WE ARE BACK IN THE KITCHEN! This time we are trading spooky Halloween dishes for festive Christmas recipes to make your holidays extra special. Whether you're hosting a family dinner or a cosy gathering with friends, we’ve got you covered with a full-course Christmas feast! Starting with the starters, Merel made Shrimp cocktail. These will give you the perfect bottom for the other tasty recipes to come. For the main course, we have prepared two options so you can pick. First up, Annebelle’s mouth-watering Creamy Lemon Pasta with Salmon, that is rich and flavourful, yet light enough to leave some room for dessert. Not a fan of pasta or salmon? No worries, Valeriia brings you Holubtsi. This is a beloved Ukrainian dish, that brings warmth and tradition to the table. It’s cabbage rolls filled with rice and meat and then cooked in tomato sauce. Alright now for your favourite part the dessert! Yasmin made Dubai chocolate inspired tiramisu, that is the perfect sweet finale to your festive meal. Honestly what is a better way to end a Christmas dinner than with tiramisu right? We can hear your stomachs rumbling, so we won’t keep you waiting any longer. Let’s get cooking/baking! 

S(hr)imp cocktail  

This easy but delicious Shrimp cocktail is sure helping you to impress your family. It doesn’t take long to make, therefore the perfect starter. It will set the mood for the delicious courses that follow!

What do we need?  

  • 1 tbsp ketchup 
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise 
  • 1 cup whipping cream 
  • A dash of lemon juice 
  • Paprika powder  
  • lamb's lettuce 
  • Chives 
  • 2 packages of Dutch shrimps 
  • Whiskey or cognac 

Cooking Instructions: 

The sauce: 

  • Put the whipping cream, ketchup and mayonnaise together and stir with a spoon.  
  • Add a dash of lemon juice and some paprika powder. 
  • Add 2 tbsp of whiskey or cognac. 
  • Add a little bit of chives. 

Finishing touch: 

  • Put some lamb's lettuce in some fancy glasses, to make it look luxurious.  
  • Divide the Dutch shrimps into the glasses. 
  • Now, pour the sauce over it, and you’re done! 

Enjoy your starter and happy holidays! 

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Salmon   

If you’re after a Christmas dinner that looks fancy but doesn’t take too much time, this pasta with salmon is a good idea. It’s got that perfect combo of rich and fresh, with flaky salmon and a nice touch of lemon. The best part? It’s done in 30 minutes, so you can spend more time hanging out with friends or family.  

What do we need? 

  • 300 g pasta (tagliatelle, linguine, or whatever you have)  
  • 2 salmon fillets (about 150-200 g each, skin off)  
  • 200 ml cooking cream  
  • 1 lemon (for zest and juice)  
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced  
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil  
  • 50 g grated Parmesan  
  • Fresh dill or parsley, chopped  
  • Salt and pepper  
  • Optional: a handful of arugula for garnish  

Cooking Instructions: 

Cook the pasta: 

  • Boil the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Save a cup of the pasta water before draining (you’ll need it later).  

Cook the salmon: 

  • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.  
  • Season the salmon with salt and pepper.  
  • Fry the salmon for 3-4 minutes per side until golden and cooked through.  
  • Take it out of the pan and let it rest for a minute, then break it into large chunks with a fork.  

 The sauce:  

  • In the same pan, add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.  
  • Fry the minced garlic for 1 minute (don’t let it brown).  
  • Pour in the cooking cream and let it simmer gently.  
  • Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and Parmesan, then stir until the sauce is creamy. Season with salt and pepper.  
  • Add the cooked pasta into the sauce. If it’s too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water.  
  • Then add the salmon pieces as well.  

Serve: 

  • Plate the pasta, sprinkle with fresh dill or parsley, and add a handful of arugula if you want to add some extra flavour.  
  • Finish with a bit more Parmesan and you’re good to go and enjoy this nice meal! 

Ukrainian Holubtsi 

Do you want to add a Slavic touch to your Christmas table this year? I’ve got you! It is a Ukrainian tradition to cook 12 different dishes on Christmas Eve, and although I won’t be giving you all 12 of these recipes, I can at least share one of my favourite main courses straight out of my childhood memories. Now, different variations of cabbage rolls exist in a lot of countries all over the globe, but the recipe I will be sharing with you today is how we in Ukraine tend to make them!  

What do we need? 

