Christmas cooking

Gloomtastic!

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

Anyone know where to get a nice dry cured ham in Dublin?

Nolan’s in Clontarf have them. €25/€26 depending on smoked or pale.

RasTa

Dunnes have some but it's expensive. I think it's a tenner for 60g of the Spanish stuff. Bit cheaper for the Italian

Slattsy

Any ideas for a vegan starter, that would, ideally take very little doing???

now online

Slattsy wrote: »

Any ideas for a vegan starter, that would, ideally take very little doing???

Poached pear with walnuts, small salad of mixed leaves, chopped beetroot.
I've made this a few times and it's always a hit.
You could poach the pears now the longer you leave them the better the effect

Slattsy

now online wrote: »

Poached pear with walnuts, small salad of mixed leaves, chopped beetroot.
I've made this a few times and it's always a hit.
You could poach the pears now the longer you leave them the better the effect

Sounds ideal actually.

What did you poach the pears in and did you add anything to it?

now online

Slattsy wrote: »

Sounds ideal actually.

What did you poach the pears in and did you add anything to it?

I poach them in lidls mulled wine or whatever bottle of red I happen to have if I use ordinary wine I add mulled wine spices you can buy in any supermarket. The mulled wine premade works just as well.

Method:

Peel pears and put in a deepish pot, cover with wine bring to boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off and let the pears soak in the liquid as long as possible, the longer the better to absorb the liquid and colour.

When you're ready to serve assemble a few mixed leaves on the plate, crush a few walnuts and chop the beetroot. I also crumble some blue cheese over it but I don't know if that's suitable for veggies.

Either way it looks as good as it tastes!

BaZmO*

You’ll have to make sure that the wine is vegan. A lot of wines use animal based products as fining agents.

now online

I wonder would cranberry juice work with the mulled wine spices? I didn't think about the wine being non vegan!

Broccoli and blue cheese soup is good too but might be a bit heavy.

Slattsy

now online wrote: »

I poach them in lidls mulled wine or whatever bottle of red I happen to have if I use ordinary wine I add mulled wine spices you can buy in any supermarket. The mulled wine premade works just as well.

Method:

Peel pears and put in a deepish pot, cover with wine bring to boil and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Turn off and let the pears soak in the liquid as long as possible, the longer the better to absorb the liquid and colour.

When you're ready to serve assemble a few mixed leaves on the plate, crush a few walnuts and chop the beetroot. I also crumble some blue cheese over it but I don't know if that's suitable for veggies.

Either way it looks as good as it tastes!

Sounds awesome.

Was thinking goats cheese would go great with that, then remembered - vegan

BaZmO* wrote: »

You’ll have to make sure that the wine is vegan. A lot of wines use animal based products as fining agents.

Oh ffs!!

Whispered

Just finishing off the tesco online order for collection tomorrow and the amount of food is silly! So I'm going to copy Kyliths layout above and see where I can trim back.

Breakfast
Sausages & scrambled egg
Sweet waffles with strawberries
Bucks Fizz
Coffee

Starter
none! (toddler too young to sit for a full meal so hoping by going straight to mains we will have the dinner together)

Mains
Turkey and Ham (quorn roast), buttery mash, roasties, roast carrots and parnsips, cauliflower cheese and roast sprouts with bacon

Dessert
Chocolate yule log sundae (topped with strawberries, vanilla icecream & caramel)
or
Tesco Finest salted caramel bomb (if anyone has tried this please let me know if it's nice)
or
Icecream cone

Later (and days that follow)
Cheese board with a strong cheddar, brie, danish blue and wensleydale, served with oat crackers, walnuts and a chilli jam

Leftover sandwiches on batch bread with Heinz mayo, and a packet of tayto!

BaZmO*

now online wrote: »

I wonder would cranberry juice work with the mulled wine spices? I didn't think about the wine being non vegan!

Broccoli and blue cheese soup is good too but might be a bit heavy.

And being cheese, not vegan!

Slattsy wrote: »

Oh ffs!!

I know. I’ve no time for vegan nonsense. Especially if you’re going to follow it to the full letter of the law. Sure you can’t use certain types of hairspray!!

Dubl07

BaZmO* wrote: »

And being cheese, not vegan!


I know. I’ve no time for vegan nonsense. Especially if you’re going to follow it to the full letter of the law. Sure you can’t use certain types of hairspray!!

