Source: Slawomir Fajer, AdobeStockA homemade Christmas dinner is an essential family tradition. That's why the choice of dishes needs to be approached very carefully. To make it easier for you to navigate through the variety, we've prepared the Christmas menu 2023 for you.
Christmas Appetizers 2023
Christmas traditions vary from region to region. But one thing unites them all – the table should be rich and diverse. This is the principle we followed when choosing our recipes!
Stuffed Herring
Source: shef-povar1.ruIt looks so impressive that it's hard to believe how simple it is to prepare.
You will need: 1 herring, 1 egg, 1/2 carrot, 2 tbsp canned green peas, 1 tbsp capers, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 40 ml water, 1 tsp gelatin, 1.5 tbsp mayonnaise, spices.
Preparation: Boil eggs and carrots, let them cool, and dice them finely. Fillet the herring and lay it on plastic wrap. Dissolve gelatin in hot water and brush it onto the herring. Mix the remaining gelatin with mayonnaise and spices.
Combine the egg, carrot, capers, mustard, mayonnaise, and green peas. Spread this filling over half of the herring fillet, cover with the other half, and tightly roll it up in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a couple of hours, then slice.
Squid and Carrot Pâté
Source: dzen.ruOne of the most original appetizer recipes for the Christmas holidays 2023.
You will need: 3 squid, 2 eggs, 1 carrot, 100 g processed cheese, 80 g butter, spices.
Preparation: Boil eggs and carrots until cooked. Blanch squid for 3 minutes in boiling water. Let everything cool and blend with processed cheese and spices. Add softened butter to the pâté, mix, and refrigerate for half an hour.
Turkey Roll with Carrots
Source: hi-chef.ruFor this recipe, we recommend using turkey thigh fillet – it's juicier.
You will need: 2 turkey thigh fillets with skin, 1 carrot, 50 g hard cheese, 2 tbsp sour cream, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp tomato sauce, 1 tbsp olive oil, spices.
Preparation: Pound the meat and rub it with spices to taste. Sprinkle with grated carrot and grated cheese. Roll tightly and tie with kitchen twine. Fry until golden brown on all sides in oil and place in a baking dish.
Mix sour cream, soy, and tomato sauces, brush over the rolls, and bake for 45 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. During baking, brush them with marinade 2-3 more times. Let the rolls cool, refrigerate for a couple of hours, and then slice for serving.
Lavash Roll with Bryndza and Ricotta
Source: beautylunch.ruFor extra beauty, you can garnish the finished roll with pomegranate seeds.
You will need: 150 g ricotta, 100 g bryndza, 1 lavash, 3 tbsp dried cranberries, half a bunch of parsley.
Preparation: Mash ricotta and bryndza with a fork, add cranberries and chopped parsley, and mix. Spread everything onto the lavash, roll it tightly, wrap in plastic film, and leave in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours. Slice the roll into serving pieces.
Mackerel Rillettes
Source: forum.pushkino.orgSomething like a fish pâté, to serve on canapés or bruschettas.
You will need: 450 g mackerel fillet, 2 carrots, 3 shallots, 2 tbsp 20% sour cream, 1 bay leaf, 50 ml dry white wine, 1 tbsp mustard, spices.
Preparation: Place mackerel pieces, peeled carrots, bay leaf, wine, and spices to taste in a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 15 minutes. Mash the fish with a fork, add finely chopped onion, sour cream, mustard, and more spices to taste. Bring the rillettes to the desired consistency using strained broth.
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Christmas Salads 2023
Classic Olivier and Shuba salads are good, but variety is also desired. Especially on such a special day as Christmas. So we've found some more original salad recipes for you!
Chicken and Prune Salad
Source: vosadu-li-vogorode.ruAn elegant and vibrant salad with a unique taste – try it when you get a chance.
You will need: 300 g chicken fillet, 200 g prunes, 1 beetroot, 3 cloves garlic, 100 g walnuts, mayonnaise and spices.
