Thread: Christmas dinner Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
Despite Australia's hot climate many of us, including me, eat the traditional hot Christmas dinner - turkey, ham, roast vegetables and then a plum pudding if we are still hungry (mind you many Australians would choose a pavlova). However, many of the younger families are opting for a cold seafood feast which suits the climate.
What are other shipmates doing for Christmas dinner? If you live in the Southern hemisphere, do you still have the trad hot meal or do you opt for the seafood or even an outdoor bbq?
Happy Christmas to all no matter how you celebrate. [Yipee]
 
Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Hmm, since I am going away, I am not totally sure, but I expect it will be roasted turkey, with all the accompaniments, but no gravy. Pudding will be cookies or pie, I think. My friends, hereticks all, do not like the traditional puddings. And no Christmas cake!!

I am contributing a tortiere, with a profound obeisance to my cultural heritage. And a tray of ginger date squares. And a Christmas coffee blend for the Day (and following)
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
The main problem with Christmas dinner in our house is that the chef tends to be half cut on Buck's Fizz/champagne by the time it comes to cook it. However, this year I thought I might prepare individual Beef Wellingtons in advance, in the expectation that I will at least be able to find the oven. With that, a red wine/port reduction and a few buttered carrots. Christmas pudding and homemade brandy butter to follow.
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
Turkey-and-all-the-trimmings (and plum pudding) for us courtesy of a couple of friends in the choir; in his capacity as part of the Cathedral staff D. is given a turkey, which we'll take to our friend, and she'll cook it.

We'll bring a bottle of wine and a couple of home-made French sticks on the day.
 
Posted by Baptist Trainfan (# 15128) on :
 
We do a traditional Christmas dinner, except that we don't much like turkey. Having tried beef, duck and pheasant over the years, we now have venison, larded with streaky bacon.

Our first year of married life was spent in Lisbon, so we have a tradition of Portuguese food on Christmas Eve: caldo verde soup, bacalhau a braz (cod) for main course, with arroz doce (cold thick rice pudding) to finish. Our son and his wife have now followed suit.

My wife is having a minor op. on December 23rd,with a possible overnight hospital stay, so she will prepare all the Portuguese stuff in advance (it freezes well); I do the roasts in our house anyway!
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
I was going to stuff a pork leg with turkey breast, but seeing as the supermarkets don't seem to understand the concept of buying anything other than an entire turkey, or a "crown" that costs more than the turkey it was taken from, and I can't afford posh butchers that do free range turkey bits, I'm left doing A Roast Turkey in the traditional manner. I'm a bit pissed off about it, TBH. I'd do a second meat, but there's only three carnivorous adults and three young children present, so it'd be a bit of an extravagance. Going to be eating cold turkey sandwiches until June as it is...

I'll make the best of it. I'm going to make a sage, onion, chestnut and cranberry stuffing, both in the bird and seperately for the vegans present, there'll be pigs in blankets (of course). Was going to do the sprouts with pancetta but vegans again. Might have to make a celeriac and swede mash or something.

Christmas pud obviously. Must put some brandy on it. I feed it over the weeks leading up to Christmas. I gather there are some sub-humans who don't put brandy butter on it but in our house we follow the One True Way and do. Custard should result in flogging; cream with execution.
 
Posted by Ferijen (# 4719) on :
 
Roast chicken in our house this year, having had beef wellington and duck in recent years. Not a fan of turkey.

Obviously roast spuds, and stacks of vegetables. Yorkshire Puddings, whilst it Not Being Beef, will still be included by virtue of their being scrummy.

Christmas pudding. Might also do a meringue rouladey type things as have discovered how easy they are to do and it makes a nice alternative.

Will roast a ham as well and use that for cold cuts over the following week.

I apologies for the provenance of this recipe (that is, the newspaper, not the author), but I cannot recommend Mary Berry's mincemeat icecream enough if you want a dead simple, prepare ahead, dessert. Would work well in warmer climes...
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
We try to eat less beef, but Xmas is the time to pull out all the stops. A standing beef rib roast. I will make gravy and rice, and something green -- brussels sprouts or broccoli -- so that we can pretend we are eating healthy. And I will make yet one more smoking bishop, because I have all the ingredients on hand. No dessert, unless inspiration comes to me.
 
Posted by MrsBeaky (# 17663) on :
 
The last two years we have been here in Kenya and spent Christmas Day deep in the rural areas with local friends and local food. We had beef/ chicken stew with rice, ugali, chapatti and vegetables all washed down with soda.(The only two I can stand because they don't taste as sweet are bitter lemon or ginger)
This year we are going to be with our daughter and family in New Zealand and don't know yet whether they will go the traditional or another route.
Meanwhile back in the UK our three other daughters will gather in our house and cook using my recipes which are a mixture of British and American culture...I'm salivating at the mere thought....
 
Posted by Kyzyl (# 374) on :
 
Coq au vin. Warm gingerbread with a cream cheese frosting for dessert.
 
Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :
 
It's always turkey. I do most of the dinner, always have. This year we have one to be slaughtered on the 22nd from a Hutterite colony.
We tend to eat this repeatedly until Near Years, when we light a fire in the burning barrel on the driveway and play shinny (hockey with your boots on in the street) and barbeque burgers outside. There's a trophy, players aged from from about 7 to 70. It was nearly -30°C last year but we hope for better this year.

[ 16. December 2014, 17:08: Message edited by: no prophet's flag is set so... ]
 
Posted by Kitten (# 1179) on :
 
I haven't had to cook a Cristmas dinner for eleven years since the Christmas I was ill and my son took over. He enjoys cooking and I dont
He will be doing nut roast with all the trimmings with a turkey roll for the non vegetarians. He does the most amazing trimmings, the way he does red cabbage is amazing and his honey roast parsnips are lovely.
We probably won't have pudding, we have had pudding in the past but it has been left over until the next day as nobody has room for it, and it will be accompanied by sparkling grape juice.
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
I was going to stuff a pork leg with turkey breast, but seeing as the supermarkets don't seem to understand the concept of buying anything other than an entire turkey, or a "crown" that costs more than the turkey it was taken from, and I can't afford posh butchers that do free range turkey bits, I'm left doing A Roast Turkey in the traditional manner. I'm a bit pissed off about it, TBH. I'd do a second meat, but there's only three carnivorous adults and three young children present, so it'd be a bit of an extravagance. Going to be eating cold turkey sandwiches until June as it is...
My mother's solution, as the family dwindled and scattered, was to joint the beast and only cook as much as was likely to be eaten (also meant she didn't have to get up at the skreagh of dawn to put entire bird in the oven). Thighs and drumsticks (boned and stuffed) would reappear from the freezer about Easter, and diced turkey pie filling/turkey stock whenever.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
I've had two Christmas lunches already, one with lobster tagliatelle, the other with three kinds of pork served with calvados gravy, parsnip mash and red cabbage. There'll be a traditional roast turkey lunch early next week. Personally, I wouldn't choose turkey unless it was the only option on the menu, but it'll make the other person present happy. Then I get to have whatever I want for Christmas Day itself.

