Christmas menu is all about embracing the holiday spirit and relishing some new and classic dishes. Every home prepares its own menu that leaves you spoilt for choice. Check out these recipes:
SCRUMPTIOUS MEALS
Christmas celebration is incomplete without a spread of lavish dishes especially if you can cook up the feast using recipes from the best cookbooks and professional chefs. Most of the traditional meals during Christmas include a turkey and so the tradition continues at Keys Hotels as corporate chef Manish Kusumwal shares few delightful recipes that you can offer to your guests this season:
CAJUN SPICED TURKEY WRAPPED WITH BACON
Ingredients
- Large turkey breast............ - ........1
- Cajun Spice.... - .....1 tsp
- Spinach leaves (chopped, cooked, drained)......... - .1 cup
- Garlic pods (chopped).... - .....5
- Salted butter.... - .....10 gm
- Feta Cheese...... - .. ¼ cup
- Strips of bacon... - .......12
- Ground black pepper....... - ..¼ tsp
Method
For Cajun Spice
- Onion powder..... - ...1 ½ tsp
- Garlic powder.... - ..1 ½ tsp
- Seasoning salt.... - ..1 tbsp
- Paprika..... - ..1 tbsp
- Black pepper (ground)... - ...1 tsp
- Cayenne pepper.... - ..1 tsp
- Oregano.. - ....1 tsp
- Thyme... - ...1 tsp
- Red pepper flakes...... - ...1/2 tsp (if you like it spicy)
(Mix all the ingredients together, run it through the blender if you like it fine. Store in an air tight jar)
FOR TURKEY
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- Melt the butter in a pan add garlic and put the chopped spinach and sauté for 2 minutes and cool it.
- Slice turkey breast down the middle and lay it flat. Sprinkle Cajun spice, salt, and pepper on the inside of turkey.
- Spread the spinach evenly and put the crumbled feta cheese in the centre.
- Fold the other turkey breast half over the feta layer so the filling is sealed. Wrap the entire turkey breast with bacon. Place wrapped turkey in a baking dish and season once more with Cajun spice.
- Cook turkey breast until no longer pink in the centre and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.
- Cook the wrapped turkey until bacon is crisp on each side, about 2 minutes per side. Let turkey rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
- You can also cover with an aluminum foil and do the cooking as aluminum foil helps keep food moist, ensures it cooks evenly.
- Slice and serve garnished with fresh parsley leaves.
PORTUGUESE FISH STEW
This Portuguese style fish preparation has been among the chef’s favourites from the time he learnt it from a Portuguese chef, chef Fernando. It’s simple, subtle yet full of flavours.
A warm winter stew with some toasted garlic bread is sure to satisfy your soul if you want to have a light meal on Christmas.
Ingredients
- Sole fillet.......... - 1 kg (you can also do 2/3 types of fish )
- Large shrimps.... - .5-10 (optional)
- Potatoes, peeled, sliced .. - ..1 kg
- Onions, cut into slices.... - .....3
- Cloves of chopped garlic........5
- Red capsicum......... - 1 (can use green also)
- Parsley or coriander as required (choose the herb that most suits your taste buds)
- Few dashes of hot sauce
- Paprika....... - .1 tsp
- Olive oil........... - .....1 cup
- White wine.......... - ......50 ml
- Rock salt to taste
Method
- In a saucepan, forming layers, add the sliced onions, garlic, tomato, peppers, coriander or parsley, sliced potatoes and fish.
- Place the sliced onions and peppers, paprika, salt in the upper layer.
- Pour the olive oil evenly over the layers.
- Once all layers are placed, add seasoning and white wine and little water.
- Cover the pan to bring to a boil.
- Let it cook on slow fire, check once. If the potato is cooked, it will be ready to serve.
- To plate, remove one or two pieces of fish along with onions, potatoes and capsicum, pour some stew soup over and serve hot.
- This dish can be consumed on its own or can be served with buttered rice.
HEALTHY BINGING
This Christmas start with healthy and guilt-free granola recipes to make your menu worthy of the big day. Treat yourself with handcrafted granola that is gluten free, packed with nuts and seeds, 100 per cent natural and sweetened with locally sourced organic honey.
Include healthy Christmas granola recipe by way of pistachios, cranberries, fig, walnut, decadent chocolate and hazelnuts along with festive spices. It’s vegan, and refined sugar free, making it a healthy choice for you and your family.
Pair with yoghurt or milk spooned over ice creams or sprinkled on salads. Richa Talwar, founder, Sustenance Artisan shares a few recipes:
BANANA CHOCOLATE SMOOTHIE BOWL
Ingredients
- Bananas, sliced (reserve 4-5 slices for the topping)..... - 3
- Plain yoghurt....... - 1 cup
- Honey...... - ......4 tbsp
- Cocoa powder....... - ....4 tbsp
- Cacao nibs.......... - ....1 tbsp
- Chopped almond....... - ....1/3 cup
- Desiccated coconut....... - ......1/3 cup
- Rolled oats...... - ......1/2 cup
- Cranberry pistachio granola..... - .........1/4 cup
Recipe
- Throw all the ingredients, except the granola, in the blender or food processor. Blend for two minutes.
- Pour it in a bowl, add granola and sliced bananas on top.
Enjoy!
RUSTIC GRANOLA YOGHURT CUPS
Ingredients
- Granola........ - ...2 cups
- Plain yoghurt......... - ...4 cups
- Wildflower honey...... - ...............1/2 cup
- Blueberries for topping
Method
- Mix the granola and honey in a bowl.
- Transfer a few tablespoons to each tart pan and press it down and up towards the sides.
- Bake for 20 minutes at 180 degrees c
- Cool the tarts on a wire rack for about an hour or until it’s completely cool to touch
- Remove the granola tarts from the shell and fill it with the yoghurt
- Arrange blueberries on top and drizzle it with honey.
Toppings: You can add sliced seasonal fruits, drizzle of honey or handful of granola on top.