  • 1 white cabbage  
  • 500-700 g of minced meat to your liking  
  • 200 g of white rice  
  • 1-2 onions depending on the size 
  • 1-2 carrots depending on the size 
  • 200 g of sour cream or Greek unsweetened yoghurt  
  • 1 tbsp of tomato paste  
  • Oil 
  • Ground black pepper 
  • Salt  

Cooking Instructions:  

Step1:  

  • Wash the rice, put it in a pan, and pour 400 ml of water into it. Cook the rice and keep it on the stove for 10 minutes after the water starts boiling. 
  • Cut your onion into small cubes and fry them in a pan with oil until they turn golden brown.  
  • Put your minced meat together in a pan with the rice and onion and mix them together. Don’t forget to season with black pepper and salt, you can add any other spices to your liking! 

Step 2: 

  • Get the outer layers from your cabbage, set them aside and put the leftover cabbage into a pan. Don't cut it into pieces, just put it as a whole. Pour some water into the pan and boil the cabbage on low heat, taking layer after layer as they soften from it and putting them on a separate plate.  
  • Cut off the harder part from each cabbage layer and put them on a board. (For the filling  you can put a tbsp on each layer and carefully wrap the cabbage rolls). 

Step 3:  

  • Clean your carrot and grate it into smaller pieces. Put a part of the carrot into a pan with a thick bottom part then layer your cabbage rolls on top of it. (If you have more cabbage rolls left, put another layer of carrot and then more cabbage rolls on top of it. Repeat until you run out of cabbage rolls). 
  • Mix one tablespoon of tomato paste with 1-2 cups of warm water, depending on the amount of cabbage rolls and how deep your pan is. Pour the mixture into the pan and season it to your liking. You can add more black pepper or a bay leaf. Cover the pan with a lid and cook it on a low heat for 1,5 hours until done!  

For better taste and authenticity, you can serve freshly made Holubtsi with some sour cream. If you don’t have any sour cream or know where to get some, Greek unsweetened yogurt would do just fine! Смачного! (Smachnogo)

Celebrate Christmas with a touch of Dubai!

This rich, chocolatey tiramisu with creamy pistachio and spiced coffee is the perfect festive dessert to share with loved ones. Let’s get started! 

What do we need? 

  • 300ml strong coffee, 2 tbsp date syrup, 1 tbsp cocoa powder. 
  • 300ml double cream, 200g mascarpone, 3 tbsp icing sugar. 
  • 100g pistachio paste (or ground pistachios). 
  • 100g dark chocolate, melted. 
  • 12-16 sponge fingers (savoiardi). 
  • Cocoa powder, finely chopped pistachios, optional gold leaf for garnish. 

Cooking Instructions: 

Pistachio Cream 

  • In a bowl, whisk together 150ml double cream, 100g mascarpone, and 1 tbsp icing sugar until smooth and fluffy. 
  • Add 100g pistachio paste and mix until fully combined. 

Prepare the Coffee Syrup 

  • Brew 300ml strong coffee and mix in 2 tbsp date syrup or chopped dates until dissolved. 
  • Stir in 1 tbsp cocoa powder for a mocha-like twist. 

Melt the Chocolate 

  • Melt 100g dark chocolate in 20-second bursts in the microwave. Make sure to not burn yourself when getting the melted chocolate out of the microwave. Let it cool slightly. 

Prepare the Chocolate Cream Layer 

  • Whisk 150ml double cream, 100g mascarpone, and 50g icing sugar until fluffy. Fold in the melted chocolate. 

Assemble the Layers 

  • Dip 12-16 sponge fingers (lange vingers)  into the coffee syrup, one at a time, until soaked but not falling apart. 
  • Lay the soaked fingers in the base of your serving dish or glasses to form the first layer. 
  • Spread half the pistachio cream over the fingers. 
  • Add another layer of soaked sponge fingers. 
  • Top with the chocolate cream layer. 

Finish and Chill 

  • Dust the top with cocoa powder, sprinkle with finely chopped pistachios, and a drizzle of melted chocolate or gold leaf for an extra touch of Dubai elegance. 
  • Cover and chill in the fridge for 4-6 hours, or overnight, to allow the flavors to meld. 

Slice or scoop into serving glasses. Enjoy the layers of creamy pistachio, rich chocolate, and aromatic coffee with every bite! 

Merry Cooking!

That wraps the complete guide to a delightful Christmas feast! We have created a menu that is sure to make your holiday celebrations special, from the light and fresh Shrimp Cocktail to the warm and inviting Holubtsi, the flavourful Creamy Lemon Pasta with Salmon, and the luxurious Tiramisu inspired by the Dubai chocolate. These recipes are ideal for celebrating the happiness of the season, creating new traditions, and reconnecting loved ones. So put on your apron, celebrate the spirit of the season, and create a memorable Christmas. merry cooking and happy holidays!  

Curious about more cooking recipes? Check out our Halloween inspired dishes.