Among the mad rush of Christmas, don’t neglect the most important meal of the day: breakfast. It’s vital fuel to get you through the day, particularly if you are hosting or nursing a sore head from the night before. Christmas Day breakfast should feel festive and special, but it shouldn’t overwhelm. These recipes are easy enough to put together for a crowd without a fuss, and can be made ahead of time, giving you plenty of time to concentrate on locating the crackers, chilling the champagne, basting the turkey or perhaps even just enjoying the festivities.
Giant beetroot latke with creme fraiche and smoked salmon (pictured top)
Who wants to slave over a hot pan making several small latkes when you can make a colossal, showstopping one? If you want to get ahead, make this in advance and reheat in the oven for 10 minutes.
Prep 20 min
Rest 30 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 6
400g large starchy potatoes, grated
400g beetroot, peeled and grated
2 banana shallots, peeled and sliced into very fine half-moons
Sea salt and black pepper
4 tbsp plain flour
1 medium egg, beaten
1 small bunch chives, finely chopped, plus extra to serve
1 tsp caraway seeds, lightly crushed
4 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
For the dill creme fraiche
200g creme fraiche
1 small bunch dill, finely chopped
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
To serve
200g smoked salmon slices
Salmon roe
Capers
Lemon wedges
Put the grated potatoes, beetroot and shallots in a colander and sprinkle over two teaspoons of salt. Mix thoroughly, then set aside for half an hour to draw out the moisture.
Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the dill creme fraiche in a bowl, season to taste, then cover and chill.
Transfer the potato mixture to a clean sheet of muslin. Gather together the edges to enclose, then squeeze over the sink to remove as much moisture as you can – the veg needs to be nice and dry for the latke to crisp up. Put the potato mix in a bowl, then stir in a teaspoon of salt, the flour, egg, chives, caraway and some black pepper.
Put two tablespoons of ghee in a large, 28cm frying pan over a medium heat. Add the potato mixture, pressing it down with a fish slice or similar to spread it out into an even layer – don’t worry about any raggedy edges: these go irresistibly crisp when cooked. Cook for six minutes, then carefully invert on to a plate. Heat the remaining ghee in the pan, then slide the latke back in uncooked side down and cook for another six minutes, until golden.
Turn out the latke on to a board, then cut into wedges. Top with the creme fraiche mix, smoked salmon, salmon roe, capers and chives, and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.
Bircher muesli loaf with cranberry compote
Add a handful of chocolate chips, if you want a more decadent loaf.
Prep 15 min
Cook 1 hr, plus cooling
Serves 6-8
100g unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
3 really ripe bananas (about 250g)
100g golden caster sugar
2 apples grated
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
100g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g muesli
50g shelled pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped
Coconut yoghurt, to serve (optional)
For the compote
100g cranberries (fresh or frozen)
100g mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
3 tbsp maple syrup
Juice and zest of 1 orange
To make the compote, put the cranberries in a small pan with the mixed berries, maple syrup and orange juice and zest, then heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften. Bring to a simmer, mash lightly to burst the berries, then take off the heat and leave to cool.
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Grease and line a one-litre loaf tin with baking paper so it overhangs the short edges of the tin. Mash the bananas in a bowl, then stir in the melted butter and sugar until well combined. Stir in the apples, maple syrup and vanilla extract, then beat in the egg. Sift in the flour and bicarb, add the muesli and nuts, then gently fold in to combine.
Pour the mix into the lined tin, then bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until dark on top with a soft, moist sponge: check it’s done by poking a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, it’s ready. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out on to a rack and leave to cool completely. Serve in slices with the compote and some yoghurt, if desired.
’Nduja bread-and-butter pudding with hot honey
This is based on Barcelona’s famous bikini sandwiches, which are filled with jamón or sobrasada and mahón cheese, and served with honey. I’ve used Calabrian ’nduja instead, and baked the sandwiches in a savoury custard before serving with hot honey.
Prep 10 min
Soak 1 hr+
Cook 1 hr
Serves 6
8 slices stale white sandwich loaf
200g ’nduja
4 slices mozzarella
50g butter, softened
250ml whole milk
450ml double cream
4 eggs
15g chives, very finely chopped
Sea salt and pepper
100g gruyere, grated
For the hot honey
5 tbsp runny honey
2 heaped tsp pul biber, or 1 heaped tsp chilli flakes
Smear four slices of bread generously with the ’nduja, top with a slice of mozzarella, then top that with another slice of bread to make four sandwiches in total. Liberally butter the outside of each sandwich on both sides, then cut each one into four triangles, to make 16 in total. Arrange these in a 28cm baking dish overlapping the triangles slightly.
Heat the milk and cream in a pan until just simmering. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, chives and some salt and pepper, then slowly whisk in the milk mixture. Pour this all over the sandwiches and leave to absorb for at least an hour, or even overnight.
Heat the oven to 180C (160C fan)/350F/gas 4. Scatter the gruyere over the top, then bake for 30-35 minutes, until just set and bubbling.
Meanwhile, gently warm the honey and pul biber in a small saucepan over a low heat. Serve slices of the pudding drizzled with the hot honey.