What irks me is that mainstream eating is adversely affected by minority tastes. If I'm making food for guests I'll be using the best I can source. Being quizzed about the cheese origins of a nice pesto dish, or a refusal to eat trifle because it has gelatine in the jelly. (Yes, my trifle has jelly. )

Unless an individual has a true allergy to something, I was taught that guests eat what the host provides, or takes a tiny amount to push around the plate while interacting. No-one starves by not having an entire (old-fashioned) food pyramid at a single meal. And if you are a passionate vegan, we've probably heard it all a dozen times before. Eat your aubergine facon at home and chow down on veg in butter while you're here.

kylith

Dubl07 wrote: »

Unless an individual has a true allergy to something, I was taught that guests eat what the host provides, or takes a tiny amount to push around the plate while interacting. No-one starves by not having an entire (old-fashioned) food pyramid at a single meal. And if you are a passionate vegan, we've probably heard it all a dozen times before. Eat your aubergine facon at home and chow down on veg in butter while you're here.

The issue with that is that if you're not used to animal fats and protein eating them can make you really ill.

That's before getting into the fact that it's hard to put your ethics on hold for a day. Just pray you don't get one of those vegans who'll lecture about what everyone else is eating.

Slattsy wrote: »

Any ideas for a vegan starter, that would, ideally take very little doing???

Try Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ie/search/pins/?q=Easy%20vegan%20starter&rs=typed&term_meta[]=Easy%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=vegan%7Ctyped&term_meta[]=starter%7Ctyped

Gloomtastic!

Dubl07 wrote: »

What irks me is that mainstream eating is adversely affected by minority tastes. If I'm making food for guests I'll be using the best I can source. Being quizzed about the cheese origins of a nice pesto dish, or a refusal to eat trifle because it has gelatine in the jelly. (Yes, my trifle has jelly. )

Unless an individual has a true allergy to something, I was taught that guests eat what the host provides, or takes a tiny amount to push around the plate while interacting. No-one starves by not having an entire (old-fashioned) food pyramid at a single meal. And if you are a passionate vegan, we've probably heard it all a dozen times before. Eat your aubergine facon at home and chow down on veg in butter while you're here.

I would agree 100% with you but it’s like you’re lying to them. I wouldn’t mind if they were total strangers but when it’s friends and family you have to try to be true. Still a real pain in the butt though - two Christmas dinners but no goose fat roasties or Brussels in butter with pancetta, I could go on.....

LirW

Since I'm so stressed out at the moment and only whip up my shopping list right now and still have to figure out a dessert for Stephen's day (don't ever do major renovation coming closer to Christmas!), I came across this simple Christmas log on the French Tasty site.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/gwenaellelecochennec/buche-de-noel-choco-framboise?bffbfrance&utm_term=.nuAAalLA3#.jdpyEqKy6

I'll try making it with the brioche from Aldi, or does anyone else have an idea where to get a bigger quantity of brioche?

Shenshen

Dubl07 wrote: »

What irks me is that mainstream eating is adversely affected by minority tastes. If I'm making food for guests I'll be using the best I can source. Being quizzed about the cheese origins of a nice pesto dish, or a refusal to eat trifle because it has gelatine in the jelly. (Yes, my trifle has jelly. )

Unless an individual has a true allergy to something, I was taught that guests eat what the host provides, or takes a tiny amount to push around the plate while interacting. No-one starves by not having an entire (old-fashioned) food pyramid at a single meal. And if you are a passionate vegan, we've probably heard it all a dozen times before. Eat your aubergine facon at home and chow down on veg in butter while you're here.

Not wanting to distract, but I was taught that when hosting, it's your duty to find out what your guests like and dislike, and what they can and can't eat. You don't invite a Jewish person for dinner and expect them to eat the scallops you've prepared with that lovely cream sauce, after all.

I think we'd best stop the hostilities and go back to the foods we are looking forward to.

BaZmO*

Shenshen wrote: »

Not wanting to distract, but I was taught that when hosting, it's your duty to find out what your guests like and dislike, and what they can and can't eat. You don't invite a Jewish person for dinner and expect them to eat the scallops you've prepared with that lovely cream sauce, after all.

I think we'd best stop the hostilities and go back to the foods we are looking forward to.

I’m not going to continue the vegan debate, but what’s that about scallops and Jewish people?

Gloomtastic!

BaZmO* wrote: »

I’m not going to continue the vegan debate, but what’s that about scallops and Jewish people?

Jewish people can’t eat shellfish or pork. They have loads of little rules about food and it’s preparation - seperate kitchens are commonplace in Jewish homes to prepare different foods.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kashrut

Dubl07

BaZmO* wrote: »

I’m not going to continue the vegan debate, but what’s that about scallops and Jewish people?

Kosher eating; some things are forbidden. Shellfish and mixing meat and milk. You want to see the kitchen of someone who keeps strictly Kosher. Different sinks, dishes, pots and pans.

