The Christmas Dinner 2014 Thread

Frigga_92

Getting very excited now
Have decided to do things a little differently this year - am going to butterfly our turkey crown (no idea how to do that but I'm sure I'll figure it out) and try Nigella's turkey stuffed with sausage and cranberries recipe with a few tweaks.
Last Christmas was the first time I cooked a large joint of meat in our slow cooker (prior to that it was always curries or bolognese) so I'm going to do the same this year. Ham slathered in a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, honey and 2 types of mustard and then cooked for about 8 hours in ginger ale. It tastes amazing. I don't know where I'd be without my slow cooker because that really takes so much pressure off on Christmas Day.
Also going to try a sausage and bramley stuffing loaf.
And for dessert I'm going to make apple and blackberry crumble with home made custard.

The Black Oil

Mary Berry was on BBC 2 earlier. She does the butter on the skin approach, with slices of orange. Between her, Ramsay and Oliver I'm going try this method rather than brining.

Loire

the beer revolu wrote: »

It's a basic breadcrumb stuffing.
Onions, softened in butter; fresh herbs - I had flatleaf parsley, thyme, marjoram ; lemon zest; salt; pepper ; breadcrumbs - I like to use a granary bread - whatever is in the reduced section.
It is wrapped in Lidl Serrano ham.
I'll just stick it in a hot oven for half an hour or so.

Thanks for that. Do you cook it with the tinfoil on?

Loire.

Tarzana2

rubadub wrote: »

I wish my house was odd! I wondered why other meat producers do not try a marketing campaign to get people to switch, though I think I have seen some for goose or duck.

I dislike most christmas food, and just tolerate some. A big turkey is expensive and hard to manage, I would much rather have a decent steak and it could be around the same price.

I would hear of people treating themselves to a fillet steak throughout the other seasons, I have never heard someone being delighted to see turkey on a restaurant menu throughout the year, or "treating" themselves with it.

When I was young I used to wonder how this traditional food all came about and even wondered if it was some sort of religious penance!

With steaks I will hear "wow its so tender, lovely taste, so juicy"
With turkey it more like "wow, its not bone dry, great! well done"

If I say this some will say nonsense & that they love turkey & christmas foods, but then will admit they would never bother cooking or seeking out these foods for the rest of the year. And its not just an excuse that the turkey is big, they are not getting turkey crowns, or doing sprouts, or putting cranberry sauce on chicken. They are not cooking cakes similar to christmas cakes or making puddings etc. Some supermarkets do stock these things and the lack of shelf space would suggest they are very low sellers.

I love eating cranberry sauce (with lots of different meats) and stuffing at other times of the year, and am keen to start cooking turkey dishes too. I will often have turkey if I see it on a menu and my mother is the same. I genuinely love the taste of turkey. So, for me, it's not nonsense.

And I'm not really a huge fan of steak in general. I'd prefer turkey over it any day.

the beer revolu

Loire wrote: »

Thanks for that. Do you cook it with the tinfoil on?

Loire.

Yes.

javagal

Can I ask about stuffing a turkey? I've seen a lot of conflicting advice as to whether to stuff the cavity or not. I'll be getting a fresh Turkey from the butcher.

Also, planning a sirloin roast, very small one, about 2kg. Any recommendations on how long to cook it for medium in the middle/well done at ends

Loire

Made 2 extra big Christmas cakes on Sat. One of them has been attacked by aliens, cos it wasn't me and everyone else says it wasn't them. Stork and Shamrock are gonna have a bumber Q4 :pac:

Dizzyblonde

We have those people in our house, Somebody and Nobody. Somebody did it and Nobody knows who it is

Gloomtastic!

Big shop done!
Turkey crowned and marinating in buttermilk at the bottom of the fridge for the next 3 days. Legs boned and waiting to be stuffed. Giblets and carcass roasting in the oven with veg. Ham fillet soaking. Prepare, prepare, prepare!

TeletextPear

Today was mini Christmas Day for bf and me before we head off to our respective families. Roast chicken, smoked ham, herby stuffing, red cabbage, carrots, potato gratin, potato croquettes and the most gorgeous turkey gravy from SuperValu in Clonakilty - aka Cork's best undiscovered foodie gem. Stuffed is not the word!

BaZmO*

I think I'm gonna do the Turkey like Jamie Oliver this year.

the beer revolu

Spiced red cabbage on as I type.

Mrs Fox

Ready made prawn cocktail & smoked salmon bought and stored in fridge as we speak. That's my contribution for this year's starter done.
Looking forward to having my feet up, and when the others are running around preparing the rest of the dinner that they insisted on doing themselves, I'll pretend to look busy decorating the seafood platter with bits of leafy greens.

maamom

the beer revolu wrote: »

Spiced red cabbage on as I type.

Any chance of a recipe? Had red cabbage for the first time in years recently and thought it would be nice for christmas. So many different recipes online though.

