Christmas is on its way (haven’t you heard?) and along with that, is the promise of some fairly considerable feasting.
To put you in the mood, Winning Appliances presents a selection of Australian recipe ideas for the big day.
These delicious gifts provide the sense of tradition you need to feel like you’re honouring the season appropriately - while bringing a local flavour and more than a little consideration for the (hot) local climate to bear on your menu.
Seafood
For many Australians, Christmas Day is an excuse to eat more seafood – and specifically, prawns - than the average fishing trawler would be able to catch in one day.
Some pro tips for your prawning: if you’re planning on shelling them and eating them, choose cooked prawns. These ones appear shiny and bright - and their antennae remain intact. Prawns don’t stay fresh for long (those cheeky little mites), so these should be the last thing purchased before Christmas … hence the annual last-minute rush on the Sydney Fish market (where more than 120 tonnes of prawns are expected to be sold in 36 hours).
Simplicity is often your friend when it comes to seafood: King Prawns in Garlic Butter cooked on the BBQ, for example, is a simple yet delicious way to enjoy these crustaceans - and an excellent starter.
Of course, Prawn Cocktails are also an quintessential Aussie option. They remain a perennial favourite and very easy to make:
- For the cocktail element, simply combine a ¼ cup each of Tomato and Worcestershire sauces in a small bowl, with a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice plus a dash of Tabasco.
- Then place freshly washed iceberg in four serving dishes/glasses – adding the prawns, and maybe a little avocado, cucumber and onion for that finishing touch.
Voila, something to impress the most demanding in-laws.
Traditional flavours
By now, most Australians have realised there are alternatives to sweating through the preparation of a European-style lunch or dinner … however, there are options for those that still relish a few slices of turkey or ham. Cooking the night before of course, ensures a welcome cold meat platter on the ‘moro. But don’t forget that most reliable and iconic of Australian appliances:
The Barbecue
Barbecuing is, of course, a fantastic option. Not only does it provide an exemplary cooking solution, it also satisfies the desire to remove oneself from the hot kitchen and to embrace the opportunity to be social in the great outdoors (beverage in hand).
The process of barbecuing ham or turkey is actually very easy – especially if you have a BBQ sourced from one of our leading brands, such as Beefeater or Capital.
Turkey
The cooking process, as promised, is easy with the aid of these thoroughly convenient bullet-points:
- Begin by prepping the barbecue for roasting at about 180°C.
- Combine the butter in a bowl, seasoning with salt n’ pepper. From there, add olive oil, lemon, a little crushed garlic, chopped parsley and mix well.
- Apply this butter mix under the skin, until the meat is evenly covered all over – from there, insert bay leaves under the breast skin.
- Put the turkey in a roasting dish, spreading the rest of the butter on the skin, followed by a drizzle of olive oil.
- Roast the turkey on the BBQ initially for about 15 minutes. Follow this by basting, then return to the bird to the barbie with the lid closed. At this stage, you will be looking to cook for about two-and-half-hours (depending on the turkey’s size).
- Check that the juices are running clear or check the internal temperature is over 75°C using a meat thermometer before removing from the barbecue.
- The results are magnificently delicious and result, satisfying even the fussiest of Turkey aficionado.
Ham
The ham barbecue is equally easy:
- As with your turkey, prep your good ol’ barbecue for 180°C.
- Score your ham in a criss-cross fashion, using cloves to stud the ham in the centre of each square. From there, cover the leg with foil and bake for about one and half hour
- Cover the leg with foil and bake for 1 ½ hours, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the ham registers 42°C.
Glazing
Yes – preparing the glaze is something you’ll have to do in the kitchen, but you can remove this chore from your Christmas Day, of course, by doing the prep the night before (if that’s the sort of sensible forward-thinking person you are).
And if the thought of that is making you glaze-over, why not think of spicing things up with some alternatives to the traditional?
Tip: Adding fruit to the glazing will give your ham a particularly antipodean flavour - for example, try a beetroot, honey and sticky orange glazing to bring that taste of Australia to your ham.
Your method for this deliciousness is thus: bring honey, orange rind, bay leaves, rosemary and peppercorns to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low – then simmer for five minutes or until dark golden. Stir in orange juice, beetroot, mustard and vinegar. Simmer until the glaze thickens. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl – then set aside to cool.
And for more glazing options, how ‘bout lime and pistachio – or even pineapple maple glazing?
To apply the glaze, remove the foil from the ham and increase the barbecue temperature slightly (to 200°C).
Apply plenty of glaze then continue to cook the ham, basting it about every five mins with the glaze, for a further 25 mins or until the thickest part of the ham registers 52°C on the meat thermometer and the ham is evenly caramelised.
Salads
Delicious, light and chilled salads are definitely a natural go-to … particularly on the hottest days in summer, which Christmas Day is with predictable regularity.
Of course, there are thousands of salad options – but for that summery, tropical vibe why not try a Mango and Avocado Salad?
Dessert
If you’re looking for a sweet that’s a little lighter and cooler on the tum than a Christmas pud or mince pie, why not opt for a Pavlova topped with a selection of seasonal fruits?
- For a little beauty like this, preheat your oven to 120°C, lining the tray with foil … brushing with melted butter.
- Then use an electric mixer to whisk six egg whites in a clean dry bowl until you begin to notice peaks forming. Gradually add in a cup of sugar, beating well after each addition, until the meringue begins to thicken (and the sugar dissolves).
- From there, add two teaspoons of cornflour, a teaspoon of vinegar, half a teaspoon of vanilla - then whisk until just combined. Spoon meringue onto the foil, in the shape of a circle. Smooth the sides, using a small spatula to forms little peaks around edge of pavlova.
- Then bake in your oven for 1.5 hours - leaving in the oven to cool when complete. From there add your fruit and cream as you see fit!
Please let us know if you are planning to dish up anything particularly special this year. And whatever your choice - we hope you have a Merry Christmas!
