We’ve created a list of the best Christmas entertaining recipes! Today, we’re showcasing the following recipes:
1. Smoked Trout and Potato Rosti with Avocado Cream and Baby Shiso
2. Grilled Seafood, Potato and Watercress Salad with Fines Herbes
3. Champagne Royale Cocktail
Smoked Trout and Potato Rosti with Avocado Cream and Baby Shiso Recipe
Serves 8-10 as a canapé
Prep and cook: 1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
100gm smoked trout, flaked
Trout roe, to serve
Finely grated lime zest, to serve
Baby shiso, to serve
Potato rosti
1.25kg Desiree potatoes, peeled and grated
¼ cup thinly sliced spring onion
1 tbsp finely grated ginger
2 tbsp plain flour
1 egg
Neutral oil, for frying
Avocado cream
1 large avocado
1 tsp wasabi paste
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lime
Method
1. For potato rosti, preheat oven to 160°C fan-forced. Grease and line the base and sides of a 3cm-deep, 20cm x 30cm tin with baking paper. Transfer potato to a large bowl. Add spring onion, ginger, flour and egg. Season with salt and pepper, then stir to combine. Place mixture in prepared tin, then using a metal spoon, press evenly and firmly into the tin. Cover with foil and bake until cooked through (45-50 minutes). Refrigerate to cool (1 hour).
2. For avocado cream, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a 1cm nozzle and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. Remove rosti from pan and trim edges. Cut potato rosti into 28 squares. Heat a frying pan filled with 2cm oil over high heat to 180°C. Shallow-fry rosti, in batches, turning occasionally until deep golden (2-3 minutes). Drain on paper towel and keep warm.
4. To serve, place rostis on a large serving platter. Pipe with avocado cream and top with smoked trout, roe, lime zest and baby shiso.
Grilled Seafood, Potato and Watercress Salad with Fines Herbes Recipe
Serves 8-10 as an entrée or light main
Prep and cook: 1 hr 30 mins
Ingredients
125ml (½ cup) olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp finely chopped thyme
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4 lobster tails, halved lengthways
8 scampi, halved lengthways
16 extra large green prawns, peeled, deveined, tails intact
2kg large kipfler potatoes
100gm (3 cups) watercress sprigs
1 cup parsley leaves
½ cup chervil sprigs
⅓ cup tarragon leaves
¼ cup finely chopped chives
Salmon roe and lemon wedges, to serve
Anchovy mayonnaise
3 egg yolks
1½ tbsp white balsamic vinegar
3 tsp Dijon mustard
300ml olive oil
6 anchovies, finely chopped
3 small garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbsp lemon juice
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Shallot dressing
4 golden shallots, finely chopped
80ml (⅓ cup) white balsamic vinegar
2½ tbsp lemon juice
250ml (1 cup) extra-virgin olive oil
Method
1. For anchovy mayonnaise, place egg yolk, vinegar and mustard in a food processor and process until combined. With the motor running, slowly pour in oil until thickened. Add anchovies, garlic, lemon zest and juice and process until smooth. Season to taste and refrigerate until required.
2. For shallot dressing, combine shallot, vinegar and lemon juice in jar with a screw-top lid. Set aside to pickle (5 minutes). Add oil and season to taste; shake well to combine.
3. Combine olive oil, garlic, thyme and lemon zest in a large bowl. Add seafood and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate to marinate (30-45 minutes).
4. Peel and halve potatoes lengthways. Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook until just tender (10-12 minutes). Drain and let steam dry.
5. Combine potatoes and half the dressing in a large bowl and season to taste.
6. Heat a barbecue grill to high. Season seafood and grill lobster tails, flesh-side down (3-4 minutes), then turn and grill until flesh is opaque (3-4 minutes). Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil. Grill scampi and prawns until charred and just cooked (1-2 minutes each side).
7. Spread the mayonnaise over serving platters and arrange potatoes, grilled seafood, watercress and herbs on top. Drizzle with extra dressing and serve with salmon roe and lemon wedges.
Cooking tip: to speed things up, add anchovies, lemon zest and garlic to a store-bought mayonnaise instead. Go with one or two types of seafood instead of three like we’ve done here.
Champagne Royale Cocktail Recipe
Serves 6
Prep time: 10 mins
Ingredients
Ice, to serve
180ml (¾ cup) shiraz gin
90ml simple sugar syrup
80ml (⅓ cup) lemon juice
Juice of ½ orange
4 dashes orange bitters
2 rosemary sprigs
Prosecco or Champagne, to top up
Lemon twists, to serve
Rosemary sprigs, to serve
Method
Fill a large cocktail shaker three-quarters full with ice. Add gin, sugar syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, orange bitters and rosemary and shake well. Strain mixture into chilled serving glasses. Top up with prosecco or Champagne and garnish each glass with a lemon twist and rosemary sprig.
Best Christmas Entertaining Recipes
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Air Fried Spatchcocks + Cucumber & Coriander Salad Recipe
Bourbon Ham, Roast Potatoes and an Apple & Fennel Salad
Whisky Ginger Christmas Pudding with Salted Maple Butter and Ginger Custard