Early birds get the turkey

Photos of bare supermarket shelves in the UK have been flooding social media feeds. Some folks have gone online to mock stores that have filled their bare spots with an odd assortment of items. On the other side of the globe, images of cargo ships dotting the seascape outside of the US’s busiest port have also been making the rounds. There is also talk of turkey shortages – both in the UK and US. It looks as though Australia will be spared from food supply issues, but they will face other shortages as global supply chains continue to be disrupted.

If you are the type who plans well ahead you may not need to make substantial changes to your meal plan. On a shopping trip to Aldi this afternoon I spied freezers full of whole turkeys as well as turkey breasts, and other supermarkets also seem to have full cases now. However, if you are a last-minute shopper, you might encounter issues in finding the products that you desire. In either situation, these shortages provide an opportunity to shake things up on your holiday table.

You can consider choosing a different protein for your centerpiece main item. Pork and beef roasts are excellent options. A couple of chickens can take the place of a turkey, and a whole salmon makes for a stunning presentation. Plus, there are so many excellent vegetarian and vegan recipes that skipping meat altogether would be far from a sacrifice. To start the wheels turning, here are some ideas to consider from the EYB Library:

• Butternut squash and caramelized onion galette from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman
• Slow-cooked beef fillet with crushed black pepper and balsamic from Maggie’s Kitchen by Maggie Beer
• Jerusalem noodle kugel from Better Homes & Gardens Magazine
• Simple terrine with cranberries and pistachios from Delicious Magazine (Aus) by Valli Little
• Sauerbraten from Eating Well Magazine by Ivy Manning
• Baked pasta with tomato, red pepper, and sweet Italian sausage sauce from Seriously Simple Holidays by Diane Rossen Worthington
• Tourtiere from Canadian Living
• Nach Waxman’s beef brisket from Leite’s Culinaria by Stephanie Pierson and Nach Waxman
• Roast shoulder of pork from Australian Gourmet Traveller Magazine (pictured)
• Mary Berry’s nut roast from Good to Know by Mary Berry
• Sous vide lobster from Serious Eats by J. Kenji López-Alt
• Pappardelle pie with wild mushrooms and Taleggio from Delia’s Happy Christmas by Delia Smith
• Pumpkin and goat’s cheese lasagne from Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson
• Spiced salmon coulibiac from BBC Good Food Magazine