majorbloodnock Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 I've asked this question a few times in past years, but nonetheless I'm still interested in comparing notes. What are you cooking for Christmas Dinner? Is it going to be the usual turkey and, if so, are you going to add any novel twists to it? If not, are you doing something really unusual or indulging in a firm favourite? We have never had turkey on Christmas Day, preferring to celebrate with something we wouldn't normally have an opportunity to have. This year, I've found a recipe for a slow-roast haunch of venison as a main course, and I found some lovely smoked mussels in a local market, so I'll be making up a starter with some of them, some seared scallops and probably a slice of prosciutto. No surprises on the dessert; traditional Christmas pud with rum butter or rum sauce. Already got both the red and white burgundy to go with it all, so I think we're all set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 Smoked salmon, salad, melba toast. Turkey and all the trimmings, then xmas pud, brandy butter etc and mince meat pies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 Don't know, don't care - I won't have had to cook it, that's the best bit! Probably turkey with all the trimmings although I hear a rumour of beef; I'd be happy with either, it's the veg and extras that interest me more. I am cooking a gammon (honey and mustard glaze, since you ask) and taking with me, and then Christmas pud, also made by me, with white sauce. Brandy cream etc will be available but in our family it has to be white sauce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted December 21, 2016 Share Posted December 21, 2016 It'll be the first time I've hosted I'm doing a small local free range turkey with all the traditional trimmings. I'm going to do Jamie's gravy. No starter, choice of Christmas pud, mince pie, trifle, or Delia's Squidgy Chocolate Log (I've been making this for years) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted December 22, 2016 Author Share Posted December 22, 2016 (edited) @Blackrocksrock whenever I serve smoked salmon as a starter, I seem to end up serving some freshly baked granary bread. However, I have to admit that melba toast is probably a much better choice; firstly the crunch to add interest and secondly people aren't filling up on bread before a substantial main course. Sounds great. @Olly making my Christmas pud is something I've never got round to trying. My kids' old infant school found a supplier of excellent ones which are packaged up with labels designed by the kids and sold with some profits going back to the school. We've always tried to support in that way, but my youngest hasn't been there for several years so it's probably time to move on. I have, however, cooked gammon on many an occasion but never tried a glaze; I've normally breadcrumbed mine. Your glaze sounds delicious. @Mullethunter Delia's Squidgy Chocolate Log? The name, I expect, says it all. I'm sold already. Not seen Jamie's gravy, so I'll have to look it up. Edited December 22, 2016 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted December 22, 2016 Author Share Posted December 22, 2016 BTW, @Olly, I know what you mean about the interest in the veg and extras. We have a Frenchman who will be with us on Christmas Day, so I'm doing a Christmas favourite from his region (Lyon) which is a gratin of cardoons. I've never had cardoons before, so even when I'm cooking them I won't know how well or badly I'm doing. I'll just have to watch his face carefully when we dish up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Yes usually fresh baked brown bread out of the bread maker with the smoked salmon but home made melba toast is much better as we eat less as you say - Love smoked salmon. Usually some sort of sour cream dip with it too!! Xmas cake is home made and pudding- well live outside the village that Walkers of Aberlour are based and got their xmas pudding half price - the boxes were bashed in the 2nds shop at the factory - its a great saving!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Ooh, cardoons, Major B - that's very adventurous! I'd honestly be happy with a plate of roast potatoes, Pigs in blankets, sprouts and bread sauce I'll have some turkey to show willing. My niece who will be cooking usually does Yorkshire puddings too. I just invented the glaze a few years ago as I had honey to hand and I thought a bit of mustard would add some piquancy, I just mix it up and slap it on. The gammon will make a token appearance on Christmas Day but is more likely to be eaten on Boxing Day. I've made my own Christmas puddings for years, they're very easy and I cook them in the pressure cooker so I don't have to steam them for hours. The mix made two so I'll have a spare one for private consumption. Well, you gotta have something to look forward to after Christmas ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 I have been struck down with a lurgy and am not even in the UK yet. Consequently my mother has had to step in and do Xmas food shopping. Consequently I have absolutely no idea what we will be having, which is fine by me, but it will involve an Xmas pud with choice of custard or cream, otherwise I will be leaving again pretty smartly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Sorry to show my ignorance...what's a cardoon? