Christmas Lunch, This is how we Christmas Blogged by: Charlestown Square 11 Nov 2019

Easy Christmas lunch ideas for the festive season

All you Christmas host elves are likely already busily preparing your festive activities. What to do? Who to invite? What are you going to eat?
 
You don’t need to cook an 8 course meal to delight the taste buds of your guests. With some careful planning, clever ideas and loads of fresh colour, you’ll serve up an impressive spread.
 
At Charlestown Square we’ve got five easy, delicious, festive food ideas to help take the stress out of Christmas lunch.
 


CHRISTMAS GRAZING PLATTER
 


We love nothing more than a gorgeous grazing platter full of bright, beautiful festive favourites. You can include:
 
  • Your favourite cheeses
  • Charcuterie (prosciutto, salami etc.)
  • Dips (guacamole, beetroot dip for colour, or any of your favourites)
  • Quince (or other) paste
  • A variety of crispbreads, crackers, breadsticks and corn chips (there are great varieties of coloured veggie corn chips that look great on a grazing plate)
  • In season fruit can be cut into various festive shapes using cookie cutters
  • Chopped veggies make great plate fillers. Use celery, carrot and capsicum sticks for freshness
  • Antipasto is always a favourite. Adorn your plate with olives, semi dried tomatoes, roasted eggplant and pickled onions
  • Colourful nuts and berries also look wonderful sprinkled over the whole platter. 
 


SUMMER FIG SALAD

 

 Easy and impressive, all you have to do is slice through the top ⅔ of the figs and spread them open like flowers. Place them on a serving platter, with pancetta, shaved parmesan, fresh basil and pine nuts. Simply drizzle caramelised balsamic on top and voila! For extra colour and flavour, you can sprinkle the salad with pomegranate seeds.
 


STUFFED TURKEY ROLL

 

 For many people, Christmas just isn’t Christmas without turkey! Try something different with a stuffed turkey roll.
 
  • To make the stuffing, cook up some bacon until crispy and crumble into a bowl. Sauté chopped onion in the bacon drippings and add to the bacon. Mix in frozen chopped spinach (thawed and squeezed dry). Then chop some feta and stir through the stuffing.
  • To make the turkey roll, hammer the breasts with a mallet. Lay out some baking paper and lay strips of bacon in a line. Lay the turkey over the bacon, then spoon the filling in a line down the centre. Use the paper to roll the bacon and turkey over the filling, ensuring the seam side ends up on the bottom.
  • Tie with baking twine, brush with oil and bake in the oven for 1.5-2 hours. Serve on some fresh greens with sprinkled pomegranate seeds, with festive red cranberry sauce and gravy!
  

 
GRILLED LEMONY PRAWN SKEWERS

 

 Nothing says Aussie Christmas like some grilled prawns! Marinate for a few hours in some sweet paprika, lemon and olive oil, thread onto a skewer and grill until cooked to your preference. Sprinkle a serving platter with your favourite salad greens and fresh herbs, place the skewers on top and adorn with fresh lemon wedges.
 


FESTIVE FRUIT PUNCH

 

 Everyone loves a chilled colourful fruit punch! The beauty of them is that you can’t really go wrong. You can add all your favourite ingredients.
 
We love mixing:
  • cranberry juice
  • pineapple juice
  • lemonade
  • mixed frozen berries (you can use fresh berries but we love frozen to keep the punch chilly!)
  • fresh mint leaves 

Don’t forget to separate some for the kids, then add some bubbles for the parents!
 
 
Bon Appétit!