Our Christmas celebrations have tended to be smaller in numbers over the last few years. With fewer people to cater for, the food veers between nostalgic and things that might have an interesting ingredient, can be prepped ahead or are easy to prepare on the day. Mostly we tend to have a few nibbles to hand and then straight into mains. Salmon often makes an appearance, as does ham and new potatoes but I much prefer a stuffed and roasted chicken over a turkey and desserts that are lighter in style.

MENU PLAN

1 WEEK AHEAD

• Make the gin and cucumber pickles
• Make the oat cakes
• Make the rose harissa butter for the chicken

1 DAY AHEAD

• Make the smoked salmon terrine
• Make the stuffing for the chicken
• Slow roast the cherry tomatoes, cook the olives
and capers and make the crispy crumbs
• Toast the pumpkin seeds for the kūmara
• Make the caramel sauce for dessert
• Freeze the strawberries

ON THE DAY

5 HOURS BEFORE SERVING MAIN COURSE

• Stuff and tie the chicken and return to the fridge

3 HOURS BEFORE SERVING

• Roast the kūmara and put onto a platter
• Cook the zucchini and mix with the slow-
cooked tomatoes and put onto a platter
• Bring the chicken out of the fridge to come to room temperature

2 HOURS BEFORE SERVING MAIN COURSE

• Roast the chicken
• Slice the fruit for dessert

90 MINUTES BEFORE SERVING MAIN COURSE

• Prepare and serve the oat crackers with
salmon terrine

1 HOUR BEFORE SERVING MAIN COURSE

• Make the green tahini dressing

JUST BEFORE SERVING MAIN COURSE

• Put the tahini dressing, pumpkin seeds
and pomegranate arils on the kūmara
• Add the chilli flakes and lemon zest to
the crumbs and add to the slow-roasted
cherry tomatoes
• Carve the chicken

WHEN IT’S TIME FOR DESSERT

• Finish dressing the berries with
burrata and frozen strawberries