In previous years Christmas Day lunch has featured things as diverse as spaghetti bolognaise, or curry, pheasant, Chinese duck pancakes, etc. The idea being to have whatever I'm really in the mood for. I have no plans right now and may even just take pot luck at the supermarket on Christmas Eve, when they start reducing all the specials for quick sale.

I have a Christmas pud somewhere which will be accompanied by Greek yogurt - looks like thick cream but is a lot more refreshing and cuts the richness of the pudding nicely.
 
Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :
 
If you are cooking a whole turkey and don't want to spend many hours on it, the trick suggested by Mark Bitman of the NY Times is to spatchcock the turkey; cut out the back and flatten it. It takes under an hour to cook and you don't have the problem of parts drying out while others aren't done. You have to do the stuffing separately, but that's easy enough, using the back you cut out for stock for basting the turkey and stuffing.

I'm probably eating alone this Christmas. If I get ambitious I may succumb and make a small rib roast. Alternately there's the Jewish tradition of going out to a Chinese Restaurant on Christmas.
 
Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
The week leading to Christmas last year was nerve wracking here . Son and I went to church early in a multicultural area. We bought good croissants on the way home from one of the many hot bread shops which were open. Actually I could have done an entire grocery shop, so many places were open.

Returned home and had croissants and fizz, not true champagne but very pleasant and some good coffee. We then both slept for another two hours and were not hungry at lunch. Prawns intended for lunch became dinner. Cooked with curry spice rub and coconut and served with salad. Then mini meringue nests with mango and cherries.

This year? Not sure. I will be away minding two grandchildren till later Christmas Eve. We are not sure when son will have his children on the day. They want sausages and mash. Their mum does not do mash for them and they love it, so why not? We rarely eat potato, so I must remind son to get some for them.

[ 16. December 2014, 20:52: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 
Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :
 
An Australian here.... Prawns, oysters, salad, loads of summer fruits.... My hosts are hunters, so maybe BBQ venison and roo.

[ 16. December 2014, 21:03: Message edited by: Rowen ]
 
Posted by L'organist (# 17338) on :
 
We usually eat ours at about 6pm: start with something fishy, then a poultry main course, getting to the cheese at about 7pm.

Often a pause between that and pudding - traditional, lit with brandy, served with rum sauce - before finishing with coffee.

This year it will probably be turkey for main course, served with veg and gravy.
 
Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
An Australian who proudly celebrates her cultural heritage by eating a full roast lunch of turkey with stuffing, roast potatoes, baked ham, green veggies,cooked tomato and onion, I don't eat plum pudding but the rest of the family will with custard, cream and Grand Marnier sauce (the sauce is really nice) all washed down with that most Australian of wines, sparkling Shiraz-perfect for Christmas dinner. We also have fruit cake and fruit mince pies in the lead up to Christmas and will probably have some Christmas cake with a cup of tea as a sort of breakfast/morning tea on Christmas day prior to the main event. Although Loth, the fresh croissants sounds fabulous-what suburb?
 
Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
Auburn and Ashfield. You have to be a bit picky to get proper croissants. Some of the Vietnamese hot bread shops have ones which are almost a cake inside. Pleasant to eat, but definitely not a croissant.

[ 16. December 2014, 21:39: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 
Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
Yes I agree re croissants, it's hard to get good ones, often they're greasy as well. I haven't eaten them since I was in France, but do think a good croissant with buck's fizz followed up by excellent coffee would be just the thing for a Christmas breakfast.

Any particular recommendations in Ashfield?
 
Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
It's a while since I have been shopping there. Vietnamese shop on south side of Liverpool road up from Teks used to be OK but they could have changed hands by now. Ages since I bought stuff there.

On your way through you could check out Fivedock or perhaps Bowen Island? Even freeze some and thaw and warm? Or Papa Patisserie in Haberfield but they would need to be bought before Christmas. If you go there, the cakes are very good but loads of kilojoules. Corner of St Davids Road I think, and Ramsay Road.
 
Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
I'm going to make a sage, onion, chestnut and cranberry stuffing
Recipe, please (proportions, that is, and any ingredients you haven't mentioned). And could you indicate how you prepare the chestnuts -- they're beginning to be available in this part of the world, mainly in their shells.

John
 
Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :
 
Another Australian here. Croissants for breakfast, as our 15 month old granddaughter has decided they're the bee's knees, probably with the strawberry conserve I made yesterday. Lunch will be seafood and a mango-based fruit salad accompanied by sparkling pinot chardonnay, or dealcoholised bubbly for pregnant daughter. Dinner will be traditional turkey and ham with the trimmings, followed by pudding, with sparkling shiraz. Then to younger son's house on Boxing Day, where lunch will be roast pork with the trimmings - not much to drink as I'll have a 2-3 hour drive home depending on holiday traffic.
 
Posted by Latchkey Kid (# 12444) on :
 
If lkkelderson is able to visit he could bring croissants from the West End Vietnamese bakery. They have been good for the last 30 years. The French Patisserie could not compete.

I will be cooking the turkey and ham in the the BBQ to keep the heat out of the house. lkkyoungerson's Japanese girlfriend has requested we requested roast beetroot like last year when she first tried it. Haven't decided which stuffing to use yet. This will be the evening meal. Lunch will be our traditional salmon terrine made by lkkspouse, and probably prawns as well.

Christmas pudding will be of the ice cream variety. Mince pies are made with puff pastry to be ultra light.
 
Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
1 pm will see a dozen of us - we three, my father, my sisters and their families minus those in colder climes - sit down to a cold lunch of balmain bugs in a white wine sauce, followed by roast turkey breasts with salads (not mini-marshmallows though!), then some cheese and finally hot christmas pudding with brandy butter sauce. The pudding is made by someone we know, and the sauce comes from a large dept store. Dry white with the bugs and sparkling shiraz with the turkey and cheese. No port with the pud. The turkey comes from a farm at a rural suburb about 20 minutes drive away, and is organic free range from an older breed. Plenty of flavour. Madame will cook them then cool them the day before in oven bags to keep them moist and the flavour in.
 
Posted by Galloping Granny (# 13814) on :
 
One of life's milestones is the point at which the next generation takes over the Christmas meal.
We'd long since given up on the hot and heavy meal at midday, and in my childhood lamb was what you roasted anyway – poultry was expensive (how times have changed!). So we'd base the meal on cold ham and salad and then strawberries and cream, followed by Christmas cake.
Now son and DiL will prepare ham, buttered new potatoes and veges from their garden (the Grandad still has to avoid salads but I expect there will be a selection). I'll contribute a light refrigerated dessert and an ample fresh fruit salad.

GG
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
The other thing is, from the cook's POV, Christmas dinner is just one of an interlocking series of meals that have to be planned and shopped for.

