Final Food Preparations for the Big Day

Final food preparations for the big day

With seven sleeps left till Christmas (eeek!) there's a lot to think about and a lot to prepare for this spectacular Monday we have ahead of us. Let's face it, the main thing that's on our mind is the food, how will it all come together? How will it be on time? Is my goose/turkey basted, rested and loved enough? Do not worry, I have written a small guide on how to tackle these daunting questions to make your Christmas day magical.

For the next few days I would say continue your festivities however that may be. Mine include drinking a lot of mulled wine, wrapping presents, eating fondue (or any cheese), giving secret santa gifts, decorating the house, and going to as many Christmas markets as possible. 

- Saturday and Sunday will probably be the main shopping and cooking days. On Saturday I'll be going cheese buying to prepare an amazing cheese board for the day. We normally go to Paxton and Whitfield since it's an occasion but during this period any supermarket will have a lovely selection. Along with the cheese we pick up our other food: turkey/goose, sprouts, ham, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, sausage stuffing, chestnuts.. whatever you have to eat. 

- Sunday will probably be a day of food preparation if you have the time. I would say aim to do as much prep as possible so that you have less to think about on Christmas day and can enjoy lots of bubbly without the stress. For the cooking of the meat and stuffing I would say do whatever you normally do, there's usually some instructions on the packet. Rather than writing out how to cook a whole Christmas lunch I've included a few of my favorite recipe's. 

1) Brussel Sprouts:

Boasting a bad reputation I would argue that these are an essential part of Christmas dinner and they can be made delicious. 

To jazz them up I stream them, then fry them with butter, maple glazed bacon, chilli flakes, garlic and lime juice. I know this doesn't sound traditional but it makes them so tasty and indulgent and could probably sway sprout haters. 

2) Braised red cabbage:

Another member of the farting family. This is something you can prepare the day before and it is a real crowd pleaser. Chop the cabbage and roast it for two hours on a low heat. All you need is red wine vinegar, a cooking apple, onion, garlic, all spice, sugar, salt, pepper and some water to make this melt in the mouth side dish. 

3) Smoked salmon Pate:

salmon pate is a light and refreshing way to kick start the meal. You'll need smoked salmon (duh), half a lemon, creme fraiche, a pinch of salt, pepper, one tsp of horseradish and a quarter of a red onion. Put all the ingredients in a blender including some lemon zest as well as the juice. Blend and taste, adding more lemon, pepper, salmon, onion if you need to. Serve with bread or crackers and enjoy with a glass of prosecco. 

So, those are three of my favorite Christmas day recipes and can all be prepared the day before- you just need to reheat the sprouts and cabbage. The food makes Christmas for me and you can get really creative with it, so don't be afraid to play around with the classics and add a bit of heat, a drop of booze or a twist of lemon. 

Merry Christmas!