Side dishes on Christmas day are crucial. Ours usually consist of salads and new season Oamaru potatoes but this year I will do something a little more traditional. Tradition doesn’t have to be boring; layering flavours onto simple, fresh vegetables is anything but. If you are using fresh produce, it’s important not to overpower the vegetables but season well with salt and pepper.
Beetroot is hands down my favourite vegetable. Its beautifully vibrant colour will liven any dish and it’s a great source of fibre, vitamins, folic acid and antioxidants—carotenoids and flavonoids, which can help prevent disease.
This Christmas I will have the whole family down at the beach, cousins from Townsville, sister (plus boyfriend and his kids) from Sydney, plus all of us Kiwis and two cats. Although I want to please everyone’s palates on the day, I have vowed that I will not be too ambitious with Christmas lunch. It is important that this day’s meal is special but what is more important is that everyone enjoys it—even the cook! That’s why these vegetables are perfect: they are simple and delicious.