Cheap Christmas lunch ideas (yummy!)
Get your jolly on. That’s right- the daggy hats and the tinsel. The carols that have no relevance to any kind of Australian reality, where it’s more likely to be hot than a white Christmas and the only ringing you’ll hear will be the one in your ears after too much red at Christmas lunch. The games, the drunk uncles, the yearnings for the pool. I love Christmas, every last part of it. But there is one element of it that I don’t understand at all.
The steaming hot Christmas lunch in a steaming hot climate remains an enigma to me. Christmas in Australia is hot, yet it seems we remain fixated on the turkey and ham, the pork and apple sauce. We may as well cook it outside, because invariably it’s as hot as an oven. It’s like our one last link to the mother country, and we can’t let it go.
It’s also expensive. Here are some alternative (and cheap) Christmas lunch ideas;
Entrée
Asparagus with Sesame Seeds and Fresh Herb Tahini. I like the idea of having unusual food for Christmas as opposed to the obvious, so this recipe ticks all my boxes. The fresh herb tahini would go down a treat in the hot weather.
Main
Sliced Leg Ham with Mango, Avocado and Chilli Salsa. Why not capitalize on this great gift of ours, which is summer fruit in season for Christmas? If I could really have my wish, I would have three courses of mango with some nectarines on the side. Embrace an Australian Christmas, and introduce seasonal fruit and vegetables into the menu. Because they’re in season, they’ll also be cheaper.
Stuffed Roast Chicken with potatoes, from cheapskate.com.au’s Cath Srmstrong
The consensus from the foodie world is that turkey is overrated. That’s right, even Rick Stein says so. Writers tend to prefer goose or chicken, so why not stick with a roast chicken which is always a hit and cheap into the bargain? You can put some garlic and rosemary from the garden onto your potatoes and be ready to go in no time.
Crispy Summer Salad
It’s light and fresh and will be just the ticket for what’s set to be an absolute boiler if early December is any indication. This website also has a pretty good-looking recipe for pudding of that tickles your fancy.
If you’re going to have to sacrifice quality in your Christmas lunch, why not move away from the traditional and have a good quality non-traditional menu? Smoked salmon may not figure as a key fixture in Deck the Halls but it’s perfect for a hot day so ignore the traditions.
I also like giving away baked goods as Christmas gifts, so I’m taking this years gift idea from Germany. Vanillekipferl are a German shortbread which are easy to make and very inexpensive so if you’ve got a few last minute gifts to buy, why not whip up a batch instead? This is a good recipe.
Best wishes all for the festive season, I hope your Christmas contains some great food and lots of wine.
Be sure to send in photos of what your Christmas lunch included (before and after shots are always my favourites), and any great tips you’ve picked up over the years.
Have a wonderful festive season. Bottoms up.
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