Mike Van de Elzen: Tips for the perfect Christmas platter

Christmas day platters:  The Christmas countdown is on - meaning it's the season of sharing platters and pre-dinner nibbles. Pickled vegetables  Cook time: 5 minutes  Prep time: 10 minutes  Serves: 12  Pickled vegetables can include:   Carrots, fennel, baby beetroot, radish, red onions, cucumbers or red cabbage   1 tsp fennel seeds   1 tsp coriander seeds   2 chili   2 bay leaves   1 tsp mustard seeds   300 ml cider vinegar   250 ml water   1/4 cup sugar   Sterilized jar and lid  Firstly prepare the vegetables for pickling. Clean all the vegetables and cut in 1/2 or 1/4 or finely slice. Try to make all the vegetable pieces roughly the same size.   To make your pickle mixture, start by toasting your seeds in a pan until fragrant. Place the rest of the pickling mixture ingredients into a pot, adding seeds once toasted and heat until boiling.   Remove the pickling mixture from the heat and carefully pour the hot mixture over the top of the vegetables and seal with a lid. (If pickling cucumbers or finely sliced veg allow mixture to cool first)   To sterilize your jars and lids -  Start by washing the jars and lids in soapy water and rinse well with hot water. Place the jars onto a tray open side up and then into a cold oven and turn onto 100*c. Once the oven reaches 100*c, leave in the oven for another 5 minutes. Remove jars from the oven to allow to cool slightly before use.  For the lids, simply place them into a pot and cover with cold water. Bring the water to the boil and heat the lids for 10 minutes before draining and using.  Sticky Onion jam  Cook time: 30 minutes  Prep time: 5 minutes  Serves: 2 cups  3 red onions, finely sliced length ways   3/4 cup balsamic vinegar   4 tbsp brown sugar   Pinch of salt  Place all ingredients in a heavy-based saucepan. Cook on a medium heat for about 20 minutes or until thick and syrupy. Stirring every couple 5 minutes.’  Roasted beetroot hummus Cook time: 45 minutes Prep time: 10 minutes Serves: 6-8 2 cups chickpeas, soaked over night in water   2 whole beetroot   1 tbsp cooking oil   2 tbsp tahini   1 tsp baking powder   1/2 tsp curry powder   Sea salt  Pre-heat the oven to 180*c   Individually wrap the beetroot in tin-foil, drizzle over a little oil and sprinkle over a touch of salt before wrapping.   Place into the oven and cook for 30 minutes before testing. Test by inserting a small knife to see if the beetroot is cooked. Once cooked allow to cool before removing skin.   While the beetroot is cooking, place the soaked chickpeas into a large pot, cover with cold water and add a touch of salt and the baking powder. Bring to the boil and cook until tender. Once cooked drain.   Place the beetroot into a food processor and biltz until smooth. Add the chickpeas and biltz until smooth. Add the tahini, curry powder and seasalt to finish.  LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.