The lunch on Christmas Day is possibly the most cherished tradition of the festival. A distinct joy prevails during this meal — homes are decked in festive hues of red, white and green; Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble and Meghan Trainor play softly in the background; and the dining table is dotted with the most magnificent fare as families come together, dressed to the nines, to celebrate the occasion, and the year gone by.
My Kolkata puts together a guide for home chefs:
COCKTAIL BITES
Christmas Cheeseboard
Packed with an assortment of cheese, fresh seasonal fruit (choose tangy ones), salty crackers, cold cuts and jams, cheeseboards make for great companions to festive pours and are a fantastic way to liven up your dining table!
Ingredients:
- 6-10 pieces of Bandel cheese (add a few smoked ones too)
- Slices of cheddar (try and get a flavoured slab)
- Sambusak — a Jewish cheese
- Smoked ham
- Chicken salami
- Cocktail sausages
- Salt beef
- An assortment of salty crackers
- Fresh strawberries and raspberries
- Grapes (mix of black and green)
- Exotic nuts
- Cream cheese
- Jams
Method:
- Slice the cheddar into assorted shapes and place it on the platter. Add the Bandel cheese and the Sambusak in a pattern next to it.
- Place the jam and cream cheese into small dishes, and add them to the platter.
- Add crackers to the platter, fanning out the crackers as you go.
- Fill in empty spaces with strawberries, raspberries, and grapes.
- Fan out the cold cuts in a manner similar to the crackers.
- Sprinkle the nuts to finish off the platter.
Garlic and yoghurt dip with crisps
Chips and dip is a starter that can never go wrong, especially if the dip is a luscious combination of yoghurt, garlic and parsley.
Ingredients:
- Yoghurt: ½ cup
- Garlic: ½ cup (chopped finely)
- Lemon juice: ½ teaspoon (freshly squeezed)
- Mustard: 1 teaspoon
- Parsley: ¼ cup (chopped finely)
- Pepper: 1 pinch
- Salt to taste
Method:
- Add the yoghurt to a fine cloth and hang it for at least an hour. This ensures the yoghurt isn’t too light by draining all the water.
- Mix all the ingredients except the parsley in a bowl.
- Dress the dip with parsley and a pinch of black pepper.
Tip: You can customise this dip by adding preferred flavours. Recommended additions are olive oil, jalapenos or crushed walnuts.
Serve it with your favourite potato chips!
Prawn Cocktail
A ‘Calcutta’ classic — the prawn cocktail is easy to put together and difficult to forget. Serve it in individual cups so each guest gets a curled prawn (and a photo op for the ’gram).
Ingredients:
- Prawns: 400g (cooked)
- Iceberg lettuce: A bunch (trimmed)
- Mayonnaise: 5 heaped tablespoons
- Tomato sauce: 5 tablespoons
- Worcestershire sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Creamed horseradish: 2 tablespoons
- Tabasco sauce: ½ teaspoon
- Lemon juice: ½ teaspoon
- Paprika: A pinch
Method:
- Peel the prawns (keep a few aside for the rim of the glasses). Divide the lettuce leaves evenly between each glass and sprinkle the prawns over the lettuce. Season with black pepper.
- Mix the mayonnaise, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, horseradish and Tabasco together in a large mixing bowl. Then, add lemon juice and salt and pepper and layer thinly over the prawns. Sprinkle a little paprika, top with the remaining prawns and serve immediately.
FESTIVE LUNCH SPREAD
Roast Chicken with Cheesy Cauliflower and Cabbage, Roasted Vegetables, and Potato Salad
Roast chicken with cheesy cauliflower and cabbage, braised vegetables and a crunchy potato salad as its sidekick make for a blissful festive meal. Make sure that you perfect the cook time so the chicken is succulent on the inside and crispy on the outside. Psst: The crispier the better!
Roast Chicken —
Ingredients:
For the Roast Chicken:
- Whole chicken: 1½ kgs
- Salt
- Pepper
- Unsalted butter: 2 tablespoons (and more if needed)
- Lemon: 1
For the Roasted Vegetables:
- Potatoes: 6 (peeled and quartered)
- Carrots: 2 large (peeled and cut into 1” pieces)
- Onion: 1 medium onion (chopped into 1” pieces)
- Garlic: 1 whole head
- Rosemary: 4 sprigs
- Olive oil: 1 tablespoon
- Salt
- Black pepper
Method:
- Add the chopped carrots, onion, potatoes, half of the head of garlic, and two sprigs of rosemary in a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper, as needed.
