With all the thinking, organising, shopping, wrapping, cooking, drinking and general partying that goes with Christmas, it's the planning that is particularly important, especially when it comes to the main event – Christmas dinner.
Following on from our post of main course suggestions – a whole fish and a souvlaki style stuffed pork roll http://www.thecoeliacsrevenge.com/our-blog/2017/11/28/the-main-event – we wanted to offer a selection of fairly simple but delicious vegetable side dishes to go with them, which we’ll pass on in several blogs over the next week or so.
Sharing lots of vegetable accompaniments is not only a healthy and delicious way for everyone to eat but also makes for a varied and festive table for any vegetarians in the house.
The two recipes below are the picture of simplicity.
We hope you like them.
Caren, Jan and Rosie
ARTICHOKE AND PEA SALAD WITH PRESERVED LEMON AND ALMONDS
Serves 10 as part of a shared meal
500 gm artichoke hearts preserved in oil, drained
200 gm peas, fresh or frozen, cooked
1 lemon, finely grated zest
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
75 ml extra virgin olive oil
25 ml lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pinches salt
½ a preserved lemon, skin only, very finely sliced
3 tablespoons flaked almonds, toasted
Cut each drained artichoke heart in half and place in a bowl.
Add peas, lemon zest, parsley and black pepper.
Whisk olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and salt together to make a dressing.
At the last minute, pour dressing over artichoke mixture and toss gently until well combined.
Transfer to a serving platter and top with preserved lemon slices and toasted almond flakes.
ARMADILLO POTATOES WITH OREGANO SALT
Serves 10
20 Desiree (or any good roasting) potatoes
150 ml olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Greek oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
Preheat oven to 180°C.
Peel potatoes and halve lengthways.
To prevent cutting all the way through the potato when making the slashes on top, place a chopstick or similar on each side of the potato and cut through to the chopsticks as shown in the picture.
Brush well with olive oil and bake, turning every now and then, until golden brown.
Grind oregano and salt together until fine.
To serve, sprinkle with oregano salt to taste.