Christmas Eve I will probably do something special with fish. I've tended to scallops and bacon the last few years, but I fancy a change. Christmas Day brunch is scrambled egg with smoked salmon, toasted muffins, Buck's Fizz and coffee. Boxing Day I'm thinking of reviving the fondue.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by John Holding:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
I'm going to make a sage, onion, chestnut and cranberry stuffing
Recipe, please (proportions, that is, and any ingredients you haven't mentioned). And could you indicate how you prepare the chestnuts -- they're beginning to be available in this part of the world, mainly in their shells.

John
I'll make it up as I go along, but the chestnuts come cooked and peeled and vacuum packed from Merchant Gourmet [Biased] Do you have Costco in Canada? You can get them there in the UK.

The basic principle will be:

Fry chopped onion (possibly red for the look of it) with a garlic clove until turning transparent. Remove from heat and put in mixing bowl.
Add real breadcrumbs and enough boiling water from the kettle to make something malleable.
Add salt, pepper, a spoonful or two of mixed herbs and a generous handful of chopped fresh sage (from the garden; it only stops being usable in Feb). Add also a handful of cranberries and a handful of chopped chestnuts (as above)

Mix it all together, add boiling water as required. Allow to cool, then stuff into neck of bird and form remainder into balls to give a quick ten minutes to at the end.

I don't stuff bird cavities, just the neck, so there's generally plenty left over to form into balls. I don't get doing stuffing separately as often done, as the whole point of stuffing is you stuff meat with it [Biased]

My cooking tends to follow general principles rather than precise recipes (unless I'm making cakes and stuff that needs to be precise, obviously) - it generally works!
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
I was going to stuff a pork leg with turkey breast, but seeing as the supermarkets don't seem to understand the concept of buying anything other than an entire turkey, or a "crown" that costs more than the turkey it was taken from, and I can't afford posh butchers that do free range turkey bits, I'm left doing A Roast Turkey in the traditional manner. I'm a bit pissed off about it, TBH. I'd do a second meat, but there's only three carnivorous adults and three young children present, so it'd be a bit of an extravagance. Going to be eating cold turkey sandwiches until June as it is...
My mother's solution, as the family dwindled and scattered, was to joint the beast and only cook as much as was likely to be eaten (also meant she didn't have to get up at the skreagh of dawn to put entire bird in the oven). Thighs and drumsticks (boned and stuffed) would reappear from the freezer about Easter, and diced turkey pie filling/turkey stock whenever.
I have done that in the past, but for various reasons Christmas is a bit more frantic than normal this year, or believe me I would. Won't be the "Skreagh" (good word! Gaelic or Scots origin?) of dawn because it's not a massive turkey, heavens be praised.

As a side note, I'm really, really glad I'm not an Ozzie at this point. All this talk of seafood is making me feel slightly ill. Don't you have any people over there with a aversion to it? Quite common here.

[ 17. December 2014, 08:17: Message edited by: Karl: Liberal Backslider ]
 
Posted by Alex Cockell (# 7487) on :
 
Wiltshire Farm Foods comes to my aid here - so will be nuking a Hearty roast turkey tray...

Got a couple of Tesco Christmas puds - mini ice cream..
 
Posted by Huia (# 3473) on :
 
I have made 7 Christmas cakes and that's it. On Christmas Day I will be taken out to lunch by a friend. We have know each other over 30 years, and despite often living in different cities have managed Christmas lunch together most years.

Then on Boxing Day I will have lunch with another friend - the recipient of one of the cakes and will probably take along a Christmas pud made in the slow cooker and some peas in their pods as they were one vegetable our family always had for Christmas.

Huia
 
Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Karl, there are some people here who are allergic to shellfish or fish. It's to cater for them, without any table discrimination, that we're serving Balmain bugs followed by turkey. Balmain is a long-established inner city suburb, with late C19 terraces and so forth. Well, you probably know what lives in such places. You'd find them in (say) Bayswater or Notting Hill as well, areas which bear a strong resemblance to Balmain.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
I'm not allergic; I just can't bear them. Could no more eat them than I could rotten meat and bin water [Biased]
 
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
We'll probably have a traditional Kerala Sadiya - a veggie feast served on a banana leaf - rice [Kerala red rice, of course*], a dozen or so veg curries, assorted pickles and chutneys [all home made] followed by an afternoon kip then cake and ice cream in the evening.

*If you want to try red rice make sure it is Kerala rice and not Sri Lankan, they are quite different animals.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
I should add I did get the Belmain Bug joke eventually...
 
Posted by Jane R (# 331) on :
 
We always have chicken (with all the trimmings; chipolata sausages, bacon, balls of stuffing, assorted vegetables; followed by home-made Christmas pudding), as there are only three of us. For historical reasons we have Christmas dinner for the first time on Christmas Eve, this year in between the carol service and Midnight Mass. Then we have all the same things again at lunchtime on Christmas Day and if there's any chicken left over we usually make it into a pie on Boxing Day.

The advantage of cooking the chicken on Christmas Eve is that you don't have to get up early on Christmas Day to start the dinner.

But I really hate peeling the sprouts. I wish there was some way of peeling them by magic (perhaps I could pinch Mrs Weasley's wand), because all of us like eating them but hate preparing them, so we only have them on special occasions.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
We always have chicken (with all the trimmings; chipolata sausages, bacon, balls of stuffing, assorted vegetables; followed by home-made Christmas pudding), as there are only three of us. For historical reasons we have Christmas dinner for the first time on Christmas Eve, this year in between the carol service and Midnight Mass. Then we have all the same things again at lunchtime on Christmas Day and if there's any chicken left over we usually make it into a pie on Boxing Day.

The advantage of cooking the chicken on Christmas Eve is that you don't have to get up early on Christmas Day to start the dinner.

But I really hate peeling the sprouts. I wish there was some way of peeling them by magic (perhaps I could pinch Mrs Weasley's wand), because all of us like eating them but hate preparing them, so we only have them on special occasions.
Buy the ones on a tree. They keep fresh and don't need peeling or the ends cutting off or owt.
 
Posted by leftfieldlover (# 13467) on :
 
On Christmas Eve I always make fish pie (prawns smoked fish, cod) followed by raspberry and apple crumble in a pastry case, served with cream.
Christmas Day: Turkey with ALL the trimmings including my scrumptious bread sauce, followed by Christmas pudding and custard or a very alcoholic sauce! There is always Christmas cake at tea-time, which has been fed over the months with copious amunts of dark rum. On Boxing Day I am making Coronation Chicken and some kind of fricasse with left-over turkey. I have also made some icecream - rum and banana, chocolate, and a small batch of lemon. Any New Year resolutions will include 'exercise'.
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
We will have Christmas dinner at 1:00 in the afternoon at D-U's in-laws. It's going to be simple: pot roast, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, and whatever veg strikes our fancy at the grocery store. Hopefully we can get D-U and her hubby to make some sort of dessert!

I'm also going to make the case for paper plates and disposable everything to make clean up as simple as possible.
 
Posted by spork (# 18260) on :
 
We always have turkey and all the trimmings (incl. Yorkshire puds and mushy peas obviously) then Christmas pudding and brandy sauce. It's very interesting to read what others eat on Christmas day.
 
