Christmas Cooking

Most often fish soup, followed by carp (or schnitzel) with potato salad. Regionally, pea or lentil soups are served, and lunch is often mushroom “kuba”.

Replace part of the mayonnaise with plain yogurt (e.g., 1:1) and add pickles and celery for freshness. Briefly blanch the sweet onion — it softens the bite but stays crisp. Finish with salt, pepper and a few drops of apple cider vinegar and extra virgin olive oil (light touch).

A great option is Hunter & Gather mayonnaise — olive or avocado oil. Compared with typical industrial mayo it’s free from seed/vegetable oil blends (rapeseed/sunflower), refined-sugar free and made with British free-range egg yolks, using 100% olive/avocado oil only. The result is a clean label, creamy taste and suitability for low-carb/keto salads.

Try baked carp with butter and herbs, or oven-baked salmon/trout. For an oven-baked crunch, use rice/corn breadcrumbs and bake until golden. No fish? Veal/chicken schnitzel or plant-based cutlets with lemon and salad.

Yes. Make a rich stock from heads and bones with root vegetables and spices, thicken with roux/cream and serve with croutons. Roe and milt are optional — good flavour comes from a solid base and butter.

Slow down and eat mindfully: notice satiety signals and aim for 80–90% fullness. After the main meal, a 10–15-minute walk is gentle, supports digestion and overall comfort.

Balance the plate with protein, fibre and quality fat, keep well hydrated and try slightly reducing sugar. For gentle support consider supplements: bitter herbal drops before meals, digestive enzymes with heavier dishes (e.g., lactase for lactose, α-galactosidase for legumes) and long-term probiotics/synbiotics. A gentle finish: ginger or mint tea.

For Christmas fish and schnitzels choose a stable fat and keep the right temperature. For higher heat use ghee or refined avocado oil (very high smoke point). For medium heat (pan-frying/oven baking), extra virgin olive oil is a safe choice — it’s heat-stable thanks to antioxidants and mostly monounsaturated fats.

Aim for about 165–190 °C (fish/schnitzels): you’ll get a crisp crust without burning the fat. Avoid repeated overheating and don’t reuse burnt oil. Tip: in the oven, use a thin layer of fat and convection — less splatter, lighter result.