Dishes perfect for sharing on the night before Christmas.
Scrumptious and special help-yourself fare for an epic communal feast
Brioche Wreath with Baked Brie
These soft, warm buns are perfect for filling with tasty ham and salad. Alternatively, the wreath and brie can be served with pre-dinner drinks. You will need to begin this recipe a day ahead.
250ml milk, warmed 3 tablespoons caster sugar 1½ teaspoons instant dried yeast 500g high-grade white flour 5g salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten 100g soft butter, cubed 200g brie in a wooden carton Sprigs of thyme
1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt, to glaze 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
Place milk in a jug and stir in sugar and yeast. Sift flour and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. On medium speed, pour in the milk mixture and eggs and mix to a soft, wet dough.
Add butter a cube at a time then increase speed, kneading for 8-10 minutes until a very elastic dough forms. Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
The next day, tip dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 25 equal-sized pieces (about 40g each). Roll each piece gently into a ball and place on a floured surface.
Remove brie from carton and place the carton centrally on a lined oven tray (return cheese to fridge until later).
Arrange dough balls around the carton, 10 for the inner ring and 15 for the outer ring, leaving 5mm in between to allow room to rise. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm place for 45-60 minutes or until doubled in size.
Heat oven to 190°C. Slice off the top layer of the brie rind and discard. Place brie in carton, cut-side up, and sprinkle with thyme.
Brush buns with egg glaze and scatter with poppy seeds. Bake 15-20 minutes or until buns are golden brown and brie melted. Decorate with more thyme and serve immediately. Serves 12
Asparagus & Haloumi Salad
Make a big platter of this all-in-one salad, as it’s perfect for sharing.
2 bunches asparagus, cut in thirds on an angle 1 bunch radishes, thinly sliced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup roughly chopped parsley
1 cup roughly chopped coriander
¼ cup roughly chopped mint
¼ cup roughly chopped dill
¾ cup pistachio nuts, toasted
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, juice and finely grated zest 400g haloumi, thickly sliced
Olive oil for frying
Pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
Cook asparagus in boiling, salted water for 2 minutes, then drain and refresh in ice-cold water. Drain well.
Combine all ingredients, except haloumi and pomegranate seeds, in a large bowl and toss well. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Pan-fry haloumi in a little oil and arrange on top. Serve scattered with pomegranate seeds if desired.
Serves 6-8