Need Christmas Dinner Advice? Ask Here...

Animord

Dubl07 wrote: »

Someone with that many allergies is probably allergic to nuts as well. I'd welcome them to dinner but phone them now and offer to store their chosen dishes in the freezer to be cooked separately on the day or to allow them to bring their own food. I'd be wary of trying out recipes at Christmas for 29 to fit around one person when it's likely that even the one might either dislike it or be allergic to it.

Absolutely. My first thought actually was to just ask the person for recipes that do work for them. And I'd definitely be test running anything first to see what it was like.

I think the person has 29 allergies rather than the poster is cooking for 29.

We need the full list of allergies to find something that will work.:pac:

juke

Stheno wrote: »

Anyone any suggestions for stuffing?

The one my family have used forever, a la Theodora FitzGibbon, is Chestnut Stuffing, and I would eat it with every roast if I could, really simple, but so tasty:

1 large can Faugier whole chestnuts or 1lb (450g) fresh (I use the vacuum packed ones)
4oz (100g) sausage-meat - you can get gluten free
2 oz (50g) butter/marg
Salt and pepper

If using fresh nuts, slit them down one side and boil for c. 1/2 an hour, then while still warm remove both skins (the most horrible Christmas-Eve job in my memory :mad:) Chop roughly and mix with the sausage-meat, add melted butter and seasoning, mix well.

This can be made a few days in advance.

Dubl07

Animord wrote: »

Absolutely. My first thought actually was to just ask the person for recipes that do work for them. And I'd definitely be test running anything first to see what it was like.

I think the person has 29 allergies rather than the poster is cooking for 29.

We need the full list of allergies to find something that will work.:pac:

(Facepalm) I had a brain-fart between reading and writing. Thanks!

Stheno

Dubl07 wrote: »

Someone with that many allergies is probably allergic to nuts as well. I'd welcome them to dinner but phone them now and offer to store their chosen dishes in the freezer to be cooked separately on the day or to allow them to bring their own food. I'd be wary of trying out recipes at Christmas for 29 to fit around one person when it's likely that even the one might either dislike it or be allergic to it.

Lol it's the OHs daughter so not much chance of that, her default food when stuck is Chicken Fried Rice.

We had goose two years ago with ham, but no stuffing, that year I also did ice cream with no milk/dairy/eggs, chocolate cake with no dairy/eggs/flour etc so I'm used enough to cooking for her. Today we had BBQ baby back ribs with steak chips and onions. I'm just stuck on the stuffing

I'm only cooking for four but with the list of allergies, it's a royal pain in the ass if I don't prepare. I had to go through at least 12 bottles of bbq sauce in the supermarket today to find one without garlic.

Main allergies:

All dairy
Eggs
Soya
Gluten
Spelt
Maize
Oranges
Peppers
Garlic

Weirdly no nut allergies at all!

I think I shall try the chestnut stuffing

I've also access to pure pork sausages with no breadcrumbs, but I'll be using those for something else

Dubl07

Stheno wrote: »

Lol it's the OHs daughter so not much chance of that, her default food when stuck is Chicken Fried Rice.

We had goose two years ago with ham, but no stuffing, that year I also did ice cream with no milk/dairy/eggs, chocolate cake with no dairy/eggs/flour etc so I'm used enough to cooking for her. Today we had BBQ baby back ribs with steak chips and onions. I'm just stuck on the stuffing

I'm only cooking for four but with the list of allergies, it's a royal pain in the ass if I don't prepare. I had to go through at least 12 bottles of bbq sauce in the supermarket today to find one without garlic.

Main allergies:

All dairy
Eggs
Soya
Gluten
Spelt
Maize
Oranges
Peppers
Garlic

Weirdly no nut allergies at all!

I think I shall try the chestnut stuffing

I've also access to pure pork sausages with no breadcrumbs, but I'll be using those for something else

Most chicken fried rice will have eggs and soy in. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by suggesting that you're being played but if it were a guest of mine, I'd be a bit suspicious. All in all it's a huge PITA, best of luck! And make an enormous bowl of proper breadcrumb, herbs and butter stuffing for yourself and the OH.

brian ireland

I would recommend this method for cooking your turkey. It cuts hours off the cooking time and it lovely and moist.

With a strong scissors cut the back bone off the bird





A chef once told me to put an orange in the turkey while roasting using this method. As far as I know the orange will help steam the turkey from the inside and keep it from drying out. Anyway I took his advise and this is how I have cooked my turkey for the last 10 years and it always lovely and moist.

Some people cut out back bone and flatten the turkey but I don't. I just take out the bone, put butter and parsley under the skin, pack it with oranges and roast. Its always perfect.

