There are some things that should never change at Christmas. Our towering pine tree will always bend as it touches the ceiling, dripping with mismatched baubles, tinsel and lights, and a plump handmade fairy sitting on top. Lunch will always be served later than planned and everyone will share their terrible cracker jokes while wearing a paper crown. For me these are part of the immutable rituals of Christmas, but our meal is something that has changed.
We’ve moved on from turkey to a rich savoury duck sitting proud with its crisp skin and blush flesh. Bowls of steaming lentils sticky with dates are punctuated with bitter deep purple radicchio. This works as a perfect pairing and I no longer miss roast potatoes, although they would still eat well with this meal. Creamed horseradish and pickled walnuts still play an important role at our table keeping at least some of the traditionalists’ content.