Preparation: Boil beetroot until cooked, about 1 hour, cool, peel, and grate. Boil chicken until cooked and chop finely. Mince garlic and walnuts. Pour boiling water over prunes for 10 minutes, drain, and chop. Mix everything and dress the salad with mayonnaise and spices.
"Christmas Wreath" Salad
Source: kleo.ruThe main feature of this Christmas salad is its presentation!
You will need: 240 g crab sticks, 150 g corn, 100 g rice, 100 g apples, 150 g tomatoes, 50 g hard cheese, 1 bunch dill, mayonnaise.
Preparation: Boil rice until cooked and cool. Dice crab sticks, tomatoes, and apple, add corn and grated cheese, and mix the salad with mayonnaise. Arrange it on a plate in the shape of a ring and completely cover the "wreath" with chopped dill. Garnish with vegetables or berries to taste.
Festive Sauerkraut Salad
Source: cookpad.comA simple winter salad made from readily available and inexpensive ingredients.
You will need: 200 g pickled mushrooms, 200 g sauerkraut, 2 bell peppers, 2-3 pickled cucumbers, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp sugar, spices.
Preparation: Finely chop mushrooms, cucumbers, and peppers. Lightly squeeze the sauerkraut, mince the garlic, and mix the salad. Add sugar and spices, and if desired, dress with vegetable oil.
Layered Salad with Ham and Vegetables
Source: queenphoto.ruIt stands out from other layered salads due to its original ingredients.
You will need: 200 g ham, 3 potatoes, 2 eggs, 1 carrot, 500 g broccoli, 2 pickled cucumbers, 1 purple onion, 70 g hard cheese, mayonnaise, 1 bunch of herbs and spices.
Preparation: Dice ham, cucumbers, and onion finely, dress with mayonnaise, and set aside. Boil potatoes and carrots until cooked, and grate them coarsely. Separately boil and grate eggs. Also boil broccoli until soft and chop finely.
Layer the ingredients: potatoes, a quarter of the ham, carrots, another quarter of the ham, eggs, again a quarter of the ham, broccoli, and the remaining ham. Sprinkle the salad with grated cheese, then cover all sides with chopped herbs. Additionally, you can garnish the salad with pomegranate seeds.
Christmas Salad with Beetroot and Tangerines
Source: recept-borscha.ruSo vibrant and impressive, no one will be left indifferent!
You will need: 2 beetroots, 100 g pumpkin, 2 tangerines, 1 handful walnuts, 100 g salad mix, 1 persimmon, 2 sprigs parsley, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, spices.
Preparation: Bake beetroots until tender, about 1 hour, in foil in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Cut pumpkin into small sticks and fry in a dry pan until soft. Finely chop persimmon. Slice beetroots thinly, and peeled tangerines into rounds. Pick parsley leaves and mix everything with salad mix and walnuts. For the dressing, mix oil, honey, soy sauce, and spices.
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Christmas Main Courses 2023
The most popular hot dish for Christmas is roasted poultry in all sorts of variations. We've found some interesting ideas for you, and at the same time, we want to offer an alternative!
Duck with Rice and Vegetables
Source: yankelevitch.ruUndoubtedly a very aromatic, spicy, and truly Christmas dish.
You will need: 1 duck, 100 g prunes, 150 g dried apricots, 200 g pumpkin, 3/4 cup rice, 2 tbsp paprika, spices, 3 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp tomato sauce.
Preparation: Boil rice until cooked, add chopped dried fruits, diced pumpkin, soy sauce, and a little spice. Stuff the duck and sew up the cavity. Rub the duck with spices, paprika, and tomato or other sauce to taste.
Wrap it in foil and bake for approximately 2-2.5 hours in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius, about an hour per kilogram. Unwrap the foil half an hour before it's done for a beautiful crust.
Festive Mackerel with Tomatoes
Source: receptisalatov.comDelicious mackerel always perfectly complements any festive table.
You will need: 2 mackerel, 2 tbsp grainy mustard, 2 tomatoes, 2 onions, 1 bell pepper, spices to taste.
Preparation: Clean and gut the mackerel, and rub it with spices inside and out. Then brush the fish with mustard. Thinly slice all vegetables and place them inside the cavity, and any remaining on top of the fish. Wrap each mackerel in parchment paper, then in foil, and bake for half an hour in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius.
