Recipes and tips to make your festive table shine
Kerry Scambler
Cooking for Christmas: Timeless Recipes for the Festive Season [©Murdoch Books]
Not sure about the talk of the air being 'laden with seductive scents of pine needles and candy canes' – around our place it’s more like the minty smell of eucalyptus trees sweltering and the occasional sound of a wine cork being released or a beercap being pulled, both with a resulting 'aaahhh'.
But the tips for a stress free Christmas and recipes in Cooking for Christmas are certainly a great help whether it’s your first big family festive feast or you're a dab hand at turning out the turkey.
In our household the task of Christmas lunch falls to the man of the house for two reasons – he loves doing it and he’s damn good at it. As they say, if it ain't broke... But perhaps this year will be different with an additional family lunch on the agenda and thankfully Cooking for Christmas from Murdoch books has delivered some inspiration for the other kitchen hand.
First it’s the planning tips to reduce the last minute stress usually associated with the festive season: from making the pudding and mince pies months ahead to pre-ordering the meats and clearing the deck in the fridge and freezer. There’s also tips on buying ahead so that last bill in the foodstore in December doesn’t leave you reaching for the brandy (that’s for the brandy sauce!).
First course can often present the first headache – you don’t want to spoil the main course after all. Cooking for Christmas suggests some old favourites like French onion soup along with some less traditional recipes such as beetroot and goat’s cheese and a range in between.
The focus for everyone however is always on main course and here there’s a variety of recipes. Turkey of course, but with hazelnut and porcini stuffing or turkey breast with fig, orange and cranberry stuffing and red meat – herb crusted rib eye with red wine sauce and roast venison with redcurrant sauce – and even some fish suggestions including slow roasted salmon with mustard sauce. Add in options for chicken, duck, pork ,veal and even how to roast a goose and you have some serious choices to make.
Another section on sides again offers the traditionals but also some interesting options. Personally I didn’t think we needed recipes for crunchy roast potatoes and rosemary roast pumpkin but then, this book is obviously covering the range of culinary skills in the kitchens of Australia. And we can all pick up some interesting variations – new for me is the maple syrup roasted parsnips which will be making their debut in the coming weeks in a test run. I’m not sure about putting the recipe for Yorkshire puddings up against my mother’s tried and true recipe – that might be pushing the festive spirit just a little.
Of course, Christmas meals are usually three courses whether we really need them or not so again Cooking for Christmas covers off the traditional puddings, cakes and desserts but also includes some different suggestions such as blood orange panna cotta with orange blossom syrup.
Want to know how to make a pear and ginger champagne cocktail? Or a pomegranate and rosewater martini? Served with caramelized leek and stilton pastries perhaps? Then the next section on drinks and nibbles will provide the answers
The final section covers edible gifts and includes a recipe for stained glass biscuit decorations – surely not designed to last long on the tree!
Despite our warm climate, it seems most of us still like to sit down to a long, large Christmas dinner, even if we will perhaps regret it in the late afternoon as we struggle to keep our eyes open. Varying in number of ingredients and skill level, there’s a good range of recipes to choose from in Cooking for Christmas - but come to think of it who needs Christmas as an excuse for gathering of friends and family?
Cooking for Christmas is published by Murdoch Books (Nov 09). RRP A$49.95.
VisitVineyards.com and Winpros Archive Subscibers can purchase Cooking for Christmas through our book partners Seekbooks with a 12.5% discount (plus postage)
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