What are your festive menus?

Buffy_the_Vampire_Bat

kimevans wrote: »

I've never heard of hasleback potatoes, so I googled it.

WOW, I'm making them for xmas day!!!

Heres a link I found

http://www.greatfood.ie/item_display.asp?cde=2&id=926

So thats Delias parmesan parsnips (I found the recipe:D ) & those potatoes:beer: :beer:

Well I never knew that's what they are called, thanks I've never used a skewer before, what a great idea, will prevent me from accidentally slicing all the way through...not that I've ever done that before :whistle:

claire1847

For roast potatoes you can't beat Delia's method, though I have to fiddle with recipes so here's my (to date) failsafe

Maris Pipers, cut into small ish chunks, usually quarters, leave skins on, par boil for 10 minutes from cold, drain, put back in the pan and shake like mad so they get all fluffed. The best oil I have found is not cheap, but it is lovely - it's cold pressed rapeseed oil, and that sounds like a real faff for potatoes, but it really has a lovely nutty taste and crisps the things really well (and has no chemicals and is not saturated fat and also has a high smoke point so no trans fats - all bonuses!). Make sure the oil is very hot in the pan, and then put in the potatoes, toss well so all covered in the oil. My oven is quite fierce so I stick to about 180 but once the meat is out I give the veg a little blast at 200 for about 5-10 mins then turn off. The potatoes have always come out fluffly and the skin on adds real crunch and detracts nothing!

Cos potatatoes push my husbands blood sugar up (diabetic) though I don't roast potatoes often and never make many and instead augment with a big pile of roasted other veg like celeriac, parsnips, carrots, whole garlic bulbs, sweet potatoes, fennel all tossed in the rapeseed oil or olive oil with rosemary and lots of black pepper. total heaven!

What does work really well is new potatoes roasted, ok so they don't do the same fluffly inside thing, but they are really tasty. Also they bake really well - stick a run of new potatoes on a skewer, run them under the cold tap, sprinkle with black pepper, and bake like you would the big ones until soft, and then split and top with cream cheese, smoked salmon and a bit of that lumpfish caviar - how low maintenance could your christmas canapes be :rotfl:

mmmmm ... and it's only breakfast time, what a shame

Definitely loads of roasted veg with Christmas dinner this year, but think we might not have a bird and go for pork or beef instead - as yet undecided!

On pork - has anyone tried Jamie's pork goulash recipe from his 'at home' series? I saw it on the TV and then was looking at his book on Amazon and a PDF of the recipe was there free as part of that 'take a look inside' thing. It is bril as you throw it all together then stick it in the oven and walk away. Very rich and we had it with wildrice and pearlbarley rather than white rice, but as a special occasion dish it is heaven! and is even better the next day. Hmmm might do that for Christmas! (that was a desperate bit to try to get back on topic, sorry for wandering off ).

I made the CHristmas pud last year and that was really tasty. It is a bit different as wheat and sugar free, but I will go and ask permission to paste it on here as it's not my recipe. Really easy, and very tasty. I got requests for it this year so have made more!

x Claire

Buffy_the_Vampire_Bat

Thanks claire1847, I thought I was the only person to leave the skin on my roast potatoes Hadn't thought of roasting some new potatoes for canapes, brilliant idea!

lady_isa

Traditionally my DH and I go to my aunt’s for dinner on Christmas day. (After we have all been to the pub). We feast on HM turkey and rice soup, follow by turkey, and all the trimmings and pass on pudding as we are to full.

This year my DH, Dad, BB, SiL and their two little monsters are going out to a restaurant for dinner. My aunt is going to my cousin’s for her dinner this year.

Going to be funny, not going to aunt’s for dinner but we will still see them at the pub!!

glitterycloud

I am working christmas eve night and christmas day night this year so my christmas day is going to be different.
christmas day -
Breakfast: will be crossiants and oj (after reading previous posts!)
Maybe with christmas muffins
DH will be having his usual of black pudding, cucumber salad and french bread (yuk!!!!!)

