Christmas is a holiday to celebrate the birth of Lord Jesus. It’s not a birthday as such of Jesus Christ as it is not claimed that he was born in late December. It is just the date which has been chosen for this celebration of birth of Lord Jesus. On Christmas we all wish each other “Merry Christmas”. Do we all know what does word Merry mean? If no, here is the answer and it is very simple as the literal meaning of Merry is unquestionably to be happy, joyful and light-hearted.
Christmas season is to enjoy a tender and juicy Christmas roast and so here we bring you some trending roasts ideas:
Roasted Dry-Aged Rib of Beef with Creamed Greens:
It is a combination of beef rib and creamed escarole and spinach. For making it, beef rib with chine bone removed is roasted. After roasting the beef marjoram butter is spread over it and then it is cut into thin slices. It is then served with creamed escarole and spinach. Creamed escarole and spinach is prepared by heating olive oil and mixing shallots, anchovies and garlic and then mixing heavy cream into it along with spinach. Once spinach is very tender and the cream is reduced and very thick, stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and crushed red pepper and season with salt and black pepper.
Sea Salt Rib Roast
This grand rib roast is a crowning moment for any meal so why not for Christmas. It is a combination of boneless beef rib roast and flaky sea salt. Showering the beef roast with a handful of English Maldon salt adds an extra layer of crunch to the roast’s crust. The roasted beef is sliced and then seasoned with selgris which is a coarse sea salt with deep minerality that pairs beautifully with beef. While roasting make sure to remove the roast from the oven when the internal temperature reaches 120°F. Sliced beef with selgris is then served with Morel Cream Gravy and carving board juices.
Goose Stuffed with Apples and Armagnac-Soaked Prunes:
It is combination of prunes in Armagnac and apples. It is prepared by soaking prunes in Armagnac until they are super boozy and plump, then combined with apples and garlic to create an elegant stuffing for roast goose. If you don’t like boozy flavors or like it less than you can soak the prunes for little time. After tossing the prunes with the apples and garlic the goose is rubbed with oil and season all over with salt and roasted again. After roasting the neck of goose is removed.
Pork Roast & Sausage, Fruit and Nut Stuffing:
Pork and fruit is a classic pairing around the world, but this dish gets a particularly Catalan flavor from the combination of dried fruit and Catalan cured pork sausage in the stuffing. The stuffing is cooked inside the roast, which gives it a deep and marvelously porky flavor. Pine nuts and walnuts used are lightly toasted and chopped. First of all apricots, prunes and clementine zest are mixed to brandy and boiled.After that they are removed and brandy is moderately heated until reduced to ¼.Sausage is cooked until almost no pink remains and then it is finely ground. Later garlic cooked in olive oil is added to the sausage along with the nuts, apricots, prunes and the reduced brandy and seasoned with salt and pepper. Pocket is carved in roast by sliding knife between the bones and meat which is then filled with the stuffing. Using a carving knife the roasts are chopped and transferred to plates and served with the gravy at the table.
Porchetta:
This crowd-pleasing pork roast is made from brined, seasoned pork belly, with crisp, crackling skin and tender meat flavored with rosemary, garlic and fennel. For its preparation rosemary, bay leaves, garlic, juniper, peppercorns, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper are cooked in water and then salt, sugar and honey is added. After cooling brine pork belly is added and refrigerated. Toasted fennel seeds, juniper berries and black peppercorns are cooked and then grind to powder and stir in the nutmeg, crushed red pepper, rosemary and garlic.Then meaty side is rubbed with the spice blend and pork belly is pierced with the tip of a knife and refrigerated overnight. Then it is roasted until the skin is deep brown and crisp and served with roasted potatoes.
Maple Sugar-Ginger Roast Pork:
In this roast pork is marinated with a sweet-and-spicy combination of maple sugar, ginger and crushed red pepper; In this sugar melts to form a luscious glaze as the meat roasts. For its preparation thin slits are made on pork and garlic slice is slipped into each which is then rubbed with mix of maple sugar, ginger, salt, red pepper and olive oil and refrigerated. Then afterwards it is roasted until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 135°. Pork is then cut into thin slices and arranged on platter garnished with the orange slices, red currants and mint before serving.
Roasted Veal Rack with Root Vegetables:
This veal dish is particularly good with slightly tannic “orange” wines. For making it pearl onions are blanched.Onions, potatoes, parsnips, carrots and garlic cloves are tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper spreading over vegetables in an even layer. Veal is seasoned with salt and pepper rubbed with rosemary and thyme into the layer of fat and then roasted. Chicken stock and vegetables are cooked. Pan juices are whisked in butter seasoned with salt and pepper and mixed in vinegar. Chopped veal is spooned with little reserved fat and served with the vegetables, passing the sauce at the table.
Apricot-Stuffed Pork Shoulder with Soy-Honey Glaze:
Pork shoulder is a succulent cut that’s best braised or roasted slowly and so it stays tender and juicy. The sweet and savory glazed pork here is amazing with or without the garlic and dried apricot stuffing. To make this garlic cloves and water are boiled until the garlic is barely tendered and also dried apricots are softened in hot water. Pork roast is seasoned with salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper with garlic cloves and dried apricots in its center. Then it is brushed with combination of mirin with the soy sauce, honey, mustard and sesame oil and roasted. Then water and pan juices are poured fat is ladled off. Roast is then carved into thick slices, served with the pan juices.
Duck à l’Orange:
In this duck is roasted them until they’re well done, which results in the crispiest skin and best flavor.While making this dish first two wing joints of the ducks are cut off and reserved and neck is chopped.
Thighs, backs and breasts of duck are also pricked. Then ducks is roasted seasoned inside and out with salt and pepper. Separately hearts, gizzards, wing joints and necks are cooked in oil with salt and pepper until richly browned then carrots, tomatoes, celery, leek, onion, garlic, bay leaves and thyme are added to cook until softened. Then flour and tomato paste are stir in the stock and wine and boiled to make sauce. Orange strips are zested into a very fine julienne and blanched. Sugar and vinegar is boiled until the syrup is a pale caramel color and then orange juice and currant jelly is also added along with strained duck sauce. Then it is seasoned with salt and pepper and Grand Marnier is added. Duck is roasted and then broiled until richly browned.Then duck is cooked tilting it letting the juices run into the pan. Then duck platter is garnished with reserved orange sections and blanched zest and passed with sauce separately.
Roast Beef Tenderloin with Morel Cream Sauce:
This luxurious oven-roasted beef tenderloin is a super sophisticated and easy holiday main course prepared only in one hour. To make it morels are soaked in boiling water until soft, chopping large ones. Beef is seasoned with salt and pepper with butter in oil and roasted. Fat is discarded from skillet and cooked with mushroom liquid. Later skillet is wiped and cooked with butter and shallots. Heavy cream and reserved mushroom liquid is cooked until sauce is thickened. Sliced roast is served with the sauce.
Bulgur-Stuffed Poussin with Preserved Lemon–Honey Glaze:
This Stuffed poultry with a mixture of grains, dried fruit, and nuts is very common in Middle Easter. In this olive oil, lemon juice, salt, coriander, cumin, ginger, cinnamon, and pepper are whisked. Then Poussins are sprinkled with salt and marinade is rubbed all over birds, inside and out and chilled. Before roasting birds stuffing is made stirring together bulgur, apricots, cranberries, and salt. Cooked broth is poured over bulgur mixture and left until liquid is absorbed. Then pistachios, walnuts, and parsley are added to combine. Poussins removed from marinade are stuffed with bulgur mixture and roasted until brown and then juices run clear when Poussin is pierced with a knife. Then add honey and saffron, and simmer, added with preserved lemon peel.Cornish hens are cut in half spooned with lemon-honey glaze over birds, and garnished with mint and basil.
Harissa-Crusted Pork Crown Roast:
For the regal and expensive pork crown roast is best. It is pork with a smoky harissa version turning from a paste to a crispy crust. To make this, Chillies are softened in hot water and then blended with whole garlic clove, olive oil, salt, coriander and caraway. Rye-bread cubes are toasted until the edges begin to brown and then cooked in olive oil with scallions, sliced garlic, apricots, raisins and chicken broth, seasoned with salt and pepper tossing it. Then pork is roasted until the outside begins to brown, then harissa is spread over it and cooked until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the roast reaches 145°. Pork juices from the baking sheet are drizzled over the dressing and broil until crisp on top. Then pork is sliced between the ribs and served with the dressing and harissa.