A tiny return to vegans, and vegetarians: I wouldn't lie, nor wouid I be inhospitable. It just drives me bananas.

BaZmO*

Cool. Only knew a few of the rules of Kosher eating. Didn’t know shellfish was forbaden

Whispered

My husband was gifted a turkey and ham. We usually get a boned and rolled or crown. Me being veg and the toddler being teeny a 16lb turkey is going to go a long way.

I'm very nervous about cooking it. And I don't want to waste any. So I'd appreciate any tips for a fool proof cooking and also some ideas for using the remains (besides curry which is a give in).

I'd rather cook it whole.

Literally first time cooking something this size.

now online

Menu sorted.

Starters Soup/melon or smoked salmon souffle.

Usual turkey, ham and spiced beef served with
Potato stuffing, mash, garlic cream potatoes
Carrots, Brussels, red cabbage and cauliflower.
Stuffing balls and sage and onion bread stuffing.

Dessert
Puddings made since November, new York baked cheesecake and chocolate mousse.

It's a lot but everyone comes for the two days, what's not eaten on Christmas day will be eaten st Stephens day.

Shenshen

Whispered wrote: »

My husband was gifted a turkey and ham. We usually get a boned and rolled or crown. Me being veg and the toddler being teeny a 16lb turkey is going to go a long way.

I'm very nervous about cooking it. And I don't want to waste any. So I'd appreciate any tips for a fool proof cooking and also some ideas for using the remains (besides curry which is a give in).

I'd rather cook it whole.

Literally first time cooking something this size.

I'm far from an expert, but I have paid attention a few days ago when Jaimie was doing a turkey on telly - 20 minutes per kilo of weight, and he had tinfoil over the bird until the last hour of cooking, to keep it moist. He also said to let it rest 2 hours before serving, though that did seem rather long to me.

For leftovers, a cottage pie or a hotpot? I suspect it's best to have leftovers of such dry meat in something with a lot of sauce. But I would imagine it would also work really really well in a nice pasta salad, or in tabouleh for something a bit lighter.

Shenshen

Ok, we're just the two of us, but our menu will be :

Deviled eggs, lentil pate, crackers and a some side-salad for starters
Nut roast, stuffed portobello mushrooms, red cabbage, sprouts, carrots and roast potatoes for mains (we like to keep that traditional)
Lebkuchen chocolate mousse for dessert

We've already filled up the fridge with various types of ales, there's some homemade plum liqueur and some Baileys, and I have 3 big tins or home-made German christmas biscuits.
I'm not expecting to be able to move for a few days after that.

Gloomtastic!

Shenshen wrote: »

Ok, we're just the two of us, but our menu will be :

Deviled eggs, lentil pate, crackers and a some side-salad for starters
Nut roast, stuffed portobello mushrooms, red cabbage, sprouts, carrots and roast potatoes for mains (we like to keep that traditional)
Lebkuchen chocolate mousse for dessert

We've already filled up the fridge with various types of ales, there's some homemade plum liqueur and some Baileys, and I have 3 big tins or home-made German christmas biscuits.
I'm not expecting to be able to move for a few days after that.

That sounds absolutely lovely, you’re forgiven!!

Johnny_Fontane

Shenshen wrote: »

I'm far from an expert, but I have paid attention a few days ago when Jaimie was doing a turkey on telly - 20 minutes per kilo of weight, and he had tinfoil over the bird until the last hour of cooking, to keep it moist. He also said to let it rest 2 hours before serving, though that did seem rather long to me.

For leftovers, a cottage pie or a hotpot? I suspect it's best to have leftovers of such dry meat in something with a lot of sauce. But I would imagine it would also work really really well in a nice pasta salad, or in tabouleh for something a bit lighter.

its 20 minutes per lb! Be careful out there #fakenews

BaZmO*

Just completed the dreaded Christmas food shop. I think everyone had the same idea to get it done early Friday morning. One hour queuing at the checkout!!!

Johnny_Fontane

BaZmO* wrote: »

Just completed the dreaded Christmas food shop. I think everyone had the same idea to get it done early Friday morning. One hour queuing at the checkout!!!

im gonna go at about 9.30pm tonight.....always works a charm

BaZmO*

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

im gonna go at about 9.30pm tonight.....always works a charm

I was off work so I thought I’d get it out of the way. Hangover didn’t help either.

beertons

BaZmO* wrote: »

Just completed the dreaded Christmas food shop. I think everyone had the same idea to get it done early Friday morning. One hour queuing at the checkout!!!

Did it take you long? I'm not back till 4.