Whether it’s preparing a Christmas lunch for family or making party treats for visitors, Christmas often means spending much more time in the kitchen. It’s also a great time to try out some new and impress recipes for family and friends. With that all in mind, below is a list of six festive recipes from some of our favourite Northern Ireland foodies to try out.
6 Festive Recipes From NI Foodies
1. Christmas Marmalade Walnut Loaf Cake
While Christmas Pudding is often the cake of choice in many homes during the Christmas period, this scrumptious walnut loaf cake recipe from Sarah at fromplatetopen.com is perfect for friends and family who pop by over the coming weeks. It goes very well with a cup of tea or coffee and will provide a lovely alternative come Christmas. The walnut loaf cake is made with marmalade, cranberries, walnuts and dried fruit, with a Cointreau glazing. Check out the full recipe at platetopen.com.
2. Christmas Shortbread
Another favourite for many of us at Christmas is shortbread, with many homes coming down with boxes of the stuff come Christmas morning. There’s also something very rewarding about making and serving homemade shortbread for friends and family or giving it as a gift to people over the festive season.
Check out Ruth at Willow Lane’s recipe for inspiration. All you will need is butter, sugar and flour, although you can always get creative with other festive flavours if you wish. View the full recipe at welcometowillowlane.com.
3. Vietnamese Turkey Salad
Image via pikalily.com
One challenge that many of us are faced with over the Christmas period is what to do with all the leftover turkey. Why not try something different this year and kickstart your New Year healthy eating regime a bit earlier with this simple Vietnamese Turkey Salad recipe from Nial and Helen at Pikalily Blog.
Simply shred your turkey and cook with bacon (or you can serve the turkey cold without bacon), before adding some grated carrot, chopped lettuce and a Vietnamese dressing. A fresh snack for any day, and a nice change to turkey sandwiches which can be the norm for many when it comes to using up leftover turkey. Discover the full recipe at pikalily.com.
4. Shortcross Gin & Tonic Cake
With gin becoming an increasingly popular drink for many in Northern Ireland, why not do something different this Christmas with one of the country’s most popular local gins, Shortcross. Using a small measure of Shortcross Gin, some tonic water and juniper berries, you can surprise your friends - provided they are of legal age - with a slice of this moist gin-inspired cake instead of the standard Christmas pudding. The cake takes about 45 minutes to cook and you can check out the full recipe over at nigoodfood.com.
5. Chorizo and Cheese Sourdough Stuffing
Image via daydreamingfoodie.com
Stuffing is a given on Christmas Day for many homes across Northern Ireland, and it’s a great place to get a little adventurous by trying new ingredients and flavour combinations. One stuffing recipe that is worth exploring this year is this chorizo and cheese sourdough stuffing from Laura Ann at Day Dreaming Foodie. One look at this stuffing will leave you salivating and planning your trip to the shop for some chorizo and sourdough.
Something different for the Christmas stuffing, but a sure-fire winner, particularly for those of you who enjoy the smokey flavour of chorizo. For the full recipe and a guide to making this chorizo stuffing, visit daydreamingfoodie.com.
6. Honey Glazed Gammon
Another standard addition to the Christmas menu around many homes, gammon is a wonderful accompaniment to turkey, so take yours to the next level this year with this wonderful honey roasted gammon with mustard and balsamic from Lyn at Eating Ideas. Lyn used a slow cooker to roast the gammon in a honey, mustard and balsamic vinegar glaze. Turkey and ham sandwiches won’t be the same (especially if you add some stuffing from our previous recipe).
View the full recipe over at eatingideas.com.
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