RecipeTin Eats x Good Food: the Christmas menu for $20 a head

This Christmas feast delivers a sleighful of wow factor on a budget of $20 a head, using a combination of supermarket and top-shelf ingredients.

Crostini with prawns on parmesan pea puree

What's a Christmas without prawns? This is a good way to make less go further and the pea puree provides a terrific colour base for pink prawns.

INGREDIENTS

Crostini

• 1 rustic or sourdough baguette
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, cut in half (skin on is fine)

Pea puree

• 150g frozen peas
• ½ small garlic clove, minced
• 1½ tbsp finely grated parmesan
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ tsp each salt and pepper
• 1½ tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Prawn topping

• 500g small cooked prawns, unpeeled (or 250g peeled)
• extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 1½ tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 ½ tbsp finely chopped large red chilli

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160C fan-forced (180C conventional).
2. To make the crostini, slice bread on the diagonal into 0.5cm-thick slices. Spread on a tray, lightly brush both sides with olive oil, and sprinkle lightly with salt. Bake for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from the oven and rub the surface lightly with garlic. Bake for a further 5 minutes or until completely crisp. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool before topping.
4. To make the pea puree, boil the peas until soft, following packet directions, then drain well. Transfer to a small bowl. Add garlic, parmesan, olive oil, and salt and pepper. Blitz with a hand-held stick blender until smooth. Stir through the mint and lemon juice. Set aside to cool.
5. To prepare the prawns, peel then chop meat into 1cm pieces.
6. To serve, smear the crostini with the pea puree, pile on the chopped prawns, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with the parsley and chilli.

Makes 16

Cracking crackling pork roast

Countless people have told me this method yields the best crackling they have ever seen. Now it's your turn to experience it! Keep the pork skin as level as possible throughout roasting, and especially during the final blast, to ensure perfect bubbly crackling from end to end.

INGREDIENTS

• 3kg free-range pork shoulder, boneless, skin on, not scored
• 1½ tsp + 1½ tsp cooking salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2½ tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
• 2 brown onions, halved
• 500ml (2 cups) dry white wine

Gravy

• 35g (¼ cup) flour
• 500ml (2 cups) low-salt chicken stock

METHOD

1. Pat pork shoulder skin dry and smooth out any wrinkles as best you can. If time permits, leave it uncovered in the fridge overnight to dry out.
2. Preheat oven to 220C fan-forced (240C conventional).
3. Combine 1½ tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, all the fennel seeds and 1 tbsp olive oil in a small bowl, then rub all over the pork flesh (not skin).
4. Flip the pork and drizzle skin with 1 tsp of oil and rub all over. Sprinkle with the remaining 1½ tsp salt.
5. Place the garlic and onions in a roasting pan, cut side up. Place the pork on top, skin side up, using the onions and garlic to position the pork so the skin is as level as possible.
6. Add the wine to the pan, taking care to not wet the skin.
7. Transfer to the oven and immediately turn temperature down to 140C fan-forced (160C conventional) and roast for 2½ hours.
8. At 1½ hours, take it out of the oven and use balls of scrunched-up foil to adjust the pork so the skin is as level as possible, and dab away any oil pooled in crevices on the skin with paper towels. Then return to the oven for another 1 hour.
9. At 2½ hours, remove the pork from the oven and check there is still liquid in the pan (add a little water if needed).
10. Turn the oven up to 250C fan-forced (and same temperature for conventional), or as high as it will go, if your oven will not go that high.
11. Return the pork to the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan every 10 minutes. Cover the crackling that's already crisp with foil (secured with water-soaked toothpicks) and continue to roast exposed parts until the skin is crisp all over. (Remember, the higher points will bubble faster and better.)
12. Transfer the pork to a serving platter, cover loosely with foil (don't worry, the crackling will stay super crisp) and rest for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour while you make the gravy.
13. To make the gravy, scoop 3 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan into a saucepan. Heat the fat over medium heat, then whisk in flour and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the stock while whisking to prevent lumps forming. Discard surplus fat from the remaining pan juices and strain the juices into the saucepan. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until it has a thin gravy consistency – it will thicken more as it cools – adding salt and pepper to taste.
14. To serve, slice the pork with a serrated knife. Pour gravy into a jug and serve separately.

Serves 8

TIPS

• To guarantee perfect crackling, buy freshly cut boneless pork shoulder that has not been scored, rolled, tied, or vacuum-packed. The drier and smoother the skin, the more perfect the crackling.
• If your pork was bought in a vacuum-sealed packet, the skin will be quite wet and wrinkly. Unpack it, flatten out the skin as best you can, pat dry well and leave uncovered in the fridge, preferably overnight (minimum 1 hour).
• Try to buy pork with skin that has not been scored. If the scores are cut too deep, meat juice will bubble up through the cuts and the skin won't crisp. This is the single biggest cause of crackling fails!

