There is nothing that brings people together over the holidays quite like dinner, and no holiday dinner is complete without a spread of Christmas side dishes to have with your roast chicken or turkey, juicy prime rib, Christmas ham or meaty roast beef.
Below, we gathered our favourite dishes for the occasion that you can try during the holiday.
Crunchy red cabbage salad
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 x 410g tin cannellini or small white beans, drained
1 tbs olive or canola oil
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
2 large eggs
240g red cabbage, finely shredded
4 small tomatoes, chopped into cubes
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
4 medium carrots, julienned
2 handfuls fresh coriander
90g Mozzarella (3 Mozzarella balls)
Black pepper
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC.
Rinse the cannellini beans thoroughly (for at least 30 seconds) under running water to get rid of the soapy substance that can cause flatulence.
Dry the cannellini beans with a paper towel or a clean dishcloth.
It is essential to dry the beans, otherwise they will not crisp well when roasted.
Pour the dry cannellini beans into a freezer bag and add the oil, paprika, and herbs.
Knot the freezer bag and shake to distribute the oil, spices, and herbs evenly. Once coated, undo the knot.
Pour the cannellini beans evenly onto a baking tray and roast for 25–30 minutes or until crispy.
Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to the boil and cook the eggs for 8 minutes (soft-medium-boiled eggs).
Add the fresh ingredients (cabbage, tomatoes, avocado, carrots, and coriander) to a salad bowl.
Chop the Mozzarella into smaller pieces and add to the salad bowl.
Remove the cannellini beans from the oven and allow the roasted beans to cool a little.
Once cooled, add the roasted cannellini beans to the salad bowl and toss with the rest of your salad ingredients.
Kale, goat’s cheese, and Cornish new potato salad
Ingredients
200g Cornish new potatoes
200g kale
150g raw beetroot, peeled and quartered
4 round slices of goat’s cheese
120g asparagus
80g peas
Sea salt and black pepper
Balsamic glaze, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200ºC. Drizzle a little oil into the roasting tin and put it in the oven for a couple of minutes to get hot. Meanwhile, give the potatoes a wash before placing them in the preheated roasting tin with the beetroot and return to the oven for 40–45 minutes.
Heat a little oil in a heavy-based frying pan. Stir fry the kale for 4 minutes and then add the peas and asparagus for a further 3-4 minutes. Grill the goat’s cheese for 2–3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
Combine all the ingredients together, season, and serve on each plate. Place the grilled goat’s cheese on top. Drizzle with balsamic glaze to serve.
Garlic Parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts
Ingredients
450g Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and rinsed
3 tbs olive oil (or melted butter)
½ tsp kosher salt and black pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
Method
Heat oven to 200ºC and prepare a large baking pan with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
Pat the Brussels sprouts dry with paper towels and place them in a large bowl.
Add olive oil, Italian seasoning, garlic, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Stir gently to coat the Brussels sprouts evenly.
Place the Brussels sprouts on the prepared baking pan, spreading evenly into one layer.
Bake sprouts on the centre rack for 25–30 minutes, adjust the time depending on your oven. They are done when they are golden brown.
Remove from the oven and place in a large serving bowl.
Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley (optional).