Lunch: we won't be having a starter
I can't be bothered to cook a turkey just for me and DH so we have decided to go with cured ham and all the normal trimmings - crackers are a must!

Dessert: not sure at the moment, don't think i'll bother unless DH really wants one

Boxing day(is my christmas day) -
Breakfast: think bacon sarnie and oj
Lunch: round mums with all the family for ????? ive just realised im not sure what mum is cooking, I know she isn't cooking a traditional christmas dinner i shall have to wait and see!

Plenty of alcoholic beverages on hand!:D

ashli_2

Bump for Computer Woman :T

sali_mali

I thought I'd revive this thread now it's a bit closer to Christmas :beer:

I'm going to eating my Mum's lovely christmas dinner this year (and every other year for as long as I can get away with it!) This is what we usually have...

Christmas Eve - Usually gammon, mash, parsley sauce type meal but I'm not a big fan of gammon so am hoping to persuade her to do salmon this year!

Christmas breakfast - After opening presents Dad alwaysgoes and makes a huge mound of buttered bagels and crumpets and a big pot of tea, yum yum.

Christmas lunch
Starter - usually something prawny like prawn cocktail (classic, not old fashioned") or a hollowed out avocado filled with prawns and guacamoli (sp?) and wrapped in smoked salmon. Favorite so far was last year's large flat mushrooms stuffed with cream cheese and wrapped in parma ham, then baked.

Dinner - Goose/duck and turkey and all the trimmings! Roasties, mash, pigs in bacon, yorkshires, caulie cheese, sprouts, parsnips etc etc etc

Dessert - We've usually collapsed by now but anyone still standing has access to a cheeseboard and a fruit platter.

Christmas dinner
Lunch is usually around 3pm so we generally don't eat again (or for the rest of the week!) but the cheeseboard's there for the hardcore!

Wow, I'm actually dribbling a little bit :rotfl: Bravo to my Mum for always making the perfect Christmas dinner!

What's on the menu for everyone else?

Olliebeak

Christmas Lunch


Starter - Spicy Honeyed-Parsnip Soup

Main Course - Lamb Shanks in Minted Gravy
Creamed Potatoes
Roast Potatoes
Steamed Green Beans
Carrot and Swede


Dessert: - Raspberry Roulade

Boxing Day

Buffet Meal and goodies plus trifle for 4 adults and two children plus pre-lunch nibbles for folks (5 adults) on their way to a meal elsewhere.

earwig

well we dont have christmas dinner on christmas day our menu gose like this

christmas eve
dinner
roast turkey roast pots cabage peas carrotts pigs in blankets
pudding
christmas pud

christmas day
breakfast
bacon sandwich
dinner
starter
prawn cocktail
mains
steak and chips mushroom toms peas
pudding
sherry triffle / homemade snowman cake
tea
gamon turkey pizza fresh bread rolls crisps salad homemade chocholate log

boxing day
dinner roast beef roast pot roast parsnips sprouts peas and runner beans
pudding left over choc log or snowman cake

we have our christmas dinner on christmas eve as i like to spend christmas day with the kids rather than pratting around with a turkey

thriftlady_2

:xmastree: Christmas Eve

Baked gammon
Red cabbage (which only I will eat)
Buttered carrots
Baked potatoes
Damson chutney

Mincemeat and apple crumble/pie (this might change)

Christmas day breakfast
coffee for me
toast for OH
stocking sweets for kids

Christmas lunch
Roast goose with sage and onion stuffing
Quince sauce
gravy
roast potatoes, roast parsnips
peas and carrots

Christmas pudding or fresh pineapple
Quince syllabub or ice cream for the kids

Christmas Supper
Cold goose
Cold gammon
Coleslaw plus one other salad
Cold stuffing, chutney, pickles

Syllabub, pineapple, Christmas cake, mince pies