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. 

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