Cooked Christmas Guide

Christmas guide

Menus and wine matches from our top chefs

Christmas Guide At Cooked, we like to take things to the next level in the kitchen.

That’s why we’ve enlisted top chefs and foodies to share their ultimate Christmas menu with you.

Philippa Sibley delivers a show-stopping assembly of restaurant-style dishes, including indulgent canapés, a lavish yabby salad, and a posh take on the pork roast.

Martin Boetz turns up the heat with a seafood banquet of vibrant Asian flavours. Margaret Fulton takes the classic route with roast turkey, glazed ham and a traditional Christmas pudding.

And the team from Green Kitchen Travels presents a clean and lean vegetarian banquet.

When it comes to dessert, Sarah Coates pushes the boat out with four creative options that are perfect for the Australian summer, including cool gingerbread puddings and mince pie and ice cream sandwiches.

Plus, we’ve taken care of the wine matches for you, with pairing suggestions from our friends at Halliday Wine Companion.

Of course, this is just a taste of our Christmas collection.

Visit Cooked.com.au for endless inspiration.

Best wishes for the festive season, Sarah Gamboni, editor

Philippa’s modern menu

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margaret’s classic lunch

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martin’s asian flavours

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david & luise’s clean eating

sarah’s sweets

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wine matching

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page 16

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PHILIPPA’S Modern menu Acclaimed Melbourne chef Philippa Sibley shares indulgent dishes with a contemporary Australian accent, including a light take on the Christmas pudding.

Bresaola, truffled parsnip remoulade, semolina crackers Serves 6 24 very thin slices bresaola* Remoulade

2 large parsnips 60g mayonnaise Black truffle, chopped Salt and pepper SEMOLINA CRACKERS

100g semolina, plus extra for dusting 1 cup (150g) self-raising flour 150ml soda water or sparkling mineral water 1 tsp olive oil

By Philippa Sibley Photography Mark Roper New Classics

Preheat the oven to 180°C. To make the semolina crackers, place the semolina, flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour in the soda water and the oil and, using your fingers, mix the ingredients together to form a firm, malleable dough. Knead briefly then wrap in plastic wrap and leave to rest for about an hour.

Cut the dough into six 30cm x 4 cm pieces and roll each piece out very thinly either using a pasta machine or a rolling pin and lots of muscle!

Put the dough onto a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes then remove from the oven and flip the crackers over. Return to the oven and bake for another 5 minutes or until golden and crisp.

For the remoulade, peel the parsnips and, using a mandoline, slice them into thin slices and then into thin strips. Toss with the mayonnaise and truffle and adjust the seasoning to taste.

To serve, break up each cracker into bite-sized pieces. Decoratively place the bresaola onto each cracker then top with a tangle of the remoulade. Top with extra pieces of shaved black truffle.

Cheat's tip Buy good-quality crackers if you don't have time to make your own

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* Breasaola is cured beef, available from good delis.

This is Christmas in Australia on a plate! Prawn cocktail is a favourite in summer here, and often a mainstay in the festive season.

The rich sweetness of the melon and the creamy avocado are perfect with the yabby. The iceberg lettuce adds freshness and crunch and, of course, authenticity. Substitute king prawns if you can’t source yabbies.

DRESSING

¼ rockmelon 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 10 basil leaves, plus small leaves to garnish 100g good-quality mayonnaise 30g Dijon mustard 30ml sherry vinegar ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil Tabasco (optional) Bring a large deep saucepan of water to the boil. To humanely put the yabbies to sleep, insert a sharp knife between the eyes, through the shell. Plunge the yabbies into the rapidly boiling water and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Using a large slotted spoon, remove the yabbies and spread out on a tray to cool.

For the dressing, remove the rind from the quarter of rockmelon and chop into chunks.

Put the chunks in a blender with the chilli and basil leaves. Blend on high speed until very smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve, pressing it through with a small ladle or the back of a spoon. Combine the rockmelon mixture with the mayonnaise, mustard and vinegar and whisk together well.

Whisk in the olive oil then season with salt and Tabasco to taste. The dressing should be sweet, salty, spicy and tangy, so be brave!

Remove the outer leaves from the lettuces and break apart the inner leaves. Peel and cut the remaining rockmelon into decorative slices

Yabby cocktail with rockmelon, avocado and basil Serves 6 12 x 100-150g yabbies* (or 24 king prawns) 3 very young iceberg lettuces 1 ripe rockmelon, cut into quarters (use one quarter for the dressing) 2 perfectly ripe avocados

Once cool, break the heads off the yabbies.

Crack the claws with the back of a knife and gently ease out the meat. Peel the tails by gently squeezing the shell until it cracks slightly, peel off the shell then ease out the meat. Remove any intestinal tract. Cut the tails in half lengthways or diagonally or both.