- In a roasting pan, add the chicken and pat dry inside and outside with paper towels. Season the chicken (both the inside and the outside) with salt and black pepper. Stuff the chicken with ½ of the garlic head, two lemon halves, and two sprigs of rosemary.
- Melt two tablespoons of butter. And brush the chicken and brush the sides with melted butter and then season.
- Tie the legs of the chicken together before tucking the wings under the bird. Place the veggies around the chicken and roast in the oven uncovered at 425˚F for 80 to 90 minutes. Once the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 165˚F, your roast chicken is ready!
- Let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Cheesy Cauliflower and Cabbage
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower: 300 grams
- Cabbage: 300 grams
- Butter: 4 tablespoons
- Cheese: 200 grams
- Salt
- Black pepper
Method:
- Blanch the cabbage and cauliflower and add each to a plate.
- Drizzle the butter all over.
- Grate the cheese and add a thick layer on each plate.
- Finish off with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Bake in the microwave till the cheese melts.
- Cut into triangular slices.
Potato Salad
For the salad:
- Potatoes: ½ kilogram
- Eggs: 10
- Onion leeks: 200 grams
For the dressing:
- Salt and black pepper
- Mayonaise: 2 tablespoons
- Full cream: 1 tablespoon
- Mustard: 1 teaspoon
- Worchester sauce: 1 teaspoon
- Coriander: 6 sprigs
Method:
- Cube the potatoes and eggs and add to a bowl.
- Chop the onion leeks finely and add to the same bowl.
- In another bowl, mix the mayonnaise, cream, mustard and Worcester sauce.
- Mix the medley with the potatoes and eggs. Garnish with coriander, salt and pepper and your salad is ready!
Tip: Add ham, bacon or pineapple to the salad to take it up a notch.
DECADENT DESSERTS
Rose Cookies
These cookies aren’t your ordinary cookies…
Ingredients:
- All-purpose flour: 1 cup
- Rice flour: ¼ cup
- Granulated white sugar: ⅓ cup
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Baking powder: A pinch
- Egg: 1
- Coconut milk (adjust if needed): 300ml
- Vanilla essence: 1 teaspoon
- Oil (to deep fry)
Method:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar well.
- Add in the coconut milk and flour, mixing well till it is a nice and thick consistency.
- Heat the oil in a vessel, and place the mould in the oil for 30 seconds so it heats up.
- Dip the mould in the batter. Make sure to dip only half the mould in the batter.
- Place it in the oil immediately.
- Once the rose cookies have left the sides of the moulds, fry them till you get a lovely golden hue.
Figgy Pudding
Figgy pudding is the perfect aide to a glass of wine. Raise a toast, and devour.
Ingredients:
For the pudding —
- Chopped dried pitted dates: 1 ½ cups
- Chopped dried figs: ½ cup
- Water: 1 ½ cup
- Baking soda: 1 teaspoon
- Butter (softened): 100 grams
- Sugar: 1 cup
- Eggs: 2
- Self-rising flour: 2 ½ cups
- Dark chocolate (grated): 75 grams
- Ice cream or whipped cream, for garnish
For the sauce —
- Brown sugar: 1 cup
- Heavy cream: 1 cup
- Butter: 200 grams
- Vanilla ice cream (optional)
- Whipped heavy cream (optional)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Place the dates, dried figs and water into a pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the baking soda after removing the pan from the heat. Let it cool for five minutes and then add to a blender and puree.
- Whip the butter and sugar in a large bowl (using a hand mixer for this step is advisable). Add the eggs and beat well. Fold in the flour, dates and chocolate.
- Put the mix into four well-buttered cups, filling only halfway. Put it in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- For the sauce, start by stirring the sugar and cream over low heat. Simmer the mix until the sugar dissolves. Then, bring to a boil (raise the heat, if needed). Simmer for five minutes before adding in the butter.
- Remove the cups from the oven and let them cool for 10 minutes.
- Pour the sauce into the centre of each pudding, then pour more sauce over the puddings and allow it to soak in slightly.
- Top with vanilla ice cream or heavily whipped cream. Serve warm!
