If you are looking to try something different this Christmas, Head Chef Brian Maidment at Laura Ashley Hotel The Belsfield has shared his suggestions on how to mix up your Christmas dinner this festive season.

Personalise it
If you’re catering for various dietary requirements this Christmas, preparing individual Beef Wellingtons is sure to please all. Beef Wellington is a hearty alternative to the traditional turkey and can easily be substituted for a vegetarian option filled with mushroom, butternut squash and beetroot.

It might be a little more work than usual, but it’s sure to be well-received, and when served with all the trimmings you won’t miss out on a classic Christmas dinner either.

A festive steak night
For a truly unique Christmas meal try Venison steak, lean game meat with a deep colour and rich flavour. Serve with a blackberry and sloe gin sauce, rosemary and garlic Parmentier potatoes and fine green beans.

This quick recipe is perfect for those who want to avoid spending their Christmas Day in the kitchen.

Go vegan
Christmas doesn’t need to be a meaty affair – it’s easy to make substitutions to the traditional turkey dinner, whether it’s nut roast, mushroom stuffing or vegan gravy. But if you want to step away from the ordinary and go for something truly unique this year, try a baked squash filled with lentil stuffing, caramelised red onion, dried cranberries and kale. This plant-based special will impress vegans and meat-eaters alike.

Festive fish
Whether you live by the coast or are inspired by the Italians when it comes to Christmas, swapping the turkey for seafood makes for a refreshing change. If you don’t want to lose the taste of Christmas completely, try roasted Monkfish with sage and onion stuffing, which delivers on familiar festive flavours but with a twist.

This recipe is easy to prepare – the fish can go from fridge to table in under an hour, giving you more time to enjoy the festivities.

Christmas with Laura Ashley The Belsfield

On Christmas Day Laura Ashley The Belsfield is serving a three-course Christmas lunch followed by tea or coffee and festive petit fours, priced from £75 per person. Guests can enjoy their Christmas lunch within the 2AA Rosette awarded Belsfield Restaurant while admiring breath-taking views of Lake Windermere and the Cumbrian Hills.

A magician will be on hand throughout lunch to keep the whole family entertained, while children will also have an opportunity to meet Father Christmas and will be given a gift each.

For more information about Laura Ashley The Belsfield, visit: www.lauraashleyhotels.com.

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