The traditional Christmas dinner recipe

Christmas is the season of thanksgiving where we spread cheer and love. Nothing better expresses this than sharing a meal. One of the most widespread traditions across the world during this season is referred to as the traditional Christmas dinner consisting of roast turkey, eggnog and pudding.

With the help of Chef John Getanda of Serena Hotels and Pastry Chef Stephen Menja, we dissect this menu with roots in mediaeval England revealing its background and present a step by step of how to prepare it.

Whole roast turkey - serves 10pax

The Spanish introduced turkeys to Europe, where they spread rapidly, making it as far as Germany before the 16th century was out; a 1581 cookbook published in Frankfurt lists over 20 recipes for “Indian chicken”. Because they were so grand and festive, turkeys quickly found a place at banquets and holiday meals, including Christmas.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp dried basil

2 tbsp ground rosemary

2 tbsp dried sage

2 tbsp dried thyme leaves

2 stalks celery chopped

1 orange cut into wedges

1 carrot chopped

1 onion chopped

1 whole clove garlic chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

300ml corn oil

500ml chicken stock

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. 

Line baking tray with long sheets of aluminium foil long enough to wrap over the turkey. Stir the parsley, rosemary, sage, thyme, lemon, pepper, and salt together in a small bowl.

Rub the herb mixture into the turkey, and then stuff with celery, orange, onion and, carrot. Bind if desired and place the turkey into the roasting pan.

Pour the chicken broth on the turkey; bring the aluminium foil over the top of the turkey and seal. Try to prevent the foil from touching the skin of the turkey breasts or legs.

Bake the turkey in the preheated oven for 2-21/2 to 3 hours or until it is no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear.

Uncover the turkey and continue baking until the skin turns golden brown, 30 minutes to one hour. 

When cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminium foil and, allow to rest in a warm area, ten to 15 minutes before slicing.

Christmas eggnog

Eggnog actually descended from a hot drink called posset, which was made with eggs, milk, and wine or ale. By the 13th century, monks were known to drink a posset with eggs and figs. Milk, eggs, and sherry were foods of the wealthy, so eggnog was often used in toasts to prosperity and good health.

Ingredients:

Three eggs

1600ml milk

500ml cream

375ml sugar caster

400ml bourbon whisky

400ml brandy

Two tbsp of nutmeg powder

Method:

Whisk the eggs and sugar until ribbon stage

Add the whiskey and brandy and refrigerate for five hours.

Add milk and nutmeg powder then fold in the lightly beaten cream.

Serve chilled.

Christmas pudding

While Christmas pudding is popularly referred to as plum pudding, it actually contains no plums. This is due to the Victorian practice of substituting dried plums with other dried fruits, such as raisins but retaining the name.

It is traditionally made five weeks before Christmas, on or after the Sunday before Advent. The very first version of Christmas pudding occurred in the 14th century with, oddly enough, meat!

The British made a porridge they called “frumenty” that had beef, mutton, raisins, currants, prunes, wines, and spices. It had a lot of liquid and was eaten like soup as a part of a fasting ritual ahead of Christmas.

Ingredients:

350g mixed dried fruits (raisins, currants, and sultanas)

100g pitted ready-to-eat prunes, chopped or left whole

100g dark sugar

Four tbsp dark rum

100ml stout

100g chopped walnuts

100g blanched almonds

100g fresh white breadcrumbs

50g plain flour

100g frozen butter, grated, plus a little extra for greasing

½ spoon freshly grated nutmeg

One tbsp ground cinnamon

Two tbsp mixed spices

100g chopped glace cherries or left whole

Three large eggs beaten

Method:

Combine mixed fruits, prunes, sugar, rum, stout in a mixing bowl, stir well to mix, cover and leave for 24 hours to soak

Mix the walnuts, almond, breadcrumbs, flour, butter, spices, cherries and eggs along with the soaked fruit mixture in a large mixing bowl. Mix well until completely combined. Cover with cling paper and leave to stand in a cool place for 24 hours.

Grease a 1.2-litre pudding basin with butter. Cut a circle of the baking paper and place into the bottom of the pudding basin and then grease it with a little more butter

Pack the pudding mixture into a pudding basin, pressing as you add it. Fold a pleat into the middle of a large piece of baking paper and place over the pudding. Cover with a large piece of pleated foil, ensuring the pleats are on top of one another. Secure tightly with kitchen string-tied under the lip of the pudding basin.

Place an upturned saucer into a large saucepan, one-quarter full of water. Fold a long piece of foil into quarters lengthways to create a long strip and place the pudding basin in the middle of the strip.

Bring the sides of the strip up the sides of the pudding basin and lower into the saucepan. Leave the end of the foil strip hanging over the side to make it easy to remove the pudding later.

Bring the water to the boil and then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for 5-6 hours, topping up the water level as necessary. Do not allow the pan to dry.

Once cooked, remove from the pan and set aside to cool. The pudding can be stored up to two years if in a cool, dry place. To serve, steam the pudding for two hours or until hot. Alternatively, remove the foil and reheat in the micro oven.