Each year, families come together to welcome the New Year. It is a fresh new phase most people look forward to. What better way to celebrate this joyous occasion than with delicious Christmas food?
It’s time we bid adieu to age-old classics and put together a Christmas dinner worthy to mark the holiday season!
Christmas Dinner Ideas
For appetizers, opt for creamy Camembert bruschetta, flavored with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic and thyme, drizzled with olive oil and baked until melted. Or do puff-pastry topped with crème fraîche, caramelized onions and apples and baked, or a traditional pot of warm cheese fondue with condiments like veggie sticks, bread sticks and berries.
Meat lovers can go for salty prosciutto with pears and a hint of blue cheese for mellow and salty deliciousness!
For a Christmas Eve dinner main course, opt for traditional Christmas ham, glazed with a mix of warm spices and apricot preserve for a delicious sweet tinge! Alternatively, go for a marinade of coriander and hand-pounded fennel seeds for a rustic, smoky flavor.
You can also make a traditional pork loin in a unique way by coating it with fresh cherry tapenade and then covering the entire creation in bacon and letting it roast slowly, or a classic roast turkey with garlic, sage and lemon.
For a lighter option, go for pan-seared halibut or bass with shallots and spinach, dressed in vinaigrette. Even a simple slow-cooked beef with cherry tomatoes and garlic is easy to make and saves an ample amount of time.
For some simple and easy to make salads, go for a fresh endive salad balanced with goat cheese and crispy bacon. Greens dressed with a Champagne dressing are wonderfully quick and will have your guests going gaga over the unusual ingredient! For veggies, do broccoli with toasted hazelnuts, traditional glazed carrots or collard greens with smoky garlic.
For a different vegetarian dish, baked sweet potatoes or root vegetables with maple syrup, vanilla beans and clove taste delicious and festive. Lastly, you can simply go for classic baked or mashed potatoes with honey or nutmeg for a Christmas touch!
Dessert is the show-stopper of a Christmas meal. Keep it simple yet modern with a pound cake flavored with orange, honey and rosemary, or go Italian with a moist, fruit-laden panettone bread. Alternatively, try your hand at an apple crumble pie with sour cream, an English cherry trifle or apricot parfait with vanilla pudding.
Trendy Foods for Christmas 2016
Pork belly is one of the most versatile options for Christmas Eve dinner. Add zing to the traditional method by experimenting with flavorful sauces, unusual ingredients or serving it with modern side dishes. You can also substitute it for traditional Christmas ham.
Pomegranate, used in Turkish cuisines for ages, is a super food and is loaded with antioxidants. The fruit adds color, sweetness and a wonderful contrasting flavor to roast lamb, salads or desserts.
Chef Lino Sauro opens up about cooking with octopus. He says, “You can practically use it in anything, from a tapas dish to pasta, served hot or cold.” He continues, “Octopus brings on nostalgia for me, as Sicilian summers are not complete without it.”
Sources:
Stilinovic, M., “If You’re Tired Of Traditional Christmas Dinner, Try These Trendy Foods Instead,” Forbes web site, December 12, 2016; http://www.forbes.com/sites/millystilinovic/2016/12/12/if-youre-tired-of-traditional-christmas-dinner-try-these-trendy-foods-instead/#52f1bb3b7b04, last accessed December 12, 2016
“35 Easy, Elegant Recipes for Christmas Dinner” Real Simple web site;
http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/entertaining/food-drink/easy-christmas-recipes, last accessed December 12, 2016