Chicken with Buckwheat and Mushrooms
Source: pinterest.comWho said chicken must be baked with apples or oranges?
You will need: 1 chicken, 1 cup buckwheat, 150 g mushrooms, 2 onions, 1 head garlic, 4 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp adjika, 3 tbsp vegetable oil, spices.
Preparation: Slice mushrooms, half-ring onions, and lightly fry them together. Boil buckwheat until cooked and mix with mushrooms. Separately mix oil, adjika, soy sauce, crushed garlic, and spices, and rub the chicken inside and out.
Leave the chicken for half an hour, stuff with buckwheat, and sew up the cavity. Place it in a baking dish, pour in the remaining marinade, and bake in the oven for 60-70 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius. If the top starts to brown too much, cover the chicken with foil.
Prazhenina of Pork Ribs
Source: dzen.ruA classic homemade dish specifically for Christmas!
You will need: 15 pork ribs, 400 g homemade pork sausage, 100 g lard, 2 onions, 2 bay leaves, 4 tbsp flour, spices.
Preparation: Cut lard into pieces, render it in a pan, and set aside. Separate the pork ribs and fry them in the rendered fat until golden brown. Transfer them to pots or a baking dish. Slice the sausage into rounds, also fry, and add to the ribs.
Separately, in the same fat, fry finely chopped onion, add flour, and mix. Pour in about 1-1.5 cups of water, stirring. Pour this gravy over the meat, add spices and bay leaf, and bake everything in the oven under foil or lids for 45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
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Christmas Side Dishes 2023
A good main course needs an equally good side dish. And we've already taken care of this problem. Below you'll find a couple of classic options and some fresher recipes!
Potatoes au Gratin (French-style Potatoes)
Source: suomimagazin.ruThe secret to this recipe is that it requires milk, and plenty of it.
You will need: 8 potatoes, 1.5 L milk, 3 cloves garlic, spices, Provence herbs, 250 g hard cheese.
Preparation: Slice potatoes thinly. Boil milk with spices and herbs. Add chopped garlic and grated cheese, heat slightly, and add the potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes, then transfer to a baking dish. If desired, sprinkle with more cheese and bake for half an hour in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius.
Cabbage Side Dish
Source: tatgrib.ruOrdinary white cabbage easily transforms into a low-calorie vegetable side dish.
You will need: 500 g cabbage, 1 onion, 1 carrot, spices to taste, half a bunch of herbs, half a bunch of green onions.
Preparation: Finely chop onion, grate carrot, and fry them together for 5-7 minutes. Add thinly shredded cabbage and spices to taste, and continue cooking for 15-20 minutes covered over medium heat until lightly browned. Stir occasionally. At the end, add chopped herbs and green onions.
Rice with Mushrooms
Source: sdelai-lestnicu.ruA win-win side dish for any meat, poultry, and fish at Christmas.
You will need: 100 g rice, 200 g mushrooms, 100 g carrots, 100 g onions, spices.
Preparation: Finely chop onion, slice carrot into strips, and fry them together for 5 minutes. Add sliced mushrooms and fry for another 7-10 minutes, stirring. Separately boil rice until half-cooked. Add it to the vegetables, season, pour in a little water or wine to taste, and simmer until the rice is cooked through, covered.
Pearl Barley with Vegetables
Source: pulse.mail.ruWe bet you'll be cooking pearl barley for the holiday table for the first time! And it's really good!
You will need: 2 cups pearl barley, 2 carrots, 2 onions, 300 g canned green peas, spices.
Preparation: Soak pearl barley for half an hour in warm water, then fry in a dry pan until a distinct nutty aroma appears. Separately grate carrots, finely chop onions, and fry them together until soft. Add a can of peas with its liquid and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the pearl barley to the vegetables and pour in enough water to completely cover everything. Simmer the dish for half an hour over low heat, covered, until the grains are soft. Add more water as needed.
