december

Looking for a veggie midweek meal? Try our vegetarian celeriac steak recipe for a super easy low calorie meal for three

Celeriac steak with salsa verde

celeriac 1, peeled

unsalted butter 25 grams

vegetable oil 1 tbsp

garlic 2 cloves, bashed

thyme a few sprigs

white wine 100 milliliters

vegetable or chicken stock 150 milliliters

kale 100 grams

parsley

mint a small bunch, finely chopped

baby capers 1 tbsp, rinsed and finely chopped

Dijon mustard 1 tsp

red wine vinegar 1 tbsp

olive oil 3 tbsp

Check out our quick and easy celeriac purée. This creamy purée makes the perfect accompaniment to a charred steak. Thin down any left-over purée with a little vegetable or chicken stock to make a wonderful soup

Celeriac purée

vegetable oil ½ tbsp

(about 750 grams), peeled and cut into 2cm dice

double cream 150 milliliters

Check out our vibrant baked falafel recipe with beetroot. This easy veggie recipe is simple to make and ready in an hour

Baked beetroot falafels

bunch, stalks finely chopped, leaves picked

greek yogurt 3 tbsp

garlic ½ a clove, crushed

lemon ½, juiced

tomato

cucumber

red onion ½, finely chopped

garlic 2 cloves, crushed

cumin 2 tsp

baking powder ½ tsp

lemon 2 tsp of juice

plain flour 4 tbsp

sesame seeds 1 tbsp

spray oil

A treat in its own right, or perfect as a side to a sumptuous Sunday roast. It could even be an indulgent toast topper!

Buttered leeks with pangritata

leeks 3 large, washed

salted butter 80 grams

white breadcrumbs 50 grams

rosemary 1 sprig, leaves

thyme 1 sprig, leaves

hazelnuts 50 grams, finely chopped

olive oil 1 tbsp

garlic 1 clove, crushed

This seafood dish is guaranteed to impress your guests this holiday season. Paired with a homemade horseradish butter, the lobster and salmon are sure to excite tastebuds.

Lobster tails and salmon with horseradish butter

butter, softened

horseradish cream

tsp lemon rind

lemon juice

tbs drained baby capers, chopped

tsp green peppercorns, chopped

chives

tbs finely chopped dill

lobster tails,

salmon fillets

lemon

lime halves,

baby rocket leaves, to serve

This leek fondue linguine recipe is vegetarian, quick and easy to make, but feels really comforting

Leek fondue linguine

large,

white wine 60 milliliters

crème fraîche 6 tbsp

linguine 400 grams

lemon ½

This spiced chickpea tabouli brings a taste of the Middle East to your table. Perfect as a main dish or side salad, it will be your new go-to recipe.

Spiced chickpea tabouli

bread

tsp ground paprika

olive oil

can chickpeas, rinsed, drained

tsp cumin

tsp turmeric

mint

continental cucumber, finely chopped

perino tomatoes, chopped

red onion, finely chopped

pomegranate seeds

(60 milliliters) lemon juice

(140 grams) coles greek style natural yoghurt

tbs tahini

coles hommus dip

Make the most of beetroot in this earthy hummus recipe, ready in 10 minutes for a last-minute entertaining idea

Beetroot hummus

garlic clove

tahini 3 tbsp

lemon 1½, juiced

flatbreads and crackers to serve (optional)

This seriously simple risotto recipe is ideal for meat-free Monday. Spring onion and leek risotto is cooked traditionally in white wine and topped with parmesan

Leek and parmesan risotto

butter 25 grams

spring onions 4, chopped

leeks 2, trimmed and finely chopped

garlic 2 cloves, sliced

arborio rice 150 grams

white wine a glass

vegetable or chicken stock 750 milliliters

Try these irresistible Golden Gaytime truffles for a sweet treat this Christmas. They’re great for gifting, too.

