CHRISTMAS 2022: SERVING UP SIMPLE NOSTALGIC MENUS
tashas Inspired gives nostalgic encouragement for a perfectly paced Christmas
It’s here. December. And with everyone in a tailspin after a year that seemed to whizz by in a haze of travel, meetings and reconnections; it’s now time to think about Christmas. In particular, what to eat. With just three weeks to go until family and friends connect for summery festive feasts, tashas has stepped in with some superb nostalgic favourites from tashas Inspired to help you get your planning, shopping, cooking, serving – and most importantly – enjoying done.
“Christmas in our home is the time we really slow down,” says Natasha Sideris, founder and CEO of the Tashas Group, and author of tashas Inspired. “We all gather together, with a feast of food – the dishes are often inspired from our own childhood memories, travels around the world or old family recipes. It’s a time to be sentimental.”
Natasha’s menu for this slowed-down nostalgic Christmas is comprised of four dishes, designed to be a delicious feast for the family with a variety of meat, fish, vegetables and salads. It’s fresh, comforting and familiar.
For starters, Salmon Wellington. Known in France as “salmon en croûte”, this is a lighter and more elegant than its big brother, beef Wellington. A fillet of fresh salmon is spread generously with herbed cream cheese, wrapped in layers of flaky filo pastry and then baked in a very hot oven until golden and succulent. Good eaten either hot or at room temperature.
For mains, comforting sirloin with horseradish cream. This makes excellent sandwiches for a country picnic or lunch the following day. As one of the Marx Brothers once observed, “Mustard’s no good without roast beef” – Natasha agrees and has taken the liberty of adding a creamy horseradish sauce.
You might think you’re done with roast vegetable salads, but not until you’ve tried this one. Roasted pear and gorgonzola salad with sweet potato, red kuri pumpkin, slightly tart pears and a creamy, piquant Gorgonzola. A marriage made in heaven.
“Scatter a handful of butter-fried sage leaves on top just before serving to bring a light crispiness to this dish,” is Natasha’s advice.
From the Mediterranean Table chapter of the book, the Greek salad with whipped feta adds freshness to any South African Christmas celebration. Served with versatile unleavened flatbreads, the whipped feta, olives, fresh tomato and herbs (for that authentic Greek flavour, Natasha recommends using dried oregano) provide the perfectly proportioned salad and create a thing of great beauty.
Lastly, cherry pie. South Africa’s summer months see abundant plump cherries heavy on the shelves. Scoop some up for this time consuming but not complicated dessert.
“Skip the shop-bought pastry and make it from scratch – it’s worth it for the look on your family’s faces when they take that first scrumptious bite. And always buy extra cherries,” says Natasha.
These recipes, along with 90 others are available in Natasha Sideris’ second critically acclaimed cookbook, tashas Inspired. Published in late 2020, the book shares the inspiration Natasha has drawn from her travels as well as her Greek and Cypriot heritage. The book is divided into seven chapters – Café Society, A Spanish Affair, Le Bistro, The Levant Kitchen, A New York State of Mind, A Day in the Country and The Mediterranean Kitchen.
The book encourages home cooks to think like a restaurateur and create memorable meals by considering all the elements that lend themselves to a specific menu, including the table setting and the music. Each chapter also has a Spotify playlist to set the mood for the perfect meal with friends and family.
Published by Quivertree, the book is available at all tashas locations, leading bookstores or via the Le Parc by tashas e-commerce site.
For more information, visit: https://www.tashasgroup.com/cookbooks