Stress-Free Christmas & Holiday Meals

Ingredients

• 2 cups parsley leaves
• 2 cups basil leaves
• 2 cups mint leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• Sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
• 8 large Australian calamari, cleaned
• olive oil for brushing
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes (optional)
• Grilled lime to serve

Procedure

SALSA VERDE

1. Toss all ingredients into a small food processor, season and blitz.
2. Transfer to a serving bowl.

CALAMARI

1. Preheat your BeefEater BBQ to high heat.
2. Brush olive oil and a sprinkle of salt over the squid.
3. Grill the squid and tentacles for 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. Slice the squid into rings before drizzling it with the salsa verde and serving with grilled lime.

Source: Beefeaterbbq.com

• Cook time: 1hour15mins
• Serves: 2
• Difficulty: Medium

Ingredients

• 7g dried yeast
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 400ml warm water
• 500g baker’s flour, plus extra to dust
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 50g prosciutto
• ½ small zucchini, finely sliced
• ¼ capsicum, finely sliced
• ¼ cup kalamata olives
• 100g mozzarella, sliced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh basil leaves

Method

1. Preheat oven 30°C, proofing function.
2. Place yeast, salt and sugar in a small bowl. Add warm water, stir and set aside for 5 minutes. Put flour into the bowl of a stand mixer and once the yeast and water mix begins to foam, add to the flour.
3. Mix on low speed with a dough hook for 10 minutes. Once mixed remove and briefly knead this mix on a floured bench for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a clean, oiled bowl and cover with cling film. Put dough into preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until it doubles in size.
4. When the dough has proved, remove from the oven and place onto a floured work surface, knead for 1 minute and divide the dough into four equal portions.
5. Preheat oven to 230°C, with steam. Dust a large flat baking tray with a little flour. Roll out dough on a clean lightly floured surface to about 30cm round and 3mm thick. Transfer to a tray.
6. Spread an even layer of tomato paste over the base, top with prosciutto, zucchini, capsicum, olives and mozzarella and place in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until golden and crispy.
7. Remove from oven, sprinkle over basil leaves, and serve. Repeat with remaining dough or freeze, portioned for up to 8 weeks.

Source: Electrolux.com.au

• Cook: 20 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ tsp chilli - dried or fresh
• 4 zucchinis
• 1 broccoli flower
• Olive oil
• 500g spaghetti or pasta of your choice
• Fresh mint
• Salt and pepper
• Parmesan – to serve

To Serve

Serve hot with plenty of black pepper, some shavings of quality parmesan and extra chilli for those who enjoy a bit of spice.

Method

1. Peel and finely slice 2 cloves of garlic.
2. Cut the zucchinis into rounds.
3. Section the broccoli into small bite sized florets.
4. Slowly heat 2-3 tablespoons of good quality olive oil in a fry pan.
5. Add a sprinkling of chilli (fresh or dried). Warm until flavours have infused.
6. Bring the oil up to heat (being careful not to burn the garlic) and fry off zucchini rounds until just cooked.
7. Add a handful of torn mint leaves.
8. Take off the heat and set aside.
9. Bring the water to the boil in a large saucepan.
10. Cook your preferred pasta as per the pack instructions.
11. Drain the pasta in a colander.
12. Combine the pasta with the oil/garlic/zucchinis and place back on the heat to warm through.

Source: Westinghouse.com.au

Ingredients for 2

• 2 sweet potatoes
• 20 g butter
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 avocado
• 4 cherry tomatoes
• 2 jalapeno pepper
• 1 cup red kidney beans, ready to use
• 1 green onions, thinly slice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the cheese;

• 1 L milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Clean the potatoes with a brush and dry with paper towel. Poke the potatoes with fork. Place it in baking tray on sheet. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Heat the milk in a pot, when it’s come to the boil turn down the heat and add lemon juice. Stir with a wooden spoon. Turn of the heat when milk gets ragged. Drain the milk clot with cheesecloth. Put weight on top and rest it for 1 hour. Then break with hand and add salt, mix well.
3. Cut pepper, avocado and tomatoes same size as bite size, drain the beans. Mix everything in a bowl, add salt, pepper, olive oil and lemon juice.
4. After 1 hour take potatoes from oven and let them cool down. Then cut them longitudinally. Open the insides, add butter and green onions, mix it well.
5. Place vegetable mix on insides of the potatoes, add cheese and jalapeno peppers on top. Serve with your favorite drink. Enjoy!

Source: Beko.com

Ingredients

• Egg yolk 6
• Egg whites 3
• Caster sugar 160 g
• Flour 160 g
• grated lemon rind Zest of 1
• Caster sugar 2 spoon
• Fresh cream 300 g
• dark chocolate 460 g
• Berry jam 200 g
• Rosemary to taste

Step 1

1. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with 80 g of sugar.
2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 80 g of sugar. Gently combine the two mixtures, being careful not to deflate the egg whites. Gradually fold in the sifted flour, moving from bottom to top.
3. Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Spread it evenly using a spatula.
4. Bake in a preheated static oven at 180°C (356°F) for about 9-10 minutes.

Step 2

1. Place the baked sponge cake on a kitchen towel along with the parchment paper. Sprinkle with granulated sugar and gently roll the sponge cake into the towel, carefully peeling off the parchment paper. Let it cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature or use a quick chill for 5 minutes.
2. Unroll the sponge cake and spread a layer of mixed berry jam, followed by a layer of chocolate ganache. Roll it again from the short side. Cut two pieces diagonally from both ends to recreate the look of a log.
3. Place the two cut pieces on the sides of the roll, securing them with toothpicks if needed. Decorate the surface with the remaining ganache. Use a spatula to create lines on the surface, mimicking bark.
4. Use a soft chill function if available to cool the Yule log before serving.

• Plan Ahead: Create a detailed menu and shopping list.
• Prep Smart: Use pre-cut produce, cook in batches, and freeze leftovers.
• Delegate Tasks: Share the workload with family and friends.
• Relax and Enjoy: Don't stress over perfection.

• Roasting: With the right accessories, you can roast a whole turkey or ham on your BBQ.
• Baking: Some BBQs have side burners or rotisserie attachments perfect for baking bread, potatoes, or even a Christmas cake.
• Sautéing: The side burner on the BeefEater 4-Burner BBQ is ideal for sautéing vegetables or making sauces.  

• Size: Single oven for small households, double oven for large families.
• Type: Electric for precise control, gas for even heat, combination for versatility.
• Features: Self-cleaning, convection, multiple racks.
• Consider: Kitchen layout, energy efficiency, and user reviews.

• Plan and Prep: Create a timeline, gather ingredients, and pre-measure.
• Efficient Cooking: Use oven racks, adjust temperatures, and start with long-cooking dishes.
• Delegate and Organise: Share tasks and clean up as you go.
• Relax and Enjoy: Focus on spending quality time with loved ones.