Halve the avocados, remove the stone and then quarter the halves. Take off the skin, trying to keep the flesh as neat as possible.

To serve, arrange the ingredients on each serving plate and drizzle generously with the dressing. Scatter around the small basil leaves and serve. * From specialist suppliers – order online.

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Porchetta, apple and date panzanella Serves 10-12 4kg pork loin, belly attached 1 large carrot 1 garlic bulb 3 Granny Smith apples 1 onion 6 bay leaves 3 sprigs thyme Olive oil 500ml dry apple cider 200ml chicken stock 1 small white cabbage 150g butter 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped Dijon mustard APPLE & DATE PANZANELLA 12 small eschalots, peeled 1 sprig thyme 200-300ml olive oil Chicken stock 3 Granny Smith apple 1 loaf ciabatta or sourdough bread, crust removed 300g caster sugar 50ml Cognac or brandy 100ml sherry vinegar 12 medjool dates*, pitted and quartered 2 pinches ground allspice For the panzanella, place the eschalots in a heavy-based saucepan with the thyme and a little of the olive oil. Cook for several minutes over medium heat, until the shallots start to colour slightly. Add enough chicken stock to cover. Poach gently for about 10 minutes until you can easily pierce the shallots with the tip of a knife. Drain and set aside.

Peel and quarter the apples then halve the quarters. Tear the bread into chunks and toss with some olive oil to coat. Toast the bread in a non-stick frypan over medium heat until golden and crisp.

Heat a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat until hot. Start to sprinkle in the sugar and, as it melts, add more, stirring with a wooden spoon constantly. When all the sugar has dissolved and has turned golden (about 3-4 minutes), add the apple pieces and toss through well. Add the cognac and the vinegar.

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Cook for several minutes, shaking the pan until all the sugar has dissolved.

Mix together the bread, dates, shallots, apples and allspice, then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

For the meat, trim the excess fat from the pork loin and season well with salt and black pepper. Place the panzanella close to the thick end of the pork and roll up tightly.

Using the tip of a very sharp knife, score the skin in a criss-cross fashion. Tie in 2cm sections tightly with butcher’s string.

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Roughly chop the carrot, garlic, apples, onion, bay leaves and thyme and place in a heavy baking tray with the meat. Rub the meat generously with salt.

Add a little olive oil to the vegetables.

Pour in the cider and stock and roast for 1 hour 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and open the door a fraction and allow to rest for at least 20 minutes.

Cut the cabbage into quarters and remove the core. Tear into bite-sized pieces.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil.

Blanch the cabbage for 5 minutes then drain into a colander. In a large frypan, melt the butter over medium heat and add the cabbage. Season well with salt and pepper and add the parsley.

To serve, transfer the pork to a cutting board.

Use a very sharp serrated knife to cut the pork into 1.5cm slices. Smear a little mustard onto each plate. Divide the pork among the serving plates then garnish with the cabbage and serve.

Alternatively, serve the sliced pork on a platter with the cabbage and mustard served on the side.

Verbena-scented bread and butter pudding with peaches and raspberries Serves 6 1 cup (250ml) milk 2 cups (500ml) thickened cream, plus extra to serve 200g egg yolks 1 whole egg 150g caster sugar, plus extra to dust 1 cup lemon verbena leaves, plus extra to garnish 5 perfectly ripe yellow peaches Soft butter, to grease 750g plain panettone 500g fresh raspberries Bring the milk and cream to the boil.

Stir the egg yolks and whole egg in a heatproof bowl then add the caster sugar.

Add the hot cream mixture a little at a time, whisking continuously. Scrunch the lemon verbena leaves and add to the mixture.

Then remove from the heat and allow to infuse for 10-15 minutes.

Bring a saucepan of water to the boil and have a bowl of iced water at hand. Split the peaches down the middle and remove the stones. Plunge the peach halves into the boiling water briefly, then drop into the iced water. Slip off their skins and slice each half into three wedges.

Butter a 2-litre capacity baking dish generously with soft butter, then dust with a little caster sugar. Slice the panettone and arrange in the dish. Disperse the peaches between the layers of panettone then strain over the custard mixture. Allow to soak for about 20 minutes, or until the panettone has soaked up the liquid and become quite squishy.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Put the baking dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, or a little longer if the custard is still liquid.

To serve, scatter the raspberries and additional lemon verbena leaves over the warm pudding and serve with thickened cream on the side.

This has become my family’s Christmas pudding.

As we celebrate Christmas in summer in Australia, when stone fruits and berries are in all their glory and panettone graces the shelves of the Mediterranean delis, I bring these together in a festive, warm but fresh, fruity pudding more suited to our climate.

Lemon verbena thrives in summer and imparts a delightful flavour that has an affinity with peaches.

I suggest you get your hands on a plant. page 7

Margaret’s CLASsic lunch

The queen of Australian cooking, Margaret Fulton prepares a traditional Christmas roast of glazed ham, rolled turkey and all the trimmings.

By Margaret Fulton Photography Mark Roper The 12 Days of Christmas

Baked Guinness ham Serves 20 5-6kg leg of ham 2 cans Guinness Extra Stout, reserving 2–3 tablespoons for the glaze Whole cloves GLAZE

1 cup (220g) sugar 2 tbs dry mustard 2 tsp ground cardamom and ground ginger 2-3 tbs Guinness Extra Stout Preheat the oven to 160°C. Cut the skin around the thick end of the knuckle (this can be made into a scallop pattern) without cutting into the fat and flesh. Ease the skin from the fat by slipping the thumb of one hand under the skin, and firmly sliding it back and forth. Turn the ham over and ease away the rest of the skin, which should come off in one piece. Place the ham, fat side up, in a roasting pan with the stout, reserving 2-3 tablespoons for the glaze.

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Cover with foil, crimping the edges onto the roasting pan, making it as airtight as possible, and bake for 1½ hours. Lift the foil and baste the ham with the drippings several times during cooking.

Remove from the oven, lift the foil and pour off the liquid into a saucepan. Using a sharp knife, score the fat with 4cm interval diagonal cuts, first one way, then the opposite way, to form a diamond pattern.

In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients. Spread half the glaze mixture over the ham and stud a clove in the corner of each diamond if you like. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C and bake for a further 30-40 minutes, basting every 10 minutes with the remaining glaze.

If serving hot, leave the ham in the turned-off oven for 30 minutes. If serving cold, cool and store in refrigerator overnight and serve thinly sliced. Place the ham on a stand or large platter to serve.

Roasted stuffed turkey breast Serves 6 2.2kg turkey breast roll* 1 tbs olive oil 1 cup (250ml) dry white wine APPLE, PRUNE & PISTACHIO STUFFING

60g butter 2 spring onions, finely chopped 1 granny smith apple, coarsely grated 2 cups cubed day-old bread, toasted ½ cup pistachios ½ cup pitted prunes, chopped ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tsp chopped thyme leaves

Preheat oven to 200°C. To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a frypan over a moderate heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes or until soft and golden. Add the apple and cook for a further 4 minutes, until soft. Combine the apple mixture in a bowl with the bread, pistachios and prunes. Fold through the parsley and thyme and season well with salt and black pepper Place the turkey, skin-side down, on a board.

Starting from one long edge, fill the stuffing along the centre of the turkey, then roll the turkey up along long edges to secure stuffing.

Secure with poultry skewers and tie at 3cm intervals with string to form a neat roll.

Heat the olive oil in a baking dish in the oven for 5 minutes. When hot, add the turkey roll and turn to coat with the oil. Roast for 45 minutes. Add the wine to the dish and roast for a further 45 minutes, basting the turkey frequently with the wine and cooking juices. Stand in a warm place for 15 minutes before removing the string and slicing. * Order from your butcher at least one week in advance.

Since I was a child, the youngest of six in a very social and busy family, I have relished the air of excitement in preparing for a celebration. I have never outgrown this, and no matter how small the occasion, I still get a lot of pleasure in anticipating and planning the food for guests. Although I am Scottish, my family largely follows the English Christmas, which includes a baked ham and roast turkey with all the trimmings. page 7

Sugar-browned potatoes Serves 6-8 24 new potatoes ½ cup (110g) caster sugar 125g clarified butter, melted Boil the potatoes in their jackets for 10-15 minutes or until just cooked.

Let them cool a little, then peel if the skins are not a good colour.

Melt the sugar in a heavy saucepan over a gentle heat. Continue to cook slowly until it becomes a light brown caramel, stirring to prevent it from burning. Stir in the butter and add as many potatoes as possible without crowding the pan.

Shake the pan from time to time until the potatoes are coated with caramel.

Remove from the heat and serve as soon as possible.

TIP

Find more festive side dishes at Cooked.com.au

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Rich Christmas pudding Serves 8 250g raisins 60g mixed peel 250g sultanas 250g currants 125g chopped blanched almonds ¼ cup rum or brandy, plus extra for flaming 250g unsalted butter 1¼ cups light brown sugar 1 orange, rind grated 4 eggs 1 cup (150g) plain flour 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp ground ginger 125g soft white breadcrumbs BRANDY SAUCE

45g unsalted butter 2 tbs plain flour ¼ cup (55g) caster sugar 1 tbs golden syrup ½ cup (125ml) cream ½ cup (125ml) milk ¼ cup (60ml) brandy BRANDIED BUTTER 250g unsalted butter ¾ cup icing sugar 1 tsp grated orange rind ¼ whole nutmeg, grated 1 tsp Grand Marnier ¼ cup (60ml) brandy Sprinkle fruits and almonds with brandy or rum in a large bowl, cover and leave overnight.

Cream butter until soft, add sugar and rind and beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift flour and spices into a bowl, then fold into the sugar and butter mixture. Stir in the breadcrumbs and marinated fruit until well combined.

Place mixture into a well-greased pudding basin lined with a circle of greased baking paper cut to fit the base. Cover with another circle of greased baking paper to fit the top of the basin. Cover pudding with a large sheet of baking paper with a pleat in the centre, to allow for any rising. Tie firmly with string, placing a plate on top of the bowl to hold the paper in place while doing so. Make a handle of string from side to side of the bowl, latching it onto the string around the bowl, and use to

lower the pudding gently into boiling water.

Steam, covered, for 6 hours. The water should come halfway up the side of the bowl.

It is a good idea to sit the pudding on a metal ring or an old, upturned saucer. Top up with boiling water from time to time. Remove from the water, cover with fresh baking paper and string. Store until needed.

For the brandy sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook for a minute without colouring then add the sugar, golden syrup, cream and milk. Stir to combine and continue cooking over a gentle heat until thick and creamy. Stir in brandy and serve hot with Christmas pudding.

For the brandied butter, cream the butter until soft and white, then beat in the icing sugar. When creamy, beat in the orange rind, nutmeg and Grand Marnier.

Lastly, add the brandy, drop by drop, beating all the time so the mixture doesn’t curdle (a liqueur brandy is the best if you have it). This may be made on the same day as the pudding.

Pack it into a bowl with a lid, first covering it with foil, and store in the fridge. Remove it from the fridge well beforehand on Christmas Day, spoon it into a bowl and fluff up with a fork. If it is preferred hard, leave it in the fridge until ready to serve.

To serve, put the pudding into a saucepan of boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the basin and steam for 2½ hours. Invert the pudding onto a heated plate. To flame, warm a tablespoon or so of rum or brandy, light and pour over the pudding at the table – turn the lights low first to enjoy the flame and be amazed at the spectacle. Serve with custard, brandy sauce and brandied butter.

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martin’s asian flavours

For an spicy twist on the Christmas lunch, look to the vibrant flavours of Thailand in Martin Boetz’s seafood banquet, perfect for the Australian climate.

Recipes Martin Boetz Photography Jeremy Simons New Thai Food

Stir-fried blue swimmer crab with chilli jam Serves 4 4 x 300g blue swimmer crabs ⅓ cup (80ml) coconut oil or canola oil 4 long red chillies, seeded and julienned 4 garlic cloves, crushed 6 kaffir lime leaves 400ml chilli jam 200ml chicken stock ⅓ cup (80ml) oyster sauce ⅓ cup (80ml) fish sauce 100g caster sugar 4 spring onions, cut into 2.5cm lengths Half bunch of Thai basil leaves For best results, steam the crabs first. Place them on a piece of baking paper or banana leaf in a steamer and set over boiling water. Cover and steam for 3 minutes.

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TIP

Make your own chilli jam using Martin’s recipe

Remove the crabs from the steamer. Lift up the flap and remove and discard the dead man’s fingers. Cut each crab into 4 pieces.

Reserve any liquid and any mustard from inside the crab for adding to the sauce.

It’s best to cook the crab in two batches: heat half the oil in a wok over medium-high heat, add half the chillies, garlic and lime leaves and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Stir in half the chilli

jam, chicken stock, oyster and fish sauces and sugar and reduce the heat.

Add half the crab and reserved liquid and increase the heat to high. Toss to coat the crab completely with the sauce, then add the spring onions and basil. Mix well to combine the flavours. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Spoon onto a platter and serve with steamed jasmine rice.

Betel leaves with smoked trout, galangal and trout roe Serves 4 400g smoked river trout, skinned and flaked 2 red Asian eschalots, thinly sliced 2 long red chillies, seeded and julienned 3 kaffir lime leaves, julienned ⅓ cup coriander leaves 20 betel leaves* 50g trout roe Crisp-fried garlic or red Asian eschalots, to garnish RED CHILLI NAHM JIM

3 long red chillies, seeded 2 red bird’s eye chillies 2 garlic cloves, peeled 2 coriander roots, scraped and cleaned 30g palm sugar, shaved 1½ tbs fish sauce 200ml lime juice PASTE

5cm piece fresh galangal*, peeled and finely sliced 10 garlic cloves, peeled 2 cups (500ml) canola oil 6 dried long red chillies, seeded ⅓ cup dried shrimp, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes, drained 100g palm sugar, shaved 100ml fish sauce To make the nahm jim, pound the long and bird’s eye chillies, garlic, coriander roots and 1 teaspoon salt to a uniform paste in a mortar and pestle.

Add the palm sugar and pound to combine.

Add the fish sauce and lime juice and mix thoroughly. Taste – the flavour should be a balance of sweet, sour and salty. It keeps in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

To make the paste, dry-roast the galangal in a small frypan over low heat until fragrant, stirring continuously, for about 10 minutes.

Set aside to cool.

Blend the garlic with a hand-held blender, or finely chop. Heat the oil in a wok to 160°C, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns brown in 25-30 seconds. Deep-fry the garlic

until it is the colour of lightly stained pine.

Remove the wok from the heat and strain the garlic oil into a clean bowl. Drain the garlic on paper towel.

Return the oil to the wok and reheat.

Add the chillies and move around in the oil until they turn a deep red, for 10-12 seconds.

Remove and drain on paper towel. Reserve the garlic oil.

Pound the galangal, fried garlic, chillies and dried shrimp with 50ml reserved garlic oil in a mortar and pestle to a fine paste. Or blend in a food processor with 100ml oil.

Put the paste in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and fry, stirring continuously,

for about 8 minutes. Add the palm sugar and fish sauce and stir until amalgamated, fragrant and the sugar has melted. Don’t let it caramelise or it will set hard when cooled.

Set aside to cool.

Put 2 tablespoons of the cooled paste in a mixing bowl. Stir in the red chilli nahm jim to form a thick, sauce-like consistency. Add the trout, eschalots, chillies, lime leaves and coriander and gently bring together to bind all the ingredients.

To assemble, spoon 1 tablespoon of trout mixture onto each betel leaf, then top with 1 teaspoon of trout roe and fried eschalots. * Available from Asian greengrocers.

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Crisp salted pork and cuttlefish salad Serves 4 200g pork belly 50g sea salt 100ml white rice vinegar 1 litre canola oil, to deep-fry 150g cuttlefish or squid, cleaned and scored on the underside SALAD

4 spring onions, shredded 2 long red chillies, julienned 4cm piece ginger, peeled and julienned 1 bunch coriander, leaves picked and chopped 1 bunch mint, leaves picked and chopped 3 green bird’s eye chillies, finely sliced 1 red Asian eschalot, finely sliced 1 Chinese celery stalk, finely sliced 1 lime, juiced DRESSING

5 garlic cloves, peeled 5 red bird’s eye chillies 4 cm piece fresh ginger, peeled 1 cup (250ml) light yellow bean soy 1 cup (250ml) kecap manis 1 cup (250ml) white rice vinegar ½ cup (125ml) thick yellow bean sauce 1 cup (220g) caster sugar To make the dressing, pound the garlic, chillies and ginger in a mortar and pestle to a uniform paste. Put the paste and the remaining ingredients in a large heavy-based saucepan.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cool and store in a clip-top or airtight jar in the refrigerator for 6 months.

To cook the pork, place it on a piece of baking paper or banana leaf in a steamer and set over boiling water. Cover and steam for 35 minutes until cooked. Cool slightly, then prick the skin all over with a fork and massage the salt and vinegar into the skin. Rub a little salt and vinegar on the other side as well. Place the pork on a wire rack with a tray underneath to catch any drips as the pork cools.

Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and blanch the cuttlefish or squid for 1 minute.

As soon as it curls up, it’s done. Drain, refresh in cold water and set aside.

Heat the oil in a wok to 160°C, or until a cube of bread dropped into the oil turns brown in 25-30 seconds. Deep-fry the piece of pork until golden brown and crisp, for about 8-10 minutes. Drain on paper towel. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then slice the pork into long, fine strips along the grain.

To assemble, place the salad in the centre of a serving plate and arrange the pieces of pork and cuttlefish on either side, so people can pick up a little of each – pork, cuttlefish and salad – to enjoy together.

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To make the salad, mix the salad ingredients and 150ml dressing together in a bowl.

Mango pudding with fresh coconut Serves 8 Begin this recipe a day ahead.