Posted by Matt Black (# 2210) on :
 
Not. Turkey. Ever.

Hate the 'meat': so dry when I used to have it as a kid that you ended up mummified from within by the end of the meal.

This year I am cooking and we are having Mrs B's parents for dinner. As they are rather dry and stringy as well, I am cooking duck with roasties and a red cabbage and apple accompaniment.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
This thread has persuaded me. I'm going to look for a half lobster I can grill and have with chips and a glass of good white wine.

It's simple, but the memory of the first time I had this still lingers in my mind as one of the best meals I've ever had.
 
Posted by Captain1 (# 16153) on :
 
Forgive me but I'm from the US - could somebody please explain the whole balmain bug thing to me? I have no idea what y'all are talking about!
 
Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Captain1:
Forgive me but I'm from the US - could somebody please explain the whole balmain bug thing to me? I have no idea what y'all are talking about!
Balmain bugs are a type of lobster but the they taste better than the "regular" bigger lobsters. They and their relatives, the Moreton Bay bug live in the mud flats around the southern half of Australia.

NSW fisheries website
 
Posted by Captain1 (# 16153) on :
 
Thanks Evangeline!
 
Posted by Palimpsest (# 16772) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
But I really hate peeling the sprouts. I wish there was some way of peeling them by magic (perhaps I could pinch Mrs Weasley's wand), because all of us like eating them but hate preparing them, so we only have them on special occasions.
There are two ways to do sprouts fast and sloppy. You still have to trim a little, but not much if you throw on a little oil and roast them till the outsides are brown.

My favorite recipe is from Julia Child.; Trim sprouts quickly,then chop into a "hash". Steam lightly and stir fry in butter. Because you're cutting them to bits, it's easy to get rid of the trimmings.
 
Posted by Ferijen (# 4719) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
This thread has persuaded me. I'm going to look for a half lobster I can grill and have with chips and a glass of good white wine.
I've seen quite a lot of deals on frozen (cooked) lobster - Aldi and Lidl were both advertising it, although, whether there is actually anything available is another thing. I think its to do with the glut of lobster in the North Atlantic, or something (vaguely remember reading the reasoning about the relative cheapness of it)

//ponders whether anyone else would share lobster with me over Christmas...
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I've had the Lidl lobster and there was little discernible flavour bar the garlic butter. I would try and track down that rare beast, the Reputable Fishmonger, and get a fresh one.

ETA. I do not mean to imply that the generality of fishmongers are disreputable, but rather that they are few and far between these days.

[ 18. December 2014, 09:06: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 
Posted by Vulpior (# 12744) on :
 
I'm going to Midnight Mass (110km round trip) and Mum is picking up two friends from residential care in the morning (80km round trip) so we'll have a late breakfast of scrummy cooked stuff: black pudding, baked beans, sausage, etc.

We'll then eat halfway between lunchtime and dinner time. I cook the turkey and spiced beef the day before, and we'll have seafood and salad too. They're key components, but we don't have to do everything the same from year to year.

Mum says she did the full roast her first year in Australia, and after the heat decided never to do so again. We have our dose of roast turkey and all the hot trimmings win we do Christmas in July for 24 people.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
I've had the Lidl lobster and there was little discernible flavour bar the garlic butter. I would try and track down that rare beast, the Reputable Fishmonger, and get a fresh one.

ETA. I do not mean to imply that the generality of fishmongers are disreputable, but rather that they are few and far between these days.
There's one in the Covered Market in Oxford. I don't know of any others within a 50 mile radius, so Aldi or Morrisons may have to do.
 
Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
My sons are working over Christmas, so we are having Christmas dinner and presents etc on the 27th.

On Christmas day we will be helping out at Church where we do a full Christmas dinner for those who would otherwise be on their own (about 60 people) we take 40 hot dinners to the housebound too. So OH and I will have an Indian take-away when we get home!

Different [Smile]
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
so Aldi or Morrisons may have to do.
I'm just back from an Aldi shop - didn't notice any lobsters in the freezers. Morrisons I consider quite good for wet fish.

There is a fishmonger a couple of streets away - but it's one of a cluster of Chinese food outlets selling mainly to the restaurant trade. For the most part, I don't even recognise the stock. If I go down to Marchmont, there's the wonderful
Eddie's - also Chinese, but in approachable fillets. I might look in and see what their going rate for lobster is currently.
 
Posted by Barefoot Friar (# 13100) on :
 
I am the family cook, but I am also the pastor of two small churches. I'm going to make my famous lasagna for a late dinner, after the Christmas Eve services.

We don't have Christmas Day services, so we're going to my wife's parents' house early Christmas morning. I'm making cinnamon rolls, but there will be other things as well. I don't know what they have planned for Christmas Day dinner. Their main Christmas dinner is on Christmas Eve.

We'll visit my family on New Year's Day, and I think my mother is planning a humongous feast with ham and turkey and dressing (we Southerners don't usually do stuffing). I'll most likely take homemade rolls.
 
Posted by Carex (# 9643) on :
 
We are driving 4 hours to visit a family member for Christmas, so I don't know what we will have. It sounds as though it will include fresh grilled salmon: that could work, as the grill is outdoors and the weather is forecast to be clear and sunny, though below freezing.

Meanwhile, plans for the rest of the holidays continue to change - as of yesterday it now sounds as though we will be hosting family on New Year's Day, so plan to do our usual turkey, cranberry relish, sweet potatoes, etc. Another family might bring ham, and we'll likely have materials on hand to make a pie (pecan, pumpkin, or combination) so if someone insists on having one, they can make it. (We're planning relatively simple meals, and to impress our guests to help out with anything else.)
 
Posted by Pomona (# 17175) on :
 
There's just four of us (me, mum, dad, sister) so usually we have a smaller type of meat with the trimmings, and then a traditional Christmas dinner when we go to my grandma's on Boxing Day - but this year because of my sister working then, we're going there on the 28th.

This year we're having ham and cauliflower cheese at my sister's request, with stuffing, roast potatoes, veg etc. I am the only one in the house who likes Christmas pudding and Christmas cake, unfortunately (I personally like my Christmas cake with Wensleydale and often some grapes or apple on the side, as a cheese course rather than a dessert). I'm very envious of those Southern Hemisphere residents having seafood - I love it. A big platter of fruits de mer would be a perfect Christmas meal for me.

My family are not Christians so I will do Midnight Mass the night before. We tend to have breakfast at 9-ish, open presents, pick at chocolates/cookies etc and then have the main meal at around 2-ish. Then parents will be down the pub, me and my sister maybe joining them, and something like a party nibble platter in the evening to eat while watching the Strictly Christmas special.
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
(whistles nonchalantly)

(Drops care package on thread)

(scurries off, still whistling)
 
Posted by Lyda*Rose (# 4544) on :
 
Just. Ew.
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
It's a Cthuken! Lovecraft's answer to the Turducken!
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
How many are not going to Kelly's for Christmas dinner?
*waves arms* Me!!!

