Some people will not deviate from the traditional favourites but, let’s face it, we’ve all had our share of disappointments at Christmas dinner. The turkey is dry, the ham is too salty, Brussel sprouts are over-cooked and mushy, and the gravy is lumpy. Bring back bad memories?
Well, create new and interesting memories this year by trying some great alternatives, brought to you by Michelin-star chefs. Here are five chefs making alternative Christmas dinner recipes.
Yotam Ottolenghi’s Christmas dinner
Israeli-British chef Ottolenghi presents what a traditional Christmas dinner looks like at home. Slow-cooked lamb is the star of the show with plenty of exciting middle-eastern flavours to lift the occasion.
Marcello Tully creates slow cooked Scotch lamb shoulder
If you like the look of lamb this Christmas, Michelin star chef Marcello Tully shows you an easy to follow guide to cooking slow-cooked Scotch lamb shoulder. It’s a different take on a lamb joint as the meat is cooked, then flaked, breaded and deep fried before being served with a tarragon mousse.
Skye Gyngell's Christmas recipes
A Christmas dinner with a distinctly Italian flavour from the Michelin-starred kitchens at Petersham Nurseries. Sky Gyngell raids the garden for herbs and veg that are in-season for this wholesome and earthy Italian pranzo di natale. Oysters with mignonette sauce are for starters, moving on to Burrata with cicoria, dried chillies and anchovies before the main course of roasted quail with Nebbiolo with a gratin of potatoes and fennel, Braised cavolo nero and a dessert of panettone ice cream.
Robert Ortiz’s Peruvian alternative
For something completely different we go to Peru where Michelin star Robert Ortiz creates three Peruvian recipes from Lima Floral. A starter of simple vegetables with leche de tigre and yellow chilli, marinated pigeon with chocolate on cornbread, suckling pig with Peruvian corn.
Get your game on this Christmas
Up your game game, with these recipes from Michelin star chef Berwyn Davies. Rabbit ballotine with garden radishes and mustard, venison saddle with red cabbage, pine gnocchi and roast salsify. Chef Daviies finishes off with poached pear in mulled wine with chestnuts and hibiscus sorbet.