Christmas day platters: 

The Christmas countdown is on - meaning it's the season of sharing platters and pre-dinner nibbles.

Pickled vegetables 

Cook time: 5 minutes 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Serves: 12 

Pickled vegetables can include:  

Carrots, fennel, baby beetroot, radish, red onions, cucumbers or red cabbage  

1 tsp fennel seeds  

1 tsp coriander seeds  

2 chili  

2 bay leaves  

1 tsp mustard seeds  

300 ml cider vinegar  

250 ml water  

1/4 cup sugar  

Sterilized jar and lid 

Firstly prepare the vegetables for pickling. Clean all the vegetables and cut in 1/2 or 1/4 or finely slice. Try to make all the vegetable pieces roughly the same size.  

To make your pickle mixture, start by toasting your seeds in a pan until fragrant. Place the rest of the pickling mixture ingredients into a pot, adding seeds once toasted and heat until boiling.  

Remove the pickling mixture from the heat and carefully pour the hot mixture over the top of the vegetables and seal with a lid. (If pickling cucumbers or finely sliced veg allow mixture to cool first)  

To sterilize your jars and lids - 

Start by washing the jars and lids in soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Place the jars onto a tray open side up and then into a cold oven and turn onto 100*c. Once the oven reaches 100*c, leave in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove jars from the oven to allow to cool slightly before use. 

For the lids, simply place them into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to the boil and heat the lids for 10 minutes before draining and using. 

Sticky Onion jam 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Serves: 2 cups 

3 red onions, finely sliced length ways  

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar  

4 tbsp brown sugar  

Pinch of salt 

Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan. Cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Stirring every couple 5 minutes.’ 

Roasted beetroot hummus 

Cook time: 45 minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6-8

2 cups chickpeas, soaked over night in water  

2 whole beetroot  

1 tbsp cooking oil  

2 tbsp tahini  

1 tsp baking powder  

1/2 tsp curry powder  

Sea salt 

Pre-heat the oven to 180*c  

Individually wrap the beetroot in tin-foil, drizzle over a little oil and sprinkle over a touch of salt before wrapping.  

Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes before testing. Test by inserting a small knife to see if the beetroot is cooked. Once cooked allow to cool before removing skin.  

While the beetroot is cooking, place the soaked chickpeas into a large pot, cover with cold water and add a touch of salt and the baking powder. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Once cooked drain.  

Place the beetroot into a food processor and biltz until smooth. Add the chickpeas and biltz until smooth. Add the tahini, curry powder and seasalt to finish. 

LISTEN ABOVE

<h2>Christmas day platters:&nbsp;</h2>
The Christmas countdown is on - meaning it's the season of sharing platters and pre-dinner nibbles.
Pickled vegetables&nbsp;
Cook time: 5 minutes&nbsp;
Prep time: 10 minutes&nbsp;
Serves: 12&nbsp;
Pickled vegetables can include: &nbsp;
Carrots, fennel, baby beetroot, radish, red onions, cucumbers or red cabbage &nbsp;
1 tsp fennel seeds &nbsp;
1 tsp coriander seeds &nbsp;
2 chili &nbsp;
2 bay leaves &nbsp;
1 tsp mustard seeds &nbsp;
300 ml cider vinegar &nbsp;
250 ml water &nbsp;
1/4 cup sugar &nbsp;
Sterilized jar and lid&nbsp;
Firstly prepare the vegetables for pickling. Clean all the vegetables and cut in 1/2 or 1/4 or finely slice. Try to make all the vegetable pieces roughly the same size. &nbsp;
To make your pickle mixture, start by toasting your seeds in a pan until fragrant. Place the rest of the pickling mixture ingredients into a pot, adding seeds once toasted and heat until boiling. &nbsp;
Remove the pickling mixture from the heat and carefully pour the hot mixture over the top of the vegetables and seal with a lid. (If pickling cucumbers or finely sliced veg allow mixture to cool first) &nbsp;
To sterilize your jars and lids -&nbsp;
Start by washing the jars and lids in soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Place the jars onto a tray open side up and then into a cold oven and turn onto 100*c. Once the oven reaches 100*c, leave in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove jars from the oven to allow to cool slightly before use.&nbsp;
For the lids, simply place them into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to the boil and heat the lids for 10 minutes before draining and using.&nbsp;
Sticky Onion jam&nbsp;
Cook time: 30 minutes&nbsp;
Prep time: 5 minutes&nbsp;
Serves: 2 cups&nbsp;
3 red onions, finely sliced length ways &nbsp;
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar &nbsp;
4 tbsp brown sugar &nbsp;
Pinch of salt&nbsp;
Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan. Cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Stirring every couple 5 minutes.’&nbsp;
Roasted beetroot hummus 
Cook time: 45 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6-8
2 cups chickpeas, soaked over night in water &nbsp;
2 whole beetroot &nbsp;
1 tbsp cooking oil &nbsp;
2 tbsp tahini &nbsp;
1 tsp baking powder &nbsp;
1/2 tsp curry powder &nbsp;
Sea salt&nbsp;
Pre-heat the oven to 180*c &nbsp;
Individually wrap the beetroot in tin-foil, drizzle over a little oil and sprinkle over a touch of salt before wrapping. &nbsp;
Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes before testing. Test by inserting a small knife to see if the beetroot is cooked. Once cooked allow to cool before removing skin. &nbsp;
While the beetroot is cooking, place the soaked chickpeas into a large pot, cover with cold water and add a touch of salt and the baking powder. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Once cooked drain. &nbsp;
Place the beetroot into a food processor and biltz until smooth. Add the chickpeas and biltz until smooth. Add the tahini, curry powder and seasalt to finish.&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE

News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your Sunday morning listening covered with The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB.

The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Mike Van de Elzen: Tips for the perfect Christmas platter

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/c7611b9c-b676-41c1-a5a1-b238018a678d/transcript

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