Golden Gaytime truffles

pkts cadbury caramilk chocolate, chopped

(80 milliliters) coles thickened cream

(45 grams) kellogg’s coco pops golden gaytime flavour

pkt arnott’s kingston biscuits, finely chopped

A twist on the curry house classic, these crispy bhajis see cauliflower pieces coated in a spiced batter, deep-fried, then served with a lime and coriander yogurt dip

Cauliflower bhajis

cauliflower 1,

plain flour 25

turmeric 1 tsp

cumin 1 tsp

black mustard seeds 1 tsp

mild chilli powder 1 tsp

water 150-200 milliliters

onion 1, thinly sliced

greek yogurt 150 grams

lime 1,

coriander a handful, chopped

vegetable oil,

This grilled mackerel With Korean chilli recipe is from David Gingell and Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim's new restaurant, Westerns Laundry. It's quick and simple to make, and easily serves 2 as a starter

Grilled mackerel with Korean chilli

tsp sesame oil

tsp gochujang

tbsp doenjang or miso

garlic,

tsp white balsamic vinegar

spring onions, finely sliced

chilli powder

tsp sesame seeds, toasted

mackerel,

Heat the grill to high. Mix together 2 tsp of the sesame oil, the gochujang, doenjang, garlic, 1 tsp of the vinegar and 1 tbsp of water in a small bowl.

Add the spring onions to a bowl with the chilli powder, sesame seeds, remaining sesame oil and vinegar, and season.

Lie the mackerel fillets skin-side up on a lightly oiled tray. Brush with the chilli paste mix and grill for 2-3 minutes until the skin is bubbling and charred. Rest for 1 minute before serving with the spring onions.

We've put a spin on classic salmon en croûte with a luxurious lobster thermidor filling. Serve this as a centrepiece on Christmas Eve with buttered cabbage

Lobster thermidor en croûte

unsalted butter,

plain flour, plus extra for dusting

whole milk

bay leaf

finely chopped to make 1 tbsp tarragon

gruyère, finely grated

Dijon mustard

leeks, sliced

dry white wine

lobsters,

brandy

baby spinach

block ready-made puff pastry

egg, beaten

potatoes

Melt 50g of butter in a pan over a medium heat, then sprinkle over the flour and stir vigorously until you have a smooth paste. Add the milk, a splash at a time, stirring continuously until you have a smooth white sauce. Add the bay, tarragon, gruyère and mustard, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat.

In a separate pan, heat the tbsp of butter and fry the leeks for 15 minutes until very soft – add a splash of water during cooking to stop them catching, if needed. Add the wine and simmer until evaporated. Stir into the white sauce along with the lobster meat and brandy. Cover and chill for 3 hours, or overnight, until set solid.

Steam the spinach until wilted, then cool until you can handle it. Tip into a clean tea towel, wrap up and squeeze as much water as possible from the spinach.

Cut off a third of the pastry and roll out on a well-floured worksurface into a 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Transfer to a heavy baking tray lined with baking paper. Arrange the spinach over the pastry rectangle, leaving a 4cm border around the edge, then spoon the lobster filling down the middle of the spinach.

Roll out the remaining pastry as before into a 40cm x 30cm rectangle. Brush some of the beaten egg around the exposed pastry edges of the filled rectangle, then lay the larger rectangle on top. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers to enclose the filling and seal. Trim the excess and use the off-cuts to decorate the top, if you like. Brush the pastry all over with most of the remaining beaten egg, cut a large steam hole in the top and chill for 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Glaze the pastry with any remaining beaten egg and bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden, puffed, crisp-based (lift a corner to check) and piping hot throughout. Leave to rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Coloured gold with turmeric and studded with ruby pomegranate seeds, this easy pilaf is fragrant with cinnamon, cardamom and orange zest

Jewelled pilaf

unsalted butter

onion, finely chopped

garlic cloves,

cardamom pods,

cinnamon

basmati rice

vegetable stock

pistachios, shelled

carrot,

tbsp flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

orange, zested

Melt the butter in a medium heavy-based lidded pan over a medium heat. Once melted, fry the onion and garlic for 3-4 mins until the onion softens. Add the cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric, frying for 1 min until fragrant.

Add the rice and stir to coat in the onion mixture, cooking for 1 min. Add the stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 15 mins. Remove from the heat and set aside, covered, for 10 mins.

Meanwhile, cook the pistachios in a small non-stick frying pan over a medium heat, stirring, for 2 mins or until toasted. Remove from the heat, leave to cool slightly, then chop.

Remove the lid from the rice and stir in the carrot. Cover and leave for 2 mins before folding in the pistachios, pomegranate seeds, parsley and orange zest. Season lightly, then transfer to a large bowl and serve.

