This Christmas, dazzle your guests with a festive feast featuring tantalising starters like West Coast Bacon Mussel Pot and Salmon Ceviche. Move on to mouth-watering mains such as Lobster with risotto and Rump Steak with Mushroom Sauce. Then at last, cap off the celebration with divine desserts like Easy Fig Tart and Tropical Eton Mess. Elevate your holiday cooking with recipes from renowned cookbook authors, including Jamie Oliver, Yotam Ottolenghi, and more. Win Christmas with a menu that sparks joy and leaves a lasting impression.
CELEBRATORY STARTERS
Melting Caramelised Cabbage with Ginger-Fennel Smoor
“This is a hug of a dish. Sometimes we need a reassuring dish to let us know that everything is going to be OK – different to what we might have planned – and that there are sunrises and sunsets, sometimes aching hearts and grief but also bowls of melting cabbage for comfort and restoration. This smoor is a great one to have in your arsenal.”
West Coast Bacon Mussel Pot
From Beer Country’s Blackouts and Boerewors by Karl Tessendorf and Greg Gilowey
“Mussels are probably the most underrated seafood, and they’re one of our all-time favourites.”
Salmon Ceviche
From Thrive by Nicci Robertson
‘Ceviche is a fresh dish made from raw fish marinated in citrus juices, herbs and spices.’
Gebakte Blomkool met Blomkoolpuree en Kruie-Vinaigrette
Uit Lekker en Goed deur Carmen Niehaus
“Die veelsydigheid van blomkool ken nie perke nie. Sit ’n gebakte blomkool heel voor of breek dit in blommetjies en maak ’n slaaibakkie daarvan. Lekker geurig en mooi.”
Italian Spring Rolls with Beurre Blanc Sauce
From Our Italian Legacy of Love by Chiara Viljoen
Cajun Swordfish Salad
From The Ultimate Salad Book by Chantal Lascaris
Smoked salmon oat blinis with beetroot & celeriac remoulade
Dalewood Wineland Wild Mushroom Brie topped with Panko, Enoki Mushrooms, Thyme and Lemon Pagrattato
From Friends. Food. Flavour by Michael Olivier
MOUTH-WATERING MAINS
Honeymoon Lobster with Risotto
From Feed my Tribe by Mmule Setati
“We spent our honeymoon in Croatia and the first restaurant we went to was in Old Town Dubrovnik, overlooking a set from Game of Thrones, exciting and surreal in equal parts. The meal we enjoyed there was a delicate and flavourful lobster risotto, which set the mood for the rest of the trip.”
Afrika-lamsboud
Uit Nostalgie deur Herman Lensing
“Lamsboud sal vir my altyd die kroon van die vleiskombuis bly. Daai Kalahari-gene loop diep in my lyf. Ek weet Karooboere gaan met jou stry en sê die beste lam kom eintlik uit die Karoo, want nêrens anders in die wêreld kry jy daardie unieke bossiegeur van die inheemse kruie nie, en dis waar. Maar Kalahari-lam is anders – dis soeter, dis geuriger op ’n ander manier en die vet is mooi. Ek het nooit met vars kruie in die kombuis grootgeword nie; die naaste wat jy daaraan sal kom, is pietersielie. Die eerste pietersielie wat ek gesien het, was twee stukkies op die vleis by die slaghuis, net twee (ek vermoed dit was plastiek!). Maar onlangs het ek die kans gekry om meer van Kaapse fynbosgeure te leer ken. En dis dan wanneer jy daar in die veld staan en die wilde kruie begin kneus en ruik in jou hande dat jy die waarde van kruie en die impak wat dit op vleis het, begin waardeer. Ek is baie lief vir hierdie kontinent waar ons woon; ons moet nooit vergeet hoe waardevol haar skatte en juwele is nie. Ja, dis moeilik om hier te woon, maar dis lekker. Ek maak hierdie lamsboud gereeld as ’n ode aan die ryk bestanddele en smake wat Afrika met ons deel.”
Rump Steak with Mushroom Sauce
From Senidlile Kodwa? by Zanele van Zyl
Baked Lamb Chops with Pesto, Tomatoes & Broccoli
From Clever Cooking by Vickie de Beer
Slow-Roasted Lamb Shoulder on Herbed Couscous with Mint and Peas
From Simply Seasonal by Ilse van der Merwe
Chicken with Olives, Dates and Caper Berries
From Cooking with Love by Trish van der Nest
Gerookte Varkboud met Glaseersel
Uit Huiskos deur Herman Lensing
Pan-Fried Peppercorn Fillet Steaks with lentil and feta mash
From Cooking with Love by Trish van der Nest
Za’atar Salmon and Tahini
From Ottolenghi Test Kitchen: Shelf Love by Yotam Ottolenghi and Noor Nurad
Epic Mixed Roast: Stuffed chicken, rolled pork belly & topside of beef
Eend in Toskaanse Rooiwynsous
Uit Kosbaar deur Elmarie Berry
Christine Capendale’s Beef Fillet with Burrata and a Caper Sauce
From Friends. Food. Flavour by Michael Olivier
DIVINE DESSERTS
Easy Fig Tart
From 5 Ingredients Mediterranean by Jamie Oliver
Tropical Eton Mess
From Easy Al Fresco by Ilse van der Merwe
“When dining outdoors casually, no-one wants to make a fussy, time-consuming dessert. Store-bought meringues, fresh fruit and cream are always a good idea – it’s light, simple and mostly gluten free. When passion fruit isn’t in season, the canned pulp can be readily found all year round in most supermarkets and provides a delicious saucy base. Change up the fresh fruit according to the season and what you love, set up a self-help station and let everyone assemble their own.”
Pecan Nut Tart with a Chocolate-coconut Biscuit Crust
From Modern Cape Malay Cooking by Cariema Isaacs
“This started out as a ‘Romany Cream’-style biscuit but seeing that it is so popular in our home, I began playing around with variations. I realised that I could turn the original biscuit dough into a crust and all I needed was a delectable filling. Et voilà, one of our favourite desserts was born!”
Elmarie se suurlemoen-en-witsjokolade-koekstruif
Uit AleitApteit deur Aleit Swanepoel
Glorious Granadilla Truffles
From The Ultimate Salad Book by Chantal Lascaris
Sjokolade-karameltert met Ses Bestanddele
Uit Huiskos deur Herman Lensing
Sloe Gin Poached Plums with candied puff pastry, toasted almonds & vanilla ice cream
Gebakte Kaaskoek
Uit Kosbaar deur Elmarie Berry
LEKKER WENK: Vir 'n meer feestelike voorkoms, gebruik makrolletjies wat rooi, groen, silwer en goud van kleur is.
Nicky Barber’s Peppermint Crisp Ice-cream Parfait
From Friends. Food. Flavour by Michael Olivier
No-bake Fridge Cheesecake
From Dinner at Matloha's by Liziwe Matloha
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