Our selection of Christmas recipes. (Credit: L'OLJ)
Sleighs and glowing Santa Clauses are popping up on the streets, traffic is getting heavier each day near shopping centers, restaurants are starting to promote their holiday menus, and photos of yule logs are all over your social media feed.
In honor of your Christmas dinner being just around the corner, here is a selection of recipes brought to you by Lebanese professional chefs and passionate amateurs.
As a snack
Christmas means vacation, and Christmas snacks mean Christmas cookies. Discover these sugar and spice cookies by devoted amateur Jaimee Lee Haddad.
If you have a little extra time, why not try May Bsat's pistachio achta mochis, or Chef Alan Geaam's Lebanese-style cookies?
As a starter
Pumpkin and cashew, a winter soup classic by Jaimee Lee Haddad. Or go with something a bit more sophisticated: a creamy mushroom soup with a fried egg, by Alan Geaam. This velouté melts in your mouth.
For turkey fans
We have two stuffed turkey recipes. The first, by Joanna Kassem, is served with chestnuts and stuffed with a mixture of sourdough bread, leeks and wild thyme sautéed in duck fat.
Chef Tarek Alameddine's version is filled with a blend of vegetables, citrus and ginger, served with an apple reduction and boosted with white wine.
If you don't like turkey
Let's be clear, turkey isn't the be-all and end-all of Christmas. If fish is more your thing, Armenian Christmas fish by chef Aline Kamakian is for you. A flavorful dish that's both light and budget-friendly.
To close out one year and welcome another, chef Tara Khattar shared with us a few years ago a “white dish” that's supposed to bring good luck, prosperity, and peace. This dish is a kibbeh labniyeh.
For dessert
For die-hard bûche fans, Karine Zablit offers an all-chocolate version made with a soft, airy Viennese cocoa sponge, a dark chocolate ganache, and for crunch, toasted hazelnut pieces.
For those who want to go off the beaten track once again, why not try the chestnut and orange torch that Farid Chehab and Nicole Razzouk shared with us? A rare mix of flavors, blending orange (an affordable seasonal fruit) in several ways and essential chestnut.
For after the holidays, we suggest Aline Kamakian's spiced dried fruit compote (Khoshav), a dessert made with leftover dried fruits from the New Year period.