[Razz]
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jedijudy:
How many are not going to Kelly's for Christmas dinner?
*waves arms* Me!!!

[Razz]
I'd go if it wasn't that it's made of bits of seabed.
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I don't think I'd mind so much if it didn't look as if it was about to run away ... [Eek!]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Sorry, didn't mean to derail the thread, I just thought that was funny. Please return to visions of sugarplums.
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Sorry, didn't mean to derail the thread, I just thought that was funny. Please return to visions of sugarplums.
I believe that tangents are within the purview of Heaven!

quote:
As someone once said: "In my father's house are many tangents" (John 14:2, The Hol-eBible, New Internetizen Version).
[Biased]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Yeah, but this was kind of a gross, alarming tangent, so sorry. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
It's a Cthuken! Lovecraft's answer to the Turducken!
It is a bit turd-ucken' horrible. But hell, it's Christmas, if that's what you want for dinner go for it. Enjoy [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Oh well, if you don't mind the thread being taken over by Cthulhu jokes, I withdraw my apology. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
We've had cannibalism before--this is but a squid in the ocean.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Oh well, if you don't mind the thread being taken over by Cthulhu jokes, I withdraw my apology. [Big Grin]
Ohnoyoudont. [Devil]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Oh no I don't? If you read up, you will see I attempted to redirect the tangent. I am now gonna sit and eat popcorn and watch jedijudy, Lyda Rose, and ( apparently) you milk it.

Oh, hi LC! You, too. [Big Grin]

[ 19. December 2014, 20:24: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 
Posted by Anselmina (# 3032) on :
 
Courtesy of Marks & Spencers (pick it all up ready to cook) my sister-in-law is treating us to turkey and all the trimmings on Christmas Day. The 'family' tradition, however, was always chicken - preferred to turkey. Not sure if sis-in-law is going for Christmas Pudding though. Maybe trifle?

Our works 'do' had the trad turkey meal as one option, including pudding with brandy butter - which was heavenly. And to date, I'm overdosing something rotten on mince pies.
 
Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Overdosing something rotten on mince tarts or pies - don't we all? [Axe murder]
 
Posted by Evangeline (# 7002) on :
 
I am going to a Christmas do on Sunday night at which we will be eating a turducken. I've not had it before, it does seem somewhat gluttonous to me but I guess that's what Christmas is all about....or something.
 
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
Too many mince pies at w*rk but v.v. poor. Last year I took Mrs Sioni's in and they disappeared in seconds, but at work they were nearly all bought mince pies with that awful 'brandy flavoured' cream that comes in a spray can.

(Mrs Sioni does some mince pies with orange-flavoured pastry and others with a macaroon topping. The mincemeat is 'enhanced'.)
 
Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
Oh no I don't? If you read up, you will see I attempted to redirect the tangent. I am now gonna sit and eat popcorn and watch jedijudy, Lyda Rose, and ( apparently) you milk it.

Oh, hi LC! You, too. [Big Grin]
I so miss Ken. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Alav ha-shalom*

*RIP
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Too many mince pies at w*rk but v.v. poor. Last year I took Mrs Sioni's in and they disappeared in seconds, but at work they were nearly all bought mince pies with that awful 'brandy flavoured' cream that comes in a spray can.

(Mrs Sioni does some mince pies with orange-flavoured pastry and others with a macaroon topping. The mincemeat is 'enhanced'.)
I really wish someone or other made proper English mince pies around here-- the American version has some gross spice combination that is,well, gross.

There are some folk in Oregon that have figured out to do a satisfying Eccles cake, though.

[ 20. December 2014, 03:10: Message edited by: Kelly Alves ]
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Link? I know someone who makes trips to London for Eccles cakes.
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
I will research-- Someone gave then to me, and I don't remember the name of the company.
 
Posted by M. (# 3291) on :
 
We had a nice holiday in Seville at the end of October and as a consequence, are having tapas for Christmas dinner.

Followed by Christmas pudding, of course.

M.
 
Posted by Morgan (# 15372) on :
 
Another Australian. The last few Christmases have involved having to take a number of church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day so I have survived by having cold ham and seafood, a few salads I can prepare ahead of time and a choice of pavlova or hot (microwaved) plum pudding. Plenty of fresh fruit and the usual cream, custard etc. The first couple of times I felt guilty but have come to love the ease of it. There is always a buffet of sweet and savoury nibbles to fill the corners. I'm sticking with it unless someone else volunteers to do all the cooking.
 
Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
I've had the Lidl lobster and there was little discernible flavour bar the garlic butter. I would try and track down that rare beast, the Reputable Fishmonger, and get a fresh one.

ETA. I do not mean to imply that the generality of fishmongers are disreputable, but rather that they are few and far between these days.
Son of a Reputable Fishmonger checking in. (Who did game as well.

Christmas breakfast has to be smoked salmon with scrambled eggs - plenty of black pepper on the eggs.

Turkey is game. It needs to be well hung (add your own punch line). Supermarkets please take note, if it hasn't been hung a week or two the flavour will not have had time to develop.

The turkey is for lunch time. The evening meal has ham, veal and ham pie (with an egg baked in the middle), and ham. The centre of the table is a whole salmon. There is salad to accompany.

We usually eat at lunch time, but this year we are eating later to fit in with our daughter's work shifts. (She's a nurse).
 
Posted by Wild Organist (# 12631) on :
 
Have been puzzling about what to prepare this year, since Dad can no longer swallow much that isn't soft and I decided to give Meals on Weals a break for The Day.
Had thought of pre-cooked and sliced supermarket chicken breast with new pots and broccoli (both well-cooked), but inspiration struck and I bought some Waitrose ready meals (Chicken Forestière) and will microwave two of those and some sage-and-onion stuffing balls. Don't think pigs in blankets would work for him.
Read this ( https://www.facebook.com/ageuk?fref=photo ) about Betty Williams (post of 19th December) and was humbled.

[ 20. December 2014, 16:06: Message edited by: Wild Organist ]
 
Posted by Wild Organist (# 12631) on :
 
quote:
Waitrose ready meals (Chicken Forestière) to be found here: http://www.waitrose.com/shop/DisplayProductFlyout?productId=156399 [/QB]
And a life-saver [Smile]

[ 20. December 2014, 16:13: Message edited by: Wild Organist ]
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by jedijudy:
...Christmas dinner...pot roast, baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, and whatever veg strikes our fancy at the grocery store.
Nope. Changed our minds. It's going to be lasagna, meatballs and a huge antipasto salad!
 
Posted by Pearl B4 Swine (# 11451) on :
 
A dear friend of mine, from an Italian family, said that at least five generations back, Christmas dinner was ravioli, home-made, from scratch. The reasoning was that the puffy meat-filled pasta represented the baby Jesus, wrapped up in the swaddling cloths. As if justification was needed [Smile]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Om nom nom-- ravioli does sound like good Christmas food.

We are having a ham, and "scalloped potatoes" (read-- sliced boiled potatoes covered in Velveeta Cheese sauce, and a vegetarian lasagna (Stouffer's) for the vegetarians.

Maybe I will make ravioli as a side dish.
 
Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
sliced boiled potatoes covered in Velveeta Cheese sauce,
That's new -- both cheese and Velveeta in the same sauce.

John
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
Preaching to the choir, my friend.

Now, which post of mine is more gross, the first one or this one?
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
No contest. Cthuken looks like it's about to eat the Christmas diners, not the other way around!

Velveeta may have an identity crisis, but it's not likely to attack us.
 
Posted by Lamb Chopped (# 5528) on :
 
Which to choose, which to choose...
 
Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by John Holding:
quote:
Originally posted by Kelly Alves:
sliced boiled potatoes covered in Velveeta Cheese sauce,
That's new -- both cheese and Velveeta in the same sauce.

John
I didn't know that stuff was still around. I haven't seen it down here for very many years. I think mum bought it once when I was a child, back in ancient history.

So was it just velveeta, or was it by chance mixed in with a can of mushroom or chicken soup? [Razz]

[ 22. December 2014, 22:42: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]
 
Posted by Arabella Purity Winterbottom (# 3434) on :
 
For the first year in ages, we are not tied to my parents-in-law's rigid Christmas Day schedule and menu.

We've relocated to a much, much warmer city (29C yesterday) and, with my Mum, going out for Christmas lunch, where we will have choices. I suspect my choice will be crayfish (like lobster, only sweeter and very delicate), since I haven't had it in years. The restaurant offers a huge range of salad options, which will keep my partner happy.

We've been eating our way through our weight in berries and stone fruit already, but I believe a trifle might be in the offing for Boxing Day. The only thing we've cooked over the last few days have been new potatoes and asparagus.

So almost NOTHING traditional for the first time in 21 years. So happy.
 
Posted by Pewgilist (# 3445) on :
 
I hesitate to chime in since we're doing something terribly normal. But then the exotic needs the normal to set it off, doesn't it? So ...

On what should be a mild and snowless sort of Southern Ontario Christmas Eve, my wife and I will walk downtown to the (Anglican) Cathedral for midnight mass and then come home to tourtiere (a spiced meat pie) and champagne - this being a nod to my family's many generations living in Quebec. The Quebecois traditionally do quite a spread following Midnight Mass.

On Christmas Day, we'll roast the turkey that is currently brining in salt water flavoured with - well, I don't really know what - and then take it up the street mid afternoon to join my parents and step-sister for turkey/sausage stuffing/mashed potatoes/assorted veg.
 
Posted by Uncle Pete (# 10422) on :
 
Absolutely nothing wrong with that dinner Pewgilist! (And long time, no see!)
 
Posted by bib (# 13074) on :
 
Yippee! First time for uncountable years that I don't have to cook Christmas dinner for the whole tribe. My daughter has invited us to her place with the instructions "don't bring a thing". However, I've since been given a list of what to bring which includes a cooked turkey, stuffing, gravy, our own drinks and raspberries from the garden. Not sure what is left for her to prepare! I'm still looking forward to dinner at her house though.
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
At least she'll be the one with the clearing-up to do afterwards ... [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
We are having shoulder of lamb, cooked according to the recipe posted by l'organist a few weeks back in the Burnt Offerings thread.
Accompanied by a dauphinoise type potato and onion casserole, roasted mixed roots and brussels sprouts (I do like brussels sprouts and wish they were in season for longer.

The cost of the lamb was terrifying for just the two of us. I hope to be able to make lots of shepherds pie & curry with the leftovers!

For dessert I'm taking the easy route. A M&S mini Christmas pud, or/probably followed by Sainsbury's Tart au Citron.

The home-made Christmas cake & mince pies will be taken to a family feast on Boxing Day.
 
Posted by Pomona (# 17175) on :
 
Christmas Day here is now going to be cheese, cold cuts, party snacks (like samosas etc) etc. And lots of biscuits and chocolate, no doubt!

Christmas Eve will be cottage pie I think, and Boxing Day is I think going to be ham but I'm not sure (not in charge of cooking). Tonight we're going to the local for a special festive meal - I'm having butternut squash veloute with parsnip crisps; slow-roast belly pork with black pudding, pommes dauphinoise, kale, and sherry gravy; and lemon tart with berries and orange sorbet.

[ 23. December 2014, 14:13: Message edited by: Pomona ]
 
Posted by Pewgilist (# 3445) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Uncle Pete:
Absolutely nothing wrong with that dinner Pewgilist! (And long time, no see!)
Good eye, Uncle Pete - I'm on the boards for the first time in about four years.

As for the diswrongth of the the dinner, well, I certainly agree. It just seems ... normal.

Though I did find out the turkey is brining in salt water with soy sauce and bits of thyme, sage, and rosemary salvaged from the garden. In a brimming vegetable crisper in the fridge. None of which is quite normal, as far as I know normal. So ... there's that.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Christmas eve - we're off to friends' house so no idea what we're eating but we are bringing trifle and cocktails.
Christmas day - fresh pastries before church and then lunch at relatives, with turkey and all the usual trimmings I imagine. We're bringing a homemade chocolate log.
Boxing day, at home just the four of us. Breakfast of something nice, eggs benedict or salmon and scrambled eggs. We'll walk to the barrel race in Grantchester and come home to a turkey crown, gammon, pigs in blankets, roast pots and veg, followed by a raspberry and chocolate ice cream log and Christmas pudding with whole clementine for those who like that sort of thing (neither myself or my youngest like Christmas pudding). Sherry before, wine during and dessert wine afterwards. Slump in front of a film and port and cheese for tea.
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
The friends we're going to for Christmas dinner are offering not only turkey, but also lamb, which we both like far more than turkey ... [Yipee]

I've done one batch of French sticks with a little whole-wheat flour added; I'm going to do an all-white-flour batch this evening and bring one loaf of each tomorrow.
 
Posted by Pearl B4 Swine (# 11451) on :
 
After all of tonight's musical festivities, and then a subdued Christmas Day service for a handful of people, I'll come home, worn out. No company. Just blessed peace and quiet, except for the yappy terrier.

I'll make a pork roast, mashed potatoes, bread /celery/onion/sage stuffing, peas or green beans, and sauerkraut. And a glass of bourbon & water while I'm diddling around in the kitchen.

I'll have nice meals for several days. [Biased]
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
Tonight is salmon which is traditional in our family on Christmas Eve.

For tomorrow I have managed to get a lobster and there will be chips and a glass of good wine [Big Grin]

I also have a traditional dinner, minus the turkey and stuffing, for the following day. I'm looking forward to the pigs in blankets, roast potatoes, carrots and a generous amount of buttered sprouts. There's also tiramisu or plum pudding.
 
Posted by Al Eluia (# 864) on :
 
Christmas Eve dinner: meatloaf, quinoa/bean loaf (for the vegetarians), roasted potatoes, and a corn/zucchini casserole.

