It hardly needs saying that Nigella Lawson—journalist, TV host, self-taught cook and best-selling author—has pretty much mastered the art of home entertaining.

 

And while the “Domestic Goddess” has dealt with the demands of preparing home dinners for numerous occasions, there is something to be said about the peculiarity of entertaining for the holidays.

 

Entertaining entails work, but Christmas is not the time to be poring over every menu detail, she says in her TV show.

 

“Somehow we’ve got in our heads the idea that Christmas should be bejeweled and enormously formal, and we should go to great lengths to create spectacular dinners,” she says.

 

But Nigella adds that her favorite moment is when she has the time to enjoy being in the kitchen, cooking and sharing her table with friends.

 

She adds, “Keeping things warm and welcoming doesn’t require endless preparation or complicated dishes.”

 

Introduced earlier this year as the face of Contadina Philippines—a premium range of Mediterranean cooking essentials such as Olive oil, pasta, pasta sauces, and variations of tomatoes—she shares the  food philosophy with the brand, that of minimum effort with maximum flavors.

 

“Keep things simple and serve food that will make you feel good,” she says.

 

With this in mind, let us take a look at some Contadina x Nigella recipes that are sure to be a hit in your noche buena.

 

For starters, a hearty Minestrone soup is a classic dish that warms souls over the cooler Ber months. Nigella says, “If you’re coldy (and if no child is eating this), I suggest you use the spiciest, hottest sauce you can find.”

 

After the first course, delight your guests with a serving of Chicken Pesto, a creamy, filling meal that will only prepare them for what’s to come, a flavorful, rich and indulgent Osso Buco, with luscious, fall-off-the-bone veal married in a wine-infused tomato stew.

 

Minestrone

 

 

2 tbsp Contadina Pure Olive Oil

½ c bacon (cut into 1/2-inch dice)

½ c onion, red (cut into 1/2-inch dice)

½ c carrot (cut into 1/2-inch dice)

½ c celery (cut into 1/2-inch dice)

5 c chicken stock

½ c macaroni (200g)

1 can diced tomatoes with italian herbs (411g)

½ c potato (cut into ½-inch dice)

1 can red beans, canned (400g)

½ c bell pepper, green

½ c bell pepper, red

½ tsp sugar, white

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

 

 

1. Sauté the bacon in olive oil. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until the vegetables are wilted but not browned. Add chicken stock and macaroni. Add the diced tomatoes. Boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

 

2. Add potatoes and red beans. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Season with salt, pepper and sugar.

 

 

Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta

 

 

1 bottle Contadina Pesto (190g)

350 g chicken, thigh fillet

½ c chicken stock

1 c all-purpose cream

1 pack Contadina Spaghetti (500g) (cooked)

 

 

1. Marinate chicken with 3 tbsp of Contadina Pesto for 15 minutes. Grill or pan-grill. Set aside.
2. In a pan, mix chicken stock and remaining pesto sauce. Simmer.
3. Add cream off the heat and cooked pasta. Serve with grilled chicken.

 

 

Osso Buco

 

 

 

1 kg beef, shank/kenchi

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

3 tbsp  Contadina Pure Olive Oil

½ c carrot (finely chopped)

½ c celery (finely chopped)

½ c onion (finely chopped)

1 tsp  garlic (crushed)

½ c white wine

1 can Contadina Crushed Tomatoes (411g)

4 c beef stock

 

 

1. Season beef shanks with salt and pepper, then coat it lightly with all purpose flour.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pot and brown all sides of each piece. Set aside.
3. In the same pot, sauté carrot, celery and onion until soft.
4. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.
5. Add the meat back into the pot. Add white wine then allow to simmer until almost dry.

6. Add the Contadina Crushed Tomatoes and stock. Simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender.