So this menu is my Christmas gift for all you heavenly hosts out there. I've called it my No-Cook Christmas Supper because all the dishes require assembly rather than cooking, and it is particularly well suited to supper because it is light and easy to bring together quickly. When coming up with the concept, I had in mind hosts who had been out to lunch elsewhere all day who had to rush home and whip up a supper for 'round two', and guests who had overindulged at lunch who had to, for politeness' sake, find room for a second Christmas meal. It is designed to feed 8 adults, but the recipes can easily be expanded to cater for more.
Quick and easy though this menu undoubtedly is, I would still recommend some staggering of the preparations, especially if you only have limited time to get it ready on the day. The most obvious thing to prepare on Christmas Eve is the trifle, which should always be given 24 hours to rest in the fridge before serving. On Christmas morning, I would chop some of the salad vegetables and maybe make the dressings.
The menu, in its entirety, consists of:
- Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Canapes
- Smoked Turkey and Cranberry Canapes
- Cold Platters of Ham and Seafood
- Green Salad with Chicken
- Red Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
- Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad
- Christmas Trifle
Smoked Salmon and Cucumber Canapes
When your guests arrive for dinner, it is unlikely that they will be particularly hungry. These canapes are ideal because they are light and tasty, perfect for accompanying a glass of bubbly. The recipe below makes approximately 50.
Ingredients
2 lebanese cucumbers
200g smoked salmon, cut into small pieces
6 tbsp spreadable cream cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
Good squeeze of lemon juice
Few sprigs of dill
Salt
Method
Slice the cucumber into 5mm thick rounds.
Mix together the cream cheese, lemon zest, juice, and a few pinches of salt.
To assemble the canapes, spread some of the cream cheese onto each cucumber slice, top with smoked salmon, and garnish with a small sprig of dill.
Smoked Turkey Canapes
It just wouldn't be Christmas without turkey, so here is my nod to tradition. You should probably make these just before your guests are due to arrive as the avocado will brown if left hanging about for too long. Makes 24 portions.
Ingredients
Cooked smoked turkey breast, cut into thick slices, enough for 24 pieces (2cm x 2cm squares)
6 slices wholemeal bread, crusts removed, cut into quarters
2 ripe avocadoes, mashed and lightly seasoned
Brie
Cranberry sauce
Method
To assemble the canapes, spread some of the avocado thickly onto each slice of bread. top with a slice of brie, then turkey. Garnish with a dab of cranberry sauce.
Cold Platters
Platters of sliced ham and whole prawns are as good as any roast turkey, especially if you accompany them with some tasty sauces - from a jar of course. I love the Berenburg brand of condiments; for Christmas purposes I recommend the Seafood Sauce, Cranberry Sauce, and Chutney. Feel free to supplement your platters with any other cold meats and seafood.
Green Salad with Chicken
The addition of chicken makes this a more substantial salad. If your turkey craving hasn't been quite satisfied yet, of if you have leftovers from lunch, you could easily use cold turkey meat as a substitute for the chicken. I've left the quantities vague so you can go by feel. Oh, and by way of a confession, I do realise that blanching the asparagus and beans, and browning the pine nuts technically constitute cooking, but I couldn't leave them out of the salad just to be pedantic.
Ingredients
Baby cos lettuce leaves
Bunch of asparagus, cut into 4cm lengths and blanched
Handful of snow peas
1 Lebanese Cucumber
Handful of Beans, cut in half and blanched
1 roast chicken, skin removed, chopped into bite sized pieces
3 tbsp (or more, to taste) pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp (or more, to taste) pine nuts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of lemon
Method
Make sure your lettuce leaves are thoroughly washed and free of grit, then combine all the vegetables together.
In a frying pan, briefly cook the pine nuts until just browned, then remove from heat.
Season the salad, and drizzle with olive oil. Squeeze over lemon juice, a little at a time, tasting, until the flavour balance is right.
Add chicken, toss through gently, then top with pine nuts.
Method
Make sure your lettuce leaves are thoroughly washed and free of grit, then combine all the vegetables together.
In a frying pan, briefly cook the pine nuts until just browned, then remove from heat.
Season the salad, and drizzle with olive oil. Squeeze over lemon juice, a little at a time, tasting, until the flavour balance is right.
Add chicken, toss through gently, then top with pine nuts.
Red Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing
This salad is not for the faint hearted, but its slightly bitter leaves and walnuts, sweet cranberries and punchy blue cheese sauce make for a robust, flavoursome addition to the buffet table.
Ingredients
200g red salad leaves (I used a combination of chard, red oak lettuce and radicchio)
100g walnuts
100g dried cranberries
For the dressing:
50g blue cheese (sharp, such as roquefort or mild, such as gorgonzola dolce, according to taste)
50ml milk
Juice of 1 small lemon
2 tbsp greek yoghurt
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp chopped chives
Dash of olive oil
Method
Arrange the salad leaves in a wide, shallow bowl. Top with the walnuts and cranberries.
To make the dressing, smash up the cheese, then add all the other ingredients. Whisk until well combined. Taste for seasoning, then drizzzle the dressing over the salad.
Tomato and Goat Cheese Salad
Mum would be devastated if ever I substituted an Insalata Caprese (which she loves), with this Goat Cheese version (which she can't stand), but I think tomato and chevre is a perfect, if underrated flavour combination. For additional visual interest, include a variety of tomato colours and shapes.
Ingredients
6-7 tomatoes, cut into chunks or slices, as you prefer
150g goat cheese
Handful of torn basil leaves
Few pinches dried oregano
Salt and Pepper
Olive oil
Method
Arrange the tomato on a plate. Crumble over the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper and oregano. Scatter over the basil leaves and top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Method
Arrange the tomato on a plate. Crumble over the goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper and oregano. Scatter over the basil leaves and top with a generous drizzle of olive oil.
Christmas Trifle
Not only do you not have to cook a thing to make this trifle, it can all be done in about 10 minutes on Christmas Eve. Its impressive looks and decadent choc-cherry flavour are sure to impress.
Ingredients
600ml cream
500ml double cream (La Casa del Formaggio vanilla double cream)
2 tbsp icing sugar
300g Savoiardi (sponge finger) biscuits
900g Chocolate custard (Paul's 'Double Thick' custard)
680g jar of Morello Cherries
100g dark chocolate, chopped
Dash of Brandy
Handful of pistachios, chopped
Method
Drain the cherries, keeping the juice. Add a dash of brandy (to taste) to the reserved cherry juice. Check all of the cherries for stray pits (this may seem like a hassle, but there are almost always some pits left in, and the last thing you want is for one of your relatives to break a tooth).
In a separate bowl, combine the creams, add the sugar and whip to soft peaks.
To assemble the trifle, layer the various ingredients. The amount of layers will depend on the dish or bowl you are using, but mine goes as follows:
- Sponge fingers soaked in cherry liquor
- Cherries and dark chocolate pieces
- Chocolate custard
- Sponge fingers soaked in cherry liquor
- Cherries and dark chocolate pieces
- Cream
- Sponge fingers soaked in cherry liquor
- Cherries and dark chocolate pieces
- Chocolate custard
- Cream
Top your trifle with the chopped pistachio nuts. Put in the fridge overnight.
