Australian Christmas feasts: Guy Grossi’s Christmas
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Version 0 of 1. Traditionally, Christmas eve has always been a very special evening when my family gets together to celebrate the meaning of Christmas. We would often have a beautiful supper just before midnight mass. Dad would make his specialty Russian salad and there was often some cold prawns or one of Mum’s beautiful risotto. It was always a race to get home and in bed before Santa found us. In our family, because Dad was also a chef, Christmas day was celebrated at dinner when he had finished work. This is still relevant for us today so once the restaurants close up, we all gather at my place for a feast of cured meats, seafood, roast pig (usually) and panettone. A few years ago, like any good Italian, I installed a wood fired pizza oven in the backyard. This was a great way to cook the roast pig or beef for the day. The kids often get to make pizza dough during the day and late at night they spread it with Nutella for extra dessert. Mum still makes her special lasagne recipe, which the children love and no Christmas celebration would be the same without it. Everyone has a part in preparing the meal so the day is a social event around the preparation as well as the feasting. We are very fortunate to have such beautiful food to celebrate but the real joy comes from being surrounded by family and friends, and sharing in the memories of the year. Some of my most magical moments have been over Christmas dinner, sharing stories and experiences with my dad in the later years of his life. I still make the Russian salad in the kitchen at Florentino on Christmas day, and bring it home for our Christmas dinner. I remember one Christmas we were all having so much fun that we completely forgot about the pig in the oven. No roast pig that day – but nobody seemed to mind. Our family has extended over the years and those who aren’t preparing dishes together on the day, want to bring something. We often end up with specialty dishes from many different cultures. And of course it wouldn’t be Christmas without the panettone. The yeasty vanilla smells of this sweet soft bread as it is cut at the table typifies the Christmas dinner. Guy Grossi’s Porchetta recipe This famed Tuscan pork roll is stuffed with flavourings and slowly roasted. It is often sold on the street as a cold cut for panini. Here is my version of this local favourite. You need to start this a day in advance. Serves eight <strong>½ tsp fennel seeds</strong> <strong>½ tsp cracked black pepper</strong> <strong>½ tsp chilli flakes</strong> <strong>2 sprigs rosemary, leaves chopped</strong> <strong>½ bunch sage, leaves chopped sea salt</strong> <strong>3 kg pork shoulder, deboned and skin on</strong> <strong>2½ tbsp olive oil</strong> Combine the fennel seeds, pepper, chilli flakes, rosemary, sage and one tablespoon of salt. Lay the pork shoulder, skin-side down, on a chopping board and season with the spice and herb mixture. Roll the pork up into a log. Cut four pieces of twine long enough to tie around the pork. Lay the twine at even intervals on the benchtop and place the rolled pork on top. Tie each length of twine firmly around the pork so that the meat holds its shape during cooking. Season the pork skin with salt and leave uncovered in the fridge for 24 hours to dry out. Preheat the oven to 170°C. Place the pork on a wire rack in a roasting tin, seam-side down, and drizzle with the olive oil. Cook for three hours, turning halfway through, until the pork is tender and cooked through, with a nice crispy skin. Leave the pork to rest for 10 minutes before carving. <em>• This recipe comes from Guy Grossi's Love Italy, with photography by Mark Chew, published by Lantern. RRP $100.</em> Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |