Christmas Recipes Please?

kethry

Madmel wrote:

I just thought of another one.

If you buy a turkey with all the giblets in, take the liver and fry it in olive oil for a few minutes with an onion, til it's brown all through. Then put the liver, oil, onion and a hard-boiled egg into a food processor or blender and smash it together. It makes fab liver pate, so we have this normally for lunch on Christmas Eve.

:eek: i always save the liver from the turkey, its the best bit for the gravy!!! I always loved my Gran's turkey gravy so the first year i "did" christmas i asked her for the secret.

Basically, you boil the giblets with carrot, onion, bayleaf, yadda yadda to make stock as per delia's instructions (in the delia christmas book) but don't throw away the liver - grate it and add it to the gravy once its made (give it a few minutes to heat it through though) it makes the gravy have lovely bits in it that taste absolutely *fantastic*.

sorry, but that's worth more to me than liver pate!!! (and don't even get me started on leftover gravy on boxing day with yorkshire pudding, those little individual ones, that you can pour the gravy into and just eat so that the hot gravy squirts into your mouth.. ohhh mannnn hurry up christmas!!!)

keth
xx

kethry

another tip, and this is one i wouldn't recommend for anyone who hasn't really handled pastry before:

this is a variation on the delia recipe given for mince pies - i grate in orange zest, just after the rubbing in stage, and add about 1/2 tsp of mixed spice (although you could add more), and instead of cold water to mix it - i use a combo of orange juice and dark rum. The reason why i say its not really suitable for those who aren't used to pastrywork is because i can't give an exact figure, i just add the OJ/rum mix to the pastry till its formed the dough - if i need more i make up more, if i don't, i swig the rest. [*hic*]. anyway, it makes a lovely crispy pastry.

last year when i made this, i'd just taken the first batch out of the oven, when i made the mistake of giving the OH one, warm, with icing sugar dusted ontop, and having one for myself. as a treat, you understand.

lets just say i ended up having to cook a whole new batch.. and we didn't eat any dinner that night. LOL.

keth
xx

Phatmouse

I love christmas, this year I am having a little girl (not instead of turkey), due 16/12/06. I always do a really special xmas lunch, 3 courses and a boiled ham on xmas eve. If my daughter is two weeks late as they usually are (or so I keep getting told) she will be born xmas day :eek:

However if not and I am home, does anyone have any suggestions for xmas dinner, bearing in mind I will be a first time mum so easier the better, I would still like 3 courses but would be prepared to do ready made this year if anyone can suggest any things that are yummy. It will be our best christmas even even if we eat crisps but it would be nice to have a special meal on a special christmas.

I plan on having my first drink on christmas day, well me first in about 8 months, I know this is about christmas but will it be feasable to express milk so that I can? :beer:

Horasio

bekkki1 wrote:

Does anyone have a reciepe for cocolate truffles?

thanx in advance

I use thick cream and melted chocolate, and alcohol (optional) mixed together, keep it thick, otherwise it won't set. You can use nuts or cocoa to roll the chocolate ball in. Put in petit four cases and put in the fridge to set

Old_Joe

Although we do have the festive goose, the family so like this stuffing that it gets eaten with other meals so have made two lots so far.;)

1 1/2 lbs of Mashed Potatoes 1 tabs. Parsley
4ozs Diced Bacon 1 teasp. Thyme
1lb Sausagemeat 1 teasp. Sage
1 large Chopped Onion Dble Cream/single Elmlea
Salt/Pepper.

Fry bacon very gently until fat runs out.
Add onion, cook until soft. Add the sausage meat. Fry until golden brown, breaking it up and stirring continuously.
Place mash into a bowl and add thother ingredients mixing thoroughly and bind togeather with the cream/Elmlea. Season to taste.

Although that is the recipe, I don't tend to be exact, adding extra bacon.:D

As this can be time consuming, I usually cook the bacon/onion/sausgae meat then finish the rececipe when I've more time, and freeze until its needed.

HopeElizzy

Do any of you make mincemeat? I'd like to have a go this year as i usually buy loads of pies and want to make those as well - might as well do the whole thing if I can.:D

:beer:

kethry

I'm gonna make my own mincemeat on friday - delia's recipe from her christmas book. I'll let you know how i get on - never made it before!

keth
xx

flourgirl

This recipie came from a Country Markets leaflet I had. I have made the cooked mincemeat from Delia's Book a few years ago and it was lovely. Might give this one a go this year

Tipsy Pear Mincemeat

900gm Pears
450gm Raisins
450gm Sultanas
225gm Currants
225gm Dried Figs
225gm Candid Peel
225gm Blanched Almonds
450gm Demerara Sugar
450gm Vegetarian Suet
2 teasp Mixed Spice
1teasp Ground Ginger
1 teasp Cinnamon
1/2 teasp Nutmeg
150ml Brandy (or other spirit) I'm using Grand Marnier
Grated rind and juice of 2 lemons

Peel, core chop or grate the pears. Chop the rest of the fruit, peel and nuts. Mix all the ingredients in a large non-metallic bowl. Cover with a cloth and leave to stand for 2-3 days stirring occasionally. Pack into sterilised jars and cover.

It doesn't say how many lbs it makes, but it looks like a lot. I might just make half first.

Lillibet_2

wendym wrote:

How could I have forgotten my grandmother's sage and onion stuffing? It sounds really odd, but is delicious. She always cooked it separately from the bird.

These are rough quantities.

Quarter 2 or 3 onions, and boil until soft. Take half a large white loaf, and hold it whole (or a few slices at a time) under a gently running tap until it's wet, then squeeze out water until you have doughy bread. Pull this into pieces in a bowl, then add the cooked onion, chopping it in with a knife until the onion is in 50p sizes pieces.Then add a generous handful of fresh sage, salt and pepper, and spoon it into a greased oven proof dish. Dot the top with butter, and bake for 30/40 minutes. It is done when the top is crunchy. It's even more delicious with some of the turkey/chicken juices poured over it as it's cooking. It re-heats very well, so I usually make it on Christmas Eve.

Excellent recipie, this is what we need at Xmas, a nice CHEAP easy way of streatching the meal:D I will be makign this;)

kethry

HopeElizzy wrote:

Do any of you make mincemeat? I'd like to have a go this year as i usually buy loads of pies and want to make those as well - might as well do the whole thing if I can.:D

Hope,

Just finished doing the mincemeat - at least the first half. it really is quite straightforward, just weigh everything out and dump it in a large bowl, leave for 12 hours, then stick in a warm oven so the suet melts, then when cool stir in the brandy and bottle.

really gets you in the mood tho, the smell of the orange/lemon and mixed spice, and all that fruit.. i found myself humming "silent night" as i worked!!!

anyway, go for it hon - many other people have commented that its far superior to shop bought, and its very straightforward - i used delia's recipe from her Christmas book (which is well worth buying in my book, but you could borrow a library copy).

good luck with it - i'll let you know how it tastes tomorrow!

keth
xx