The Christmas Dinner 2015 Thread!

Faith

Well, seeing as the threads are being started already, we might as well kick off the Christmas dinner thread!

Please post all of your questions, suggestions, recipes and menu plans here

mirrorwall14

Hi everyone,

We're having our first Christmas at home with the new baby. I'll be cooking for 2+an eleven month old on Christmas Day and then for 4+the baby on Stephens Day. I've a few questions for you knowledgeable folks if you don't mind?! I can cook but I'm not brilliant

I will definitely cook turkey and I have done so before but only for two of us. How big a turkey do I need if I'm feeding 6 across the two days? At least 3 of those are big meat eaters.

Both our parents used to cook a ham on Christmas eve but neither of us are big ham people. Is there any other meat that I could cook on Christmas eve for dinner that would carry over to Christmas day or am I as well to just have a completely separate dinner on Christmas Eve and forget about any cross over?

Obviously while I want a decent dinner I also want time to spend with the baba in the morning so I'm thinking of peeling/blanching/freezing the chopped veg in advance. If I do is it ok to transfer them straight into a pot or should I be letting them defrost? I also plan on cooking a small turkey one of the weekends coming and freezing some of the stock base for gravy, does that sound ok?

I adore roast potatoes but they are the most time consuming to make, is there anything that can be done to help with that?

Oh and any ideas for deserts? Again we would have had christmas pudding but neither of us are a fan

Sorry for all the questions. I'm excited but I like to plan so I want to get all my ducks in a row!

Ol' Donie

Might (might!) be worth throwing this up in the Christmas forum.

Sounds like it's gonna be great whatever you do.

njs030

You could do all the veg prep the night before and leave it in water overnight? Just make sure the water completely covers them.
My parents cook everything in disposable roasting tins to avoid washing up.

confusticated

I'd ask your butcher for advice on turkey size, they'd have a fair idea. On the ham alternative front, I don't know where in the country you're based but spiced beef is a popular thing in Cork and it's a bit different. Don't know if you could get it elsewhere though!

Dessert-wise, trifle? Or something light after the big dinner, like pavlova?

mirrorwall14

Never heard of spiced beef. I'm from the west but living in Kildare so might ask around! Butchers is a good idea alright.

Notjustsweet unfortunately I have a kitchen with miniscule countertop space, I can't leave anything on the floor with a walking baby and with a turkey in the fridge that'll be stuffed so I'm not sure if I'll squeeze it in. Might do a trial run of sorts. If I use sealable containers I might be able to stack chopped veg around things.

Can you make pavalova up the day before? (Turkey would be in the oven lol). Other half loves trifle. I hate it. Ah well, I could keep him happy and go for it!

Dizzyblonde

mirrorwall14 wrote: »

Never heard of spiced beef. I'm from the west but living in Kildare so might ask around! Butchers is a good idea alright.

Notjustsweet unfortunately I have a kitchen with miniscule countertop space, I can't leave anything on the floor with a walking baby and with a turkey in the fridge that'll be stuffed so I'm not sure if I'll squeeze it in. Might do a trial run of sorts. If I use sealable containers I might be able to stack chopped veg around things.

Can you make pavalova up the day before? (Turkey would be in the oven lol). Other half loves trifle. I hate it. Ah well, I could keep him happy and go for it!

You can bake the shell, whip the cream and keep it in a bowl in the fridge and then you just have to assemble it on the day.

With regard to Christmas Eve - we always get a takeaway because I'll usually have been preparing the veg etc for Christmas Day and I need a break from the kitchen

dibkins

And keep the pav well covered! Else you will have a sweet eggy mess.

confusticated

We leave veg and spuds chopped up under cold water in pans on the hob overnight on Christmas eve, and they're usually fine, so you could maybe do that to save fridge space?

Neyite

I've a tiny kitchen too. One workaround last year that worked well for me was to fill a lockable cool box with low-risk items - veggies etc that would normally reside in the fridge and put it outside on the balcony in a shaded area. It gave me more fridge space and the temperature outside was pretty much the same as a fridge. We do it during the winter with beer too.