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Christmas Desserts 2023
A Christmas dinner with family or friends would be incomplete without wonderful desserts. We've gathered the most interesting and notable recipes for you, yet in a simple and accessible execution!
Gingerbread Men
Source: iyihisset.comThe very gingerbread men that will adorn the festive table for both Christmas and New Year.
You will need: 100 g butter, 100 g sugar, 270 g flour, 3 tbsp honey, 1 egg, 3 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp ginger, 0.5 tsp each of ground cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, and allspice, 1 tsp cocoa, 1.5 tsp baking powder.
Preparation: Whip softened butter with sugar and salt using a mixer. Add honey and mix. Then add the egg, followed by spices and cocoa. Gradually add sifted flour with baking powder, knead the dough, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Roll out the dough thinly, cut out gingerbread men with cookie cutters, and bake for about 12-14 minutes in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius. Decorate them to taste.
Christmas Stollen
Source: rabota-za-granicej.ruThis cake needs to be prepared in advance so it can mature for a couple of weeks.
You will need: 1/2 cup sugar, 5-5.5 cups flour, 300 g butter, 2 packets vanilla sugar, 1.5 cups milk, 0.5 tsp salt, 50 g fresh yeast, zest of 1 lemon, 500 g raisins, 100 g roasted almonds, 200 g candied fruit, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, 125 ml cognac.
Preparation: Roughly chop almonds, rinse raisins, add candied fruit, and soak everything in cognac overnight. Dissolve yeast in warm milk, add sugar and 2 cups of flour. Leave the starter in a warm place for half an hour. Add 200 g softened butter, vanilla sugar, zest, and salt, sift the remaining flour, and knead the dough.
Form it into a ball, cover, and leave in a warm place for another hour. Knead again and leave for another 40 minutes. Roll out the dough into a medium-thick square and spread the dried fruits. Fold this square into an envelope, fold in half, and then thoroughly knead everything by hand.
Roll out the dough into a layer 3-3.5 cm thick and fold it in half. Place the stollen on parchment paper, leave for 40 minutes, and then bake for 30 minutes in the oven at 190 degrees Celsius. Cover with foil and bake for another 1 hour. Line a storage container with foil and place the stollen inside.
Pour 100 g of melted butter over it and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Wrap in foil, then in a towel and a bag, and store in a cool place or refrigerator. Let the stollen mature for 2-4 weeks.
Bûche de Noël (Christmas Log)
Source: klublady.ruThe original recipe for a Bûche de Noël is quite complex and time-consuming. But there's a more accessible version!
You will need: 5 eggs, 120 g flour, 150 g sugar, 80 g cocoa, 5 g baking powder, 1 can cooked condensed milk, 200 g butter, 2 bananas, 100 ml jam or sugar syrup, powdered sugar.
Preparation: Sift flour, baking powder, and a third of the cocoa. Beat eggs with sugar until foamy. Gradually add the dry mixture, mix the dough, and pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake the sponge cake in the oven for 15 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
Cover the hot sponge cake with a towel and, using the parchment paper, roll the biscuit into a log. Let it cool. Unroll the biscuit and soak it with syrup or jam.
Whip condensed milk with softened butter and most of the remaining cocoa. Spread 2/3 of the cream over the biscuit, place banana pieces along one edge, and roll tightly again. Wrap it in plastic film and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Cut small pieces and attach them to both sides to form a log. Add more cocoa to the remaining cream, whip again, and frost the cake. Create bark patterns with a fork or other convenient method. Let the cream set, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and decorate to your taste.
Caramel Apples
Source: mykaleidoscope.ruSuch a simple and beautiful Christmas dessert. You'll need long skewers for serving!
You will need: 8 apples, 150 g sugar, 80 ml water, 50 ml cream, 0.5 tsp lemon juice, 2 pinches salt.
Preparation: Wash apples, dry them, and insert skewers. Place all other ingredients, except cream, into a saucepan and bring the syrup to a boil. When it turns brown, remove it from the heat, pour in the cream, and mix thoroughly. Dip each apple well into the caramel and place on a wire rack to allow excess caramel to drip off. Repeat once more, and continue until the syrup is used up.