Xmas breakfast: French toast, vegetarian sausage links, and fruit salad. We have had French toast for Xmas breakfast every year since my wife and I were engaged.

Xmas dinner: big family potluck. Our contribution is a Jello salad with walnuts, cranberries, and pineapple (it really is good!) and what in my wife's family is referred to as turkey soufflé (a mix of chopped turkey, celery, onion and mayonnaise between layers of white bread, topped with cream of mushroom soup and baked, then topped with grated cheese).
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Discoered today that I am making Xmas dinner tomorrow. Luckily my relations have actually acquired all the food, so all I have to do is cook it. The turkey, to be roasted in the traditional manner since it is too late to brine it. Butternut squash, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, to be roasted in a hot oven with either bits of real bacon or Vietnamese fish sauce, depending on what is available in this strange kitchen. A raw broccoli salad, tossed with olive oil, garlic and cumin seed and sprinked with seasoned rice vinegar. Either white or brown rice, depending.
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Christmas Eve dinner rather successful: cod and scallops in a wine/cream/tarragon sauce (I mean, what could go wrong?), nice bottle of champagne. Followed by a glass of the Kilchoman .
 
Posted by RuthW (# 13) on :
 
My mother moved into a rather nice retirement community earlier this year, and our family has reservations in the dining hall. Here's the menu:

Cauliflower curry soup
Farro and date salad
Free-range turkey
Mai tai glazed ham
Miso salmon
Yukon gold mashed potatoes
Pear, porcini and pecan stuffing
Spiced butternut squash
Haricot verts almondine
Assorted dinner rolls
Assosrted dessert station
Chocolate chip cookies

None of us has to cook, none of us has to clean up. [Yipee] [Yipee] [Yipee]
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I think you may be on to something there, Ruth - bon appetit! [Smile]
 
Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :
 
MMMMMmmm.

Tonight was a combination Christmas Eve dinner/ wedding celebration (see praise thread). One of my new in-laws made four versions of tamales-- one filled with chicken and mole, one filled with pork and wrapped in banana leaves, one mushroom and green pepper with somewhat of an Asian influence, and one ground beef with cardamom. All very yummy. on the side we had beans, Mexican rice, home made guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo with tortilla chips.

To drink we had a choice of soft drinks, champagne, and Ménage à Trois (which is damn yummy.) And a lovely devil's food cake with silky white frosting for dessert.
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Had a bit of a burrow in the cupboard and came up with a Chateauneuf du Pape '98 to go with the Beef Wellington, and a Pewsey Vale Riesling '84 for the Christmas pud. Both drinking very well.

[ 25. December 2014, 22:38: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 
Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Much envy about the Pewsey Vale - it is a wine which ages beautifully. We drank 2000 Mt Pleasant Lovedale semillon with the seafood terrine - a beautiful wine, with at least 10 more years in it; with the cold roast turkey, what better than the 2005 Leasingham Sparkling Shiraz.
 
Posted by Brenda Clough (# 18061) on :
 
Smoking bishop! I put the recipe up on the book at Book View Cafe.
 
Posted by John Holding (# 158) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
Had a bit of a burrow in the cupboard and came up with a Chateauneuf du Pape '98 to go with the Beef Wellington, and a Pewsey Vale Riesling '84 for the Christmas pud. Both drinking very well.
Wish I had a cupboard with Chateauneuf du Pape '98 lying forgotten in it.

What else do you keep in your cupboards on spec -- stray first growth clarets? vintage Roederer Krystal? The odd bottle of HIghland Park?

And when can I come to rummage around in the said cupboard, so long as I can keep what I find?

John
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I would need to check, John, but I think we have about 10 whiskies on the go. A Laphroig, a Kilchoman and a Mortlach and another 3 malts I can't remember. An an Irish and a couple of bourbons. Some curiosities, like a Dillon's white rye.

The wines I'm less sure about: definitely quite a lot of champagne though.
 
Posted by Bene Gesserit (# 14718) on :
 
Firenze's drinks cabinet sounds awesome!

Having had our traditional Boxing Day dinner of bubble and squeak + cold meats (inc. the inevitable leftover turkey...), a tradition inherited from my family, I was wondering what Others eat on Boxing Day. My other half can't remember whether his family had their own particular traditions.

So, what was your dinner today?
 
Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :
 
Our tradition used to be cold turkey, ham and doing more veggies. We've since stopped eating meat, so just had more veggies and stuffing [Smile]

A great tradition past tradition is mum saying she'll make bubble and squeak with the left overs, then chucking them out a few days later.... I can't actually recall her ever having done it. We've been a bit better about not cooking so many of them to start more recently.

We also tend to have egg and home made chips for dinner a couple of days after Christmas.

Oh, and the Christmas pudding, seems to last for days!
 
Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :
 
Having celebrated on our own yesterday, Mr RoS and spent the day with our sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, doing Christmas all over again. Hosted by Younger Son & wife, who had done the same for DiL's family yesterday.
On the menu today, after substantial nibbles, was roast duck, (or Quorn roast for the vegetarians amongst us), roast potatoes, roast carrots, sprouts, stuffing, yorkshire puddings and two types of gravy. Followed by Christmas pudding & brandy butter, trifle, mince pies, chocolate ice cream log, and cream.
There were more nibbly things later, but I was too full to even look at them.
Can't even think about food for tomorrow, but it will be leftovers.
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
We've reverted to a custom we had of a cheese fondue. It's minimal cooking, and it reminds you why it caught on in the first place.
 
Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :
 
I had to play with my new toy today, so I invited my BFF over and cooked sweet potatoes and salmon on my new gas grill! [Yipee]

We ate some yummy Brussels sprouts, too.

Then we ate some of the dark chocolate D-U and her hubby gave me yesterday.
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We discovered that one of the few places open in St. John's today was a new restaurant serving v. good vegetarian Chinese food. Further details in my post on the British thread in AS.

I made a pot of soup today and on a whim invited the friends we had Christmas dinner with round on Saturday to help us eat it.
 
Posted by The5thMary (# 12953) on :
 
Chinese food. Apparently, that's what most Jewish and other folk who don't celebrate Christmas eat on Christmas Day? Well, my wife and I were treated to a wonderful Chinese food early dinner on the 25th. We got to the restaurant in good time as there weren't a lot of people there but when we left an hour later, we had to squeeze past twenty irritated, ravenous people waiting in line at the front door.

We had a great dinner. I had Cashew Chicken, my wife had a mostly lovely chicken dish but her black mushrooms were as rubbery as calamari and proved inedible after chewing fruitlessly on one for more than ten minutes...my sister had the Phoenix and Dragon, a chicken and shrimp dish. Mmmm! My mouth is watering all over again, thinking about it. We also scarfed down appetizers of Crab Rangoon, Shrimp Toast, and Vegetarian Pot-stickers. Excellent, excellent time was had by all. Last Christmas was Thai cuisine, also excellent. [Smile]
 
Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
Beef in red wine in the slow cooker for Christmas Eve; turkey and the trimmings for Christmas Day; cold beef, salad and pickles at Nenlet1's in-laws on Boxing Day. Yesterday evening I used the remains of the turkey in Piglet's Curry with Saffron Rice (see recipe thread [Biased] ) much to the family's approval. Nenlet2 hadn't had it before.

