Cooking dishes for Christmas 2021, traditional recipes

Traditions from time immemorial

In Russian tradition, it has long been customary to celebrate not only Christmas, but also the holy evening preceding it - Christmas Eve. The name comes from the word “juicy”. This is the name in Rus' for unleavened flatbreads made from thinly rolled dough, fried in hemp oil. This is a traditional Christmas treat.

What did you cook on Christmas Eve? Since ancient times, there has been a custom to place 12 dishes on the table, according to the number of Christ’s apostles. These were borscht, mushroom soup or fish soup with unleavened ear pies, as well as fish dishes, all kinds of porridges, lean cabbage rolls, pancakes and dumplings. Of course, kutia was invariably prepared, which was endowed with a special sacred meaning. The grain from which it was cooked symbolized eternal life, honey - heavenly bliss, and nuts and poppy seeds - prosperity. It was believed that the tastier and more satisfying the kutia, the more happiness there would be in the house.

Today there is no longer a strict tradition of preparing exactly 12 dishes for Christmas dinner. And yet, as before, they appear at the festive feast in one form or another. We invite you to recall the most popular recipes.

Christmas dishes for Orthodox Christmas

How to set the table for Holy Evening?

Traditionally, on January 6 of each year, a wonderful, soulful and family holiday is celebrated - Holy Evening.

This is a time of reconciliation, a time of forgiveness, a time when it is necessary to forgive, accept and let go of what is not necessary.

This day coincides with the last day of fasting and, when it gets dark and the first star begins to be seen in the sky, then the whole family traditionally gathers at the table, where exactly 12 dishes are prepared with love and warmth in the heart.

This article will discuss which dishes have long been considered the most favorable for a cozy family meal on Holy Evening.

So, let's begin.

• Kutya

Kutya (kutya) is the main and most important dish. This is where the entire Christmas meal begins.

A very symbolic dish, which is always given great importance.

Kutya symbolizes financial wealth in the home, well-being and prosperity for all family members.

This dish is traditionally always prepared sweet; it is prepared with honey, poppy seeds, raisins and other dried fruits, sugar, candied fruits and uzvar. Every housewife has her own favorite recipe for this delicious dish.

The sweetness in this dish, which begins the pre-Christmas feast, is not accidental. It is believed that preparing this dish exactly sweet and eating it first in turn is necessary so that all family members always have a “sweet life.”

Kutya is prepared from grain, which is a symbol of eternal rebirth and strong faith in Christ the Savior.

• Pies and pies

Pies and pies must be on the table in sufficient quantity. They are always placed on the table near the owner of the house.

Any pastries and dough dishes prepared this evening symbolize the powerful masculine energy of the Sun.

Be sure to bake a variety of pies and pies! Let them be little by little, but different, with different fillings.

• Fish

Fish on the table this evening is also a must.

She is a symbol of the feminine energy of Water.

It is considered very good if there is also enough fish, and preferably several types, that is, cooked in different variations: fried, stewed, salted, etc.

There is also a belief that if a woman dreams of a child, then she prepares fish dishes for that evening in a particularly generous assortment and with a prayer in her heart for the blessing of a child.

• Vareniki

The dumplings you prepare can be filled with any filling you choose to suit your taste.

Prepare dumplings with potatoes, with cabbage, with mushrooms, with cabbage, mushrooms and onions (or with potatoes, mushrooms and onions), prepare sweet dumplings: with poppy seeds, prunes and nuts, with cherries.

There are a huge number of options.

The most important rule is that ready-made dumplings must be very generously seasoned with butter. This symbolically means that the righteous are guaranteed life in paradise, where they will live “in oil.”

• Dishes of their peas or beans

Great importance is attached to dishes made from peas and beans.

It is believed that their presence on the table brings prosperity to the house. Legumes also symbolize the divine eternal spring - rebirth after decline (death).

• Soup

This evening it is customary to eat a hot first course. As a rule, this is borscht or cabbage.

• Stuffed cabbage rolls

Stuffed cabbage rolls, as part of the Christmas menu, are symbolic only by their name, because the dove is a symbol of God's harmony, beauty, a symbol of peace and love.

• Uzvar

Served on the table, it symbolizes “living water”, which cleanses the human soul and body.

It is prepared from dried fruits with the addition of dried aromatic herbs (mint, lemon balm), fruits (rose hips, rowan), with the addition of juice from apples or pears.