Loire

Mrs Fox wrote: »

Ready made prawn cocktail & smoked salmon bought and stored in fridge as we speak. That's my contribution for this year's starter done.
Looking forward to having my feet up, and when the others are running around preparing the rest of the dinner that they insisted on doing themselves, I'll pretend to look busy decorating the seafood platter with bits of leafy greens.

With a nice glass of <insert alcoholic preference here>

Mrs Fox

Loire wrote: »

With a nice glass of <insert alcoholic preference here>

Glass?!! Hah!

crunchie1

is anyone doing the sprouts with chestnuts and bacon..supposed to be great but I cant find the pre cooked ones. I have the fresh ones- can these be prepped in advance and stored?

the beer revolu

maamom wrote: »

Any chance of a recipe? Had red cabbage for the first time in years recently and thought it would be nice for christmas. So many different recipes online though.

I thought to myself as I posted up what I was doing that I'd end up typing out the recipe. My money was on another poster asking for the recipe, though;)
Any guesses on who I was thinking of?

I just make it up as I go along. Here's what's in this years one.
The following is for half a head of a medium sized red cabbage. It is very dense and goes a long way.


Peel, half and finely slice 2 medium sized red onions and sweat in a heavy bottomed large pan on a low heat with a generous knob of butter and three crushed garlic cloves.
.
Next come the spices. Slice a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger into thin discs and throw into pot along with 3 green cardamom pods (split open) a stick of cinnamon, a star anise, 6 - 8 cloves, 5 allspice berries (crushed), a good pinch of chilli flakes, and 6 - 8 whole black peppercorns. Keep sweating on a low heat.

Quarter your cabbage, cut out the stalk and fairly finely slice half the cabbage. Add to the pot and stir.

I like my red cabbage fairly fruity so I add a handfull of dried cranberries, the zest and juice of an orange and two eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped.

Throw in a generous splash of port and a dash of red wine vinegar, a spoon or so of brown sugar and generously season with salt.

Cover and cook for about an hour on a low heat or until the cabbage is tender. If it seems to be drying out and sticking/burning add a little water.

When cooked, taste and adjust sugar, salt and vinegar as necessary.


Like I said, this is completely made up (pretty damn tasty, though:D) so feel free to change the spices to suit what ever you have. If you've no port, use red wine but you'll need more sugar too. I think it is best made a day or so in advance and reheated.

Enjoy

Loire

the beer revolu wrote: »

I thought to myself as I posted up what I was doing that I'd end up typing out the recipe. My money was on another poster asking for the recipe, though;)
Any guesses on who I was thinking of?

That would be ME ;):D

Alun

+1 for the cranberries in Red Cabbage. I did that purely off my own bat one year without ever having read it in a recipe, just because I had some left over, and it adds a really nice fruity tang. I wouldn't be a fan of too many spices though to be honest, just a stick of cinnamon, a few cloves and a couple of bay leaves for me.

the beer revolu

Loire wrote: »

That would be ME ;):D

Now, what makes you say that????

(It's ok, I take it as a compliment);)

the beer revolu

Alun wrote: »

+1 for the cranberries in Red Cabbage. I did that purely off my own bat one year without ever having read it in a recipe, just because I had some left over, and it adds a really nice fruity tang. I wouldn't be a fan of too many spices though to be honest, just a stick of cinnamon, a few cloves and a couple of bay leaves for me.

I reckon I came up with it all by myself too!
Great minds, and all that.
While mine seems to have a lot of spices - there aren't too much of any.
It ends up being mulled wine like rather than curryish.
I thought about bay leaves too but thought I had to stop somewhere!

Loire

Thinking (and I know it's a bit late to be "thinking" at this late stage) of cooking the turkey in a turkey bag this year. Any thoughts?

Loire

Won a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir in a work Xmas raffle today. What's the chance of it making it to tomorrow?

maamom

Thanks a million @thebeerrevolu for that it's much appreciated. Think it's going to be a great addition to the christmas dinner.

Loire

Check out this sprouts recipe - yum

http://iamafoodblog.com/pan-roasted-honey-garlic-brussels-sprouts-recipe/

Loire.

Mrs Fox

Regarding brussels sprouts, I roast them in the oven with a bit of oil and generous pinch of salt. Managed to convert three sprout haters last year.

Deenie123

Collected the turkey this morning, roasted the ham last night (ham sandwiches for lunch today, yum yum). Trifle to be made tomorrow and all the veg peeled and chopped and prepared.

Gloomtastic!

Loire wrote: »

Check out this sprouts recipe - yum

http://iamafoodblog.com/pan-roasted-honey-garlic-brussels-sprouts-recipe/

Loire.

Was going to use this recipe
http://holycowvegan.net/2014/01/roasted-brussels-sprouts.html, but yours looks a lot easier/nicer. Thank you!

Dubl07

Dunnes in Sandyford is out of fresh cranberries!!! :eek::eek: