The great thing about an Australian Christmas is enjoying the warm weather outside for a festive feast. Make the most of summer by taking your Christmas lunch menu outdoors with these ideas.
Entrée: Barbequed Prawns with Ginger and Mango Mayonnaise
You’ll Need:
- 4 kg green tiger prawns, peeled, leaving tail intact, deveined
- 1 stalk lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, finely shredded
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
Ginger and mango mayonnaise
- 1 mango, peeled, stoned, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Method:
- Combine the prawns, lemongrass, lime leaves and oil in a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 1 1/2 hours to marinate.
- To make the mayonnaise, place mango, ginger, lime juice, egg yolks and mustard powder in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin, steady stream until mixture is thick and pale. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat barbecue on high. Add prawns and cook, turning occasionally, for 5-7 minutes or until prawns curl and change colour. Reserve one-third of the prawns, cover and place in the fridge to chill (see note).
- Transfer remaining prawns to a serving platter and serve with the mayonnaise.
Recipe: Taste
Main: Orange Five-Spice Glazed Ham
You’ll Need:
- 7kg whole leg ham, on the bone
- Whole cloves, to stud
- 125g (3/4 cup, lightly packed) brown sugar
- 170g (1/2 cup) orange marmalade
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 500ml (2 cups) fresh orange juice
Method:
- Place an oven shelf in the lowest position and remove other shelves. Preheat oven to 170°C. Use a small sharp knife to cut around the shank in a zigzag pattern, about 10cm from the end. Carefully run the knife under the rind around the edge of the ham. Gently lift rind off by running your fingers between the rind and the fat. Score fat in a diamond pattern, about 5mm deep. Stud centres of diamonds with cloves.
- Combine the sugar, marmalade, Chinese five spice and mustard in a bowl until smooth. Place the ham, fat-side-up, in a large baking dish. Pour the orange juice into the dish. Brush one-third of the glaze over the ham.
- Bake the ham for 30 minutes. Brush with half the remaining glaze. Bake, brushing once with remaining glaze, for a further 1 1/4 hours or until ham is cooked through and the surface is sticky and golden. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest before carving.
Recipe: Taste
Side: Christmas Salad with Goat’s Cheese
You’ll Need:
- 100g goat’s cheese (round with a rind)
- 1 ripe pear
- Handful peacans, roughly broken
- 80g bag mixed watercress and spinach
- Crusty bread, to serve
- Oil, for brushing
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp cranberry
Sauce
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Method:
- Preheat the grill to high and line the grill rack with foil. Halve the cheese to make two discs. Halve and core the pear, cut each half into slices and arrange in two piles on the foil. Lightly brush the pears with oil then top each pile with a cheese disc (cut side up) and grill for a few minutes until lightly golden and bubbling. Scatter with the nuts and grill for a minute or so more.
- Whisk the cranberry sauce with the oil and lemon juice and season. Arrange salad leaves on two plates. Put the pears and cheese on top. Spoon over the dressing, scatter over any stray nuts and eat right away with crusty bread while the cheese is still deliciously runny.
Recipe: BBC Good Food
Dessert:
Gingerbread Trifle
You’ll Need:
- 4 cups (1L) milk
- 200g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 8 Coles Brand Australian free range egg yolks
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 1/3 cup (50g) cornflour
- 1/4 cup (35g) plain flour
- 300ml thickened cream
- 1 Coles Brand ginger cake loaf or madeira cake, trimmed, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup (60ml) coffee liqueur or butterscotch schnapps (optional)
- 12 baked mini gingerbread men (see notes)
- 500g fresh or frozen mixed berries
- Thickened cream, extra, whisked, to serve
- Fresh berries, extra, to decorate
Method:
- Combine milk, chocolate and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring, until chocolate melts.
- Use an electric mixer to whisk the egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Add the cornflour and flour and whisk to combine. Gradually add the hot milk mixture, whisking well after each addition. Return to the saucepan and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 mins or until custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Pour into a heatproof bowl and cover the surface with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill completely.
- Use an electric mixer to whisk the chilled custard until smooth. Gradually add the cream, in batches, whisking well between each batch until smooth.
- Arrange half the ginger or madeira cake over the base of a 2L (8-cup) serving dish. Drizzle with half the liqueur, if desired. Arrange the gingerbread men around the side of the dish. Spoon half the custard over the cake. Top with berries. Continue layering with remaining custard, cake and liqueur. Top with extra whipped cream. Decorate with extra berries.
Recipe: Taste
For more Christmas cooking inspiration, head to our Pinterest page!