Stheno

Dubl07 wrote: »

Most chicken fried rice will have eggs and soy in. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by suggesting that you're being played but if it were a guest of mine, I'd be a bit suspicious. All in all it's a huge PITA, best of luck! And make an enormous bowl of proper breadcrumb, herbs and butter stuffing for yourself and the OH.

We get it without soy and egg, and I make it myself, she doesn't tend to cook much at all. The allergies have been going on for about four years, so it's not a case of being played at all.

Animord

brian ireland wrote: »

I would recommend this method for cooking your turkey. It cuts hours off the cooking time and it lovely and moist.

With a strong scissors cut the back bone off the bird





A chef once told me to put an orange in the turkey while roasting using this method. As far as I know the orange will help steam the turkey from the inside and keep it from drying out. Anyway I took his advise and this is how I have cooked my turkey for the last 10 years and it always lovely and moist.

Some people cut out back bone and flatten the turkey but I don't. I just take out the bone, put butter and parsley under the skin, pack it with oranges and roast. Its always perfect.

I have never tried an orange but I always put either an apple or an onion into a roast chicken for the same reason.

BeepBeep67

Not Christmas dinner, but Mrs BB has a Christmas breakfast tradition on the go. Stewed beef and onions served over homemade brown bread with a pot of scald. Really kick starts the day.

Faith

Might I suggest making whatever stuffing you'd like and her just not eating it? With an allergy list as extensive as that, it seems like a royal pain in the ass to go to that much effort for one dish when you don't absolutely need to.

Stheno

Faith wrote: »

Might I suggest making whatever stuffing you'd like and her just not eating it? With an allergy list as extensive as that, it seems like a royal pain in the ass to go to that much effort for one dish when you don't absolutely need to.

She wouldn't eat the goose if the stuffing was cooked in it I'm going to do the chestnut recipe posted above

Mrs Fox

May I suggest this rice stuffing recipe. Just omit ingredients like garlic or others that she's allergic to.


INGREDIENTS
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
* 6 large garlic cloves, minced
* 1 tablespoon tomato paste
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
* 1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
* 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
* 1 cup wild rice
* 2 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
* 1 cup long-grain white rice


Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add cumin; stir until toasted and fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste. Stir in thyme, pepper, coarse salt, and mint. Add wild rice; stir 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until wild rice is almost tender, about 40 minutes.
* Mix white rice into wild rice; cover and simmer until most of liquid is absorbed and all rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice; cover and continue to simmer until liquid is absorbed and all rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, then pine nuts; serve.

dee_mc

I wonder about a Southern-style cornbread stuffing? This recipe might need some tweaking and you'd more than likely have to make the cornbread yourself but it sounds really nice and unusual, rather than a 'poor relation' to a regular stuffing!
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ie/2008/11/maple-roasted-acorn-squash-and.html

Stheno

dee_mc wrote: »

I wonder about a Southern-style cornbread stuffing? This recipe might need some tweaking and you'd more than likely have to make the cornbread yourself but it sounds really nice and unusual, rather than a 'poor relation' to a regular stuffing!
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ie/2008/11/maple-roasted-acorn-squash-and.html

Thanks for that link, it's loads of recipes I can use for different things

She is with us for a week, so I like to do some cooking in advance of stuff she wouldn't normally have, like bread and chocolate cake

Animord

dee_mc wrote: »

I wonder about a Southern-style cornbread stuffing? This recipe might need some tweaking and you'd more than likely have to make the cornbread yourself but it sounds really nice and unusual, rather than a 'poor relation' to a regular stuffing!
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ie/2008/11/maple-roasted-acorn-squash-and.html[/QUOTE]

Corn and Maize are the same thing.

thegreatiam

dee_mc wrote: »

I wonder about a Southern-style cornbread stuffing? This recipe might need some tweaking and you'd more than likely have to make the cornbread yourself but it sounds really nice and unusual, rather than a 'poor relation' to a regular stuffing!
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.ie/2008/11/maple-roasted-acorn-squash-and.html

Corn bread is easy to make, and you can use any extra bread for serving with your meal or at breakfast.

Wont trigger those allergies either.

awec

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Not Christmas dinner, but Mrs BB has a Christmas breakfast tradition on the go. Stewed beef and onions served over homemade brown bread with a pot of scald. Really kick starts the day.

A family member of mine has a traditional christmas breakfast of fried turkey.

