You thought you were just going to eat two packets of instant mi goreng while sipping a bottle of wine with a straw; but then, your cousins who never call you insist that they join you for Christmas dinner.
Or maybe you invited family and friends over for Noche Buena, but the headcount's increased to ten more because your sister's mates want to sample your special hamonado.
Whatever your reason is for needing last-minute ideas this Noche Buena, luckily, supermarkets are open till 10pm today and you still have time to make these five easy and quick concoctions for dinner:
1. Grazing platter
Graze on some cheeses, antipasti and crackers. Source: Pexels
Grazing platters consisting of a variety of cheeses, antipasti, crackers, nuts and fruits not only make for great nibbling, but also give the Christmas table a festive and artisanal vibe.
Here's a tip when choosing cheeses - opt for a variety of textures and flavour profiles. Some of the cheeses that you can add to your platter are the soft and neutral Camembert; the firm and savoury Cheddar; and the hard and nutty Manchego.
2. Gambas al ajillo
Prawns with garlic, olive oil and chili. Easy! Source: Pixabay
Heat olive oil and butter in a pan, and add in garlic, prawns, chili flakes, paprika, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Voila - Gambas al ajillo! So easy, there's no need to jot down a step-by-step process.
3. Truffle fries
Give chips a chance. Source: Pixels
Mention 'truffle' and your gourmand guests will go gaga over your chosen menu.
Instead of seasoning chips with regular salt or chicken salt, mix some grated Pecorino cheese with truffles into the hot chips, then sprinkle the dish with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.
4. Parfait
Parfaits are cold desserts made of whipped cream, fruit and other complementary ingredients. Source: Pixabay
Parfaits are cold desserts layered with fruits, cream or yogurt and other complementary ingredients.
An example of a parfait recipe you can do for Noche Buena is a no-bake strawberry cheesecake parfait.
First, create the middle cream cheese layer by mixing two packs of cream cheese with sugar (to taste), 5 tbsp heavy cream, a dash of lemon juice and 1 tbsp of vanilla.
Line the bottom of a glass with crushed digestive biscuits, and spoon in some of the cream cheese mixture on top.
Place strawberry jam and fresh strawberries on top of the cheese layer.
Finish off the parfait with whipped cream.
5. Sangria
Sip, sip, hooray! Source: Pixabay
What's a party without drinks?
Create a simple sangria by combining red wine, orange juice, and fruits such as pineapples, oranges, apples and cherries.
If your menu fails, at least be a good host and make sure you get your guests inebriated enough that they actually forget that they came to eat.
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