CLASSIC FESTIVE FEAST - All your Christmas favourites with a touch of magic

IT’S beginning to look a lot like Christmas. 

Everywhere you go, the Christmas trees are up, gifts are wrapped, lay-bye Christmas clothes are paid up, and the windows are clean, with new curtains up. 

Every detail tells a story, taking us back to the good old days, when our late grandparents and big families gathered together. 

Christmas is a time for family, laughter, and food that brings everyone together. 

This year, why not fill the table with comforting flavours of tradition? From roast lamb to gammon, beef tongue, and a grand trifle, these festive favourites celebrate the tastes you grew up with, bringing warmth to every meal.

The slow-roasted Leg of Lamb carries the aroma of garlic and rosemary, while a sweet apricot glaze layered at the end gives it a festive sparkle that will have everyone reaching for seconds.

The Christmas gammon with pineapple and mustard Glaze recalls memories of sticky, golden ham from years past; with mustard adding a gentle tang that balances the sweetness.

For those wanting something different, the tender beef tongue with spiced onion gravy brings back memories, with warm spices deepening the flavour and a touch of cooking liquid added to the gravy for richness.

And of course, the grand finale: the classic Christmas trifle. 

In one large glass bowl, layers of sponge, jelly, fruit, custard, and whipped cream come together like a festive mosaic - the dessert you remember from childhood, where every spoonful tastes like Christmas. 

Chill it well, and it becomes a centrepiece.

Families from afar will be travelling back home to gather for Christmas and share these dishes with loved ones. 

These recipes remind us that the magic of Christmas comes from familiar flavours, shared together. 

This year, let your table be full of warmth, flavour, and memories waiting to be made.

For tables missing a loved one, like mine, we hold on to the forever memories.

Christmas Gammon with Pineapple and Mustard Glaze (see above)

The Festive Touch

Wholegrain mustard cuts through the sweetness of pineapple, creating a glaze that’s rich, balanced, and unmistakably Christmas.

Ingredients

1 smoked gammon (±2kg)

1 onion

2 bay leaves

Glaze

½ cup brown sugar

2 tbsp wholegrain mustard

½ cup pineapple juice

Method

Place gammon in a pot with onion and bay leaves, cover with water and simmer for 1½-2 hours.

Drain and cool slightly. 

Score the fat and place in a roasting tray. 

Mix glaze ingredients and spread over gammon. 

Roast at 200°C for 30-40 minutes until sticky and golden. 

Baste the gammon with its own glaze every 10 minutes for a deep, caramelised crust.

Tip

For extra flavour and a gorgeous finish, brush on a little pineapple juice during the last 10 minutes - it keeps the crust shiny and adds a hint of tang.

Slow-Roasted Leg of Lamb with Apricot Glaze

The Festive Touch

A glossy apricot glaze brushed on at the end of roasting adds a gentle sweetness that lifts the lamb and fills the kitchen with festive warmth.

Ingredients

1 leg of lamb (2-2.5kg)

4 cloves garlic, sliced

2 sprigs rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Glaze

½ cup apricot jam

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp mild curry powder

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C. Make small incisions in the lamb and insert garlic and rosemary.

Rub with olive oil, salt and pepper. 

Roast for 1½-2 hours, turning once. Mix glaze ingredients and brush over lamb during the last 30 minutes of cooking. 

Rest for 10 to 15 minutes before carving.

Tip

Brush the glaze on in thin layers every 10 minutes at the end of roasting - it builds a shiny, sticky crust with layers of flavour that taste far fancier than they are.

Tender Beef Tongue with Spiced Onion Gravy

The Festive Touch

Warm spices simmered gently with the tongue create deep, comforting flavours that echo the slow-cooked dishes of Christmases past.

Ingredients

1 beef tongue

1 onion, quartered

2 bay leaves

5 black peppercorns

1 clove

Gravy

2 onions, sliced

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp flour

1½ cups stock

Method

Boil tongue with onion, bay leaves, peppercorns and clove for 2½-3 hours until tender.

Remove skin and slice.

Fry onions in oil until soft, stir in flour, add stock and simmer until thickened.

For extra flavour, add a splash of the tongue’s cooking liquid to the gravy. Serve gravy over sliced tongue.

Tip

For a richer, aromatic taste, remove the tongue while still hot and slice immediately before serving - this keeps the flavour intact.

Classic Christmas Trifle

The Festive Touch

A single, grand trifle served in a glass bowl becomes a beautiful Christmas centrepiece, with repeated layers ensuring every spoonful is perfectly balanced.

Ingredients

1 Swiss roll or sponge cake

1 packet jelly, prepared and cooled until just starting to set

2 cups custard, cooled

Fruit of your choice

2 cups fresh cream, whipped

Flaked almonds or grated chocolate (optional)

Method

Cut the cake into bite-sized pieces. 

Prepare the jelly and allow it to cool until slightly thickened, but not fully set. 

Arrange a layer of cake in the base of a large glass bowl and spoon over some jelly, letting it soak into the sponge. 

Add a layer of fruit, followed by custard, and then whipped cream. 

Repeat the layers in the same order until the bowl is filled, finishing with cream on top. Garnish with almonds or grated chocolate. Chill well before serving.

Tip 

Allow the jelly to cool before layering - if it’s too hot, it will melt the custard and cream, and you’ll lose those beautiful, defined layers.