This drink strengthens the body and gives a charge of good mood.

• Potato dishes

A traditional table may also include potato dishes. For example, round and golden potato pancakes (deruns), which symbolize the Sun.

Despite the fact that the table set for Holy Evening is considered fast, it is quite varied, rich and satisfying.

It’s not for nothing that this evening is also called the Generous Evening, and the meal itself is called the Rich Evening.

Pancake curls

Many housewives prepare delicious pancakes with fillings for the Christmas table. We invite you to support the tradition. Whisk the egg with 500 ml of milk. Sift through 4 tbsp portions. l. with a heap of flour, add 1 tbsp. l. sugar and 0.5 tsp. coarse salt, gradually knead the batter. Pour in 70 ml of boiling water and 3 tbsp. l. vegetable oil. Let the dough “bloom” for 15 minutes and start frying the pancakes.

Next, take the finished cooled pancake, grease it with curd cheese, lay out a few slices of lightly salted salmon, and roll it into a tight roll. Prepare the remaining pancakes in the same way and place them in the refrigerator for an hour. Then we cut them into portioned rolls, serve them on a platter and decorate them with fresh herbs - the delicious holiday appetizer is ready.

A simple and delicious recipe for Christmas jellied meat with photos

I took 2 small pork knuckles + chicken breast + chicken back for 4 liters of water. I cook the shanks for 3 hours without spices and salt, then add chicken + spices - sweet and black peas, bay leaves, garlic, 2 carrots, salt and cook for another 1 hour over low heat, periodically removing the foam. The jellied meat cools overnight, then I take it apart, strain the broth, and separate the meat from the bone, cut it and separate it into fibers. I add garlic to taste, add some salt, and blot off any excess fat with a napkin. I pour it into plates and bowls and garnish with carrots and herbs. It will harden and you can serve it. Bon appetit and festive mood!

Salmon in oranges

Main fish dishes should definitely be on the Christmas table. The recipe for salmon in a citrus marinade is exactly what you need. Mix the marinade from freshly squeezed juice of half an orange, 1 tbsp. l. olive oil, 2 tsp. honey and 2 tsp. soy sauce. We wash the red fish steak, pat it dry with a paper towel, pour over the marinade and leave for 20 minutes. During this time, brown 0.5 tsp in a dry frying pan. Grind peppercorns and the same amount of coarse salt in a mortar.

Place orange slices in a greased pan. Place the marinated steak on top, sprinkle with salt and pepper, add 2 sprigs of thyme and cover again with orange slices. Bake the fish in the oven for 10–12 minutes at 180°C.

Calculate the number of servings based on the number of guests. We recommend serving green beans with a fresh salad as a side dish.

Kutya is extraordinary

Kutya can rightfully be called the main culinary symbol of Christmas. The basis is most often wheat, rice, pearl barley or bulgur. Choose grains at your discretion.

Steam 3-4 tbsp in boiling water. l. poppy seeds, then drain the excess liquid and knead thoroughly with a pestle or grind in a coffee grinder. Also steam 50 g of light raisins in hot water for 5 minutes, then dry well.

Boil 200 g of pearl barley in water without salt until tender, drain in a colander and cool. Mix warm pearl barley with 2-3 tbsp. l. honey Dry 100 g of walnuts in a frying pan without oil, crush them not too finely and add them to the cereal along with the raisins. Some of the raisins can be used for decoration. Serve kutia in beautiful bowls. Place a separate bowl with kutya in the center of the table.

Festive vinaigrette

Among Christmas salads, vinaigrette occupies a special place. In one pan, cook 2 small beets for 1–1.5 hours, in another - 3 medium potatoes and large carrots until softened. Cool the vegetables, peel them and cut them into equal, neat cubes. It is better to cut the beets separately and immediately mix with 1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil. In this form, it will not “color” other ingredients so intensely. We also dice 2 pickled cucumbers and a small head of onion.

Combine boiled vegetables, cucumbers and onions in a deep container, add 4-5 tbsp. l. canned peas, salt and pepper to taste, season with sunflower oil. For a beautiful presentation, spoon the vinaigrette onto plates using a molding ring and garnish each serving with a lettuce leaf.