4 ripe mangoes, peeled and stoned 160g caster sugar 45g palm sugar, shaved 1 tbs rice flour 100ml coconut cream 1 tsp sea salt 1 tsp pure vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean, scraped Young coconut, zested into strips, to garnish 1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted, to garnish

PALM SUGAR CARAMEL

125g yellow rock sugar, crushed 270g palm sugar, shaved 3cm piece fresh turmeric, peeled and sliced 1 pandanus leaf* To make the caramel, combine 100ml water and the sugars in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 5 minutes to reduce the liquid. Stir in the turmeric and pandanus leaf and continue to cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the turmeric and pandanus, and allow to cool. The caramel can be stored indefinitely in a screwtop jar in the cupboard.

Puree mango in a food processor. Heat puree in a large heavy-based pan over medium heat, stirring continuously until it comes to the boil.

Add the caster and palm sugars, rice flour, coconut cream, salt and vanilla extract or bean, and continue to cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture is thick and a dark yellow-brown colour. It is ready when the mango is glossy and doesn’t fall off the spoon but, rather, clings to it when lifted from the mixture. This will take about 20 minutes from the time the sugars are added. If using the vanilla bean, remove from the mixture.

Oil a small baking tin and pour the pudding mixture into it. Leave to set overnight.

When cool and set, cut the pudding into 2.5cm squares with a sharp knife. Place on a serving plate, garnish each square with the coconut and sesame seeds, drizzle with palm sugar caramel and serve. * Available from Asian greengrocers.

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david & luise’S clean eating This virtuous vegetarian menu from Green Kitchen Travels is gluten-free and refined sugar-free.

It can also be made dairy-free, so everyone can join in the festive feasting this year.

Recipes and photography by David Frenkiel and Luise Vindahl Andersen Green Kitchen Travels

Holiday stuffed pumpkins Serves 4 400g wholegrain rice 2 golden nugget pumpkins 2 tbs cold-pressed coconut oil or olive oil 2 large onions, finely chopped 2 handfuls mushrooms of choice, coarsely chopped 6 kale leaves, thick stalks removed, coarsely chopped 100g shelled pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped 5 sprigs mint, leaves picked and chopped ¼ cup raisins ½ tsp ground cinnamon 150g feta cheese, crumbled Rinse and drain the rice. Place in a saucepan together with 1.2 litres water and bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer gently for about 40 minutes until tender.

Meanwhile, prepare the pumpkins. Cut a lid out of the top of each one, then scoop out the seeds and discard. Rub the insides with oil and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large frypan and fry the onions, mushrooms and kale over medium-low heat until soft and cooked, but not brown. Remove from the heat, add the pistachios, mint, raisins and cinnamon and stir well. Add the cooked rice and crumbled feta cheese and toss to combine.

Spoon the stuffing into the greased pumpkins, put the ‘lids’ back on and bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes or until the skin is browned and bubbly. Check with a knife to see if the pumpkin flesh is soft. Serve hot. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3-5 days.

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Baked mushrooms with orange & quinoa tabbouleh Serves 4 4 field (Portobello) mushrooms 2 tbs cold-pressed olive oil 1 pomegranate, seeds scooped out and separated TABBOULEH SALAD

100g quinoa 4 large bunches parsley, finely chopped 1 large bunch mint, finely chopped 1 small orange, peeled and finely sliced ½ red onion, finely sliced ½ lemon, juiced ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Clean the mushrooms and discard the stalks. Place the mushroom caps upside down in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes or until soft and juicy.

Meanwhile, rinse the quinoa in a sieve, then drain. Place in a saucepan and add 1 cup (250ml) water and a pinch of sea salt. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat immediately and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes. Leave to cool slightly then mix together all the ingredients for the tabbouleh in a bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Let the mushrooms cool off slightly.

Stack the tabbouleh high on top of the mushrooms, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and serve. If making ahead, store the tabbouleh in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.

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Cherry salad Serves 4 1 small celery head, sliced, including the leaves 2 avocados, stoned, peeled and sliced 2 handfuls cherry tomatoes, halved 2 large handfuls cherries, halved and stoned 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and finely chopped ½ lemon, juiced, or more to taste 1 tbs cold-pressed olive oil 200g soft goat’s cheese, crumbled Rinse and prepare all the vegetables, fruit and herbs and place in a large serving bowl. Mix to combine. Add the lemon juice and olive oil, season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to mix well. Scatter with the crumbled cheese and serve.

The salad will keep in the fridge for a couple of days.

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Raw key lime mousse Serves 4 2 ripe avocados 2 limes, finely zested and juiced 6 fresh medjool dates, stoned 1 pomegranate, seeds scooped out and separated Mint leaves, to garnish Cut the avocados in half. Remove the stone, use a spoon to scoop out the avocado flesh into a bowl and discard the skin and stones.

Add the lime zest and juice and the dates.

Use a hand blender to process until completely smooth, or blend all the ingredients in a food processor. Taste and add more lime or dates if needed.

