Everybody probably has a different idea of what the perfect Christmas menu should look like, whether you prefer the traditional British turkey as the main event or go for something smaller scale like ham or duck. Some people can't envisage the big day without Christmas pudding, while others would rather eat any dessert other than that boiled concoction. Opinions vary on the right selection of sides (bread sauce, anyone?) and on how to make the ideal turkey sandwich. While we're not claiming to be able to please absolutely everyone (that way madness lies), we do have a few excellent recipes up our sleeves, so we've put together what in our minds is a pretty perfect Christmas menu (with a few alternatives to choose from).
Drinks and nibbles
Let's start at the very beginning, with the pre-dinner drinks and nibbles. You don't want to go too hard here – Christmas eating is a marathon, not a sprint – so we've selected some light, reasonably refreshing cocktails that don't go too heavy on the liquor. Alongside those, something in the salty biscuit category makes an excellent accompaniment while you're opening those last presents or popping the parsnips in the oven. OK, gougères and tartiflette squares are a tiny bit indulgent, but they're SO good.
To start
It's very easy at Christmas to default to a classic dish of smoked salmon, and there's nothing at all wrong with that, but we're here to remind you there are a few fun alternatives. Still in the smoked fish world, we adore Anna Tobias' recipe for troute pate, and we've also taken inspiration from Scandinavia for a refreshing winter salad, and from Italy for a winter-inflected burrata dish.
The main event
For most Brits, Christmas is unthinkable without a turkey, even if you have to get up at the crack of dawn to start cooking it. Our foolproof method for cooking the big bird is below. As a pleasantly old-fashioned alternative – something with a bit of Victorian elegance – do consider a goose as an alternative one year. It's chef Sally Clarke's choice for Christmas dinner, and she recommends ordering one from Goodman's Geese.
If you're having a smaller Christmas and can't face weeks of leftover turkey curry and sandwiches, then might we suggest a turkey crown instead? It's smaller, quicker to cook and just as delicious. Alternatively, chef Anna Tobias suggests roast duck for a more intimate gathering: ‘It's rich but also an easy size to manage. I also think you get more bang for your buck with a duck over a goose - there's less faff with draining off fat, and you get comparatively more meat for the size.’
Christmas dinner trimmings
What would Christmas day be without all the trimmings, most important of which is brussel sprouts. Love them, hate them, can only just manage them, it doesn't matter, they deserve a place on every table and our recipe by Thomasina Miers has a tasty twist to convert even the most ardent sprout hater. We also love Charlie Hibbert's version with hazelnuts and brown butter, which makes a delightful change. Cooking your root vegetables – carrots and parsnips together, usually – is one of the simpler parts, and you can always jazz up a simple roasting recipe with a glaze of honey and olive oil.
Of course, it wouldn't be a roast dinner without the roast potatoes, so you'll need to factor those into your cooking plans too. Sally Clarke's recipe uses goose fat and bay for perfect potatoes every time and you'll need space in the oven for an hour before serving time to make sure it all comes together at the right time. This does mean that you can put them in while the turkey is resting if you're short on space.
Christmas desserts
After the mains, it's onto the desserts. If you go for a traditional Christmas pudding, you will need to steam it on the day, so reserve one burner on your hob for that job. It's a simple one, but one to make sure you remember, as well as getting in some brandy for the all-important pudding flambé! Christmas pudding isn't everyone's cup of tea, so we've also rounded up some indulgent favourites, from a fresh twist on a good old sherry trifle to a showstopping pavlova from the team behind The Ginger Pig.
Christmas cake
The other sweet treat you'll be sure to hanker for is Christmas cake. This needs to be made in October, soaked in copious amounts of booze until a few days before Christmas and then covered in a layer of marzipan and icing on Christmas eve. Follow our Christmas cake recipe for the cake itself, but get creative with the decoration at that final stage. To see you through the holidays and keep children entertained for a short while, consider making some Christmas biscuits or Christmas cookies too – they can be strung up as decorations or hung on the tree!
Christmas ham
Lastly, but by absolutely no means least, Christmas ham. This is a Boxing Day essential, especially so that you can enjoy homemade Christmas club sandwiches in the following days, packed with cold cuts of ham and turkey – it's a rite of festive passage. A large leg of ham will need four hours in the oven (plus another half hour for the glaze on the fat at the end), but you could easily make it on Christmas Eve to have cold on Boxing Day, or make it on Boxing Day itself and enjoy it hot for dinner with parsley or cider sauce. You'll roast it in a tin, covered, with water and spices so that it stays moist and gets infused with the lovely flavours of bay leaves and peppercorns. Serve with baked potatoes and a salad, or any of our other Boxing Day recipes.
