5 Christmas Recovery Recipes

We love Christmas food as much as the next person. Count us in for turkey with all the trimmings. Mince pies. Mulled wine. The works. But there comes the point where we can't face another nutmeg dusted treat or cinnamon-spiced beverage.

To recover from turkey dinner overload, we've been leafing the pages of our very own Exodus cookery book to bring you dishes that remind us of some of our favourite locations. It gets us dreaming about (finally) heading out into the world on international travels.

1. Lamb Tagine (page 40)

Transport yourself to Morocco and whip up a tagine. The meat is cooked with saffron, ginger and garlic and sweetened with honey and prunes. The flavours created are aromatic in a welcomingly different way to your traditional Christmas fare. Served with couscous, we think it's the perfect post-Christmas dish.

While feasting on a tagine might be the closest you can get to Morocco this Christmas, perhaps your sights are set on more of a challenge for 2021? Our Summits & Spices of Morocco trip promises plenty of those fabulous flavours in rooftop restaurants in Marrakech and cooked by locals on your route through the Atlas Mountains. Well-earned after climbing Mount Toubkal. 

2. Bobotie (page 62)

Bobotie is South Africa's national dish. An oven-baked treat of curried minced beef, it makes for a satisfying meal that, despite the warmer climes of its birthplace, is perfect for a cold winter's night. It's simple to create, you just need to dedicate an hour or two to make it – and isn't time something that most of us have little more of this Christmas? 

It's not just Bobotie that South Africa does well. On our Cabernet & Capers in South Africa trip, there's ample opportunity to sample boerebraai, another South African speciality. Then there's pairing all those gorgeous South African wines with cheese and chocolate.

 3. Pho (page 80)

No dish is more synonymous with Vietnam than pho. This delicious noodle soup is found all over the country. Our recipe comes straight from a restaurant in Loi An, assuring you of authenticity. Don't be deterred by the lengthy ingredient list – the flavours you'll create are more than worth it.

Of course, there's always the tempting option of having an expert make it for you. And on our Pho, Fun & Sun in Vietnam trip, you'll wander the street markets of Saigon and visit a chef's home to try regional dishes. You'll also spend time in Hue, where renowned chef Anthony Bourdain championed the divine Vietnamese flavours and pronounced it the food capital of Vietnam.

 4. Pork, Alentejo-Style (page 26)

Imagine yourself by the sea, perhaps taking a Digital Detox in Portugal and eating fresh seafood. Heavenly, yes? Until you can get there in person, try rustling up a delicious pork dish, inspired by flavours from Portugal's Alentejo coast. The pork is marinated in wine, garlic and paprika overnight, then cooked with potatoes and finished with clams.

If your pork and clam creation whets your appetite for more Portuguese fare, our 5-day trip has you earning extra calories with days filled with surfing, biking, SUP and yoga. It's the chance to put your phone away, breathe in some ocean air and kick back with some fresh food (happily cooked by a pro).

5. Icelandic Lamb Soup (page 24)

Iceland's got to be right up there if any nation knows how to create hearty and warming food. Its long winters and long nights make nutritious and comforting food a must-have. Try cooking Icelandic soup by simmering lamb and root veggies in a broth until everything is deliciously tender. Serve with warm, crusty bread for the ultimate evening supper with your feet up watching a travel show.

If some cathartic soup-making stirs a longing for Iceland, spend five days chasing the Northern Lights across glaciers on an action-packed escapade, Aurora & Adventure in Iceland. As well as refuelling on traditional Icelandic food, you'll gorge on pizzas and burgers in Reykjavik and see how Mediterranean veggies are successfully grown in unique greenhouses using clean, geothermal energy.