Christmas Recipes: Ultimate Guide to Festive Feasting

With Christmas just around the corner, it's time to start prepping for the big day. Everything always takes longer than you think, so start scouring the shops now to make sure your Christmas Day is a complete success. It's far more important to be relaxing with a glass of bubbles in hand, than dashing out on a last-minute food shop!

So, to ensure your day runs smoothly, we have curated a list of menu tips and beautiful recipes from some of the industries best to guarantee a bumper Christmas Day feast!

One of the most stressful tasks on your Christmas to-do list will be the menu. Christmas meals are enshrined in tradition and are many have tried and failed. To ensure you have a successful – and stress-free – Christmas lunch, here are a couple of things to remember: 

• Keep it simple and easy. Masterchef's Brendan Pang suggests: "go for dishes that [you] have cooked before. Knowing what you are cooking minimises stress and guarantees your food will be delicious!" 

• Avoid Christmas panic and prep early! According to renowned chef Mark Best, "It’s a good idea to serve dishes that don’t need to be prepared and served immediately, this ensures you’re not stuck in the kitchen."

Here are some delicious recipes to get your creative juices flowing:

Entrees

• Smoked Salmon Mini Bagel Tea Sandwiches
• Spicy Pineapple Prosciutto Tarts

Main

• Yorkshire Christmas Spread

• Roast Christmas Goose

Sides

• Gratin of Roasted Parsley Root, Fennel, Heirloom Carrot and Parsnip

• Prawn Salad

Dessert

• Mango with White Chocolate Ganache and Sheep Milk Yoghurt Ganache with Kaffir Lime Sherbet
• Orange Cake with Mascarpone Icing

Once you've locked in your menu, you need to head to the shops and get your food orders in straight away. It is best to get in early with making your food orders to ensure smooth sailing come Christmas Eve. When you have to brave the shops, make sure to map out your route, to avoid any queues and quadruple check opening times, order cut off and pick-up dates. And think about shopping small this year and visit your local fishmongers, butchers, food halls, and produce markets before stopping off at the supermarket.

As Mark Best puts it:

"Drinks are a must!" Make sure when you are putting together your food menu that you are also considering a drink to pair with it. 

Wine

When selecting wine, ensuring they will pair with the food is essential. Traditionally, white wine for white meats and seafood, and bold reds for roast beef and lamb. Don't worry yourself with thinking more expensive equals quality. There are plenty of good quality wines, that won't break the bank. Want to know which are the best of the bunch? We reveal Naked Wines and Vinomofo's top budget-friendly picks. 

Beer

Essentially for any Christmas Day, your beer selection does not need to be strict, but the non-negotiable is that they must be on ice ASAP. You don't want Christmas Day 2021 to be dubbed 'warm beer-gate'. Since we're set for a scorcher, definitely opt for a lighter beer. A favourite of ours is the new Better Beer from everyone's favourite larrikins The Inspired Unemployed.  A refreshing new way to beat the heat, this brew tastes like a classic without any carbs or sugar, and just 87 calories per can. A definite thirst quencher.

Cocktails

For Mark it's all about ease and seasonality: "guests can help themselves to a big jug of martini with watermelon and olives on clear ice, it goes perfectly with those relaxed Christmas afternoons. For non-drinkers, I would have some home-made kombucha or a non-alcoholic sangria." 

In creating bespoke cocktails, here is some advice for you to follow:

• To create a summer cocktail at home, start with a light, white spirit such as tequila or vodka. The spirit is the true hero of a summer cocktail.
• Add bright, fruity and seasonal flavours reminiscent of summer such as mango, lime, lychee or orange and avoid heavy textures such as milk and chocolate.
• Ingredients can be mixed, muddled, juiced or sliced and used as a fresh garnish.
• Make sure the correct cocktail making tools are on hand, such as a measuring cup, cocktail shaker, juicer and strainer. 

For more cocktail inspiration, head here.

One of our favourite parts of the holiday is being able to feast on lunch and dinner leftovers. 

Don't Tell Aunty's  Jessi Singh looks forward to his famous leftover scrambled eggs each year.

"Since I'm preparing and cooking most of the day, I end up nibbling on food throughout and by the time everyone sits down for the feast, I’m full. Because of this, I always look forward to having my famous leftover scrambled eggs the next morning."  

"Basically, I use leftover turkey, ham, sliced red onions, diced plum cherry tomatoes, fresh jalapeños, turmeric and eggs and served with leftover roast veggies reheated in the leftover fat from the turkey and ham. The most satisfying brekkie to celebrate the end of Christmas."

For some more leftover inspiration, here are some of our fave recipes from Australia's best chefs:

• Ham and Turkey Pie
• Midnight Ham Toastie
• Mussels, Fregola & Smoked Christmas Ham
• Christmas Prawn, Saffron & Roast Tomato Stew

Loved our Christmas recipe ideas and looking for more festive inspo? Be sure to check out our Christmas party hosting guide and our round-up of the best kris kringle gifts. With those two articles under your belt, you'll have your Christmas sorted in no time!