Spice Up Your Christmas Dinner : Five Festive Alternatives To Turkey

If you are tired of the same old traditional food every Christmas, you’re not alone. I mean, Christmas pudding, baked potatoes, casseroles and turkey with all the trimmings are great, but there are so many more interesting and festive foods! If you are hankering to put something new on the table for this Christmas feast, then you are in the right place! Get ready for some delicious alternatives to the tired traditional Christmas foods!

1.) A Slice of Goose Anyone?

This delicious turkey alternative is not only delicious and unique, but it featured in Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. So, if you’re willing to serve up an exotic and unique christmas meal, make this bird the centre of your table. Cooking a goose is different than a turkey, so be sure to look up some recipes and get ready to be delighted!

2) Ostrich – The Exotic Turkey Alternative

Interested in upping the ‘exotic’ in your Christmas meal this year? How about Ostrich Wellington! It might sound rare and hard to find, but, believe it or not, they are actually bred on farms around the country! The meat is delicious, and tastes like a good beef fillet. A family of 8 can easily eat well on about 2kg of ostrich meat.

3) Not a Meat Eater? No Problem!

If you are tired of the same old nut roast, or quorn roast, why not try out one of these delicious options. How about field mushrooms stuffed with nuts, garlic & feta, or stuffed butternut squash? A Roast onion squash, stuffed with blue cheese risotto makes a great main course. Decorate your dishes and you will have a stunning table fit for royalty!

4) Go International for a Change

If you are really looking to step out of the box, why not try grilling out. So long as the weather is right, make sure you have a great selection of meats, seafood and prawns and do it Aussie style!

If you are a little more adventurous, try out some traditional tamales. These corn husk wrapped morsels of goodness are tasty and exotic, and a great addition to your Christmas table.

5) Seafood Lovers

Baked whole sea bass is the italian traditional christmas meat. Try this delicious addition to your table topped with rosemary, pepper and onions for a truly international Christmas option. Topped with roast vegetables and drizzled in lemon butter, this impressive dish is the perfect option for your main course.

Prefer something a little spicey? Why not go Thai with a side of salmon. Create a delicious marinade by mixing hoisin and soy sauce, some garlic, Thai herbs, fish stock and chopped red chilli peppers. Drizzle a little lemon and serve for a spicy delicious Christmas meal.

6) Tired of Christmas Pudding? Try a Souffle!

Christmas pudding- you either love it or hate it. But, as delicious as it might be, a little change is never a bad thing when it comes to planning your christmas desserts. Why not try pulling out all the stops and create something truly impressive this Christmas! A stolen parfait is a delicious Christmas pudding option that mixes the traditional rum and fruit with icing sugar and glace’ cherries. Scrumptious, exotic, and unforgettable.

If you are a still hankering for something hot to finish off your Christmas meal, and want some hot pud, try a hot panettone pudding instead. This delicious Italian bread pudding is rich with cream, vanilla and drizzled with amaretto for a festive fix to finish off your exotic meal with a bang.

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By Geoff Roy

Geoff Roy raises awareness of charities selling Christmas charity cards on the Cards for Charity website