15 super simple Christmas dishes that will still impress the family

For centuries, it has been our custom to serve a variety of hearty dishes to celebrate Christmas. After all, what's the point of celebrating if you're not going to get your fill? However, there's a small problem: preparing these dishes takes an awful lot of time! So much so that we have to start marinating the meat for lunch the day before. And that's not even counting the various appetizers and hors d'oeuvres that aren't even part of the main meal. Fortunately, there are a few recipes that you can easily prepare without needing to be a cordon bleu chef. Find them in our selection of 15 Christmas meals that will impress your guests despite their simplicity.

Foie gras is an essential dish for the holiday season. Take a slice of raw foie gras and brown it for 30 seconds on each side, and it's ready! You can then choose any accompaniment you like, such as gingerbread, crunchy vegetables, or fruits such as apples or figs.

Shrimp and prawns cook in a matter of minutes, or even seconds. The garlic and lemon then give them a distinctive aroma that will make your guests' mouths water. Choose peeled shrimp if you want them to absorb even more of these flavors. And you only need one pan to do it all.

This dish is ideal for small families who won't be able to finish a whole turkey. Just baste it with butter and a few fresh herbs, and you'll see! What's more, its small size means that chicken or capon cooks faster than turkey.

Duck breast is a very tender meat, so you won't need a pressure cooker to prepare it. Just place it skin-side down in a pan to make the skin crispy on top of the tender meat. Then add a honey or orange sauce for an amazing result.

Do you dream of refined dishes but don't have the soul of a great gourmet chef? Try scallops. Don't worry about the cumbersome shell, we're only interested in the meat. Fry them in a pan with a knob of butter for three minutes on each side and you're done!

When you don't feel like cooking, the easiest thing to do is plan a meal that doesn't require any cooking. Arrange your smoked salmon on rye bread or blinis, then top with salted whipped cream or a creamy herb sauce for a starter that's ready in minutes.

For those looking for a vegetarian starter, this soup is ideal. Blend the squash, which has been cooked in broth with onions and garlic, then add a little cream for a comforting dish. You can also add chestnuts or cashews for decoration.

Gratin dauphinois is another timeless Christmas meal. All you need is a few potatoes, cream, and milk to make it. Pour the warm cream and milk mixture over thinly sliced potatoes, and it will be ready after a little over an hour in the oven.

You would never think that a simple salmon steak with spinach and cream, all wrapped in puff pastry, could look like it came from a 5-star restaurant, right? And yet it does! All you have to do is brush it with egg yolk, bake it in the oven for half an hour, and you're done!

A cheese platter is a surefire hit that will satisfy foodies of all ages. You are free to choose whatever you like, the only rule being that you must include the four main types of cheese. Cut them all into small slices and serve with fruit, slices of bread, and jam.

Turkey is often the main dish at Christmas, but you can also replace it with guinea fowl for a firmer texture. Whichever you choose, you can roast it or stuff it with dried fruit, spices, and citrus. Then let the oven do the rest of the work.

This dish requires no cooking, but it does need to be prepared in advance. Three days before Christmas, marinate your raw salmon fillet with dill, salt, pepper, and a little sugar. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest in the refrigerator until ready to serve, making sure to remove any water that forms every 12 hours.

Here we have a visually impressive recipe. A beef or pork tenderloin accompanied by mushrooms or herbs, all sautéed in advance in a pan, will do the trick perfectly. All you have to do is wrap them in puff pastry and bake them. Cut into slices for a stunning result.

If you have a little patience, you can shine with this classic Italian dish. Cook the rice by gradually adding hot broth while stirring until the rice becomes creamy. Then add sautéed mushrooms and Parmesan cheese for a creamy finish.

We'll finish with an amazing dessert. This beautiful tart only requires apples, sugar, butter, and puff pastry. Arrange thinly sliced apples with sugar on the puff pastry brushed with melted butter, bake for 25 minutes, and you're done. You can also top it with apricot jam for a glossier effect.