The easiest and fastest homemade chicken roast in the oven

Usually the roast is baked in portions in pots. But if you don’t have the time or desire to spend a long time distributing ingredients into containers, then you can cook an incredibly tasty dish in a large, deep baking pan.

The roast is quite a profitable dish in itself - it includes meat and a side dish. In addition, they can always be heated together. You can take absolutely any part of the chicken: wings, breast, drumsticks, etc. But it is still advisable to take the thighs, remove the skin from them and remove the bones so that the guests do not have to dig into their food. This pulp turns out to be quite fatty and will not dry out.

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs, potatoes - 500 g each.
• Hard melted cheese – 200 gr.
• Sour cream, water – 200 ml.
• Mustard, sunflower oil - 2-3 tbsp. l.
• Onions, carrots - 1 pc.
• Ground black pepper, salt - to taste.

Preparation:

1. Cut the chicken flesh into pieces and place them in a deep bowl. Lightly salt, pepper and add liquid mustard. Mix all ingredients until the meat is coated with seasonings. Thanks to this, the fibers will become softer and the dish will have a piquant note.

2. While the meat is lightly marinated, let's start with the vegetables. We peel fairly large carrots and cut them into bars no more than a centimeter thick.

3. Remove the peel from a large onion. We chop it into wide half rings. In principle, you can do it in large cubes. The main thing about this vegetable is its juice, which imbues the roast with an amazing aroma.

4. After peeling the potatoes, cut them into wide bars. You shouldn’t make them too thin so that they don’t boil over during stewing.

5. Grease a baking sheet with sunflower oil and lay out the chicken pieces. Place them in an oven preheated to 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes so that the meat is slightly baked on the outside. At the same time, pour sunflower oil into a deep frying pan and fry sliced ​​potatoes, carrots and onions in it. There is no need to fry it too much - just brown it slightly.

Pork in honey mustard glaze

What's a Christmas menu without roast pork? We suggest preparing it as follows. We wash a pork ham weighing 1.5–2 kg in water and dry it. Pass the peeled head of garlic through a press. Knead it with 1 tsp. coarse salt, a mixture of peppers, add the juice of half a lemon, 2 tbsp. l. Dijon mustard and honey to taste. You can add your favorite herbs. Carefully coat a piece of pork with marinade on all sides and put it in the refrigerator for at least a day.

Allow the pork to come to room temperature before roasting. We wrap it in foil so that there is a layer of air and bake it in the oven at 220°C for an hour. Then open the foil and brush the meat with glaze from 6 tbsp. l. mustard powder and 1 tbsp. l. honey, return to the oven for another 20 minutes. To serve, slice the roast pork and garnish with rosemary sprigs.

Recipes for delicious gourmet Christmas hot meat dishes 2021

Christmas is a family holiday; all those closest to you gather around the table. What to cook? Of course, roast beef or brisket is an ideal option for a large company. Or, for example, ribs baked in red wine. If the company is not so big, fry flank or warm everyone up with soup with ribeye and champignons. If there is marbled Primebeef beef on the table, it will turn out delicious, no matter what dish you choose. You can cook the most tender beef in pots.

Ingredients:

• Beef 400 gr.
• For the marinade (2 cloves of garlic, 1 onion, salt, pepper, mayonnaise).
• Potatoes 4 pcs.
• Red onion 1 pc.
• Carrot 1 pc.
• Bell pepper 1 yellow and 1 red.
• Tomato 2 pcs.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• For the sauce (2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 tablespoon of sour cream, a glass of water, salt, pepper).

Preparation:

1. I marinated the meat on January 6th late in the evening (salted and peppered it, put the garlic through a garlic press, cut the onion into half rings and mixed everything), covered it with a lid and put it in the refrigerator.
2. On the evening of December 7th I got it.
3. We clean the vegetables, cut them into cubes, mix them, add salt and pepper and put them in pots. Place meat on top.
4. Place in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Next, take it out and pour a little sauce into each pot (tomato paste, sour cream, salt, pepper, water) and put it in the oven again for 30 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with finely chopped dill.

A very important goose

In Russia, like in many countries, it is customary to cook baked goose for Christmas. We wash the gutted carcass in water and dry it. Rub it inside and out with salt and a mixture of spices. It can be black and white pepper, paprika, curry, ginger, crushed garlic - whatever you like best.

