Minimise the fuss, maximise the fun for a successful feast.
Back in my early 20s, when backpacking around South America, I spent Christmas in Colombia with the family of a rather dodgy Colombian boyfriend. My paramour's father was in attendance with not just his newest wife, but his five previous wives and all their children, and more cousins and aunts and uncles than you could imagine anyone ever being related to.
At around 11pm on Christmas Eve we dined on a big slab of dry corned beef and cassava, and then the tables were cleared so the salsa band could perform. Around dawn on Christmas Day, somewhat worse for wear, we all piled into the family car and headed to the local abattoir, where a bucket of fresh blood and some ox hearts were purchased. Then it was back home for a Christmas feast of boiled blood and hearts grilled over the hibachi. Oh joy! This was a very special treat in honour of the New Zealand guest. My advice: don't leave home. No one else ever does Christmas right.
Every culture has its traditions and rituals that collectively anchor us and provide a sense of place and belonging and reassurance. Usually it's not until you enter someone else's culture that you realise what you miss about your own.
That said, by the time Christmas comes around most of us are already frazzled. Reducing the day's lumps and bumps usually involves cracking open a bottle of bubbly early in the day to settle the nerves, and herein lies the problem - the sheer risk of, as my mother would say, of "falling into the gravy" before the meal is served.
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There is enough drama in life without raising the gastronomic bar high at Christmas. Do whatever you can to simplify the day. If making gravy causes last-minute stress, forget about it - serve your turkey with a tangy relish or salsa verde instead. Share the love and get everyone to contribute to the menu with a salad or dessert - or if they're not a cook put them in charge of the decorations or the wine or washing the dishes afterwards.
Most importantly, come up with a menu that involves as much advance preparation as possible. Once everything is good to go, pop the bubbles, pour a festive co*cktail and settle in to enjoy the feast of the year.
Roast Turkey
Ready in 2½ hours + brining + resting. Serves 10
4kg whole turkey, including neck and giblets
2 Tbsp butter, softened, or extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, halved
8 cups water
2 Tbsp cornflour
2 Tbsp lemon juice
Fine white pepper, to taste
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Rosemary Brine
8 bay leaves
6-8 sprigs rosemary
Finely grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
4 cups boiling water
1 cup salt
½ cup sugar
2 Tbsp black peppercorns
18 cups cold water
To make the Rosemary Brine, place all ingredients except cold water in a very large, heatproof pot or bowl and stir to dissolve salt and sugar. Add cold water, then the turkey, reserving neck and giblets for gravy. Cover and chill for 12-24 hours.
Preheat oven to 160C fanbake. Lift turkey out of brine and pat dry inside and out. Tie legs loosely and place in a large roasting dish. Rub skin all over with butter or brush with oil for a dairy-free version. Cook for 2 hours. If it starts to brown too quickly, cover those parts loosely with tin foil. If stuffing your turkey (see recipe on p.37), increase the cook time by 30 minutes. Transfer cooked turkey to a serving platter breast-side down to allow the juices to run back into the breast, cover with tinfoil and a tea towel and rest for 15-30 minutes while cooking any vegetables and/or making the gravy. While turkey is brining or cooking, prepare the gravy by putting the neck and giblets in a pot with the onion and water. Bring to a boil and boil hard for 30 minutes to reduce. Strain, discarding solids (you should have about 4 cups of stock). You can prepare the gravy to this stage up to 24 hours in advance and chill the stock until needed. When the turkey is cooked and you have transferred it to a platter to rest, tip the stock into the unwashed roasting dish and bring to a simmer on the stovetop, stirring to lift pan brownings. Combine cornflour and lemon juice and add to turkey gravy a little at a time, stirring constantly, until gravy starts to thicken. Simmer 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste and thin with vegetable cooking water if desired. Serve hot with turkey.
Annabel says: If you have given up on turkey as it comes out dry, this recipe is your game-changer. Brining ensures succulent results every time. To avoid taking up room in the fridge, I usually pour the brine into a big, clean (unscented) plastic bag, add the turkey and sit it in a chillybin with ice cubes.
