Serving up a festive feast

This Christmas many of us will be enjoying a special meal with friends and family. We asked the chefs at the Belrose Country Club Retirement Village and Bramblewood Retirement Village to share what they would be serving this festive season. From traditional ham to a tropical take on trifle there will be something for everyone to enjoy – and we hope you do too!

Honey-Glazed Ham with Pineapple & Spices

Ingredients

1 whole leg of ham, bone-in (about 4-5 kg)

Whole cloves (for studding)

½ cup honey

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup Dijon mustard

¼ cup pineapple juice

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

¼ tsp ground cloves

Fresh pineapple slices or canned pineapple rings (optional)

Method

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced) or 180°C (conventional). Using a sharp knife, carefully cut away the skin from the ham, leaving a layer of fat. Score the fat in a diamond pattern and stud each diamond with a whole clove.
2 In a small saucepan, combine honey, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, pineapple juice, cinnamon, and ground cloves. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is well combined.
3 Place the ham in a roasting pan lined with foil. Brush the glaze generously over the ham, covering the surface. Place pineapple rings over the ham, securing them with toothpicks if necessary.
4 Roast the ham for 1.5 to 2 hours, basting with glaze every 20-30 minutes, until it’s golden and caramelised. The internal temperature should reach around 60°C.
5 Let the ham rest for 15 minutes before carving. Serve with additional pineapple slices and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.

Brussell Sprouts with Chestnuts, Pancetta & Parsley

Ingredients

1kg brussel sprouts, trimmed with a cross in the bottom

250g pancetta, rind removed and cut in 1cm cubes

1 tbsp olive oil

30g of butter

250g chestnuts

60ml marsala

1 bunch parsley, chopped

Method

1 Cook the sprouts in a large saucepan of salted, boiling water until tender.

2 Heat oil in a large fry pan, cook the pancetta until crisp and brown.

3 Add the butter and chestnuts, pressing on the chestnuts with a wooden spoon as you go to break them up a little.

4 Add the marsala and let it bubble until it forms a syrup.

5 Add the drained sprouts and mix. Sprinkle over half the parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6 Serve on a warm plate and sprinkle over the remaining parsley.

Guinness & Chocolate Cake

Cake ingredients

250ml of Guinness

250g unsalted butter, sliced

75g cocoa powder

400g caster sugar

150ml sour cream

2 large eggs

1bps vanilla extract

275g plain flour

2 ½ tsp bicarb of soda

Icing ingredients

300g cream cheese

150g icing sugar

2 tsp cornflour

125ml double cream

Method

1 Preheat oven to 180 degrees/160 Fan forced. Line and grease a 23cm springform cake tin.

2 Pour the Guinness into a large, wide saucepan and the butter. Heat until the butter is melted.

3 Whisk in the cocoa and sugar.

4 Beat the sour cream with the eggs and vanilla, then pour into the beer mixture. Then whisk in the flour and bicarb of soda until just combined.

5 Pour the batter into the prepared cake and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Leave to cool completely in the cake tin.

6 Lightly whip the cream cheese until smooth. Add the icing sugar and cornflour and beat to combine.

7 Add the double cream and beat until you have a spreadable consistency.

8 Ice the cake with the mixture, it should resemble a frothy top of a Guinness pint!

Mango & Coconut Trifle 

Ingredients

1 store-bought sponge cake or ladyfingers

1 cup mango juice

2-3 ripe mangoes, diced

400 ml coconut cream

1 cup whipped cream

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Fresh passionfruit pulp (optional)

Toasted coconut flakes (for garnish)

Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method
1 Cut the sponge cake into slices or chunks and layer them at the bottom of a trifle bowl. Drizzle with mango juice to moisten.
2 Spread a layer of diced mango on top of the sponge. Set aside some mango pieces for garnish.
3 In a bowl, mix coconut cream, whipped cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and slightly thickened.
4 Add a layer of the coconut cream mixture on top of the mangoes in the trifle bowl. Repeat the sponge, mango, and cream layers until you reach the top of the bowl, finishing with a cream layer.
5 Garnish with fresh mango pieces, passionfruit pulp, toasted coconut flakes, and mint leaves for a festive look.
6 Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours before serving to allow the flavours to blend and the trifle to set.