Alternative Christmas recipes

With the majority of Brits (81 per cent) having a scaled-back Christmas dinner, food lovers are ditching the traditional turkey dinner and Christmas pud for an array of foods they enjoy more.

According to a new study by recipe box giant, Gousto, whilst almost two-thirds (60 per cent) of people say celebrating Christmas with food is their favourite way to celebrate, 40 per cent don’t really enjoy a traditional Christmas dinner and only eat it because they don't want to break with family tradition.

Christmas pudding – not Brussels sprouts – is the most disliked part of the traditional Christmas dinner, closely followed by mince pies and turkey. Continuing the theme of 2020 where anything goes, over one in ten would rather have fish and chips (14 per cent), Chinese takeaway (14 per cent), curry (13 per cent) or pizza (12 per cent). One in 10 would opt for pasta or burgers instead.

Want to try something different for your Christmas dinner? Try these recipes below....

Creamy Bacon & Caramelised Onion Tartiflette

Ingredients

1 brown onion

1 little gem lettuce

2 garlic cloves

5g parsley

90g british dry cured smoked streaky bacon

1 white wine vinegar sachet (15ml)

1 ciabatta roll

3 white potatoes

1 pot of double cream (100ml)

50g cornichons

200g rablochoix cheese

You will need

Oven-proof dish, flour, milk, olive oil, pepper, salt

Method

Preheat the oven to 220°C/ 200°C (fan)/ 425°F/ Gas 7.

Slice the potatoes (skins on) into discs.

Add the potato discs to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt and sprinkle them with cold water (this will help the potatoes cook through!).

Put the tray in the oven for 15-20 min or until softened.

Meanwhile, chop the streaky bacon into bite-sized pieces.

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) over a medium heat.

Once hot, add the chopped bacon and cook for 3-4 min or until beginning to crisp.

Once crisp, transfer to kitchen paper, set aside and reserve the pan.

Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the brown onion.

Peel and finely chop (or grate) the garlic.

Return the reserved pan to a medium heat and once hot, add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt and cook for 6-8 min or until softened and caramelised.

Tip: Add a splash of oil if your pan is looking a little dry.

Chop the Rablochoix in half, then slice finely.

Once the onion has caramelised, add the chopped garlic to the pan and cook for 1 min.

Add 1 tsp flour, 150ml milk and the double cream, bring to the boil and cook for 2-3 min or until thickened.

Once done, remove the pan from the heat and stir through the crispy bacon – this is your tartiflette sauce.

Layer half the softened potatoes in an oven-proof dish.

Dot half the sliced cheese over the potatoes (cover any gaps!), then pour over half the tartiflette sauce.

Top with the remaining potatoes, pour over the remaining sauce and top with the remaining cheese.

Put the dish in the oven for 20-25 min or until bubbling and cooked through.

While the tartiflette is cooking, slice the ciabatta finely, add them to a baking tray with a drizzle of olive oil and put the tray in oven for 3-4 min or until beginning to crisp.

Chop the cornichons and parsley finely, including the stalks.

Combine the chopped cornichons and parsley with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt – this is your cornichon salsa.

Tear the little gem lettuce into bite-sized pieces, give them a wash and add to a serving bowl.

Combine the white wine vinegar with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper – this is your dressing.

Once the bread has crisped, divide the cornichon salsa between the ciabatta slices – these are your cornichon croutons.

Serve the tartiflette with the cornichon croutons and salad to the side.

Drizzle the dressing all over the salad.

Let everyone dig in!

Festive Vegan Sausage Roll With Spiced Apple Sauce

Method

1 apple

100g parsnips

1 red onion

1 tsp dried sage

1 carrot

1 star anise

1 cider vinegar sachet (30ml)

1 black sesame seed sachet (5g)

30g panko breadcrumbs

2 white potatoes

2 ultimate vegan burger patties

150g puff pastry

You Will Need

Baking paper, pepper, salt, sugar, vegetable oil

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ 395°F/ Gas 6.

Cut the potatoes (skins on) into bite-sized pieces.

Top, tail and chop the carrot[s] and parsnip[s] (skins on) into bite-sized pieces.

Add the chopped potato, carrot and parsnip to a baking tray with a drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt and give everything a good mix up.

Put the tray in the oven for 30 min or until golden and crispy.

Whilst the veg is cooking, peel and finely dice the red onion

Core and dice the apple (skin on) finely.

Heat a pot over a medium heat with a drizzle of vegetable oil.

Once hot, add the diced red onion and apple with a pinch of salt and cook for 4-5 min or until starting to soften.

Meanwhile, add the Ultimate Vegan Burger patties, dried sage, and panko breadcrumbs to a bowl.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper and give everything a big mix up until the breadcrumbs are incorporated – this is your festive sausage roll mix.

Line a baking tray with baking paper.

Unwrap the puff pastry and lay it onto the tray.

Add the festive sausage roll mix and lay it down the centre of the pastry in a sausage shape.

Tip: Cooking for 4? Do this twice!

Roll the pastry tightly over the mix and continue to roll until the festive sausage roll mix is encased with pastry.

Make sure the sausage roll is placed seal-side down and carefully score the top with a sharp knife.

Season along the top with a pinch of salt and sprinkle over the black sesame seeds Put the tray in the oven for 20 min or until golden and crispy.

Once the red onion and apple has softened, add the star anise, cider vinegar, 1 tbsp sugar and 50ml cold water.

Cook for 8-10 min further or until the apple has started to break down.

Once done, set aside to cool slightly before serving – this is your spiced apple sauce.

Remove the star anise and discard.

Slice the festive vegan sausage roll in half and serve with the roasted root veg and spiced apple sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

Recipes from Gousto's Festive Flavours range. Precise ingredients and easy to follow recipe cards can be ordered from www.gousto.co.uk where there are over 50 recipes to choose from weekly.