This easy veggie centrepiece makes the most of ready-made puff pastry and an umami mushroom filling. Serve these individual pithiviers with golden roasties for a Christmas Day feast

Mushroom pithiviers

portobello mushrooms

onion,

chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped

garlic, crushed

thyme, leaves only

spinach, chopped

tbsp double cream

Drizzle the portobello mushrooms with 1 tbsp of the olive oil and season lightly. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a high heat and brown the mushrooms on either side for 2-3 minutes, then remove onto a plate.

Heat the remaining olive oil in the same frying pan and add the onion and chestnut mushrooms over a medium-high heat with a big pinch of salt. Cook for 10 minutes until the liquid has evaporated from the mushrooms and they are caramelising. Add the garlic and thyme, and cook for another minute. Carefully tip in the brandy and bubble for a minute, taking care as it may flame. Reduce the heat and add the spinach and wilt for a minute before stirring in the cream, mustard and lemon juice, then bubble until well thickened. Season.

Roll the pastry on a lightly floured worksurface to a 35cm x 35cm square, then cut into four equal squares. Transfer two to a baking tray lined with baking paper and brush the tops with a little of the mustard, then top with the half the creamy mushrooms. Pat the portobello mushrooms dry with kitchen paper and put on top, cup-side up. Spoon the remaining creamy mushrooms into the cup and around the portobello mushroom, leaving a 3cm gap around the edge. Brush this edge with beaten egg, then lay over the other piece of pastry. Use a small knife to trim into a rough circle, then use a fork to crimp the edges. Use the back of the knife to lightly score the pastry in a spiral pattern. Brush with beaten egg and chill for at least 30 minutes or until needed.

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Brush the pithiviers with more beaten egg, sprinkle with thyme leaves and bake for 25-30 minutes or until deep golden.

See our simple recipe for how to roast butternut squash wedges. Cook with garlic and chilli then top with a homemade sage pesto for a vibrant autumnal side dish

Roasted butternut squash with pesto

butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into wedges

garlic

a good pinch dried chilli flakes

cumin seeds

pine nuts 25 grams

sage, chopped

parmesan (or veggie alternative), grated

Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the squash wedges onto a large baking tray with the garlic cloves, chilli and cumin, drizzle over the olive oil, season and toss really well. Roast for 45 minutes, flipping the wedges halfway, until golden, lightly charred and cooked through.

To make the pesto, cook the pine nuts in a dry frying pan for 1-2 minutes until golden. Tip out into a food processor and cool. Add the sage, garlic and olive oil, and pulse until chunky. Stir in the parmesan, lemon juice and some seasoning. Spoon the pesto over the wedges to serve.

Sweet potato linguine is more robust than courgetti, so can withstand a bit more cooking. Served with a warming vegan bolognese-style ragù, this gluten-free low calorie main is perfect for the start of the cooler months

Sweet potato linguine with vegan puy lentil ragù

Top 20 december recipes from across the web

The most viewed december recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Celeriac steak with salsa verde

Celeriac purée

Baked beetroot falafels

Buttered leeks with pangritata

Lobster tails and salmon with horse...

Leek fondue linguine

Spiced chickpea tabouli

Beetroot hummus

Leek and parmesan risotto

Golden Gaytime truffles

Cauliflower bhajis

Grilled mackerel with Korean chilli

Lobster thermidor en croûte

Jewelled pilaf

Mushroom pithiviers

Roasted butternut squash with pesto

Sweet potato linguine with vegan pu...

Tuna tortilla

Spiced pear chutney

Flæskesteg (Danish Roast Pork)

Top 20 december recipes from across the web

The most viewed december recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Celeriac steak with salsa verde

Celeriac purée

Baked beetroot falafels

Buttered leeks with pangritata

Lobster tails and salmon with horse...

Leek fondue linguine

Spiced chickpea tabouli

Beetroot hummus

Leek and parmesan risotto

Golden Gaytime truffles

Cauliflower bhajis

Grilled mackerel with Korean chilli

Lobster thermidor en croûte

Jewelled pilaf

Mushroom pithiviers

Roasted butternut squash with pesto

Sweet potato linguine with vegan pu...

Tuna tortilla

Spiced pear chutney

Flæskesteg (Danish Roast Pork)

The most viewed december recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine