Thankfully Australia's culinary tastes have matured and diversified, which is fantastic news for our taste buds but can bring its own challenges when you’re hosting a significant multi-generational gathering – when else do you have to cater for the uncle who is desperately clinging to tradition, right alongside the vegan sister?
So here is our suggestion for the ultimate in fusion Australian Christmas dining, matched with three crowd-pleasing wines.
Starter – Seafood platter*
Wine pairing - Yalumba Organic Chardonnay & Yalumba Block 2 Grenache Rose
Christmas lunch in the sunshine cries out for a fresh seafood platter. Aim for lemon grilled snapper, paper-thin gravalax salmon, home-seasoned salt and pepper squid and prawns or oysters plucked from whichever crystal clear waters are closest to home. Both the Yalumba Organic Chardonnay and the Yalumba Block 2 Grenache Rose will sing a siren song for Neptune’s catch.
Main – Slow roasted lamb shoulder, vegetable tagine with spiced cous cous
Wine pairing - Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz
Ham may be a Christmas tradition, but roast lamb is versatile, beloved and easily turns into a child-friendly lamb roll. The slow cooked lamb will imbibe the house with delicious homely scents, while an accompanying tagine and cous cous is plentiful and delicious as a meal in itself (tick: vegan sister). Pair with Yalumba The Signature Cabernet Sauvignon & Shiraz and regale your family with stories of Signatories past and present.
Dessert – Lemon curd & Italian meringue tart
Wine pairing - Yalumba Organic Chardonnay
This refreshing dessert will cleanse the palate and help avoid the traditional Christmas afternoon coma. Try this recipe from Gourmet Traveller (remember to keep a portion egg-free for your vegan guests).
Cheese platter
Wine pairing - Yalumba Organic Chardonnay & Yalumba Block 2 Grenache Rose
Keep the wine flowing and the crowd happy with an Instagram-worthy cheese platter. Perfect with both the Chardonnay and that delightful Yalumba Block 2 Grenache Rose, the ultimate Christmas platter should include three very good local cheeses, figs, walnuts, prosciutto, crusty bread, a Maggie Beer pate, sliced pear and dried apricots. Avoid pairing cheese with crackers as you just won’t get the best flavours.
*An alternative vegan/vegetarian option is a festive-looking roasted red capsicum bruschetta garnished with olive oil and flat leaf parsley.
The Christmas meal used to be so simple. A leg of ham, peas, honey carrots and a potato gratin followed by pudding with brandy custard: meat and three veg didn't discriminate even on December 25.
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