I wouldn't store dairy or meat items outside though -stuff like spuds or cauliflour or cabbage that are hardy enough. Veggies and salads that wilt I'd keep indoors if its particularly cold.

Pick a dessert that you can prepare ahead. Ditto with a starter if you are having one. Can you put up a stair gate at the kitchen door while you are doing the actual cooking, when you are juggling that bit, a toddling baby can easily come up behind you without you realising when you are carrying something hot.

Alun

Yes, we have a conservatory on the back of the house that's as cold as a fridge during the winter, so we keep all our overflow veggies and drinks out there. No need for any cool boxes

Ol' Donie

Yep. Stack the beer and that in the shed for the whole damn time.

Man, I can't wait!

mirrorwall14

Gosh that's all great advice thanks so much everyone!! Really excited now, a month today its turkey dinner!!

robruck

The more easy form to cook the turkey is to cut by pieces. Marinate with soja sauce, fresh ginger, five spices.

catho_monster

I'm doing most of my Christmas cooking this weekend and freezing it so it's ready in advance for a stress free holiday season!

Highly recommend making roasties in advance and freezing them like I described here, then cooked from frozen http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057085727/9/#post88260547

Stuffing can be made in advance in balls from BaZmOs recipe here (frozen, defrosted then roasted) http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056772901/1/#post81099163

Turkey gravy can be made in advance from cheap turkey legs, from Minder's stock recipe here:
http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057085727/2/#post87674667

Faith

mirrorwall14, I hope you don't mind, but I have taken over your thread to make it the official Christmas Dinner 2015 thread . It just helps to keep everything in one place!

So, folks, this is the place to ask any questions you have about the daunting task of cooking Christmas dinner, offer recipes or suggestions, or just share what your menu looks like

I have the traditional Christmas dinner. I never bother with a starter. I stir fry the sprouts, cut them in quarters and cook in oil. For the stuffing, I fry an onion in 2 ozs butter and add to a packet of stuffing mix with an extra 2 slices bread crumbed added. Lazy, but delish! Roast parsnip, carrot and potatoes. Marrowfat peas are a must. Trifle for dessert. Club orange to drink!
Stevens Day, bubble and squeak (mashed potatoes and sprouts mixed together and fried) Cold turkey smothered with relishes/pickles. Plum Pud and custard and/or cream for dessert.

Gloomtastic!

Major in-law invasion this year, my family staying away which means not having to cater to a PITA vegan (sorry sis)!!!

Going to try and repeat last year's feast, without the veggie options! Now to try and find the post where I listed everything..... :eek:

Edit: Found it! Including a link to Turkey Crown brined in Buttermilk which was fantastic. Highly recommend it (shorten the cooking time though)

Recipe here......

Dizzyblonde

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

Recipe here......

I'm cooking a turkey crown for the first time in decades because nobody liked turkey until recently, so I'll be trying the buttermilk brine

Gloomtastic!

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I'm cooking a turkey crown for the first time in decades because nobody liked turkey until recently, so I'll be trying the buttermilk brine

I bought a whole turkey last year and crowned it myself, there's loads of YouTube tutorials. You also get the added bonus of 2 turkey legs that you can bone and stuff with sausage meat. Wrapped in streaky bacon and then tin foil, roll it into a tight sausage. Poach for an hour or so and allow to cool. Take the tin foil off and fry the sausage until the bacon is browned. Slice and serve. Delicious!!!

Am doing a bring your own thing before Christmas, and have to do veg. Any suggestions? Enough for 13!

C.K Dexter Haven

Anything other than Turkey/Ham suggestions welcome

Neyite

I'm doing venison this year. I'm not overly fond of turkey. Other years we've done organic lamb which was gorgeous, so I'm going to try to source organic venison this year too. Duck or Goose might be alternatives to turkey too.

