How To Turn A Gourmet Food Hamper Into A Delicious Christmas Lunch.

how to turn a gourmet food hamper into a yummy christmas lunch

Every year without fail Christmas rolls around again and the hunt for perfect presents and planning luscious meals begins. If you are like me and don’t have hours spare battling the crowds at the shops or flipping through a pile of recipe books, I might just have the perfect solution for you! Last week I enjoyed an afternoon of taste testing beautiful products from a gourmet food hamper or ten that were provided by Australian Gourmet Gifts.

Whilst munching away on an amazing selection of goodies and sipping on a glass of wine, I was already ticking people off my present shopping list who I know would love a big dose of good food in their home this festive season. At the same time I was planning a menu that was easy to prepare but would taste fantastic and impress all those sharing the table on Christmas Day.

When only the best will do!

I come from a family of dedicated foodies that spent decades involved in restaurants and gourmet food shops. A BBQ chicken from the supermarket deli and a store bought pavlova just will not cut it with my clan. Putting a really nice meal together can be easy with the clever use of tasty ingredients with really fresh produce and choosing recipes that can be prepped well in advance so that you can spend the day relaxing and not slaving away in the kitchen.

With so many hampers to choose from, the hardest part was picking the best hamper to use as the base for creating the menu. In the end the Gourmet Connoisseur Hamper won out for its great blend of savoury and sweet inclusions and there will still be plenty of goodies left to enjoy in the new year.

gourmet hamper christmas lunch

 Image Credit – Australian Gourmet Gifts

 

Delicious Christmas Lunch Menu Ideas

EASY ENTREES

Plate Up A Platter – The easiest way to start off Christmas Day celebrations is with a platter of delectable nibbles. Take The Natural Nut Company – Entertaining Nut Platter and the Absolute Organic – Antipasto Organic Mixed Olives to get started. Add your favourite cheeses, dips or pate and a selection of savoury biscuits and chunks of fresh sourdough bread.

Pesto Puffs – Ready made puff pastry sheets can quickly be turned into yummy mini quiches that can be made the day before and reheated on the day or served cold. Simply add 1/2 teaspoon of Australian Country Gourmet – Sun Dried Tomato Pesto to each one before adding the egg mix from this recipe.

MAKE AHEAD MAINS

Ham It Up – A freshly baked ham will be a winner for you this year and any leftovers can be frozen in portions for use throughout the New Year. Place the whole ham on a chopping board and using a small sharp knife gently remove the rind leaving as much of the fat as possible. Score the fat in rows firstly across the ham and then from top to bottom. Spread a generous amount of Hank’s Jams – Fig & Cinnamon Jam all over the scored section and sprinkle with finely chopped macadamia nuts. Place the ham in a large baking dish lined with foil and baking paper. Sprinkle a little water into the pan before baking at 180C for 45 minutes, basting after each 15. Serve warm or cold with a big bowl of crisp salad.

Terrific Turkey – Instead of spending hours baking a whole turkey, why not try a turkey breast roll instead. Follow the roasting direction on the packet and when it is done remove from the pan, but don’t throw out the all the deliciousness remaining in the bottom. Scrape it all into a small saucepan and over gentle heat add 300ml of thickened cream and 1 heaped dessert spoon of Australian Country Gourmet – Chardonnay & Sage Creamy Mustard and bring to a gentle boil for 1 minute and you now have a super sauce to serve with your turkey. Bake a large tray of mixed vegetables at the same time as the turkey sprinkled with Maggie Beer – Extra Virgin Olive Oil and some fresh sage leaves.

DELECTABLE DESSERTS

Posh Pudding – A store bought plum pudding can be ready to eat after just a few minutes in the microwave. Have your guests begging for more by serving it with the best Brandy Cream. For the final touch grate a few pieces of Rinati – Elite Almond Hard Nougat to sprinkle over the top.

Individual Ice Creams – If you would prefer something cold for a hot Christmas day, why not make these little ice cream bombs. Into a large bowl add a tub of good quality vanilla ice cream and beat until softened. Add some crushed Ital Choc Hazelnut Biscotti and a handful of frozen raspberries. Spoon this mixture into bowls that have been lined with cling wrap for easy removal and place in the freezer until it is time to serve. Swirl a generous amount of Australian Country Gourmet – Rich Chocolate Sauce on to each plate before placing the ice cream on top.

creating an easy christmas day lunch

Image Credit – Grace and Co. Property Styling

Don’t forget to stock the fridge with plenty of Christmas cheer and make sure you add a bag or two of ice to the shopping list.

You can order all the Christmas hampers and gift baskets (including the really lovely ones that come delivered in the luxurious black metal cooler in the pic above) that you could ever need without stepping into a single shop from Australian Gourmet Gifts and free delivery is included, so it does not get any easier than that!

This is a sponsored post as I was a guest of Brand Meets Blog that organised this tasty get together on behalf of Australian Gourmet Gifts and all opinions and ideas are my own.

Which is your favourite gourmet food hamper?

Are you cooking Christmas Day lunch this year?

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