‘Tis officially the season for jolly gatherings and shared Christmas feasts. And if you are still looking for the perfect, festive dish to outshine everyone else at your upcoming Christmas celebrations, look no further! We have put together three dishes that put a special, modern twist on the classic holiday staples—so you can finally put those embarrassing days of showing up with a dry turkey and boring boiled veg behind you. Rest assured, your food will be the talk of the party this year for all the best reasons!

Miso Glazed Roasted Vegetables

This recipe is for both the vegetable lover and the vegetable hater; it is simply so good that it has a way of easing divisions and bringing people together. I first started making these miso-glazed roast vegetables on ordinary days when I wanted something nourishing but a little more elevated, and it occurred to me while planning this article that they would make the perfect addition as a Christmas side. The miso melts into the vegetables, adding a deep, umami sweetness that transforms something simple into a glossy, caramelised showstopper—one that is sure to make everyone ask, “What did you put on these?!”

Ingredients:

• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped (I suggest into rectangular chunks)
• 2 parsnips, peeled and chopped
• Brussels sprouts, halved
• Olive oil
• Seasonings: salt, black pepper, garlic powder, dried thyme and rosemary
• A handful of finely chopped pecans or walnuts (added towards end)

Miso Glaze

• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar/white wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp water
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Salt to taste

Method:

Miso Glaze

1. In a bowl, mix the miso paste, maple syrup, rice vinegar, water, and garlic until combined.
2. Add the mixture to a pan and reduce on medium heat until it becomes a thickened glaze.

Vegetables

1. In a large bowl, toss your carrots, parsnips and brussels sprouts in olive oil and seasonings until evenly coated.
2. Arrange the mixed vegetables evenly on a lined baking tray.
3. Roast vegetables for 25 minutes at 200˚C, mix halfway.
4. Pour miso glaze over roasted vegetables and toss to coat evenly. Sprinkle on chopped nuts before putting back into the oven for around 3 minutes.

Sausage Roll Wreath

Sausage rolls are a British Christmas (and every other time of year) classic—the kind of food that disappears fastest at any gathering—and shaping them into a wreath is the perfect way to make something simple feel a little more celebratory. I first came across the idea in the frozen aisle at Lidl, before later finding an online recipe that this version is adapted from. Served with a bowl of cranberry sauce nestled in the centre and a few sprigs of rosemary around the edges, it instantly looks impressively put together. Golden, flaky, and gorgeously festive, this dish is guaranteed to turn heads the moment you walk into the room.

Ingredients (12 sausage rolls):

• 12 pork sausages
• 1 ½ tbsp of sage
• 2 tbsp of mixed herbs
• 2 tbsp of onion powder
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 500g block puff pastry
• 3 tbsp red onion chutney
• 1 egg, beaten

Method:

1. In a large bowl, cut the tip of each sausage off and squeeze the meat out of the casing into the bowl. Add sage, mixed herbs, onion powder, and chopped red onion to the bowl and mix well.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into roughly 65 x 25cm rectangles that are ½ cm thick.
3. Spread the chutney into a line at the middle of the rectangle (lengthwise) evenly, then spoon the sausage mixture over the top, forming the sausage meat into a log shape.
4. Brush some of the beaten egg on the top long side of the pastry, then tightly roll the bottom side of the pastry over the sausage mixture, tucking it under the sausage log. Continue to roll the tucked sausage log until fully rolled to form a long sausage roll. Use a knife to trim the excess pastry off the ends.
5. Place the log onto a lined baking tray and gently bring the two ends together to make a circular shape. Use a little of the beaten egg to seal the ends together.
6. Put the tray in the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.
7. Using a knife, make 12 evenly spaced, 4cm cuts from the outside of the sausage roll, making sure not to cut all the way through.
8. Take each cut piece and gently twist outwards so that the sausage filling is exposed. This should create a wreath-like pattern. Then, brush the entire wreath with the remaining beaten egg.
9. Bake for 35-40 mins until the pastry is golden and the sausage filling is cooked through. Serve with cranberry sauce and rosemary sprigs to garnish.

Orange Chicken Fennel Roast

This orange and fennel roast chicken takes inspiration from the takeout favourite Chinese orange chicken and reimagines it for the Christmas table. The citrus brings a bright, festive freshness that cuts through the richness of a traditional roast, and its juices gently infuse the meat to keep it beautifully moist. Familiar enough to feel comforting yet different enough to offer a new taste, this subtle fusion adds warmth, aroma and a burst of flavour to your Christmas centrepiece.

Ingredients:

• 4 pound whole chicken
• 1/3 cup olive oil 
• 2 medium oranges
• 2 medium fennel bulbs
• 2 medium shallots
• 1 cup orange juice

Marinade

• 1 tbsp fennel seeds, ground
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds, ground
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• Zest of 2 medium oranges
• 5 sage leaves, finely chopped.
• 2 sprigs tarragon, finely chopped.
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• ¼ cup olive oil

Method:

Marinade

1. In a bowl, add the sugar, salt, orange zest, coriander and fennel seeds, sage, tarragon, dijon mustard, olive oil and mix with a spoon until combined into a paste.

Chicken

1. Pat the chicken dry and place the chicken breast side down on a cutting board. Using a pair of kitchen scissors, cut around both sides of the chicken’s spine and remove this strip of meat. Flip the chicken breast side up on the cutting board. Place your palm in the middle of the chicken breast and press against it to crack the wishbone and flatten the chicken.
2. Generously spread the marinade over the chicken skin and inside the chicken. Set aside to marinate at room temperature.
3. Heat the oven to 220°C (fan) with the oven rack set in the centre of the oven.
4. In the meantime, slice the oranges, trim off the fennel greens and slice each bulb into 5–6 wedges, and thinly slice the shallots.
5. Add olive oil to a deep baking tray. Layer the oranges at the bottom of the tray, scatter over the fennel and shallots, then pour in the orange juice. Add some salt for flavour.
6. Nestle the chicken on top, breast side up. Use a knife to poke the skin all over to help the fat render and the skin to crisp. Tuck the wings underneath the breast to prevent them from burning.
7. Cover loosely with a sheet of aluminium foil and roast for 20 minutes.
8. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and roast for an additional 30 to 40 minutes.
9. Every 10 minutes, use a spoon to scoop out and drizzle the juices from the pan over the chicken skin to help it crisp up.
10.  Once cooked through, remove from the oven and serve with some fresh herbs for an extra-festive look.

Words by Eiriana Zhou

Featured image courtesy of Jed Owen via Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image licence found here.