Home cook and author Julia Busuttil Nishimura knows a thing or two about cooking simple and delicious food that everybody loves. That’s why we teamed up with Julia to create a versatile holiday menu that celebrates the best food and drinks of the season. “I love a relaxed Christmas. It's such a nice time for everybody to come together and share good food, good wine and relax. It’s also a time to be present in the moment and not be stuck in the kitchen,” says Julia. Below she shares a stunning summer spread of no-fuss recipes that’ll let you enjoy your day. Plus our Wine Merchants walk us through the perfect drops for punctuating each course.

“This is a beautifully light and bright dip that’s perfect for snacking on as you graze the afternoon away. And it’s so easy, it’ll barely take you five minutes.” says Julia Now to wine. “Picking a drink with some versatility is best for grazing because platters are made up of lots of small dishes. Instead of pairing to each individual dish, you want something that will work across the board,” says Wine Merchant Will Slocombe from Dan Murphy’s Doncaster East. View the recipe.

“Having a fresh salad is a really lovely way to start to meal, and prawns are a perennial favourite for Christmas. This recipe is mostly assembling the sweet cooked prawns in a simple and fresh salad that has crunch, softness and sourness," says Julia. Dan Murphy’s Holland Park Wine Merchant Freddy Dordoni offers his advice for matching wines, “Start with something light, whether it be a nice crisp sparkling, or a pinot grigio, or even a chilled red.” View the recipe.

“This delicious, zingy herb sauce will go with any main dish you choose. Whether it be vegetables, beautiful seafood like crayfish or scallops, or even roast pork or ham. It's a really versatile addition to your Christmas table and can be made the day before," says Julia. Wine Merchant Mark Law walks us through his versatile wine favourites for a main course. “You’re expecting the food to be quite rich. You want something that's going to appeal to a lot of guests but also match lots of different foods like the Te Kairanga Estate Pinot Noir. View the recipe.

“This is quintessential Australian Christmas! It's such a nice way to finish a meal because it's quite light and not overly sweet. Make the zesty meringue shell the day before, then all you have to do is top it right before serving. It’s a lovely blank canvas to showcase the best fresh seasonal produce," says Julia. And a wine to go with it? Try the Zonzo Estate Moscato. “The flavour will go really well with a pavlova or trifle, something a bit creamy with touches of stone fruit,” said Dan Murphy’s Ascot Vale Wine Merchant Nick Veanes. View the recipe.

This dessert cocktail stars Baileys Limited Edition Red Velvet Irish Cream to create a luscious, cupcake-flavoured twist on the classic White Russian. “Baileys is a great one to have on its own as a dessert. Or as a post-desert drink. Just make sure it’s chilled when you serve,” said Dan Murphy’s Ascot Vale Wine Merchant Nick Veanes. View the recipe.