Simply Sam Christmas 2021

What a year 2021 has been, hectic, turbulent, fantastic and magnificent are a few words I would use to describe my year. And with the year that was 2021 coming to an end, I have a Christmas Feast to bring to you. It’s a delicious, mouth-watering, healthy (for body and soul) menu, perfect for you and your family on Christmas day - or any other for that matter.

I encourage you to start your Christmas meal with my Turkey Mince Sausage Rolls and a grazing platter. The turkey sausage rolls pay homage to a large turkey roast on the day, and who doesn’t love a crackers and cheese?

Now time for the main meal. I will be taking you through recipes for a wonderful lemon and rosemary roast chook, crisp, herbed smashed potatoes, a fresh, summer zucchini salad and a spectacular blanched asparagus dish. And hold tight, because dessert is coming too!

Rosemary and Lemon Roast Chicken

This is the main event, cook the chicken right and it will be juicy, succulent and a crowd pleaser nobody can look past.

Ingredients:

  • 2kg whole chicken

  • 3 tbsp rosemary, chopped

  • 1 tbsp parsley, chopped

  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed

  • 1/4 cup EVOO

  • juice of half a lemon

  • 1 tsp salt

  • good crack of pepper

  • one onion, quatered

  • head of garlic, cut in half

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 200C, and get a large baking dish out.

  2. In a bowl, combine the rosemary, parsley, crushed garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

  3. Loosen the skin of the chicken using the back of a spoon and drizzle half of the olive oil mixture under the skin.

  4. Place the onion and garlic at the bottom of the baking tray and place the chicken on top. Pin down the wings and tie the legs together. Paint the rest of the olive mixture onto the outside of the chicken. Stuff the chicken if you would like.

  5. Cook at this temperature for 15 minutes then turn the oven down to 180C. Cook for another hour and a half until the chicken internal temperature reaches 75C or when the chicken is stabbed with skewer between the thigh, the liquid runs clear.

  6. Rest for 15 minutes, then carve to serve.

Crispy Herbed Smashed Potatoes

Smashed potatoes are the best way to have potatoes! Soft in the centre but crispy and crunchy on the outside. Perfect with chicken and perfect for your Christmas feast.

Ingredients:

  • 12 baby potatoes

  • 1 tbsp chives, chopped

  • 1 tbsp parsley, chopped

  • EVOO, salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Have to oven set to 200C.

  2. Boil a pot of water and add potatoes. Cook for about 20-25 minutes until fully cooked through.

  3. Once cooked, line a baking tray. Lay all the potatoes out on the tray and squash them down with the base of a glass.

  4. Drizzle with olive oil, herbs, salt and pepper.

  5. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until crispy.

Summer Zucchini Salad

Fresh, zingy and crunchy. This salad is always a favourite at my family’s table and I think it is a great palate cleanser for in-between the other Christmas dishes on this menu.

Ingredients:

  • 2 baby cos lettuce

  • 3 zucchinis, thinly sliced

  • 2 pieces of bread, torn into 1 cm pieces

  • Juice of half a lemon

  • 1/4 cup EVOO

  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Rinse and dry the lettuce leaves, then thinly slice them.

  2. Line a baking tray and spread out the bread pieces. Drizzle with a small amount of EVOO and season with salt and pepper. In a 200C oven, bake these until golden brown (5 - 15 minutes). These are your croutons.

  3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and 1/4 cup of EVOO, slowly adding the EVOO allowing the mixture to emulsify. Then add salt and pepper to this dressing.

  4. In a large salad bowl, combine the lettuce, zucchini, and 3/4 of the parmesan. Then on top of the salad add the rest of the cheese, the dressing and then the croutons.

  5. Enjoy your salad!

Balsamic and Feta Asparagus

Ingredients:

  • Two bunches of asparagus, woody ends removed

  • 200g solanato tomatoes

  • 50g marinated Persian feta

  • Balsamic glaze, to taste

  • EVOO, salt and pepper to taste.

Method:

  1. In a pot, boil some water. In the sink have a bowl full of ice and cold water waiting. When the water in the pot has boiled add your asparagus for 2 minutes, then transfer to the ice bath.

  2. In a small fry pan, heat a drizzle of EVOO. Add the tomatoes and allow to cook and caramelise on the outside.

  3. On a plate, lay out the asparagus, then top with the tomatoes, crumbled feta, and balsamic.

Burnt Basque Cheesecake with Baileys Custard and Roasted Peaches

It’s dessert time - and didn’t I say I had treat in store? This Basque cheesecake is definitely a crowd pleaser, and works fantastically with the creamy custard and the sweet but sour nature of the peaches. This will be the dish of the day, its not low fat, low carb or low calorie but what it is, is healthy for your soul! You take a bite and a smile just has to make its way to your lips! Have I got you excited yet? Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients:

  • 1kg cream cheese

  • 7 eggs

  • 300g and 1/4 cup caster sugar

  • 1 tbsp plain flour

  • 200mL thickened cream

  • 250mL milk

  • 1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur

  • 2 eggs yolks

  • 1 tbsp cornflour

  • 1 tsp vanilla paste

  • 6 Peaches, halved, pits removed

  • 2 tbsp brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup boiling water

  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 210C and line a 24 inch round cake tin (springform works best) ensuring your baking paper makes its way past the edges of the pan.

  2. In a stand mixer combine the cream cheese, eggs, 300g sugar, flour and thickened cream and whip until the mixture is smooth. Bake in the middle of the oven for 40 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool by leaving it out of the fridge. After an hour, place in the fridge.

  3. While the cheesecake is cooking, start to make the custard. Place the milk and Balieys in a sauce pan and heat on a medium heat until almost boiling. Set this aside to cool.

  4. Whisk the egg yolk, sugar, cornflour and vanilla in a bowl until it is thick. Gradually mix the milk into the egg mixture, then return this to a pot and continually stir until the custard thickens.

  5. When the cheesecake is out of the oven, combine the brown sugar and water. On a baking tray lay the peaches flesh side down and cover with the sugar mixture. Bake for 20 minutes covered in foil. Allow to cool.

  6. Serve cheesecake on a plate, covered with the peaches. Slice and add the custard!

That’s all for me and my Christmas feast. Be sure to tell me what you loved and what I should add to the spread next year.