Christmas (eve) meal ideas please

VictoriaBlyth

Hi all,

Need some inspiration.:beer:

There will be 6 for Xmas meal this year, difference is, we are doing it all on Christmas Eve, to fit in with other in-laws, and just because I quite fancy it;)

Idea is, we start at 4ish on Xmas eve, with champagne and nibble. Then spend several hours around the table eating, drinking, exchanging gifts and playing daft games. I have ideas for everything but the food:o

Need some help please with a 5? Course meal. Pât!/ prawn cocktail to start, salad, sorbet, meal, pud, coffee and sweet things?

I know I will need to keep the portions small, but any ideas for what to do would be very, very welcome:)

themull1

Leek and potato soup, monkfish skewers wrapped in pancetta or coquille saint jacques, turkey and beef with all the trimmings, christmas pud and rum sauce/trifle/black forest gateau and cream, cheese and biscuits, coffee and choc dipped strawberries.

We always used to have christmas dinner on christmas eve when my grandad was alive, my granny died on christmas day so he didnt want to celebrate the day itself. When he died we reverted back to christmas day. I loved the meal on christmas eve, but my OH is a traditionalist.

VictoriaBlyth

Thank you:T

Really looking forward to doing something a bit different, then spending Christmas Day just sobbing out!
I find the day itself a real let down now that family is all grown up, so trying something new this year. I just need to keep the portion sizes small........always a problem for me:o

rachiibell

What about tapas? So you have lots of different little dishes and let everyone help themselves.

Or you could pick a theme for the meal and have each course based on it. Eg Italian. Bruschetta, minestrone soup, salad, lasagne, tiramisu.

whitesatin

rachiibell wrote: »

What about tapas? So you have lots of different little dishes and let everyone help themselves.

Or you could pick a theme for the meal and have each course based on it. Eg Italian. Bruschetta, minestrone soup, salad, lasagne, tiramisu.

I am not doing Christmas this year, it's my daughter's turn, thankfully. But I do like the idea of tapas and am on the look out for ideas now that I have splashed out on John Lewis Al Fresco dishes.

When we were in Switzerland, the family used to have cheese fondue on Christmas Eve. I remember sitting with the windows open listening to the church bells at midnight.

notanewuser

We haven't done Xmas on Xmas day for about 10 years now. It's brilliant.

I wouldn't bother with 5 courses. Pât!, salad and sorbet just take up tummy room. 1 awesome roast (and veggie option) plus trimmings, and choice of puddings is as much as we manage. And we don't eat anything else that day and gave several hours break between main and pud! Why make yourself unnecessary work?

skogar

Maybe I'm just lazy (OK I know i am ) but if doing 5 courses I would plan for a few that are cold and can be pre-prepared. Probably just have a warm main course.

e.g. starters
prawn cocktail
carparcio (bresola and rocket with drizzle of olive oil, lemon juice) parmesan shaved with a potato peeler
pate
smoked salmon
or a soup that just needs warming up

puddings
tiramisu
trifle
banoffee pie
homemade chocolate mouse
etc

A cheese board

coffee and chocolates / mince pies

A sorbet course would be fairly easy as you could just have a nice one in the freezer.

Or you could maybe serve some sort of canapes with sparkling wine (or similar) before the main meal. Maybe blinis with smoked salmon, bruchetta, etc.

My OH's parents often have a theme when they invite a certain pair of friends to dinner. It can be food from a particular country they have visited together, last time it was a set of courses based on places they had been to together. The game was to identify the place from the food served. All sorts of themes are possible different decades etc etc.

Remember it's a lot better to enjoy it than spend all day in the kitchen!

themull1

Sorry, i thought you meant that you wanted a christmas dinner on christmas eve!! Not a different dinner altogether.! Well - what about the Monkfish with pancetta for a starter, or seafood set on a bed of ice that you can help yourself from? then Beef Wellington with roasted winter veg, and raspberry pannacotta or xmas pud and rum sauce, then cheeseboard and coffee, mints.