Christmas sorted: mains, sides and drinks

Besan-fried prawns with saffron-braised vegetables

The besan flour (chickpea flour) coating gives these prawns a crisp nuttiness; it's available from health-food shops and Indian grocers.

Malaysian-style roast turkey with cucumber acar

"I don't remember when we started cooking turkey for Christmas but I have vivid childhood memories of picking bits of delicious meat from the bird. I do, however, remember that we brined our turkeys to make them juicy and tender, as free-range birds in the tropics were rather chewy. I also remember we ate the turkey with Indian acars, roast vegetables, potato salad, beef rendang and lots of salads. This cucumber acar or pickle is perfect with all kinds of roasts and curries. I make large batches of pickle at once to save time."

Orange-glazed ham with potato and parsley salad

"I buy my ham each year from Leo Donati in Melbourne. It's such a fine smoked ham that it almost doesn't need a glaze, but this one adds just a little bit of sweetness and spice." Brigitte Hafner

Roast turkey with burghul, preserved lemon and pine nuts

"The Middle Eastern flavours of this stuffing add a gorgeous fragrance to the flesh of the bird. I like to serve this with a simple salad of avocado wedges, orange slices and shaved fennel, tossed with extra-virgin olive oil, Sherry vinegar and torn mint leaves." Brigitte Hafner

Fried ham with homemade tomato sauce and grilled bread

"While I do love a good ham sandwich, sometimes the cook needs to come up with something different. The following recipe is based on an idea from Elizabeth David who claims it is a Corsican way to enjoy ham. With a few details adjusted it could just as well be a Spanish dish. It does need a really good homemade tomato sauce and good-quality ham. This dish is gutsy, incredibly simple and a great post-Christmas favourite for young and older at my place." Stephanie Alexander

Turkey roll with sour cherry relish

"This dish is for the true food-lover who's prepared to spend a bit of time in preparation and enjoys a challenge: the wow-factor is definitely there at the end, and all the work can be done in advance. You can serve the turkey hot with vegetables, or warm with a green salad, baby potatoes and asparagus. This sour cherry relish is a proven winner; I serve it with all cold meats, especially Christmas ham and turkey - think of it as an Australian alternative to cranberry sauce. If you warm it you can use it as a sauce, but spooned from the jar it has a softly set texture." Stephanie Alexander

Vietnamese prawn cakes

A classic street-food dish in Vietnam, these tasty treats wrapped in lettuce and dipped in nuoc cham are perfect summer fare.

Pickled beetroot and heirloom carrot salad

Suckling pig with roast fennel and warrigal greens

"This is the dish that will really impress your guests when it arrives at the table. I love suckling pig: the meat is ever so sweet, and pork and fennel is one of the classic combinations. Warrigal greens are an under-used Australian green – they have a slightly salty taste which works wonderfully with the sweet pork." You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Barbecue prawns

Prawns with a tangy tomato-based barbecue sauce are an undeniably good combination, as is the remaining sauce slathered over beef or pork.

Boxing Day sandwich

Christmas turkey and ham are gifts that keep on giving. Load the leftovers into this tasty sandwich and put your feet up.

Cocktails

Mint Julep

Gin Rickey

Blackberry-vanilla cordial

These incredibly refreshing drinks are just the ticket for an afternoon in the sun. Enjoy, old sport.

Prawn and fennel brioche rolls

It doesn't get much better than prawns, mayonnaise and fennel in a roll. These little brioche numbers are just the ticket for your next summer picnic.

Chrysanthemum and cress salad

"Chrysanthemum is one of my favourite salad leaves. It has such a lovely soft texture with a fragrant, almost celery-like taste, and mixed with the other herbs it makes a fantastic light salad to cut through any rich meat dish." - Hamish Ingham, Bar H, Sydney.

Vincotto-glazed turkey breast with peach and green bean salad

Poaching then grilling the turkey breast results in a tender and flavourful meat, and the agrodolce flavour of vincotto lends a modern twist.

Asparagus with blood-orange and chervil hollandaise

Roast turkey with freekah and pancetta stuffing

This turkey brings together a traditional brining technique and a modern freekah stuffing. It's great served with sautéed green beans and roast kipfler potatoes. You'll need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Chilled cucumber and prawn soup with crisp prawn heads

This recipe leaves nothing to waste; it's head-to-tail cooking if you will. The refreshing flavour of cucumber is great with prawns.

Roast herb chicken with Parker House rolls

This is the dish to bring out once the party is in full swing - it'll fuel your guests into the wee hours. You can have all the components made ahead of time and assemble them when the time is right. Parker House rolls, invented at the Parker House Hotel in Boston, are a soft white oval roll popular in the 1920s.

Pineapple and rum glazed Christmas ham with tomato sambal

"It's been the family tradition to serve baked ham with pineapple for as long as I can remember - my family probably got the recipe from Aussie friends or relatives. Back in Malaysia we do, however, serve this with a spiced tomato sambal along with a host of condiments such as chilli sauce, chutneys, pickles and salads."

Crab and cucumber cocktail sandwiches

Steamed lobster with ginger and spring onions

"Lobster is one of the crown jewels of the sea. It's perfect for a Christmas lunch - there's no better way to spend the day then eating our very own Australian seafood."

Ham

Golden ale and honey-glazed easy-carve ham (left)

The golden ale adds a bitter note to the sweetness and fat, so the ham really doesn't need any more accompaniment than a quality apple sauce and a simple green salad.

Herb and pine nut-crusted roast ham (right)

Adding the herbs after cooking gives the ham a really fresh taste. This is delicious served with a creamy potato salad.