C.K Dexter Haven

Neyite wrote: »

I'm doing venison this year. I'm not overly fond of turkey. Other years we've done organic lamb which was gorgeous, so I'm going to try to source organic venison this year too.

Any recipe ideas yet?

Neyite

Dónal wrote: »

Am doing a bring your own thing before Christmas, and have to do veg. Any suggestions? Enough for 13!

Fennel Roasted Parsnips
Stir fried Brussell Sprouts with bacon.
Spiced Red Cabbage
Lemon & orange carrots

Any of those sound good?

Neyite

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

Any recipe ideas yet?

Yep, I have a recipe for spiced blackberry sauce which goes well with venison medallions. I did it one year with blackberry and port sauce (Darina Allen book) and it was amazing. Going to do Bazmo's stuffing balls, because, stuffing balls like!

I got my veggies recipes out of a good housekeeping booklet and its one of the best little books ever.

I'll do the homemade trifle as it was a big hit last year. Tuna Carpaccio for starter again was requested this year.

I did a spinach and feta pie with sticky hoisin sausages on St' Stephens day.

C.K Dexter Haven

Neyite wrote: »

Yep, I have a recipe for spiced blackberry sauce which goes well with venison medallions. I did it one year with blackberry and port sauce (Darina Allen book) and it was amazing. Going to do Bazmo's stuffing balls, because, stuffing balls like!

I got my veggies recipes out of a good housekeeping booklet and its one of the best little books ever.

I'll do the homemade trifle as it was a big hit last year. Tuna Carpaccio for starter again was requested this year.

I did a spinach and feta pie with sticky hoisin sausages on St' Stephens day.

Sorry, I just meant the "venison" - (but thanks for the other ideas too )


cool so, medallions of venison- are they going to be purchased via vacuum pack or do you have a supplier? do you slice thinly or purchase pre-sliced or slice a fillet yourself?

Neyite

I don't know yet, I'd like to source organic so it might depend on what I get.

The last time we had venison, it was Aldi medallions and they were seasoned and fried in a tiny bit of butter for 2 mins each side, so they were served medium, and they were gorgeous, but so simple to do. So I might even see if Aldi are doing them again if the organic ones are too much of a pain to find.

mirrorwall14

Has anyone spiced and cooked their own beef? I'm reading up on it and it looks like a lovely alternative to ham for my house!

C.K Dexter Haven

Neyite wrote: »

I don't know yet, I'd like to source organic so it might depend on what I get.

The last time we had venison, it was Aldi medallions and they were seasoned and fried in a tiny bit of butter for 2 mins each side, so they were served medium, and they were gorgeous, but so simple to do. So I might even see if Aldi are doing them again if the organic ones are too much of a pain to find.

Many thanks, i'll post back here when i check with my butchers- there was a lot of venison about a month ago out there but not sure what the season is.

The Hill Billy

I'll be doing the traditional Christmas fare again this year. It ain't broken, so Mrs B won't let me fix it.

Christmas Eve
Slices of the ham that I'll serve on Christmas Day
Cheeses
Pickles
Crackers
Mulled wine

Christmas Day Breakfast
Smoked salmon & brown bread with G&Ts in Nana Billy's

Christmas Day Dinner
A glass or two of chilled sherry while I am cooking
No starter apart from a glass of bubbly with Mrs B
14lb turkey (so we plenty of leftovers) unbrined & roasted with lots of herby butter under the skin & a blanket of streaky bacon
Ham (boiled & baked au naturel on Christmas Eve - glazing is too much bother for very little return)
Stuffing with breadcrumbs, sage, onion, thyme, garlic & lemon
Roast carrots with cumin, honeyed parsnips & spuds
Stir-fried sprouts with bacon (& possibly chestnuts)
Giblet gravy
Dessert TBD - probably baked cheesecake
Bottle of Barolo or some other chunky red

Christmas Day Supper
Turkey & pickled onion sambos with a mug of tae