When a sit down meal with your nearest and dearest is on the agenda, surprise and delight with spectacular dishes and unexpected flavours.
From a crowd-pleasing Blackberry-raspberry shrub to fresh takes on old favourites, bask in the beauty of pleasing even the fussiest family members with the convenience and quality available at David Jones Food.
Blackberry-raspberry shrub
Level up your Christmas refreshments
A fruity shrub is an excellent option for kids, non-drinkers and designated drivers. Less sweet than a cordial, it’s as refreshing and full of flavour as can be. You’ll need to start several days ahead to let the fruit steep but you can make this part up to a month ahead and keep it in the fridge. Simply add plenty of ice and top up with sparkling water. Or layer up the flavours even more with NON 1 Salted Raspberry and Chamomile
Prep time 10 mins (plus steeping)
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
½ cup each of blackberries and raspberries, plus extra to serve
1 cup caster sugar
¾ cup apple cider vinegar
Sliced lime and mint sprigs, to serve
1 bottle NON 1 Salted Raspberry and Chamomile
Chilled sparkling water, to taste
METHOD
1. Combine blackberries, raspberries and sugar in a large jar and mash with the end of a rolling pin or with a muddler. Stand for 15 minutes to expel the juices, then stir in vinegar to combine well. Cover and refrigerate for 3-5 days to develop the flavours – the longer you let the mixture steep, the more pronounced the vinegar will become, so if you prefer a little sweeter, steep for less time. Strain through a fine strainer into a clean jar, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 month.
2. To serve, add blackberry-raspberry shrub to a large jug to taste, add ice, lime, extra berries and mint. Top up with NON 1 Salted Raspberry and Chamomile and sparkling water and serve.
Pork and pistachio terrine with cherry relish
A summer terrine with sensational flavours sets the pace for the beautifully delicious menu that follows.
A starter your guests won’t be able to get enough of
Prep time 20 mins
Cooking time 20 mins (plus cooling)
Serves 6 as a starter
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp David Jones Dry Roasted Australian Macadamias, chopped
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
3 tsp each finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and thyme
2 x 150g slices of City Larder Pork and Pistachio Terrine
Toasted baguette, to serve
Watercress sprigs, coarsely chopped to serve
Double cherry relish
½ cup red wine
½ cup dried sour cherries
1 cup pitted cherries
½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup brown sugar
1 pink lady apple, coarsely grated
½ small Spanish onion, finely diced
3 thyme sprigs
METHOD
1. To make the double cherry relish, combine wine and sour cherries in a saucepan, bring to a simmer, remove from the heat and set aside for 30 minutes to soften. Add remaining ingredients and stir over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 12-15 minutes until lightly jammy, transfer to a sterile jar, seal and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
2. Melt butter with oil in a small saucepan, add macadamias and toast gently for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Stir through garlic, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Stir through herbs, season to taste and store in an airtight container until required.
3. Serve City Larder Pork and Pistachio Terrine on toasted baguette topped with double cherry relish, scattered with macadamia crumble and watercress sprigs.
Brie and cranberry tartlets and beef cocktail pies with honey-mustard dipping sauce
Impress with these new party classics
Finger food gets sophisticated this Christmas. Spread the love and let these updates on party classics work the room for you.
Prep time 5 mins
Cooking time 20 mins
Serves 6 as an appetiser
INGREDIENTS
12 David Jones Brie and Cranberry Tartlets
12 David Jones Beef Cocktail Pies
Tomato relish, to serve
Honey-mustard dipping sauce
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp honey
½ tsp David Jones Smoked Paprika
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
METHOD
1. To make the honey-mustard dipping sauce, stir ingredients in a bowl to combine, season to taste and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
2. Prepare the Brie and Cranberry Tartlets and Beef Cocktail Pies according to packet directions. Serve hot with tomato relish and honey-mustard dipping sauce.
Roast salmon with lemon, potato and fennel
Serve mouth-watering Tasmanian salmon topped with fresh herbs and citrus for a festive showstopper.
Meet your new favourite, one-tray wonder.
Prep time 20 mins
Cooking time 35 mins
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1kg chat potatoes, thinly sliced
2 baby fennel bulbs, cut into thin wedges, fronds reserved
1 small brown onion, cut into thin wedges
3 tbsp David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tbsp sea salt
Finely grated rind of ½ lemon and ½ orange
1 tsp roasted fennel seeds, crushed
1 tsp finely chopped dill, plus extra dill sprigs, to serve
1 Steve Costi’s Seafood Tasmanian Salmon Side, skin off
1 lemon and 1 small orange, thinly sliced
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200°C. Combine potatoes, fennel and onion in a large bowl, add David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, season to taste and toss to combine and coat evenly. Spread on a large baking tray lined with baking paper and roast for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are light golden and almost tender.
2. Meanwhile, combine salt, rinds, fennel seeds and dill in a small bowl and season to taste with freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
3. Remove potatoes from the oven and place salmon on top. Season to taste with fennel salt mixture, arrange citrus slices on top and drizzle with a little David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Return to oven and bake for 6-8 minutes until cooked medium. Serve hot, scattered with fennel fronds and dill sprigs, with extra fennel salt on the side.
Beef Wellington with cheat’s bearnaise
Make it easy on yourself with David Jones Beef Wellington
Add a David Jones Beef Wellington, made with grass fed beef eye fillet, to the menu.
Prep time 5 mins
Cooking time 30 mins (plus resting)
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
2 x David Jones Beef Wellington, made with grass-fed beef
Cheat’s bearnaise
120g butter, diced
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 small golden shallot, finely diced
2 tbsp finely chopped tarragon
METHOD
1. To make the cheat’s bearnaise, melt butter in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling occasionally, remove from heat. Process yolks, vinegar and shallot in a small blender until pale. With the motor running, gradually pour in the hot butter, a little at a time, until thick and glossy, leaving the milky white solids in the pan. Add tarragon and a squeeze of lemon juice, season to taste and process to combine. Set aside at room temperature for up to 1 hour.
2. Prepare the David Jones Beef Wellington according to packet directions. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes then serve with bearnaise sauce.
Bean salad with fried almonds and mint
Nourishing and delicious, this bean salad with fried almonds and mint packs a crunch.
A side salad for the spotlight
Prep time 15 mins
Cooking time 10 mins
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
500g mixed beans, such as green beans, yellow beans or roman beans, trimmed
¼ cup David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil
½ cup mint leaves
½ cup David Jones Dry Roasted Australian Almonds, coarsely chopped
Zested rind of 1 lemon, juice of ½
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar, to taste
METHOD
1. Blanch beans in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 1-2 minutes until just tender, drain and refresh under cold running water. Drain well and arrange on a serving platter.
2. Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, add mint and fry until crisp, transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add almonds, lemon zest and garlic to pan, fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Strain through a sieve into a heatproof bowl and set aside the almonds, garlic and zest. Whisk lemon juice and vinegar into the reserved oil, season to taste.
3. Drizzle beans with olive oil mixture, scatter with fried mint, almonds, garlic and lemon zest and serve.
Tomato, watermelon and basil salad
Summer is served with this beautifully simple combination.
This tomato, watermelon and basil salad is an unforgettably effortless symphony of flavour and the perfect pop of colour.
Prep time 15 mins (plus pickling)
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS
1 small Spanish onion, thinly sliced into rings
¼ cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
200g ricotta
1/3 cup finely chopped soft herbs, such as mint, basil, parsley and chives
Finely grated rind and juice of ½ lemon
3 ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges
200g mixed cherry tomatoes, halved or sliced, depending on size
¼ watermelon, scooped into balls with a melon baller or teaspoon
David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for drizzling
Basil leaves, to serve
METHOD
1. Combine onion, vinegar and sugar in a bowl, season to taste and set aside for 10 minutes to pickle.
2. Stir ricotta, herbs, rind and juice in a bowl to combine, season to taste and spread over a serving platter.
3. Arrange tomatoes and watermelon over ricotta and scatter with pickled onion. Drizzle with a little of the pickling liquid and David Jones Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, serve scattered with basil.