The holiday season can be stressful, but with our help it doesn’t have to be. This year we want to share some of our favourite and most cherished festive recipes put together by some of our finest culinary talents.
Timing, organisation and lists may sound boring but they’re actually very important – there’s no such thing as luck when it comes to a really important meal. Planning ahead will not only give you wonderfully tasty food but the ability to surprise and impress the people you love most.
We hope you enjoy these festive recipes and share them amongst your family and friends.
Wattleseed Mustard Roast Beef Sirloin with Lemon Thyme Confit Onions
Serves 8
Preparation time 1-2 hours
1.6kg Beef Sirloin
50g Dijon mustard
40g Wattle seed – ground
640g Peeled onions
Pinch of lemon thyme
50g butter
pinch of cracked black pepper
pinch of salt
Method
Heat oven to 180°C.
Place the sirloin fat-side down in a hot pan or grill and cook to release some of the fat, then turn the beef in the fat to seal and color it all over, about 5 mins. The beef can now be seasoned with salt and pepper and smeared with the Dijon mustard/Wattle seed mix. Roast to the desired internal temp – usually 63°C for medium rare. Once roasted, remove the beef from the pan and leave to one side, loosely covered with foil, to rest for 15-20 mins. slice and serve
Melt the butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté, stirring frequently, until the onions become tender and start to turn golden. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and thyme. Stir the mixture and transfer the onions to a tray, place into a preheated oven. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are wilted, very soft, and are a medium gold throughout.
Roasted Pumpkin and Sweet Potato Bake
Serves 8
Preparation time 30 mins
800g Pumpkin
1 clove of Garlic
20ml Olive oil
60g brown onion
Pinch of thyme
400ml Cream
800g sweet potato
Pinch of parsley
160g cheese cheddar shredded
Pinch of nutmeg
Method
Slice pumpkin and sweet potato, then rub with crushed garlic, thyme, salt and pepper. Roast at 180* C for 15 min. Sauté sliced onion and garlic until soft then add cream and nutmeg, season and cook until boiled. Add cheese to thicken the sauce and then pour over pumpkin. Sprinkle with cheese and grill.
Christmas pudding
Serves 8
Preparation time 1 hr
100g sultana
100g Raisins
100g figs, dried
100g apricot dried
100g cranberries dried
100g lemon raw
100g orange for juice
140ml brandy
170g butter
150g egg whole
Pinch of salt
Pinch of dried ginger
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of mixed spice
Pinch of cinnamon ground
1 tea spoon of bicarb soda
40g almond meal
100g breadcrumbs
Method
Combine dried fruit in a bowl, scatter with brandy, cover and stand overnight.
Using an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and rinds until pale and fluffy, then slowly beat in egg. Sieve together flour, salt, spices and bi-carb soda. Add to mixture in batches, alternating with soaked fruit mixture and almond meal. Stir through breadcrumbs. Brush a 1.8 litre-capacity pudding bowl with butter, line the base with a circle of baking paper and dust with flour. Pour pudding mixture into bowl and top with another circle of baking paper. Cover with two layers of foil and tie with string. Place pudding into a large saucepan with a wire rack or tea towel lining the base. Fill with enough water to come halfway up the side of the bowl. Cover and simmer for 6 hours, topping up water when necessary. Pudding may be made ahead and cooled in bowl.
We hope you enjoy these festive recipes as much as we do!
