Put a lighter spin on traditional Christmas recipes this year

Serves 6
	Ingredients
	60g butter at room temperature
	70g golden brown sugar
	1 egg yolk
	75g flour
	1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
	100g dark chocolate, chopped into chunks
	For the trifle
	2 cups cream
	2 tbsp icing sugar
	300 mixed fresh berries
	2 tbsp caster sugar
Method
1 Preheat oven to 190°C. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar. Add the egg yolk and continue beating.
2 Sift flour and bicarbonate into the butter mixture. Stir well to combine. Mix in chopped chocolate.
3 Drop spoonfuls on a lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes or until cooked. Allow to cool completely.
4 Place cookies in a sealed plastic bag and crush roughly with a rolling pin.
5 For the trifle, whip cream and icing sugar until peaks form. In a separate bowl, toss berries with the caster sugar.
6 To assemble, layer cookie crumbs in a glass, top with cream and berries. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbles.
Serves 6
	Ingredients
	1.5kg beef fillet
	Olive oil
	1/3 cup Dijon mustard
	3 tbsp pink peppercorns
	For rocket salsa verde
	30g each rocket, dill and basil, chopped
	2 anchovies, chopped
	1 tsp Dijon mustard
	1 tbsp capers, chopped
	1/2 lemon, juice of
	1/2 cup olive oil
Method
1 Preheat oven to 200°C. Brush fillet with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place a large frying pan over high heat, sear the fillet on all sides until browned and set aside.
2 Brush fillet with mustard and roll in pink peppercorns. Place on a lined baking tray and roast for 20 minutes. Remove and allow to stand for 20 minutes before slicing. Garnish with rocket and serve with salsa verde. 3 For the rocket salsa verde, mix together the rocket, dill, basil, anchovies, Dijon mustard and capers. Stir in the lemon juice and olive oil. Season to taste.
Serves 6
	Ingredients
	2 tbsp olive oil
	1 tbsp balsamic vinegar 
	6 plums, stones removed and quartered
	150g bresaola, sliced
	150g wild rocket
	3 balls mozzarella, torn
	100g walnuts, toasted and chopped
	For the dressing
	1/4 cup olive oil
	1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
	1 pinch chilli flakes
	1 pinch caster sugar
	Sea salt and black pepper
Method
1 Heat a griddle pan until it becomes smoking hot. Whisk together the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Brush the plums with the mixture and then griddle for 2-3 minutes on each side. Season to taste.
2 Place plums on a serving platter and then toss together with the bresaola, rocket, mozzarella and walnuts.
3 To make the dressing, mix together the ingredients. Pour over the salad, season well and serve.
Serves 6
	Ingredients
	2 cups water
	200g sugar
	600g strawberries, cut into chunks
	3 cups of soda water (cold)
	180g pomegranate rubies
	Ice
	1 handful fresh mint
Method
1 Make sugar syrup by placing water and sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
2 Blitz strawberries until smooth. Add the syrup, soda water and pomegranate rubies. Stir well.
3 To serve, pour the mixture into serving jugs, add ice and mint.
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