Roasted Asparagus & Pea Salad:
With this whipped quick and healthy asparagus, pea and egg salad yogurt plenty of nutrients including vitamin C and iron. To make this yogurt, mustard and honey are mixed with lemon zest and some seasoning.Bread is teared into rough chunks tossed in rapeseed oil and seasoning and then roasted on tray with the asparagus. Roast until the asparagus is tender and croutons are golden.Separately eggs are cooked, cut into quarters and then frozen peas are added. Finally asparagus and peas are mixed through the watercress and then tossed through the creamy dressing. Eggs and croutons are nestled and served.
Roasted Pepper Salad with Capers & Pine Nuts:
It is Char grilled red and yellow peppers until blackened, peeled and served sliced with Mediterranean flavors. To make this peppers with skin-side up are grilled until skins are well charred. Then they are sealed to loosen the skins. Crushed garlic and salt are added to vinegar and oil to make dressing. The pepper skins and seeds are striped and then quarter. Later flesh in bowl is dressed pouring over the paste and scattered with.
Roasted Eggplant Caponata:
If you decide to choose this dish make it at least a day ahead as it is one of those dishes that improves with time. It can be spooned over bread or focaccia, alongside roast lamb or chicken, paired with a wedge of pecorino. To make this eggplant is tossed with olive oil seasoned with salt and pepper. Then it is roasted until brown. Then onion are cooked in olive oil until just golden and then olives, capers, reserved celery, tomato sauce, sugar, vinegar and salt are added and mixed with eggplant taking care not to break up the pieces to cook. Later Caponata is garnished with the chopped parsley and served at room temperature.
Steak, Roasted Pepper & Pearl Barley Salad:
This is really a vibrant salad packed with yellow and red peppers, colorful onion, beef cooked to healthy grains. For making it roasts peppers and onion wedges tossed in olive oil until tender. While peppers roast rub the steak with bit of oil and season and then cook in frying pan. Mix the cooked peppers and onions into the boiled barley with watercress, lemon juice and some seasoning. Finally thinly slice the steaks, place on top of the salad and serve with lemon wedges.
Roasted Vegetable Quinoa Salad with Griddled Halloumi:
It is a dish with cheese and grain salad with vibrant roast beetroot, squash and red onion. It specialty is it tastes as good as it looks. For making this you need to roast beetroot, squash, red onion and garlic bulb with a little of the olive oil before wrapping in foil turning the vegetables halfway through.When the vegetables are roasted, set the garlic bulb aside and stir the remaining vegetables through the quinoa for making the dressing. Then mix squeezed roasted garlic from the bulb, lemon juice, oil, honey and seasoning and then mix. Griddle halloumi separately. Now just spoon the quinoa and vegetables onto plates and top with the halloumi and dressing.
Lemon Roast Vegetables with Yogurt Tahini & Pomegranate:
You can make a stand-out yogurt dressing by adding a dollop of tahini. This easy veggie salad is rich in omega-3, vitamin c, fibre, folate and calcium. To make it put vegetables like chickpeas, aubergine, peppers pomegranate and chopped lemon in oil. Massage vegetables properly so they are all well coated, then fry them stirring, until starting to char. Put chickpeas with the garlic, tahini, yogurt, lemon juice and water and blend until really smooth and thick.Now you just have to spoon the yogurt tahini onto plates and top with the roasted vegetables seasoning with black pepper oil, if you wish.
Vegetarian Christmas Roast:
This is an easy vegetarian recipe for Christmas and it is also nut-free. You can use trimmings from vegetables to make it. Fry them like pepper, leek, carrot, onion celery and mushrooms. Mix eggs, cheese and breadcrumbs and then transfer to a greased, base lined tin and sprinkle remaining cheese and breadcrumbs. Then bake it until set and the top is golden. Cool, then turn out, slice and serve with gravy.
Garlic Herb Butter Roast Chicken:
It is packed with unbelievable flavors, crispy skin, and so juicy! Nothing beats this easy to make recipe especially when roasted with garlic butter, rosemary, parsley, lemon, and a hint of white wine,then it beats any rotisserie chicken. For making it put mixture of olive oil, melted butter, wine and juice of half a lemon over the chicken, under the skin and inside the cavity along with salt and pepper. Stuff garlic head, rosemary sprigs and the squeezed lemon halve into the chicken cavity and then bake until golden.Before serving drizzle with pan juices and remaining lemon half cut into wedges or slices.
Here ends our list. Try out these roasts ideas and treat your guests with some amazing delicacies this year and impress them with your skills.
Do not forget to experiment and mix the ideas to create some more ideas.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