Spiced brown sugar butter

This is a delicious accompaniment to Christmas pudding or cake. Serve at room temperature.

Roast herbed turkey roll with Meyer lemon mayonnaise

Meyer lemons are thought to be an orange/lemon hybrid; slightly sweeter than regular lemons, they have a wonderful perfume.

Red cabbage, apple and celery salad

A fruity touch makes this salad a great Christmas side.

Roast goose with pickled cherries

Roast goose with pickled cherries

The goose needs to be started 1 day in advance. The cherries need to be pickled for at least 1½ days and are best eaten within a few days. When they're all gone, the pickling vinegar can be used for salad dressings or pickling other items such as rhubarb. This recipe works equally well with a large duck of similar weight.

Bread stuffing

This is not a traditional stuffing but a bread salad – the aromatics compliment the roast beautifully. It works spectacularly with roast chicken and pork, too.

Glazed Dutch carrots

Bath Oliver crackers with cheddar and port

These are best served with a good aged cheddar and some good-quality port. They can also be baked in large sheets and broken into smaller pieces.

Wild rice with glazed onions and hazelnuts

Wild rice with glazed onions and hazelnuts

Try this alongside a salad with Christmas meats.

Asparagus, pea and mint salad

This fresh salad (top) lightens the load on Christmas Day.

Spice-crusted ham with mango salsa

If you like a touch of heat, this ham is for you. The thick glaze forms a crust as it cooks, giving a chewy, crunchy coating. You can still achieve this effect without the heat by reducing the amount of cayenne. Balance the salsa's sweetness with a large pinch of salt and alter the quantity of jalapeños to suit your taste. This is great served with a classic coleslaw.

Hurricane snow cones

Snow cones or snowballs, as they are sometimes called, are found throughout the Caribbean – shaved ice flavoured with fruit syrup, or in this case rum and fruit juice.

Suzuki mulloway carpaccio with wild olives

Palm heart and tomato salad

Fresh or canned palm hearts are widely used in the Caribbean and South America in refreshing salads.

Snow whites

This frozen cocktail beats the heat on Christmas Day.

Classic roast turkey

Traditionally, the breasts were carved from the roast turkey at the table and served hot, while the remainder was returned to the kitchen, where the leg meat was used in a 'gentleman's supper', which is, really, a nice way to phrase 'leftovers'. Here's a recipe for the classic roast turkey, and some of the following ones show you ways to put leftovers to good use. You will need to begin this recipe 1½ days ahead.

Christmas stuffings

Madeira jus

Don't be put off by the cooking time: this luxe sauce does all the work for you by means of gentle stovetop reduction. Serve with poultry, game or pork.

Fig and speck stuffing

We like this with poultry, pork or lamb.

Crab and green mango salad

Soy-poached turkey breast

This is a great recipe if you're short on time to brine a whole turkey.

Black bean, corn and blood orange salad

This salad, filled with the classic flavours of the Caribbean, is gorgeous with ham but you could also serve it with barbecued prawns and calamari. You will need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Pork and turkey luncheon pie

Fried whitebait with cumin salt and smoky mayonnaise

Christmas ham

The key to a great ham is a top-quality raw ingredient; a well-raised free-range pig with plenty of marbling through the leg will keep it moist during baking. Natural smoke is essential; ensure that liquid smoke has come nowhere near your ham.

Warm potato and mint salad with mustard dressing

Brambled Collins

This cocktail is perfect for summer entertaining. Top it up with as much soda water as you like, but make sure you have plenty of crushed ice. For ease of serving, whiz plenty of ice in a food processor until crushed and store it in the freezer. Serve in ice buckets with a jug of prepared cocktail mix to the side and soda water for topping up.

Insalata di arancia

Pecorino-and-parsley turkey rotolo

Blue swimmer crab with salsa pazza

Sea urchin, bottarga and celery salad

Stamp and go

These salt cod fritters are a popular street food in Jamaica which locals eat on the run. You will need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Christmas sauces

Cranberry and orange sauce

A contemporary version of Cumberland sauce, this is perfect with ham, turkey, pork or game.

Blood plum, star anise and nebbiolo relish

This substantial relish with spiced fruit flavour will match any game, pork or poultry served at Christmas.

Rolled turkey breast with pine nuts, coriander and preserved lemon

Barbecued swordfish with salmoriglio

Turkey, fig and duck liver salad

Roast duck

Cauliflower and persillade

Cauliflower makes a lovely addition to salads in summertime served at room temperature with lots of parsley and toasted breadcrumbs.

Spiced roast duck with asparagus and watercress

Roast duck is much more succulent and cost-effective than roast goose. Quatre épices is a blend of four spices that works very well with the rich flavour of duck, as do oranges, asparagus and watercress. You can serve as much watercress with the duck as you like and turn the dish into more of a salad, if you prefer.

Ricotta and spinach crespelle

Poached coral trout with hot and sour salad

Red onion and olive focaccia

Red onion and olive focaccia

Bellini

Spicy potato croquettes

Involtini

Drunken prawn salad

Jerked ham with mango chutney

Jamaican jerk spice mix is perfect for flavouring a whole ham. It can also be used with barbecued poultry and fish with equally good results. You will need to begin this recipe a day ahead.

Black marron with green peppercorn and martini sauce

Cider apple-glazed ham

Roast turkey

Covering the turkey breasts with overlapping slices of pancetta helps to retain the moisture in the meat while the legs cook (quite often the breasts will dry out before the legs are cooked). You could also use a larding thread and insert pork fat into the breast for extra juiciness, if desired.