It's a bit more anybody's guess today, though. I might rustle up a stir fry. ..
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Like Firenze, we have a cupboard of single malts, I just counted 12 and my other half has some Japanese double sample bottles. I'm another fan of Laphroig and also Talisker, though there is also Welsh, British, Swedish and Japanese here. Alas, we have finished our only champagne on Boxing Day though.
Christmas dinner at the relatives was the usual turkey roast and Christmas pudding with my homemade chocolate log as an alternative for those, like me, who don't like fruit cake. Boxing Day was at home and we had crab to start, followed by Turkey crown with sausage meat and stuffing, gammon, homemade bread sauce and all the usual veg, followed by a raspberry and praline ice cream log, with sherry, champagne and moscatel. We didn't get round to the cheese course.
Since then I've been experimenting with my new griddle and we appear to be living on homemade crumpets and cheese [Smile]
 
Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Firenze:
We've reverted to a custom we had of a cheese fondue. It's minimal cooking, and it reminds you why it caught on in the first place.
Have you tried a raclette meal Firenze?

Fabulous - even better than fondue!
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
I do eye up the raclette stones when they make their very occasional appearance in Lidl but if there's a thing I don't need, it's a rarely-used cooking apparatus taking up cupboard space. The fondue set earns its keep by virtue of being a double saucepan.
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
So basically, with a raclette you invite people round and get them to cook their own lunch.

Assuming they've brought a bottle and their choice of ingredients, the host wouldn't have to do anything more than provide seats and a couple of utensils per person.

I'm just wondering whether there's much difference in principle between this, a barbecue or getting people to cook things around the bonfire/campfire.
 
Posted by BessLane (# 15176) on :
 
Christmas Eve was traditional Southern chicken and dressing, turkey, boiled country ham, mac & cheese, mashed taters and cream-style corn at my mother-in-law's This was followed by baked ham, white beans, baked mac & cheese, Mexican cornbread and green beans at my best friend's family's house. Christmas Day I mooched around a bunch of friends' homes eating their leftovers and loafing heartily.

I've managed to get out of cooking for any big holiday this year, but I do miss the leftovers the next couple of days. Lucky for my I have lots of friends who are great cooks and don't mind me rummaging through their fridges
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
I like the look of the raclette thing, although as Firenze said, it's really just another Thing To Collect Dust.

We were very taken with the "steak-on-a-stone" restaurants that were a hit about 20 years ago, and contemplated buying some and trying to replicate it, but I'm glad we didn't: I doubt we'd have ever used them. Now I think about it, D. bought a fondue set a wee while ago, which was put at the back of a cupboard and hasn't been used yet ...

Hmmm - possible New Year's Day dinner for the two of us: we'll want something fairly simple as we're going to friends on New Year's Eve who always do a huge mixture of things, rather like a pot-luck, after which one feels a bit gastronomically confused ...

[Help]
 
Posted by la vie en rouge (# 10688) on :
 
There is a bit of minimal preparation required for raclette. You need to boil potatoes and prepare the charcuterie. A crisp white wine is best to cut through all the grease.

The other thing to bear in mind is that your house stinks of cheese for days afterwards.
 
Posted by Dormouse (# 5954) on :
 
We have a raclette grill - it's quite the "thing" in our area of France. When we bought it we used it every week, until we got bored. Now it comes out occassionally (usually when we have friends staying) but it is a good stand-by meal. The children of friends down the hill LOVE raclette and demand it every week (mind you, their mother isn't a great cook, and this is a meal that is difficult to mess up!)
 
Posted by Nenya (# 16427) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Piglet:
rather like a pot-luck, after which one feels a bit gastronomically confused ...
What a good way of putting it. [Overused] We have Bring and Share lunches at work occasionally, which have the same effect.

This week is a funny one for food as you're kind of getting back into routine with some people at work, but there has to be some sort of celebration meal as well - though it tends to be one which doesn't leave you with leftovers, so no turkey curry options for the weekend. [Roll Eyes]
 
Posted by Boogie (# 13538) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
So basically, with a raclette you invite people round and get them to cook their own lunch.
Yes!

It's very popular in Germany - I love it. Such a sociable way to do. Very little faffing, I hate faffy cooking! My husband does all the cooking in our house, I tend to leave the room, too much FAFFING! (ungrateful me)

I haven't bought a raclette set yet, but may ask Santa for one next year.

[Big Grin]
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
We have a small fondue which we occasionally use for cheese but is is far more often used to melting chocolate.

We've got guests tomorrow for New Year's eve, too many to fit around the table and several children. So we're having a buffet, which I'm starting to prepare today. I've made coconut egg masala to serve cold, potato salad and I'm about to make a spicy leg of lamb to carve at the table. Later today I'll make a chocolate log (fondue pot will be out for this) and a lemon cake and tomorrow we'll cook gammon, sausages and homemade sausage rolls and make some Tzatziki (guests are bringing salad and dessert).
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
My parents bought a fondue pot in about 1970 as fondue was fashionable at the time, and we tried it out one evening. It was fine at the time, but you get sick of what is essentially toasted cheese pretty quickly, the congealed bits were difficult to clean off, and we never used it again. Also, the smell did linger for a bit.
 
Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :
 
If you aren't fans of fondue with cheese get a metal pot and use it to cook meat instead. You cook small pieces of meat in what is effectively mulled wine. Mushrooms go well too.

Raclette is OK, but you can use a wider variety of cheeses in a fondue.
 
Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :
 
We had a fondue set when we were in Belfast (it got forgotten when we moved over here) and we did meat fondues a couple of times. They were fine up to a point, but D. isn't wild about a lot of red meat, and found that it took too long for the meat to be done to his desired degree of doneness*. Also, we found it hard to keep the oil hot enough to cook the meat without taking the pot off and re-heating it on the stove.

I mentioned the cheese-fondue idea to him and he seemed quite keen, so I think we'll give it a go. I'm going to make leek-and-potato soup as a starter, as we've got a couple of leeks in the fridge that would like to be eaten.

* i.e. cremated [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
If you aren't fans of fondue with cheese get a metal pot and use it to cook meat instead.
That's usually known as a saucepan in this part of the world [Razz]
 
Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
You might prefer the Mongolian Firepot version which uses stock to cook a variety of meat and vegetables. I've tried it once in a restaurant. The final stage is drinking the soup made in the stock.
 
Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :
 
Shabu Shabu in Japan - and similar dishes in Korea and Singapore, I have forgotten the names. The trick is to cook the vegetables first, as they take longer, then quickly cook the meat when the vegetables are done. The meat takes barely a couple of minutes if it's properly prepared.
 
Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :
 
Definitely time to bin the leftovers I think.

Firenze
HH
 


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