Christmas dinner is often one of a kind opportunity to gather entire family and friends at one table and no wonder you want to make a good impression on your guests. Planning a Christmas dinner can be pretty time-consuming, therefore today we have decided to bring you 5 complete Christmas dinner menus which will please the palates of even the most demanding guests.
Menu 1: Christmas Favourites
You can never go wrong with the classics, therefore the first place on our list goes to traditional Christmas dishes. For an appetizer prepare little canapes with creamy chicken liver pate and sauteed cranberries which will undeniably want your guests want more. Honey-glazed goose served with apples brazed in sparkling cider, together with delicate potato and cauliflower puree and spicy baked carrots will create an unforgettable Christmas dish. Last, but not least, no Christmas dinner would be complete without a traditional Christmas pudding.
Menu 2: Classics with modern twist
Second menu aims to reinvent classic Christmas dishes. Herb dip with crunchy cheddar biscuits will make a perfect appetizer. For the main course,you can prepare a juicy cranberry-glazed ham with cinnamon and whiskey gravy. This menu's desert requires a bit of baking dexterity, as what we propose are individual Pavlovas served with whipped cream and forest fruit. Also, do not forget about the drinks – fruity Christmas punch with pomegranate, lemons and oranges and a healthy splash of vodka will put everyone in a festive mood. For a non-alcoholic version replace vodka with pomegranate juice.
Menu 3: Royal vibe
If you plan to make an elegant Christmas dinner, this menu will be the right choice. Amaze your guests by serving beautiful oysters drizzled with mignonette you can make yourself within a blink of an eye. Prepare a cup of white wine vinegar, 2 spoons of black pepper, a handful of very finely chopped shallots, mix well and season it with salt to taste. As a main course, you cannot go wrong with pistachio-crusted rack of lamb. This delicate meat, together with creamy potato gratin and green beans sprinkled with champagne vinaigrette will be a definite showstopper. And for a light and refreshing end of the meal do serve coffee panna cottas with blueberry sauce.
Menu 4: Vegetarian feast
If you are not a vegetarian, it might seem demanding to prepare a vegetarian Christmas dinner for your guests. Luckily, we bring you a complete vegetarian Christmas menu which will without a doubt be enjoyed both by vegetarians and meat lovers. Start off with spiced pecans coated with black pepper, paprika, salt and a bit of honey. For the main course we recommend to reinvent classic Beef Wellington and serve its veggie version with creamy mushroom sauce and potato, pear, and blue cheese casserole as well as collard greens on the side. And to top it off, prepare coconut chia seed pudding with mango coulis. When it comes to the drinks – warm peach punch will perfectly accompany this entirely vegetarian Christmas menu.
Menu 5: Festive and comforting
Everyone loves comfort food. The last menu consists of all-time favourite cosy recipes which will undeniably bring a lot of joy. Mini leek and bacon quiches will be perfect starters to warm up the appetite of your guests and classic French boeuf bourguignon will amaze even the most picky eaters. For the most intense flavour prepare the dish few days in advance to let the tastes mingle. Serve it with baked potatoes and whole roasted cauliflower on the side. Orange and rosemary pound cake together with strong Irish coffee or mulled wine will finish the dinner on a high note.
These were our ideas for delicious Christmas dinner. Would you add something else to the list? We would love to hear your ideas.
Jane Adams is a passionate writer from London. She loves to write about DiY, home decorating, cooking and regional languages. Currently, she works for Localdig – a company based in London, UK.