Bread (for crumbs)
- Tinfoil
- Baking paper
- Chilled/frozen
- Size 5 turkey
- 40 cooked peeled prawns
- 6 rashers streaky bacon
- 300ml bottle cream
- Butter
Bottle store:
- 2 bottles bubbly (or 1 bubbly & 1 riesling)
- Extra wines to serve with meal
- Cherry liqueur or similar
- Brandy
- Sherry
- Marsala
Preparation plan:
This work plan aims to get things done as far ahead as practicable so Christmas Day is relatively easy on the cook. Allow for extra cooking time if your turkey is bigger than 5kg. If you have a large or double oven it may be possible to roast the meat, stuffing and veges all together.
1-2 weeks ahead:
3-4 days ahead:
2 days ahead:
Day before:
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Cooler: Pit cherries (if using fresh) and juice limes and store them separately, covered, in the fridge. Make ice cubes.
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Starter: Make timbales and place in fridge to set overnight. Mix lemon aioli.
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Turkey: Stuff with onions, tie legs, cover with herb butter, put in baking pan, cover with foil and return to fridge. Make bacon rolls, place on lined tray and store, covered, in the fridge.
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Dessert: Make pavlova layers and store in an airtight container.
Christmas Day: 4½ hours before start of meal
3½ hours ahead:
- Turkey: Place in preheated oven.
- Dessert: Mix Marsala cream; keep chilled.
2½ hours ahead:
1 hour ahead:
- Cooler: Place ingredients in blender jug and put in fridge. Shred mint.
- Turkey: Baste turkey with pan juices and return to oven uncovered.
30 minutes ahead:
- Turkey: Take turkey from oven, cover and leave to rest. Baste bacon rolls with oil and place in oven. Make gravy.
- Veges: Place roast veges in oven.
- Boil potatoes.
Serving time:
- Cooler: Blend just before serving.
- Starter: Turn out and garnish while guests are enjoying drinks.
- Veges: While starter is being served, cook green vegetables and add dressings.
- Dessert: Dust with icing sugar just before serving.
Cherry Champagne Cooler
Delight your guests with this sparkling pre-dinner cocktail. Fresh, canned or frozen fruit can be used.
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1 cup pitted cherries or raspberries or a mixture of both
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2 cups small ice cubes
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¼ cup cherry liqueur or similar
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2 limes, juiced
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1 bottle champagne or sparkling wine
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10 mint leaves, shredded |
Place fruit, ice, liqueur and lime juice in a blender and process until slushy. Pour into a large jug and top up with wine. Garnish with mint. Serves 8
Prawn Timbales with Lemon Aioli
Light, delicious and fabulous looking, this is the ideal starter. You will need eight ½-cup-capacity moulds – we used inexpensive plastic timbale or dariole moulds (from kitchenware shops) but small tea cups or glasses would also work. To ensure a perfect wine match with this course, serve the same wine that you use in the recipe.
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About 40 cooked peeled prawns (4-5 per person)
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1 small red onion, finely diced
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1 large firm ripe tomato, seeded and finely diced
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1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, eg dill, parsley, chervil
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3 teaspoons gelatin
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½ cup sparkling wine or riesling
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1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
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1 teaspoon salt
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Baby lettuce or micro salad for garnish
Lemon aioli:
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Slice prawns in half through the back. Arrange 3 prawn halves in the base of each mould (no need to grease them first). Sprinkle with a light layer of red onion, tomato and herbs. Repeat with another 3 prawn halves and another layer of onion, tomato and herbs. Finish the moulds with a layer of prawns.
Place ½ cup water in a small jug and sprinkle gelatin over. Leave to swell for 5 minutes then heat gently over hot water or in the microwave on medium power until dissolved. Add wine, zest, salt and a further ¾ cup water. Slowly pour liquid into prawn moulds and release any air bubbles by tapping the sides and gently poking a knife down the inside. Ensure the jelly mixture is evenly distributed; this will help when it comes to releasing the timbales from the moulds. Chill for at least 2 hours or overnight to set.
Aioli: Combine aioli, juice and zest.
To serve, run a sharp knife around the top of each mould and invert on to serving plates (briefly dip the base in warm water if stubborn). Garnish with aioli and salad. Serves 8
Herbed Roast Turkey with Cranberry Stuffing Bacon Rolls
Making stuffing rolls instead of stuffing the bird itself eliminates much of the hassle of cooking a turkey. Save the pan juices to make excellent “cheat’s” home-made gravy: use instant roast chicken gravy mix and add the strained juices plus extra water or stock as needed.
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- 1 x size 5 turkey (about 5kg)
- 150g butter, softened
- ¼ cup chopped fresh herbs, eg sage, rosemary, thyme
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 2 large onions, peeled
- 3 cups chicken stock
Stuffing rolls:
- 1 orange, juice and finely grated zest
- 2-3 tablespoons brandy
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 50g butter
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tablespoon chopped sage or thyme
- 3½-4 cups fresh soft breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 rashers streaky bacon
- Olive oil for brushing (or olive oil spray)
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Line a large roasting dish with baking paper. Rinse turkey cavity and pat dry.
Combine butter with herbs and celery salt. Place turkey in roasting dish and stuff the onions in the cavity. Tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the bird to prevent them from burning. Generously brush all over with about half of the seasoned butter.
Preheat oven to 175°C. Pour chicken stock into dish and cover loosely with foil. Roast 1 hour then baste turkey with remaining butter and ladle over stock and juices. Roast for another hour, baste again, remove foil and roast for a further 45-60 minutes. Test meat in the thickest part; juices should run clear. Take from oven, drain off pan juices for gravy and place foil over turkey to keep warm.