Spoon the mixture into 4 small serving glasses and chill for a few hours to firm slightly.

Serve with a generous amount of pomegranate seeds piled on top. Garnish with mint leaves.

The mixture can be stored for a couple of days in the fridge in an airtight container then spooned into glasses just before serving.

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Sarah’s sweets

Pull out all the stops with a festive dessert buffet, including a cool twist on gingerbread, a boozy pudding, and icy versions of your favourite Christmas treats.

By Sarah Coates Photography Chris Middleton The Sugar Hit!

Salted caramel & gingerbread puddings Serves 4 1 small loaf store-bought gingerbread, (aka ginger cake) 1 cup (250ml) milk 2 tbs cornflour 2 egg yolks ½ cup (125ml) thickened cream Whipped cream, to serve SALTED CARAMEL

230g caster sugar ½ cup (125ml) pouring cream 125g butter, chopped 1 tsp sea salt flakes To make the salted caramel, put the sugar in a deep heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, along with ⅓ cup (80ml) water. Cook, without stirring, until the sugar melts and the mixture begins to bubble. If the sugar is melting unevenly, you can tilt and swirl the pan gently, but do not stir. Once the mixture begins to bubble, continue cooking for 5-8 minutes until the sugar darkens to an amber colour – you might see some wisps of smoke from the pan, but that’s normal.

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully pour in the cream. It will bubble up furiously, but just leave it to settle. Then add the butter, put the pan back over low heat and cook,

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stirring, until everything melts and combines into a gorgeous caramel. Stir in the salt, then allow to cool.

To prepare the puddings, cut the gingerbread into small cubes and distribute between four small serving glasses. Reserve some crumbs for garnish.

Put ⅓ cup (80ml) of the milk in a small bowl.

Add the cornflour and whisk to combine, then whisk in the egg yolks.

Put the remaining milk and the cream in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until it is steaming.

Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then pour the mixture back into the same saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until the mixture just boils. Remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in 190ml of the salted caramel, then pour this mixture over the gingerbread in the serving glasses.

Chill completely in the fridge for about 3 hours, then serve with a dollop of whipped cream, an extra drizzle of salted caramel and a sprinkling of gingerbread crumbs.

Peppermint arctic roll Serves 6 3 eggs ½ cup (110g) caster sugar 75g plain flour 2 tbs unsweetened cocoa powder 500ml mint ice cream Crushed candy canes, to decorate CHOCOLATE SAUCE

½ cup (125ml) pouring cream 2 tbs liquid glucose or corn syrup 150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids) Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a 26cm x 40cm rimmed baking tray with baking paper.

For the cake, put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment), and beat vigorously (or on high speed) until the mixture is tripled in volume and very pale. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold gently until incorporated.

Scrape the mixture onto the baking tray and spread out gently in an even layer – try not to mess with it too much – you don’t want to lose all that air! Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until dry and it springs back when touched lightly.

Lay another sheet of baking paper on another tray and flip the cake upside down onto it.

Peel off the baking paper from the underside (now the top) of the cake, and tightly roll the cake up inside the fresh sheet of paper, Swiss (jelly) roll-style. Set the rolled-up cake aside to cool completely.

When the cake is completely cool, get your ice cream out of the freezer and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soften slightly.

Unroll the cake and spread the ice cream over it, leaving a thick border at the far edge.

Re-roll the cake, wrapping it in the paper, and quickly get it into the freezer to set. Leave it in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

When you’re ready to serve, make the sauce by melting the cream, glucose and chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat.

Put the arctic roll on a serving dish, pour over some of the sauce and scatter with crushed candy canes. Serve with extra sauce on the side.

During the holidays, the key to maintaining one’s sanity is to know when to take a shortcut. And I feel like this Peppermint arctic roll is the perfect example of that. There are three components here – the cake, the ice cream and the sauce.

I propose that you make the cake and the sauce, but go ahead and buy the ice cream. There are so many good-quality brands available, it’s hard to go wrong. And, once you’ve rolled the ice cream in homemade cake, smothered it in chocolate sauce and scattered it with candy canes, who will know, or care? page 21

Buttery pastry, fruity, boozy-rich filling, and a short window in which to eat them are the hallmarks of a good mince pie.

There’s only one way to improve them: stuff them with ice cream.

Mince pie ice cream sandwiches Makes 12 pies FILLING

100g frozen cranberries 50g butter Âź cup (60ml) Pedro Ximinez sherry 1 vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds scraped 115g brown sugar 150g mixed dried fruit 110g dried pitted prunes, chopped 1 tsp ground cinnamon PASTRY

2 cups (300g) plain flour 60g icing sugar Pinch of salt 115g butter, cold Ice cream, to serve For the filling, put all the ingredients in a large saucepan over medium-low heat and bring to the boil. Cook for a few minutes, stirring regularly, until the cranberries are cooked through and easily smushed against the side of the pan. Smush up some of the cranberries, then turn off the heat and set aside to cool completely. Alternatively, leave to cool in the refrigerator overnight.

For the pastry, put the flour, icing sugar and salt in a food processor and blitz to get rid of any lumps. Cut the butter into cubes, add it to the flour mixture and pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Finally, add the egg and pulse until the mixture starts to clump together. Turn the mixture out onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a disc, wrap it up and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line two baking trays with baking paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to about 5mm thick. Cut out 24 rounds of pastry using a 7cm cutter. Put half the rounds on the lined baking trays. Put just under a tablespoon of filling onto each round. Cut a small star out of half the remaining rounds and stick on top of the others. Use the rounds to top the pies and then bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Leave to cool completely on the trays. To serve, flip one of the pies over and wodge on a generous scoop of ice cream. Top with another pie, right-way up, and press them gently together to make an ice cream sandwich.

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Eggnog bread pudding with cinnamon caramel sauce Serves 6-8 60g sultanas ¼ cup (60ml) brandy 1 small loaf brioche 5 eggs ½ cup (110g) caster sugar 1 cup (250ml) thickened cream 375ml milk ½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 30g chopped pecans

CINNAMON CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup (220g) caster sugar 190ml thickened cream 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Put the sultanas and brandy in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and set aside to steep.

Slice the brioche thickly and place in a large shallow baking dish.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar, then stir in the cream, milk, nutmeg and vanilla. Pour the custard over the brioche, scatter over the soaked sultanas and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside to soak for at least 15 minutes (or a couple of hours if you put it in the refrigerator).

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Scatter the pecans, if using, over the pudding and bake for about 25 minutes, or until set with a slight wobble in the middle. Leave to cool while you make the sauce.

For the cinnamon caramel sauce, put the sugar and ¼ cup (60ml) water in a saucepan over high heat and cook gently, without stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches a dark amber colour, about 5-8 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat and carefully add the cream. Wait until it bubbles down, then add the cinnamon. Return the pan to the heat and cook until everything comes together, about 30 seconds. Set aside to cool slightly.

Cut squares of the warm pudding and serve with the cinnamon caramel sauce drizzled over and a little whipped cream or ice cream.

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Festive wine matches We’ve taken care of the wine matches, including ratings from James Halliday

Philippa’s Modern Menu Bresaola, truffled parsnip remoulade, semolina crackers: Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé Champagne $135, 95 points Yabby cocktail with rockmelon, avocado and basil: 2015 Henschke Green’s Hill Riesling Adelaide Hills $29, 95 points Porchetta, apple and date panzanella: 2013 Pooley Wines Cooinda Vale Pinot Noir $50, 95 points Verbena-scented pudding: 2010 McWilliam’s Morning Light Riverina Botrytis Semillon $30, 95 points

Margaret’s Classic Lunch Baked Guinness Ham: 2012 Ferngrove Sparkling Malbec $25 Roasted stuffed turkey breast: 2013 Bird on a Wire Syrah $45, 96 points Sugar-browned potatoes: 2013 Zilzie Wines Regional Collection Barossa Shiraz $18, 92 points Rich Christmas pudding: McWilliam’s Show Reserve Topaque $000000

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Martin’s Asian Flavours Stir-fried blue swimmer crab with chilli jam: 2015 O’Leary Walker Polish Hill River Riesling $25, 95 points Betel leaves with smoked trout: 2015 Tim Adams Pinot Gris $22, 93 points Crisp salted pork: 2014 Silkman Reserve Chardonnay $40, 96 points Mango pudding with fresh coconut: 2014 Audrey Wilkinson Dessert Semillon $28

David & Luise’s Clean Eating Holiday stuffed pumpkin: 2013 The Lane Vineyard Beginning Single Vineyard Adelaide Hills Chardonnay, 439 $0000, 95 points Baked mushrooms with orange & quinoa tabbouleh: 2013 Amelia Park Frankland River Shiraz $29, 95 points Cherry salad: 2014 Teusner Woodside Sauvignon Blanc $23, 93 points Raw key lime pie: NV Zonte’s Footstep Bolle Felici Prosecco $18

Sarah’s sweets Salted caramel & gingerbread puddings: McWilliams Show Reserve Muscat $80 Peppermint arctic roll: McWilliams Show Reserve Tawny $80 Mince pie ice cream sandwiches: All Saints Rare Muscadelle $120, 97 points Eggnog bread pudding with cinnamon caramel sauce: Henkell Trocken $18

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