Steam 100 g of dried apricots and raisins in boiling water, drain the water and dry. Boil 250 g of buckwheat until half cooked, mix with softened dried fruits. Loosely stuff the carcass, sew up the hole with cotton thread and place it in a baking sleeve. You can put vegetables inside as a side dish, such as Brussels sprouts. Don't forget to make several punctures in the sleeve.

Bake the goose at 200 °C for 1.5 hours, then cut and open the sleeve, cook for another 30–45 minutes. At the very end, grease the bird with a mixture of the juice of half a lemon, 4 tbsp. l. soy sauce and 2 tbsp. l. honey It is better to serve the baked goose whole on a large platter, surrounded on all sides with Brussels sprouts and garnished with sprigs of herbs.

Chicken with apples and oranges for Christmas

Traditionally, on the first Christmas day after Lent (now January 7), pork or goose was cooked. By the way, in many countries goose with apples is considered the main Christmas dish. However, duck or chicken would not be a big departure from the canons. The latter is also very easy to prepare with fruit. For this you will need the following products:

• whole chicken;
• one apple and one orange;
• 4-5 cloves of garlic;
• a tablespoon of soy sauce;
• a couple of teaspoons of mustard;
• a teaspoon of chicken seasoning;
• half a teaspoon of rosemary;
• 50 g butter and a tablespoon of vegetable oil;
• salt, ground ginger and adjika.

The first step is to prepare the marinade. To do this, in a bowl you should mix mustard, a pinch of ginger, just a little adjika, rosemary, a mixture of chicken spices, garlic crushed in a press, vegetable oil and soy sauce.

Rub the chicken with coarse salt and coat with sauce. You need to spread it not only on the outside, but also on the inside. The bird must marinate for at least 2 hours. It’s best to leave it in the refrigerator (at +5°C) for the whole night.

Grease the baking dish with butter. You can also slip a little oil under the skin of the chicken. Stuff the inside of the bird with orange and apple pieces. Seal the hole using toothpicks. The legs of the chicken must be tied, and the tips of the wings must be inserted into shallow cuts in the breast.

Pour some water into the bottom of the mold and place the bird there. Place the prepared dish in an oven preheated to 190°C. After about 45 minutes, remove the chicken, turn it over, pour the juice over it and bake for another 45 minutes. After this, you need to take out the dish, let it breathe a little and you can take it to the table.

Fruit round dance

In the old days in Rus' they always put a brew, or compote of dried fruits, on the Christmas table. The main rule: the more different dried fruits, the tastier.

Take 100 g of dried apples and pears, the same amount of dried apricots and prunes. Soak them in water overnight, dry them and place them in 1–1.5 liters of boiling water. At this stage, add aromatic spices: cinnamon, cardamom, ground cloves, ginger. You can also add lemon or orange zest.

After boiling, boil the assorted fruits for 2-3 minutes, cover tightly with a lid and leave for at least 4 hours. Next, strain the broth, add honey to taste and completely dissolve. Serve the uzvar in transparent glasses with whole dried fruits and tangerine slices.

This is what the menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day might look like. Take these recipes to your culinary collection, be inspired by our ideas and delight your loved ones with delicious holiday dishes. Look for even more traditional Christmas treats on the “Eat at Home” website. What does your family cook for Christmas? Share your signature recipes in the comments.

Jellied fish “Pike perch”

Many people prepare jellied meat, brawn or tongue in jelly for Christmas. Why not enjoy a beautiful fish aspic? Especially if you use a piece of noble pike perch pulp baked in the oven for this dish.

It is not at all necessary to make a large plate for this - small muffin tins will also do - portioned aspic will look very impressive, especially if you decorate it with lemon slices, herbs, curly slices of fresh vegetables or boiled quail eggs on top.

Ingredients:

• Pike perch fillet – 500 gr.
• Gelatin – 15 gr.
• Fish broth - 1.5 cups.
• Water – ½ cup.
• Onions, carrots - 1 pc.
• Bay leaf – 1 pc.
• Black peppercorns – 2 pcs.
• Ground black pepper, salt - to taste.
• Greenery - for decoration.

Preparation:

1. Place the washed and dried boneless pike perch fillet on a baking sheet lined with parchment, skin side down. Lightly add salt and season with ground pepper. Place in an oven preheated to 100 degrees and bake for about an hour. Then remove from the oven and let cool completely.