Simple and quick - they are not the types of words usually associated with Christmas lunch.
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Often hours are spent toiling away in a sweltering kitchen, chopping, dicing, tossing, baking, roasting and arranging dishes as guests arrive, presents are opened and carols are played.
It is a day when the only singing (out) is preceded by a burn to the hand and the meat is generally more rested than your legs.
But it does not have to be that way - not according to Novotel Northbeach chef William Totman, who has been roped into preparing his fair share of Christmas meals over the years.
‘‘Christmas lunch isn’t something you necessarily want to put two days’ work into,’’ the 20-year-old says.
‘‘The day is more about spending time with the family rather than slaving away in the kitchen, so you want something that is easy to pull off.
‘‘And if you’ve got a simple menu - something that is fresh and easy to prepare - it will all come together well.’’
Totman recommends starting the meal with a cold entree, which minimises cooking time on the day and often works well with the warm summer weather.
He says something like an avocado, mango and prawn tower is perfect for Christmas day, because it is easy to prepare and full of fresh, summer flavours.
For the main, Totman says it is easy to stick to traditional Christmas flavours without the hassle of cooking a big Christmas roast.
‘‘I’ve grown up with that traditional idea of the turkey or a roast but I’ve tried to stay away from that (with these recipes),’’ he explains.
‘‘By doing the prosciutto-wrapped turkey I’ve put a bit of a modern twist on the whole ’80s-style idea of Christmas turkey. And the best thing is, with the turkey, it’s not too complex but it tastes great too.’’
While it is important to choose fresh ingredients and nice wines to accompany the meal, Totman says the real success of people’s Christmas lunches relies on their ability to prepare it with love.
‘‘If you have a nice meal plan and you prepare it with a bit of heart and love, I’m sure it will all turn out pretty well at the end.’’