Sticky glazed Christmas chicken

You know the sticky ham glaze that everyone fights over? Put it on chicken instead! It's easier, cheaper, and I've had people tell me they prefer this to Christmas ham. The chicken can be roasted while the pork rests.

INGREDIENTS

• 2kg mix of bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks (large cutlets about 180g are ideal)
• extra oranges, sliced or cut into wedges, to serve

Marinade

• zest of 2 oranges (about 5 tsp)
• 125ml (½ cup) orange juice
• 60ml (¼ cup) cider vinegar
• 100g (½ cup) brown sugar, lightly packed
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1½ tsp allspice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 2 whole star anise
• 2 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper

METHOD

1. Whisk marinade ingredients in a jug until well combined and sugar is mostly dissolved. Pour into a large press-seal bag, add chicken then massage to distribute the marinade. Marinate for at least 12 hours, preferably 24 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C fan-forced (200C conventional).
3. Line 2 large trays with foil then baking paper (you'll thank me later). Divide chicken and marinade between the two trays and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, baste with pan juices, then roast for a further 20 minutes, basting with pan juices 2 or 3 more times until the chicken is deep golden and sticky. At first, the juices will be watery but in the final 10 minutes or so, they will thicken and darken. Once this happens, baste well.
4. Remove the top tray when it's ready, then move the second tray up and cook for a further 10 minutes or as needed to make the chicken golden and sticky.
5. Before plating up, baste again with the sticky juices and decorate with orange slices or wedges. The meat will be super tender – we've practically slow cooked the chicken!

Serves 8

Charred corn salad with creamy parmesan dressing

This is a spin on the popular Mexican street-food snack esquites. You can use frozen corn instead of fresh, but it won't be quite as special.

INGREDIENTS

• 30g (2 tbsp) butter
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 5 cups corn kernels cut from the cob (about 4 large corn cobs)
• ½ tsp each salt and pepper
• 1½ cups finely sliced spring onions (about 3 stems)

Creamy parmesan dressing

• ½ tsp each salt and pepper
• 65g (¼ cup) mayonnaise
• 60g (¼ cup) full-fat sour cream
• 50g (½ cup) finely grated parmesan
• 1 shallot, very finely minced
• 2-3 tbsp fresh lime juice (plus more to taste)

METHOD

1. Mix dressing ingredients together in a bowl, then set it aside while you cook the corn.
2. Melt half the butter in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the garlic, stir, then add half the corn, and half the salt and pepper. Shake to spread, then leave for 30 seconds so it goes golden. Stir briefly, then leave for another 30 seconds. Then stir leisurely for a minute or two until the corn is cooked, sweet and golden.
3. Transfer to a large bowl, and repeat with the remaining corn.
4. Pour over the dressing, add spring onions, toss to coat and serve warm.

Serves 8

TIP

• To remove the kernels without them flying everywhere, invert a ramekin inside a large bowl. Place the cob on top while you cut.

Smushed potato salad

Yes, I said "smushed". Not "smashed". "Smushed" is a very specific direction, where soft cooked baby potatoes are gently pressed so they burst open slightly, revealing their fluffy insides, ready to soak up the honey mustard dressing while still holding their form.

INGREDIENTS

Potatoes

• 1.5kg baby potatoes (same size)
• 1 tbsp salt
• ½ red onion, very finely sliced
• 1½ tsp fresh thyme leaves, to serve

Honey mustard dressing

• 2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
• 1½ tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 3 tbsp honey
• 3 tbsp cider vinegar
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ tsp each salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot of water, and add 1 tbsp salt. Bring to boil, then lower heat and simmer until cooked – they should not resist when pierced with a knife. Don't worry if the skins of some burst. Drain well.
2. Make the honey mustard dressing by shaking all ingredients in a jar.
3. While still hot, gently press down on a potato with a spoon or fork (or tea towel-covered hands), so it bursts open but retains its shape. Place it in a large serving bowl and repeat.
4. Add the onion, pour over the dressing and gently toss – it looks nice and rustic if some fall apart, though in a perfect world, most would hold together. Set aside for at least 30 minutes (even the next day is great!) to let the dressing soak in.
5. Just before serving, sprinkle with thyme leaves and give them another toss. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature – never fridge-cold.

Serves 8

Budget

• Crostini $3.10
• Crackling pork $6.74
• Christmas chicken $4.10
• Smushed potatoes $1.03
• Charred corn $1.51
• Pavlova Christmas tree $3.37

Total $19.85 per head

Nagi Maehashi runs one of Australia's most popular food blogs, RecipeTin Eats.