Quinoa Stuffing
Ready in 1¼ hours. Serves 10-12
4 cups water
2 cups quinoa
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
4 eggs
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
½ cup pine nuts, toasted
½ cup finely chopped parsley leaves
2 Tbsp chopped thyme leaves or 2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary leaves or ½ tsp dried rosemary
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Place water and quinoa in a pot. Cover, bring to a boil and cook until the quinoa is tender and water is just absorbed (about 10 minutes). While the quinoa is cooking, heat oil in a frying pan and cook onions and garlic over a medium-low heat until softened but not browned (about 8 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl with cooked quinoa and all remaining ingredients and mix to combine. The stuffing can be prepared ahead to this point and chilled for up to 48 hours until needed. When ready to cook, preheat oven to 180C fanbake. Shape the stuffing into a log on a sheet of oiled tinfoil, roll up tightly and bake on an oven tray until firm when pressed (about 45 minutes). Alternatively, stuff into turkey cavity just before cooking and add an extra 30 minutes to the cooking time for an unstuffed turkey. Insert a cooking thermometer into the centre of the stuffing to make sure it reaches 75C.
Annabel says: This makes a terrific change from regular bread stuffing and will suit the gluten-free eaters at the table too.
Sunshine co*cktails
Ready in 5 mins. Serves 12
1½ cups Aperol or other orange liqueur
2 bottles Prosecco, Spumante or other bubbly, chilled
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Pour about 2 Tbsp liqueur into each of 12 chilled Champagne glasses and top with bubbly. Serve immediately.
Annabel says: Aperol and bubbles is one of those feel-good combinations that just sings of summer and celebrations.
Paradise Salad
Ready in 20 mins. Serves 10-12
3 baby cos lettuces
2 bunches asparagus
6 radishes
Flesh of 2 large just-ripe avocados, cut in chunks
2 Tbsp microgreens or chopped chives or spring onions
Mustard Vinaigrette
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp runny honey
¼ cup boutique extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
To make the Mustard Vinaigrette, combine vinegar, lemon juice, mustard and honey in a small jar and shake to break up mustard. Add oil, salt and pepper and shake to emulsify.
The dressing can be made up to a week in advance and chilled until needed. Bring back to room temperature and shake well before serving. Separate lettuce leaves and cut the larger ones in half. Drop asparagus into a pot of boiling salted water and cook just until the water comes back to a boil (about 2 minutes). Drain well and cool immediately in iced water to preserve colour. Drain again. Slice radishes very thinly with a mandolin or a vegetable peeler. When ready to serve, arrange lettuce leaves on a platter and toss with a little dressing. Scatter asparagus, radishes, avocado and microgreens or chives or spring onions over the top. Drizzle with remaining dressing and serve immediately.
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Annabel says: Reduce last-minute stress by doing as much as you can in advance. Wash and dry the lettuce for this pretty, fresh salad and pop it in a sealed container or bag in the fridge. You can also make the dressing in advance ready for a speedy assembly.
Berry Trifle
Ready in 20 mins. Serves 10
1 plain sponge (about 25cm x 20cm)
3 punnets (750g) strawberries, hulled and halved, plus extra to garnish
½ cup orange juice
2 Tbsp white rum or orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec (optional)
2 punnets (250g) blueberries, plus extra to garnish
3 cups custard
2 cups mascarpone
Finely grated zest of ½ a lemon
Edible petals or candied petals, to garnish
Cut sponge into 4cm cubes and arrange half in the base of a large serving bowl. Place 2 punnets of strawberries, orange juice and liqueur, if using, in a blender and whizz to combine. Drizzle half over the sponge in the serving bowl, then layer over half the cut strawberries and blueberries. Whizz together custard, mascarpone and lemon zest. Layer half over the berries, then top with another layer of sponge and the remaining strawberry puree, cut strawberries and blueberries. Top with a second layer of custard mixture then sprinkle with extra berries and candied petals to serve.
Annabel says: This is a great recipe for non-cooks who have been "volunteered" to produce a dessert. Just buy the sponge and custard ready-made from the supermarket and layer it all together - no cooking required!
• For more great Annabel Langbein recipes see her new summer annual A Free Range Life: Celebrate Summer! (Annabel Langbein Media, $24.95) or visit annabel-langbein.com.
