The perfect Christmas dinner menu

A Christmas dinner that’ll steal the show

Food editor, stylist and author Angela Boggiano and her photographer husband, Craig Robertson, owners of At The Kitchen in Cheadle Hulme, share their Christmas menu

A delicious sharing menu that still has all the flavours of Christmas but cooked and prepped differently. A light and crunchy salad starter, herby, garlic-filled rolled turkey breast, simple sides and a great alternative Christmas pudding. This is the perfect menu for those looking for something a little different this year.

Roast beetroot, ruby grapefruit and Cheshire cheese salad with candied pecans

Keep it light and tasty for starters with this delicious salad, which has a wonderful combination of textures and flavours.

Serves 4 400g fresh beetroot, washed 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 100g pecan halves 2 tbsp caster sugar 1 ruby grapefruit, cut into segments 2 heads red chicory, broken into separate leaves 150g Cheshire cheese, crumbled 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Place the washed beetroot in a small roasting tin. Drizzle over the oil and balsamic and a sprinkling of salt and ground black pepper and cover with foil. Place in the oven and bake for 45 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a small, sharp knife. Set aside to cool completely.

2. Whilst the oven is on, place the pecan halves on a baking tray and sprinkle with the caster sugar and a pinch of salt. Toast in the oven for five to eight minutes until crunchy and toasted.

3. When the beetroot is completely cooled, remove the skin and slice thinly. 4. To assemble the salad, arrange slices of beetroot between four serving plates along with the red chicory leaves and grapefruit segments. Scatter with the crumbled Cheshire cheese and toasted pecans and drizzle with the balsamic juices from the roasting tin.

Roast Tuscan turkey with herby garlic filling

A great alternative to the usual Christmas turkey roast. Ask your butcher to butterfly the turkey breast.

Serves 6 30g salted butter, softened 25g flat leaf parsley 2 tbsp fresh sage 2 sprigs fresh rosemary 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp fennel seeds 1 pinch chilli flakes 1.2kg turkey breast, trimmed & butterflied 12 slices smoked bacon rashers 2 tbsp olive oil 200ml white wine 300ml chicken stock 150g black grapes

1. Place the butter, herbs, garlic, fennel seeds and chilli in a bowl with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper and mash all together well.

2. Lay out the turkey breast skin-side down and spread the herby garlic butter over the surface. Roll up tightly and wrap the smoked bacon rashers evenly around the outside of the roll and secure tightly with kitchen string. Place in a roasting tin and drizzle the top with the olive oil.

3. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Pour the wine and chicken stock in the bottom of the roasting tin,

cover with foil loosely and roast for about one hour. Remove the foil and roast for a further 30 minutes until the bacon is golden and crispy. Add the grapes 15 minutes before the end of cooking.

4. Transfer the joint to a carving board and leave to rest for about 20 minutes covered with foil.

5. Slice the turkey into thin slices and serve with the pan juices and roasted grapes.

Celeriac & potato gratin

This is perfect served alongside the roast. Simply place in the oven at the same time as the rolled turkey and both will be ready to serve together.

Serves 6 420ml double cream 300ml milk 1tbsp Dijon mustard 600g waxy, red-skinned potatoes, peeled & thinly sliced 1 small celeriac (about 500g), peeled & thinly sliced 100g mature Cheddar cheese, grated

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Mix together the cream, milk and mustard in a large jug with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. 2. Place a layer of potatoes in a 1.2-litre, ovenproof gratin dish. Pour over a little of the cream mixture and then sprinkle with some cheese. Top with a layer of celeriac and then repeat with the cream mixture and cheese. Continue until all the potatoes, celeriac and cream mixture are layered up.

3. Place on a baking tray, cover with foil and bake for one hour. Remove the foil and bake for a further 30 minutes until golden brown and the vegetables are tender. Leave to sit for five minutes before serving.

Balsamic and cranberry Brussel sprouts

The combination of the slightly soured cranberries and sweet balsamic works beautifully with the Brussel sprouts.

Serves 6 500g Brussel sprouts, halved 2 tbsp olive oil 1 large red onion, finely chopped 150g fresh cranberries 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the Brussel sprouts for just five minutes. Drain well.

2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the parboiled Brussel sprouts and cook for 10-15 minutes, tossing occasionally until lightly browned.

3. Add the cranberries and cook for a further five minutes until they burst and soften. Season with a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of ground black pepper. Drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and toss well. Serve immediately.

Spiced sticky ginger and apple cake with salted toffee sauce

This is a warm, sticky ginger and toffee cake, which makes a great alternative to Christmas pudding – the whole family will love it. Serves 6 200g butter, softened 200g soft brown sugar 275g plain flour 2 tsp baking powder 2 tsp ground ginger 3 large free-range eggs 300ml milk 6 tbsp ready-made salted toffee sauce 2 eating apples, cored & finely sliced

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 23cm square cake tin. Put the butter in a large bowl with the sugar, then beat well with an electric whisk until light, pale and creamy. Add the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, eggs and milk and mix well.

2. Drizzle the base of the tin with four tbsp of the toffee sauce. Then lay the sliced apples over the top in the base of the tin. Pour the cake mix over the apples and then bake for 35-40 minutes until golden and cooked. To test, insert with a skewer and if it comes out clean, it is cooked.

3. Allow to cool slightly, then turn out so the apples are uppermost. Peel off the paper, cut into squares and then serve warm with the remaining toffee sauce and scoops of ice cream.

To find the full menu that includes Winter spiced negronis (a delicious aperitif), Nduja rolls (a spiced and moreish sausage roll), and Crostini with dill smoked salmon & capers, simply scan the QR code and enjoy!