Three easy (and delicious) Christmas dishes from Elizabeth Hewson

When even a domestic goddess like our resident cooking columnist is feeling the end of year pinch it’s time for some festive Christmas lunch hacks.

Butterfly chicken with festive pangrattato, by Lizzie Hewson. Picture: Nikki To

Each year, Christmas arrives not with a gentle wave but a swell. No matter how much I tell myself to get organised, to slow down, to say “no,” I’m inevitably met with a long list of to-dos, end-of-year events, and the kind of racing around that feels a bit like untangling Christmas lights. And then Christmas Day comes.

I’ve always been the cook. Even when we’re not at home, I take over the stove at my parents’ or my in-laws’. I plan the sprawling menus, drive across Sydney for the specialty ingredients I love, and chop, prep, and wrap late into the night. It’s a rhythm I know well: early wakes with excited little feet, menus big enough to feed a battalion, and me in the kitchen insisting, “I’m fine, I’ve got it,” while quietly doing everything myself. I’ll admit I’m a control freak; I appreciate help, but I prefer doing it my way — though I’ll happily leave the cleaning to someone else.

And I do love it. I live for this kind of cooking and for having people around my table. But that’s the trap: I make it heavier than it needs to be. I want it perfect. I want it abundant. I want it all.

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But this year feels different. I’m tired in that bone-deep way that makes you reconsider the rituals you usually protect. I’m dragging myself towards that imaginary finish line. So, I’m softening the edges. I’ve decided perfection is a weakness, not a strength. I’m sharing the load. And this year it’s a gentler Christmas menu — looser, lighter, still full of heart, just without the pressure.

‘Collaboration and simplicity’ is the key to a successful Christmas lunch, says Hewson. Picture: Nikki To

My words going into this are: collaboration and simplicity. Instead of planning it all myself, the Christmas call has gone out to friends and family to each take charge of a key element (much like how Lennox and I have approached this menu). For me, that means dropping the stuffed turkey breast and giving our regular roast chook a Christmas glow-up.

It starts with butterflying the chook: easier to carve, cooks evenly and quickly, and frees up precious oven space. Here it’s finished with a festive topping of fried breadcrumbs, ruby cranberries, bright pistachios, parsley and fragrant lemon zest. I might be exhausted, but I’m not missing a chance to sprinkle a little Christmas cheer. It’s served simply with its chickens, lemony juices. With Christmas lunches feeling smaller these days, a chook sits neatly among the spread — though you could easily do two. Once it’s had its moment on the table, I cut it into eight pieces for ease.

Then comes a salad inspired by one of my favourite writers, Diana Henry. Her harissa-roasted tomato and fennel version is heavenly, but at this time of year I crave something fresher. So instead of roasting the fennel, I shave it thinly and shock it in iced water for bite. Preserved lemon lifts the dressing. It’s a salad built for a long lunch, it sits happily without drooping, and the leftovers are genuinely wonderful (something worth considering when planning Christmas).

And since Lennox is bringing his mum’s pavlova, which is impossible to compete with, I wanted a dessert that acts as a palate-cleanser after the long lunch — something you can fit in even when you’re sure you can’t. Fresh, cold, more-ish, and a little kitschy: a bright green minty granita topped with chilled poached cherries in spiced syrup with a scoop of store-bought vanilla ice cream. A different sort of dessert to match my different approach this year.

Here’s to the imperfect cooks this Christmas — may we loosen our grip, embrace the chaos, and let the edges soften, enjoying the day for what it is: good food, good company, and less pressure. 


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Make Christmas easy with these tips from Elizabeth Hewson

Embrace the short cuts.

Ask your butcher to butterfly (another word for spatchcock) the chicken. Buy the vanilla ice cream. You could even buy the cherries for the granita pre-prepared (amarena cherries in syrup work beautifully). There are some amazing brands doing great ham glazes. And if pavlova-making is your Achilles’ heel, a pre-made pavlova nest is your friend. Taking the short way out still counts as Christmas magic.

Do as much as you can the day before.

For me, this means frying the breadcrumbs for my chicken (but I’ll only add the extra festive ingredients just before serving so they don’t get soggy), making the granita, prepping cherries, and getting ingredients ready to assemble on the day.

Simplify the salads.

I always feel the need to serve several, but really, one beautiful salad is enough, accompanied by very simple sides. A green leaf salad is perfection. Boiled potatoes cooled and tossed in olive oil, white wine vinegar, finely sliced white onion and plenty of salt is heaven.

Condiments matter.

Mustards, relishes and chutneys elevate everything.

Think room temperature.

Aussie Christmases are made for it – the chicken does not need to be piping hot!