With Christmas around the corner its time to start cooking up some ideas for a festive feast. Since restrictions are lifted this year, we’re excited to have the whole family over this holiday season. We’ve prepared a list of our favourite Christmas dinner recipes to get your taste buds tingling, from crispy roasties to indulgent Baileys cocktails, so why not try something new…
Extra Crispy Roasties
An all-time roast dinner favourite is the roasted potato. Roasties, tatties, spuds. Whatever you call them, we’ve got you covered. Want to know Swan’s secret for extra crispy roasted potatoes? Cook them in your Swan Retro Air Fryer.
- Parboil your spuds by chopping them into similar sizes then covering with water, and bringing to the boil until a knife can run through but not too soft. Drain them in a colander and rough them up to create those jagged edges (that’s the crispiest part!)
- In a large bowl, toss them in a little oil with garlic powder, crushed rosemary and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Drop the potatoes into the basket of the air fryer and cook for 10 minutes at 200°C.
- Shake and stir the potatoes then cook for a further 10 minutes, until they’re golden and tender.
The best roasties are fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside. Mix it up and toss them through with parsley and parmesan at the end to give them an added layer and have your loved ones coming back for seconds.
Honey Glazed Carrots and Parsnips
The perfect dish is all about the balance of flavours. Incorporating the sweet notes of honey is sure to elevate your traditional roast dinner. Honey glazed root veg are so easy and extra delicious.
Simply peel and parboil your veggies as you usually would. Then halfway through roasting, drizzle with honey and toss to coat. Find extra delicious tips on honey roasted parsnips on this post.
Slow Cooked Herby Stuffing
No roast dinner is complete without stuffing and we’ve got the perfect recipe for a slow-cooked stuffing mix using our Swan Retro Slow Cooker. It’s so simple and a swan family favourite.
Chestnuts and Bacon Brussels
The unsung hero of roast dinners. You either love them or hate them. But this recipe is sure to make you a fan either way. Why not try our Chestnuts and Bacon Brussels Sprouts recipe using our Swan Retro Pan set to get the table talking this Christmas.
Creamy Celeriac Puree
Celeriac is the most slept-on vegetable. With its naturally sweet and nutty taste, it’s a perfect alternative to mashed potato. You can chop and roast it with an array of herbs and spices or try something new with this quick and easy puree recipe.
- Peel and chop your celeriac into even chunks then soften the pieces in butter on a medium heat.
- Pour over enough milk to cover the chopped vegetable, sprinkle with salt, pepper and any festive seasonings you enjoy, like nutmeg or cinnamon. Then cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until the celeriac is completely soft.
- Remove it from the heat and place the softened celeriac into your Swan Stealth Blender, adding a little of the hot milk. Blend into a puree using gradual speed increments. (Tip! Never fill your blender too high with hot liquids.) Give it a taste and season some more if necessary. Voila!
Create this smooth puree to add extra texture to your dish. The perfect alternative to mashed potato or just a new addition to your family’s favourites.
Caramelised Onion Chutney
Get ready to jazz up your cheeseboard this Christmas with your very own homemade chutney. It’s so easy to make we’ll keep it our little secret.
- Thinly slice a kilo of red onions and gently soften them in a little oil on a medium to low heat until cooked but not browned.
- Add three tablespoons of brown sugar and turn up the heat until the onions start to brown.
- Once browned, add 150g of brown sugar, 180mls of red wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and a dollop of wholegrain mustard.
- Return to a low heat and simmer for around 40 minutes or until the mixture has reduced, forming a sticky chutney.
Tip! to figure out if it’s ready, drag a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan, the juices should take a few seconds to recover the pan. This gorgeous chutney is perfect for a Christmas cheeseboard or boxing day spread. The best part is that it keeps well for up to 6 months – if it can last that long!
Homemade Bread
Why not roll up your sleeves and make a dinnertime staple from scratch this Christmas? We have an easy bake bread recipe on our blog ready for you to add to your usual Christmas dinner recipes that are sure to show off your baking skills with the family. Or why not multi-task and let the Swan Bread Maker do the work while you prepare the rest!
Buttery Stuffed Mushrooms
For an extra treat and vegetarian-friendly option, why not serve stuffed mushrooms on your boxing day spread. Simply de-stalk and stuff with a mixture of finely diced red onion, breadcrumbs, crushed garlic, mozzarella, butter and chopped parsley. Then oven bake until golden.
For small snacks and starters use chestnut mushrooms or to create a main, use the larger Portobello mushrooms. Add a festive touch with crushed roasted chestnuts in your mix or drizzle with truffle oil for extra indulgence.
Indulgent Hot Choccies
If you’re looking for something to warm your belly this Christmas, we have a whole post on the best warming drinks. Including this Peppermint White Hot Chocolate, with its sharp peppermint kick, this creamy chocolatey mix is sure to go down a treat in the evenings this festive season.
Or why not step it up and make your hot choccy boozy? With this Cointreau Orange Hot Chocolate – whipped cream optional. With Terry’s Chocolate Orange and After Eights being our top picks for Christmas choccies, these recipes are a festive alternative to your usual cup of hot choc.
There are tonnes of ways to add a little festive spirit into your usual Christmas dinner recipes, including the hot drinks. Why not try out your own version of your favourite chocolate treat?
Baileys Cocktails
Christmas wouldn’t be the same without that black bottle of Baileys sat on the bar shelf. Our resident bartender has gifted us their top 3 Best Baileys Cocktails this holiday season.
Add these to your usual Christmas dinner recipes and have the family toasting this Christmas.
Christmas Cocktails
If you’re not a fan of mulled wine or Baileys, you might want to branch out and find another way to celebrate with a festive toast. In last year’s post, we let you in on Swan’s favourite Christmas cocktails. But this year we’re going retro with a Classic Spiked Eggnog Recipe everyone should know. For this you’ll need:
- 4 Large Egg Yolks
- 100gms Sugar
- 200mls Milk
- 100ml Cream
- 2 Whole Cloves
- Vanilla Extract
- Ground Cinnamon and Nutmeg
- Your choice of spirit.
Method:
- First, beat your egg yolks until they’re lighter in colour. Then slowly add the sugar, beating it in after each pour. Then whisk until light and fluffy.
- Meanwhile heat the milk, cloves and cinnamon on medium hot until steamy but not boiling.
- Slowly add half the mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly. Once combined, add the egg mix back into the pan.
- Cook on a medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the eggnog thickens. Then remove it from the heat and stir it into the cream.
- Strain and leave to chill for an hour before adding the vanilla extract, nutmeg and spirit of your choice.
The best picks for a boozy eggnog are brandy, rum or bourbon, and for a vegan option, use your Swan Stealth Blender to whip up this tasty Christmas Eggnog Cocktail alternative.
Swan Family Christmas Dinner recipes
Recipes at the ready! Whatever your picks are this Christmas, it’s sure to be a one to remember. So gather your family close and toast together. From all of us at Swan, we wish you a Happy Christmas!
