FOOD FOR THOUGHT
From thoughtful gifting to festive food ideas that won’t break the bank, here’s our guide to hosting Christmas while keeping one eye on your budget
LUXE-FORLESS FOOD
● ONLY COOK WHAT YOU NEED.
A 2kg turkey crown serves around four people, a 4kg small turkey serves 6-8, and a 5.5kg medium-large turkey serves 10-12. If your budget is tight, go smaller on the turkey and concentrate on purse-friendly sides. Try cavolo nero tossed in crispy fried chilli and garlic; cumin and lemony roasted carrots; or a bubbling cauliflower cheese. A pangrattato, made by frying breadcrumbs in olive oil and garlic, is great on buttery cabbage or broccoli.
● DRESS IT UP.
Make herbed butter to amp up bread and crackers by mashing up finely chopped fresh herbs with softened butter. Thin, toasted baguette slices topped with prawns on smoked paprika and rosemary butter, or whipped feta and honey with a pinch of chilli, make delicious canapés.
● SPREAD THE COST.
Frozen turkeys are great value if you have enough room in your freezer and can be bought ahead of the big Christmas shop, helping to spread the cost.
● TRY A DIFFERENT CENTREPIECE.
Roast porchetta makes a spending-savvy Christmas Day lunch. Roast a butterflied pork shoulder, which will come in under £10 for 2kg, and stuff with a sage, parsley, pine nut and raisin filling; it also makes great sandwiches if you have any leftovers!
● USE AN AIR FRYER.
They’re cheaper to run than ovens and use about half the energy. Crisping up sprouts and stuffing balls, or cooking pigs in blankets or roast potatoes in the air fryer also maximises oven space for the main roast. They’re also fab at rev
