What’s the staple on your Christmas table?
Gracie Moore, Lifestyle Editor, brings the magic of Christmas to the table, discussing some staple treats and providing some useful tips along the way.
Christmas can be a trying time, especially in the cost of living crisis we find ourselves in, where some goodies and treats might have to be substituted or completely removed from the table this year. However, there are some specialties that simply can’t be replaced that make a Christmas dinner even more enjoyable.
Personally, one of my favourite parts of a festive dinner is the stuffing balls. If you are lazy (like me) then you can easily purchase a box of stuffing that you add warm water to and cook in the oven. Without a doubt, the best option for this is Paxo’s sage and onion stuffing. One box of it is enough for my family of four (and we eat a lot of stuffing!) It’s moist and rich and the perfect complement to any roast dinner (whether you opt for the classic turkey or even a vegetarian option.)
It’s moist and rich and the perfect complement to any roast dinner (whether you opt for the classic turkey or even a vegetarian option)
Potentially more unanimously, the roast potatoes with a Christmas dinner are essential. Everyone will claim their mum’s roast potatoes as the best but with so many different varieties of seasoning and cooking methods, they’re hardly comparable. My favourite variation of roast potatoes is boiling them first, then adding them to a hot pan with olive oil, mixed herbs, salt, pepper and plenty of sage. The olive oil (dependent on the quality) turns them crispy and golden brown. If you like stepping even further out of your comfort zone, roasting them in duck or goose fat rather than olive oil gives them an even richer flavour.
My favourite variation of roast potatoes is boiling them first, then adding them to a hot pan with olive oil, mixed herbs, salt, pepper and plenty of sage
Finally, the ultimate (albeit random) addition to any Christmas dinner is the pigs in blankets. The extra meat on the plate is always welcome and wrapped in bacon makes them a cute side plate. Supermarkets have lots of variety with pigs in blankets and even have vegetarian and vegan options if you are a non meat eater but still want to be part of the joy of the piggies. Every family has their own essentials for a Christmas dinner but the above examples, being personal favourites, should give you some inspiration if you want to spice up your classic turkey and veg meal on the 25th.
