We've got your food covered

Celebrating the holidays with your flatmates or friends? Host the ultimate festive day filled with delicious food.

From starter to dessert, these are some of our chefs' favourite Christmas recipes that are perfect for cooking together. 

Breakfast: Chocolate and orange French toast 🍊

INGREDIENTS

• 40g unsalted butter
• 5g ground cinnamon
• 30g maple syrup
• 7 eggs
• 2 medium oranges
• Sliced brioche loaf
• 225g orange marmalade
• 750g wholemilk 

METHOD

1. Slice the brioche loaf into equal size slices.
2. Spread each loaf with marmalade and pair it with another plain slice of loaf. 
3. In a bowl, beat your eggs and pour the milk into the mixture. Soak your loaf pair in the mixture. 
4.  Put a pan on medium heat, melt your butter and dust the cinnamon in. Add your soaked loaf and fry until lightly brown on each side, then plate. 
5. In the same melted butter, add a few slices of orange and pour maple syrup over it. Turn the orange slice a few times on each side until it absorbs all of the syrup. 
6. Once ready, place on top of the brioche and finish with a sprinkle of icing sugar.  

Starter: Brie stuffed arancini balls 🧀

INGREDIENTS

• 225g arborio rice
• 250g brie
• 600g chicken stock mix
• 250g breadcrumbs
• 200g plain flour
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 200g parmesan cheese
• 5 medium eggs
• 1 shallot

METHOD

1. In a pot, combine rice, chicken stock, garlic and the shallot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the rice absorbs the water and is fully cooked - usually around 25-30 minutes. Stir frequently. 
2. Transfer the rice to a bowl and cool at room temperature. Then refrigerate for 30 minutes for it to become sticky. 
3. Add oregano, parsley, parmesan cheese and 2 lightly beaten eggs. Stir to combine. 
4. Heat oil for frying in a deep pot or large saucepan. The oil should be about 1 inch in the pan. 
5. To make the arancini, scoop out about 1 heaping tbsp of rice into your hand, add a small piece of brie in the middle and cover it with the rice. Roll it into a ball. 
6. Roll each ball in flour, then the egg mixture, then breadcrumbs. 
7. Fry for 1-2 minutes until golden. 
8. Transfer to a plate and serve with a sauce of your choice, we recommend marinara sauce. 

The main event: Classic roast turkey 🦃

Optional: This recipe is best served with a side of pigs in blankets and onion and sage stuffing. 

INGREDIENTS

• An average bronze turkey (with giblets removed)
• Bayleaf
• 350g back bacon
• 150g salted butter
• Salt and pepper
• Nutmeg
• 100g red cooking wine
• 2 medium white onions

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 190ºC. Put the onion and a large sprig of bay and sage in the cavity between the turkey legs. If using stuffing, pack half into the neck end, pushing it towards the breast. Secure the neck skin in position and tie the turkey legs together at the top of the drumsticks to give a neat shape. 
2. Weigh the turkey and calculate cooking time at 20 minutes per kilo, plus 90 minutes added to that total. 
3. Put a large sheet of extra wide foil in a large roasting tin, then put the turkey on top. Smear the breast with the butter, grate over half the nutmeg and season well. Cover the breast with bacon, pour over the wine, then loosely bring up the foil and seal well to make a parcel. 
4. Roast in the oven, then 90 minutes before the end of cooking, open the foil, discard the bacon and and drain off excess fat from the tin. Leaving the foil open, return the turkey to the oven to brown, basting with the juices several times. 
5. Then 30 minutes before the end of cooking, place the pigs in blankets and stuffing of your choice (if using) around the turkey, or cook in a separate lightly oiled tin. 
6. To test whether the turkey is cooked, push a skewer into the thickest part of the thigh - the juices should run clear. If they are pinkish, cook for a further 15 minutes, then test again. 
7. Transfer the turkey, stuffing and pigs in blankets to a platter, cover with foil, then a couple of tea towels and allow to rest for up to 30 minutes before carving. This gives the juices time to settle back into the meat, ensuring that the turkey will be juicy.
8. Garnish with sprigs of bay and serve. 

Main side dish: Loaded hasselback potatoes 🥔

INGREDIENTS

• 1kg potatoes
• 200g smoked streaky bacon
• 4 tbsp chives (chopped)
• 150g brie
• rapeseed oil
• 3 shallots (chopped) 
• Rosemary
• 2 cloves of garlic

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. 
2. Place a wooden spoon alongside a potato - this will stop you from accidentally cutting all the way through. Slice into the potato until you hit the spoon, the finer the slice, the more crispy they'll be, so try to get as many slices in each potato as possible. Repeat for each potato (this step can be done in advance, but store in a bowl of cold water to prevent discolouration if not cooking immediately). 
3. Place the potatoes in a baking tray with rosemary and garlic, then drizzle with oil and a pinch of salt and toss to coat evenly. Roast in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until golden and crisp. 
4. Meanwhile, cook the bacon under a grill or in a pan until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper then roughly chop. 
5. Once the potatoes are cooked, transfer into an ovenproof serving dish and sprinkle over the cheese, chopped bacon and shallots. Return to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until the cheese has melted. 
6. To serve, drizzle with cranberry sauce and sprinkle with chives.

Snack time: Cranberry and cheese candy cane twists 🥖

INGREDIENTS

• Puff pastry sheets
• 100g parmesan cheese (grated)
• 100g cranberry sauce
• 2 medium eggs

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven at 200ºC for 20 minutes. Place your puff pastry sheet onto a flat surface and let it thaw for 10-15 minutes. 
2. Spread the cranberry sauce onto the pastry sheet using a spatula, fold it in two and double your sheet like a block. 
3. Beat the eggs in a bowl and brush the pastry sheet - don't use everything as you'll need some for later. Then sprinkle over the grated parmesan cheese. 
4. Divide the block into equal long-shaped strips by using a pizza cutter. Take each strip and twist it by holding it in your hands and twisting from both ends. 
5. Place baking parchment onto a baking tray and add the twists. Curve one end to your right or left to form a candy cane shape. Brush gently with egg. 
6. Bake for 10-18 minutes until golden brown. 

Dessert: Vegan strawberry pine cones 🍓

INGREDIENTS

• 200g flaked almonds
• 260g strawberries
• 150g vegan chocolate chips/dark chocolate
• 25g icing sugar

METHOD

1. Melt your vegan chocolate chips or dark chocolate by using a water bath technique. 
2. Wash your strawberries and cut off the green tips, leaving a flat surface in which you'll insert a medium sized skewer. 
3. Insert the almond flakes around the strawberry by piercing the flesh with them. Then dip the strawberry into the melted chocolate, making sure it is fully coated. 
4. Wait until the chocolate cools (2 minutes) and place your cone onto a plate. Repeat the process for the rest of the strawberries. 
5. Once finished, keep in the fridge for 30 minutes for the chocolate to fully settle. Before serving, use a sieve to sprinkle your icing on top of the pine cones. 

The holidays are the perfect time to get together, so turn up the tunes and cook a Christmas feast to remember! 

Contact:

Find more delicious recipes @ualcatering.