Not my cup of tea anyway. :pac:

saltyjack silverblade

I am forgoing the turkey again this year. Decided last year that I was sick of the dry tasteless meat so I opted for beef wellington instead. I have now converted the rest of the family as well to beef wellington. I cook the meat first because I don't like pink meat. Then the usual stuffing and pastry. Adding more mushrooms to the stuffing this year to give it a bit of extra taste.

dee_mc

To Animord, re maize and corn, Of course they are, don't know how I missed that! Sounds like the OP found other (suitable!) recipes on that site though so not all bad

Whistlejacket

Christmas breakfast of scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and Buck's fizz :-)

Animord

Whistlejacket wrote: »

Christmas breakfast of scrambled eggs, smoked salmon and Buck's fizz :-)

Yes! This is the correct Christmas day breakfast. I am amazed at how many people out there are doing it wrong. :P

Mrs Fox

For Christmas breakfast we'd normally have sauteed mushrooms on toasted brioche topped with poached egg and crispy streaky bacon, with hollandaise.
(sure, that's just eggs benedict with mushroom and a slice of pig fat on posh toast innit?)
No. It's what I described above.

huskerdu

Stheno wrote: »

Lol it's the OHs daughter so not much chance of that, her default food when stuck is Chicken Fried Rice.

We had goose two years ago with ham, but no stuffing, that year I also did ice cream with no milk/dairy/eggs, chocolate cake with no dairy/eggs/flour etc so I'm used enough to cooking for her. Today we had BBQ baby back ribs with steak chips and onions. I'm just stuck on the stuffing

I have been doing goose with Myrtle Allens apple/onion stuffing for years and its fab. It sounds like it would suit your needs.

500g apples
500g onions
Thyme ( or sage)
1 kg mashed potato

Chop up the apple and onion. Add the herbs and stew in a small amount of orange juice. ( Obviously you would substitute the orange juice with water or maybe lemon juice.

Mix the stewed mixture with the mashed spuds. Season with salt/pepper.

Stuff into the goose before cooking.

MissFlitworth

We all eat a selection box each and then my mam brings in a giant plate of toast and begs everyone to eat one piece of real food please, just a slice of toast, and tidy up those curly wurly wrappers before your auntie gets here and thinks I don't feed you. Traditions must be upheld!! Although half thinking of bringing my waffle iron with me for Christmas this year, my little second cousins will be with us for the day and if I make them waffles they might excuse my shocking awkwardness with people of their age.

April O Neill II

saltyjack silverblade wrote: »

Decided last year that I was sick of the dry tasteless meat so I opted for beef wellington instead.

If you end up with dry, tasteless turkey meat, you're not doing it right. :pac: I haven't had dry turkey on Xmas Day in years and years.

I have nothing but a cup of tea and maybe a slice of toast on Xmas morning. We have Xmas lunch in our house, at ~2pm, so I like to have a huge appetite worked up in readiness.

saltyjack silverblade

April O Neill II wrote: »

If you end up with dry, tasteless turkey meat, you're not doing it right. :pac: I haven't had dry turkey on Xmas Day in years and years.

Lol It always tastes nice when I am eating eat, but afterward when it has cooled down I think it is dry and tasteless. Used to use the turkey crowns from Marks and Spencers.
Willing to give the turkey another go if you have a great recipe! But it has to be great!
No pressure!

April O Neill II

saltyjack silverblade wrote: »

Lol It always tastes nice when I am eating eat, but afterward when it has cooled down I think it is dry and tasteless. Used to use the turkey crowns from Marks and Spencers.
Willing to give the turkey another go if you have a great recipe! But it has to be great!
No pressure!

My mother swears by using magic turkey bags. I think I saw somewhere on this forum where someone wraps the turkey is muslin soaked with melted butter. Keeps the turkey constantly basted apparently!

Mrs Fox

We're also reverting back to turkey this year just to give the geese and ducks a break.
I too have never been able to keep the turkey moist, so planning to do Nigella's recipe and brine overnight. I'm just wondering if the maple glaze is a tad too sweet, since we'll be serving honey glazed ham too.
Had anyone tried out Nigella's turkey?

Used magic turkey bags before, lack of golden caramel colour was a but of a turn off for me. And I felt that it was just one notch dry, but maybe because that's the year we did a boneless and rolled turkey.

billie1b

foodaholic wrote: »

Can't see a picture but I think your talking about a turkey timer. Avoca sell them for around €4ish. The middle part pops up when your turkeys internal temp has reached the correct level.

It's a great little gadget - no stress of wether the turkey is done or not and always juicy

Our local butchers give everyone who purchases a turkey 2 or 3 of them for free and the turkey and ham deals are pretty good too

the beer revolu

To all the people looking for tips on a moist turkey or anyone looking to try something a bit different :
Poach the turkey crown.
Trust me!
I've posted the recipe in this thread.
Imagine having your oven free for all the veg and spuds you like?!