The countdown till Christmas is officially on! With just over a week till the big day, planning your Christmas lunch can seem a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry… the staff at Wine & Dine’m have put together some recipes to help you out!
Maple Cherry Glazed Ham
Ingredients
100g (1/2 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
80ml (1/3 cup) maple syrup
1 tsp Chinese five spice
7-8kg whole leg ham, on the bone
250g pitted sour cherries
500ml (2 cups) water
1x Cinnamon Quill
2 x Star Anise
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan forced. Place an oven shelf in the lowest position of the oven and remove the other shelves. Line a large roasting pan with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the brown sugar, maple syrup, Chinese five spice and 125ml (1/2 cup) Sour Cherry juice in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, for 2-3 minutes until sugar dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and add cinnamon and star anise. Continue to simmer for 5 minutes until reduced slightly.
3. Use a small sharp knife to cut around the shank of ham in a zig-zag pattern, about 10cm from end. Carefully run knife under rind around the edge of the ham. Carefully lift off the rind in one piece by running your fingers between the rind and the fat.
4. Spoon over half the glaze. Stud fat diamonds over surface of ham with cloves and sliced cherries.
5. Pour water into prepared pan. Place the ham on a wire rack in the pan. Wrap exposed shank in foil. Brush a third of the glaze over the ham and Bake for 40 minutes. Turn ham 180 degrees. Pour over half remaining glaze. Bake for 40 minutes until golden. Brush with remaining glaze. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.
Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients
250g pkt cream cheese
½ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (parsley, dill or whatever you like)
½ small onion finely chopped
1 x 220g crab meat
1 tsp Tabasco sauce (optional – use sweet chilli instead)
1 large cob loaf (wholemeal is tastier)
Method
1. Cream the cream cheese & sour cream.
2. Add remaining ingredients. Slice top off cob & remove the inside with a serrated knife. Slice into bite sized pieces. Heat cob and bread pieces in a slow oven (100°C -150°C) until crunchy.
3. Heat dip in microwave and add to heated cob or place dip into cob and wrap in foil and heat at 100°C for 1 ½ hours
Peppermint Espresso Martini
Ingredients
30mL Vodka
30mL Kahlua Peppermint Mocha
30mL Espresso
Method
Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with coffee beans or if you are feeling really festive garnish with a mini candy cane.
Click here for white+white’s top 10 Christmas styling tips. Now you can sit back, relax and enjoy the celebrations!
