For many, gathering loved ones for Christmas dinner is one of our most cherished traditions — however, if you’re the host, planning the meal can be a lot of work as well as a lot of fun. Make the process easier and more enjoyable with a few strategic moves: plan ahead, pick easy recipes with accessible ingredients and add a new variation to your repertoire each year to keep things fresh and exciting.

This season we teamed up with Daylesford Farm, who offered some modern selections that are sure to get you in the festive spirit, whether you’re hosting dinner parties in the lead-up or planning for the big Christmas Day. From salmon ceviche to a fruit cobbler, these recipes can be enjoyed in tandem together or as standalone selections.

1. To make the cured salmon, trim the salmon by removing the tail and belly strip so you are left with an oblong piece. Combine the lemon zest, chopped dill, sugar, salt and fennel seeds. Sprinkle half the mixture onto a large tray, making a bed the width and length of the salmon. Lay the salmon skin side down and sprinkle the other half of the mixture on top of the fish. Cover with another flat tray, place a heavy weight on top and place the salmon in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight. Remove the salmon from the curing mixture, rinse with cool water and pat dry.

2. To make the lemon & pink peppercorn dressing, sweat the shallots in half the olive oil until they are soft but not coloured. Add the salt, pepper, and pink peppercorns, and cook for 3-4 mins until just soft. Add the sugar, honey and white wine vinegar and reduce the mix by half until it is syrupy, then remove from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla essence and remaining olive oil. Allow to cool and store in a jar.

3. Prepare the herb crème fraiche by simply mixing the crème fraiche, chives, dill and freshly ground black pepper.

4. To serve, spread 3-4 tablespoons of the herb crème fraiche in the centre of each plate. Carefully slice a portion of cured salmon (we recommend 110g or so per person) and place the slices on top of the herb crème fraiche. Whisk the dressing and drizzle 3 tablespoons over the salmon slices.

Garnish with the snipped chives and serve with a wedge of lemon on the side.

1. Peel the parsnips and slice them into even wedges.

2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the parsnips and simmer for 5-8 minutes or until they are just cooked through. Drain.

3. Heat the butter in a large frying pan over moderate heat. Once foaming, add the parsnips and thyme leaves and toss to coat in the butter. Continue to fry, turning the parsnips frequently, until they’re nicely golden brown all over.

4. Next, pour in the sherry and reduce until syrupy before stirring in the honey. Season well with salt and pepper, add the crumbled chestnuts and toss everything together over the heat.

5. Serve straight away!

1. Preheat oven to 170 ̊C

2. To make the cobbler topping, rub together the flour, crushed nuts, butter, baking powder, salt and sugar with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add the milk and lightly mix together to form a soft dough.

3. Cover and chill until needed.

4. Add the prepared fruit to a suitable dish or skillet you can put in the oven. Sprinkle over a little sugar and a splash of water.

5. Drop the dough on top of the fruit in “cobbles” leaving a few gaps here and there.

6. Bake for around 30 minutes until the topping is puffed up, golden and crisp. Let cool for a minute or so, then add clotted cream and dig in!