In today's Bite magazine: The countdown to Christmas

Pan-fried lamb with salad greens. Photo / Bite magazine

Find all your favourite bits from today's Bite magazine online. Follow the hyperlinks in Jo Elwin's editor's letter and lose yourself in bite.co.nz.

Ready, set, go... the countdown to Christmas begins this week with some seriously good food to feed a crowd. Make Kathy Paterson's pan-fried lamb with salad greens and watercress dressing or roasted eye fillet with rocket, shaved parmigiano reggiano or Laurie Black's side of salmon the centrepiece of your festive gatherings or, if it's a big affair make all three.

Left: Pickled asparagus. Right: Laurie Black's side of salmon. Photo / Bite magazine

Need gifts? We are making jars of pickled asparagus and a spicy macadamia and date sambal for people to use as condiments throughout the festive season and a double batch of rocky road will be made next week.

If you've been tending your garden you will be digging up new-season potatoes, as Warren Elwin has for his 4 bites column this week and if you haven't, Sarah O'Neill says now's the time to get out there so that you can enjoy a bountiful harvest over the Christmas holidays, see her guide to the summer garden here.

Aaron Brunet's lemongrass chicken bahn mi. Photo / Bite magazine

And for those times when you're not busy entertaining, gardening or gift making, treat yourself to Aaron Brunet's lemongrass chicken bahn mi. I have enjoyed many a bahn mi in my time (I have been eating them a wee while longer than Aaron) and he has done an outstanding job on his version.

Ben MacDonald. Photo / Bite magazine

Season six of Australian MasterChef started on TV One last week, featuring New Zealand contestant Ben MacDonald. Each week, until he is eliminated - or indeed, wins - he will share his experience with us. Read his first column here.