One of the most well-known facts about Christmas in Australia is that the holiday falls on one of the hottest months of the year in the country. Perhaps this is why more and more Australians are choosing to celebrate Christmas in July.
But regardless of whether you are celebrating Christmas in Australian traditions in July or December, there is one thing you can be sure of: you will have an unforgettable time trying new Australian Christmas recipes from our top picks.
So let’s find out what recipes you should look forward to during the Christmas season.
Pear Prosciutto and Blue Cheese Pizza
Pears and blue cheese are an amazing flavor combination that we enjoy! They are the perfect blend of sweet and savory and they are fabulous on a pizza for a Christmas eve! This pizza is as easy to make as shaping the pizza dough, brushing it with a bit of oil, sprinkling on the ingredients, and baking it!
For a total serving of 4 people, the estimated time is 1 hour.
Ingredients That You’ll Need
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 pizza dough
- 1 teaspoon oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup blue cheese, crumbled
- 3 slices prosciutto, thinly sliced
- 1 ripe pear, thinly sliced
Directions To Cook
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat, add the onions, and cook, stirring constantly, until the onions are caramelized and golden, about 30-40 minutes, before setting aside.
- Spread the dough out on a baking sheet, brush the oil over the dough, sprinkle on the salt, pepper, mozzarella, blue cheese, caramelized onions, prosciutto, and pear.
- Bake in a preheated 500F/260C oven until the cheese has melted and the crust is crispy and golden brown, about 10 minutes
Matt Preston’s Miso Corn Fritters With Chili Bacon Caramel
One of the best Christmas recipes lists will include fritter dishes you’ll come across. If it’s something absolutely new to you, make this Christmas way for something new.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1½ tbsp. rice wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp. caster sugar
- 100g blanched almonds, toasted
- ¼ cup (80g) white (Shiro) miso paste
- 100g unsalted butter, softened
- 150g palm sugar, finely grated
- 6 long red chilies (seeds removed – optional), thinly sliced
- 6 thinly sliced streaky bacon rashers
- 4 corn cobs, kernels removed
- 125g plain flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 4 long green shallots, white parts chopped, green parts shredded
- 1 bunch coriander, stems thinly sliced, leaves picked
- 3 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 lightly beaten egg white
- Sunflower oil, to shallow-fry
- Avocado wedges, to serve
Directions To Cook
- Place 1 tbsp. vinegar and caster sugar in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Stand to cool slightly, then place vinegar mixture, almonds, miso, and butter in a blender and whiz until well combined.
- Place palm sugar and 100ml water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes or until reduced slightly. Stir through chili and remaining 2 tsp vinegar, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened slightly.
- Combine corn kernels, flour, baking powder, cumin, chopped shallot, coriander stems, beaten whole eggs, 2 tsp salt flakes, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper in a bowl.
Shrimp with Cauliflower Mash and Garlic Kale
A pile of creamy cauliflower mash sets the stage and then gets tucked in by those smoky greens before finally getting piled high with a mound of aggressively seasoned, salty, juicy shrimp.
The spicy nature of this dish is good enough to enjoy both during winters and summers.
You’ll rock the Christmas celebration this year!
For a serving of 4 people, the time estimated is 1 and a half hours.
Ingredients That You’ll Need
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 6 cups)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup milk
- 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 14-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained
- 1/2 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese, like sharp cheddar or Havarti
- 1 teaspoon salt
- For the Kale
- 1 tablespoon bacon fat (or olive oil)
- 3 cups calottes or chopped kale
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- For the Shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 lb. shrimp (enough for 4 people)
A few good shakes of garlic salt, chili powder, cayenne, and/or black pepper will be good if you like it spicier!
Directions To Cook
- Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the cauliflower and garlic. Saute for a minute or two, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the milk and 2 cups of broth. Simmer for 10 minutes or until soft. Add the white beans and mash roughly with the back of a large wooden spoon. Stir in the cornmeal and things will start to thicken a bit. Adjust the consistency by adding in the last cup of broth as needed. Stir in the cheese and season to taste.
- Heat the bacon fat in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the greens and garlic and saute until softened. Remove kale and wipe out the pan with a paper towel.
- In the same skillet, add the oil over medium heat. Pat the shrimp dry. Add to the pan and sprinkle with seasonings to taste. Cook for just a few minutes and then add a quick splash of water or broth to the pan to pull the browned bits and spices into something of a saucy-coating for the shrimp.
Blueberry, Mango, And Praline Trifle
This trifle is a perfect combination of fresh berries and sweet mango in Australian Christmas recipes but it can be made with any seasonal fruit. Top with praline for crunch.
Ingredients you’ll need
- 200g liquid glucose
- 500g caster sugar
- 200g slivered almonds
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup (250ml) dry Marsala
- 500g blueberries
- 5 eggs, separated
- 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
- 500g mascarpone
- 1 large pandoro or 1 store-bought sponge cake, cut into 2cm-thick slices
- 2 sliced mangoes
Directions To Cook
- Place the liquid glucose and 250g caster sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, swirling the pan occasionally, for 5-6 minutes until a golden caramel. Add the almonds, then pour the caramel onto a lightly greased baking tray.
- Add the blueberries, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until slightly reduced. Allow cooling.
- Place a layer of pandoro or sponge slices in a 1.5L glass serving dish and drizzle with about 2 tbsp Marsala, then spread with one-third of the mascarpone mixture. Top with one-third of the mango and drizzle with one-third of the blueberries and their syrup.
Soy-poached chicken with lemongrass brown rice
This fragrant dish is not only easy to make, simply put everything in a pot and a saucepan and wait for the magic to happen, on a special occasion but it’s also downright tasty too.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 1.6kg whole chicken
- 1 garlic bulb, halved diagonally
- 100g ginger (unpeeled), thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, halved
- 4 kaffir lime leaves, bruised
- 1 lemongrass stalk (white part only), halved lengthways
- 2 cups (500ml) soy sauce
- 1 cup (250ml) rice wine vinegar
- 1 bunch coriander, roots scraped and washed, finely chopped, leaves picked
- 2 long green chilies, halved lengthways, plus extra thinly sliced to serve
Directions To Cook
- Place the chicken, garlic, ginger, onion, kaffir lime, lemongrass, soy, vinegar, coriander root, and chili in a large pan with a lid and add enough cold water to cover.
- Set aside 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for rice, then cover the pan and set aside for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Add lemongrass, ginger, and lime leaves, then place over high heat and bring to the boil. Cover, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 35-40 minutes until rice is tender.
- Remove chicken from stock and cut it into pieces. Serve on rice with chili, reserved coriander leaves, Vietnamese mint
These were our favorite new recipes for Christmas this year, which one did you like?
Have any other suggestions instead? Let us know in the comments.
We love to read your comments!