What to cook for Christmas

 If you want a Christmas meal that feels festive but not overwhelmingly heavy, I’d build it around one beautiful centerpiece, a few elegant sides, and a good dessert.


🎄 A Christmas menu I think you'd enjoy

Starter

  • Labneh with toum, olive oil & za'atar
  • Warm sourdough
  • Pomegranate, walnut & arugula salad

Main — choose one

  1. Roast chicken with lemon, garlic & herbs — simple and very Mediterranean
  2. Duck à l'orange — more luxurious and distinctly Christmas
  3. Whole roasted fish with lemon, garlic, parsley and olive oil — lighter option
  4. Chicken Milanese with a festive salad — less traditional but very much your style

Sides

  • Crispy roast potatoes with garlic and rosemary
  • Gorgonzola-yogurt potatoes if you want something more decadent
  • Roasted eggplant or squash gratin
  • Green beans with toasted almonds
  • Potato salad with a sharp, creamy dressing

Something fresh

  • Fennel + orange + pomegranate salad
  • Or a beautiful Mediterranean citrus salad

Dessert

  • Strawberry clafoutis
  • Pavlova with strawberries and pomegranate
  • Christmas chocolate cake
  • Ladyfinger dessert with coffee/chocolate flavors
  • Orange cake with orange liqueur syrup

✨ If you want a Lebanese Christmas

I'd do:

Mezze → roast chicken → garlic potatoes → fattoush-style salad → kibbeh or cheese pastries → maamoul + fruit

And don't underestimate pomegranate as a Christmas ingredient—it gives almost anything that jewel-like festive appearance.

My ideal version for you

Labneh + sourdough → roast chicken with lemon & garlic → crispy potatoes → eggplant → pomegranate salad → strawberry-pomegranate pavlova.

It would feel Christmasy, Mediterranean, colorful and abundant without becoming a giant heavy feast.

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