Stuffing rolls: Mix orange juice, zest and brandy. Add cranberries and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat butter in a shallow pan and sauté onion, garlic and herbs for 2-3 minutes until softened.
In a large bowl combine breadcrumbs, cranberries and their marinating liquid, the sautéed onion and beaten eggs. Blend together to form a soft, pliable mixture. Divide into 8, form into logs and wrap each one in half a rasher of bacon.
Place stuffing rolls on a lined baking dish and brush or spray with olive oil. Bake in oven for 30 minutes. Serves 8, with leftovers for the next day.
Caraway and Honey Oil
This is a lovely dressing for finishing simple roasted vegetable salads – we used baby carrots and red capsicums. It also works well as a marinade for grilled chicken or seafood.
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- ½ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup lemon-infused olive oil
- ¼ cup liquid honey
- 2 tablespoons sherry
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest
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Place oils, honey, sherry, caraway seeds and paprika in a small saucepan and heat gently until quite warm but not boiling. Let cool then add lemon juice and zest and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keeps at least 2 weeks, stored in a clean jar in a cool cupboard. Toss with warm vegetables before serving. Makes about 1½ cups.
Herb and Garlic Dressing
This delicious dressing is great on green veges, pasta salads and the classic tomato, basil and mozzarella salad. We tossed it through asparagus, snowpeas and baby lettuce. White balsamic vinegar (sometimes labelled “condiment”) can be found in supermarkets and delis.
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1 cup extra virgin olive oil
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½ cup each (packed): basil and coriander leaves
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1 teaspoon crushed garlic
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1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
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2 tablespoons lime juice
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1 tablespoon liquid honey
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1 tablespoon white balsamic or white wine vinegar |
Using a small blender, stick blender or mortar and pestle, blend together oil, herbs, garlic and ginger until finely chopped. Add lime juice, honey and vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Dressing will keep for about 2 weeks stored in a clean jar in the fridge. Bring to room temperature before using. Makes about 2 cups.
Toasted Almond and Dill Butter
As with the previous two dressings, this recipe will make more than you are likely to need on Christmas Day, but the leftovers will be handy for quickly tarting up other dishes over the festive period. Here we used it on boiled baby potatoes but it is also wonderful with steamed fresh asparagus and roasted root vegetables or over fish.
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- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- 100g butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- Cracked or freshly ground pepper
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Place almonds in an unoiled frying pan and cook over moderate to high heat, stirring constantly, until golden. Cool.
In a medium bowl combine butter, dill, zest and seasoning. Fold in toasted almonds. Wrap and store in fridge for 3-4 days or freeze. Toss butter with hot vegetables or dot on top before serving. Makes about ¾ cup.
Spiced Pavlova Stack with Marinated Fruits and Marsala Cream
This stunning dessert solves the dilemma of how to serve a cold pudding but still enjoy traditional flavours. Brandy can be used in the cream instead of Marsala (a sweet fortified wine) if preferred; the alcoholic intensity will just be slightly more pronounced. Once the stack is assembled the meringue will start to soften but the flavour will only improve.
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Pavlova:
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6 egg whites
- 1½ cups caster sugar (reserve 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar (or malt vinegar)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons cornflour
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- Marinated fruits:
- 1½ cups mixed dried fruits, eg raisins, dried figs, cranberries, chopped apricots, apple slices
- ¼ cup each: brown sugar, brandy
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 long strip orange peel (removed with a vege peeler)
Marsala cream:
- 300ml cream
- 3 tablespoons Marsala
To garnish:
- Fresh raspberries or other summer berries
- Icing sugar for dusting
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Pavlova: Preheat oven to 150°C fanbake and line 3 baking trays with baking paper. Draw a circle of about 22cm diameter on each to use as a template.
Using an electric beater, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually sprinkle in sugar, beating constantly until thick and glossy. Beat in vinegar and vanilla. Use a large spoon to fold in combined reserved sugar, cornflour and spice.
Divide meringue between the 3 trays and use the back of a spoon to spread into even discs. Bake 30 minutes then check to ensure they are not browning too quickly. If so, reduce temperature a little before continuing to cook a further 30 minutes or until dry to the touch. Turn off oven and leave pavlovas inside to cool. When cold, store between sheets of baking paper in an airtight container.
Marinated fruits: Mix all ingredients and marinate for at least 2-3 hours.
Marsala cream: Beat cream to soft peaks and fold in Marsala.
To assemble dessert, place 1 meringue layer on a serving plate or stand. Spread with a third of the cream, spoon over almost half the marinated fruits (discard cinnamon and peel) and top with second meringue. Repeat cream and fruit layers. Top with last meringue and decorate with remaining cream and fruits and some fresh berries. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Serves 8 generously.
Silver and felt decorations, place mats (used as runner), bird cages and napkin (on tray) from French Country Collections, (09) 376 6440; tree, red glass decorations and felt ribbon from Le Forge, (09) 638 7900; other ribbons and striped wrapping paper from Scarlet Ribbons, (09) 476 5315; cups and saucers from Old Mill Road, (09) 360 0234; napkins (on plates), glassware, cutlery, crockery, serving dishes and utensils, carving knife and tray from The Studio of Tableware, (09) 638 8082; table and chairs from Freedom, 0800 373 336; girls’ clothes from Trelise Cooper Kids, (09) 379 5005; flowers from the National Flower Promotion Group; vases and white cloth stylist’s own. Thank you to Sue Fenwick for the use of her house and to her daughters Elyse and Kyla and friend Ella Ewing for modelling.
Story: Jo Wilcox
Photographs: Melanie Jenkins
Stylist: Claudia Kozub
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