‘Tis the season to be jolly so take your festive family recipes up a notch by bringing luscious plums, peaches and nectarines to your Christmas table.
Take advantage of these summer fruits and create delicious new vegan dishes for Christmas. From fresh and succulent salads, to decadent yet light desserts and deliciously fruity cocktails, everyone will be begging for more, so don’t expect any leftovers!
Even the colours of these sensational summer fruits are perfect for sprucing up your festive table and there is no need to be concerned when the little ones start tucking into the ‘decorations’.
Stone fruit are in season all summer long and perfect for snacking on their own, so make sure to put plums, peaches and nectarines on your holiday shopping list.
Peach Prosecco Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 2 peach-flavoured tea bags
- 1 cup (250 ml) boiling water
- ¾ cup (183 ml) white sugar
- 4-8 basil leaves
- 1-2 peaches, thinly sliced
- 1 bottle (750 ml) vegan-friendly Prosecco or sparkling wine
Method:
Pop the tea bags into water and infuse to make a strong tea.
Place the tea and sugar in a pot and boil to reduce by half and create a simple peach syrup. Allow to cool.
Place 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of the peach syrup at the bottom of each champagne flute.
Add 2 peach slices and 1 basil leaf and top with ice cold Prosecco.
Simple Citrus Poached Plums
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (500 ml) water
- 1 cup (250 ml) fresh orange juice
- ½ cup (125 ml) sugar
- Peel of 1 lemon
- Peel 1 orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 whole plums, halved and pitted
Method:
Combine water, juice, sugar, citrus peel and cinnamon stick in a saucepan.
Stir over a low heat until sugar dissolves.
Poach plums in the syrup for 20-25 minutes or until tender.
Remove plums from syrup and slip off their skins.
Boil syrup to reduce by half.
Serve plums with a vegan-friendly vanilla ice cream topped with toasted, flaked almonds.
Stone Fruit Slaw
Ingredients:
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- A splash of olive oil
- Pinch of brown sugar
- Juice and rind of 1 lime
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- ½ red onion, chopped
- 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
- A piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 3 peaches, pitted and sliced into strips
- 3 plums pitted and sliced into strips
- Mint leaves, finely chopped
- Coriander leaves, finely chopped
Method:
To make a vinaigrette for the slaw, mix together all the ingredients in a salad bowl except the fruit, mint and coriander.
Finish by tossing the fruit into the dressing and serve topped with fresh mint and coriander.
Mexican-style nectarine salad
Ingredients:
- 3 cups of fresh sweet corn kernels
- 4 large nectarines cut into cubes
- 1 cup of cubed cucumber
- 1 small red pepper, diced
- 1/3 cup of finely chopped red onion
- ½ cup of roughly chopped fresh coriander
- 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
- Sugar Snap Peas
- Radishes
- Baby cucumber ribbons
- Baby gem lettuce
Dressing:
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp honey
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 cup of vegan-friendly cream alternative (e.g. Orley)
Method:
For the dressing, stir all the ingredients together, taste and adjust the seasoning. Pour over mixed salad ingredients.
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Picture: Instagram