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Basically it's what Eeyore liked to eat click. Popular with the Victorian, I'm sure they featured in 'The Victorian Kitchen Garden' programme a few years ago. I wouldn't know where to buy them, MajorBloodnock must have a supplier somewhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted December 22, 2016 Share Posted December 22, 2016 Well you learn something every day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted December 23, 2016 Author Share Posted December 23, 2016 Basically it's what Eeyore liked to eat click. Popular with the Victorian, I'm sure they featured in 'The Victorian Kitchen Garden' programme a few years ago. I wouldn't know where to buy them, MajorBloodnock must have a supplier somewhere? I'd heard of them before, but have never had them. As Olly says, they are a member of the thistle family, and are closely related to globe artichokes. However, it's the stalks of the leaves that are eaten, meaning that in a culinary sense they share a lot with Swiss chard. It seems they are cultivated quite extensively in a few areas, one major one being the area around Lyon. When I asked our French visitor if there was anything that appears on his family's Christmas table that he would miss this year, his reply was gratin de cardon a la moelle. I had no idea how to get some cardoons, but he had a chat with his mother and a couple of days later two large jars of them appeared in the post. It's not a difficult thing to cook, but challenging to prepare for. The translation for "moelle" is marrowfat, so the basic idea is that you make up a roux and use it to thicken the liquid in the jars, put the cardoons and a couple of ounces of marrowfat into a baking dish with some bacon lardons, pour over the sauce, top with vieux comte cheese and then bake. Now I have the cardoons, I have no excuse for not giving it a go, and we actually have found some comte cheese, but I'm not confident our butcher will have enough marrowbones at this short notice; we'll see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 I had assumed they'd be fresh (although that was a bit daft if I'd considered the time of year) - at least with the jars they're already prepared. Sounds delicious, I hope it works out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 We hosted for two of my dad's brothers and the wife of one of them who is vegetarian. We cooked Jamie Oliver's nut roast and it went down very well. We also cooked the turkey, gravy and roast potatoes his way too from his new Christmas book. All worked a treat. We started with Delia's celery and Stilton soup and Christmas pudding from Pipa Middleton's book Celebrate. I have made it twice now and today's was made last year. I divided the mixture in two because it was too big the first time that I made it. It was even better for a year of keeping. The best that we've had I would highly recommend . We bought the book in a charity shop and the lady behind the counter said 'oh I bet that she can't even boil an egg'. No idea if they are her recipes but this one is excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 How were the cardoons, Major? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 We went to friends for dinner and they had Chinese delivered. Decided that's not my thing for Christmas dinner... it was nice, but not very festive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 No, Chinese would not be my kind of Christmas meal either - I forgot the parsnips!! other than that it was fine and of course far too much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Sounded lovely! My mom and me will do a small roast today with Brussels sprouts. Feels more Christmassy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted December 26, 2016 Author Share Posted December 26, 2016 How were the cardoons, Major? Thanks for asking. On the off-chance, I found a butcher on Christmas Eve that had some marrowbones, so we ended up being able to make the dish exactly in the Lyonnaise style. It was definitely quite rich, but delicious, and (given there was butter in the roux, a greased dish, marrow fat in with the onions and melted cheese on top) a tad oily. Good to try, although probably a spot too rich to go with roasted venison. If I were to do the whole thing again, I would probably pick a simpler venison recipe so the gratin de cardon was more of a centrepiece dish. Nonetheless, if anyone ever visits Lyon in the winter, I would heartily recommend trying the dish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Sounds delicious. Blackrocksrock we forgot the parsnips too! There were lots of other veg so they weren't missed too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 I did Jamie Oliver's turkey gravy - first time I've ever made proper gravy and everyone said it was very tasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 I did Jamie Oliver's turkey gravy - first time I've ever made proper gravy and everyone said it was very tasty You said earlier that this was your first time hosting. Did it go well over all, and did you find time to enjoy the day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Those cardoons sound interesting Major - I have one growing in the garden, so will give the leaf stems a try! Had the usual crowd of 10 for Christmas day, so my menu is a bit long to cater for all tastes Starter was a ramekin of mixed fish and prawns, cooked in a white wine and cheese sauce with breadcrumbs and parmesan on top. Served with a toasted (very thin) slice of homemade granary bread. Main course: Haunch of venison (brought down by the dogs on OH's land ) slow roasted for 3 hours, covered in streaky bacon strips on top of a layer of port and redcurrant jelly, then foil. Served with a sauce made from port, homemade port and redcurrant jelly and other stuff i can't remember. Roasted ham with ginger and honey caramelised on the top. Bob's speciality of amazing roasted taters Steamed green veg Parsnips roasted with chestnuts, honey and ginger Pigs in blankets with (more) honey and mustard seeds Pud: Baked Vanilla Cheesecake with fresh red berries on top (see recipe in this section of the forum) Chocolate Armageddon cake (recipe also here) with creme fraiche Herbal tea or coffee with homemade dark chocolate mint creams Not much left over at all, but collapsed with a glass of Andrews afterwards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majorbloodnock Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 Those cardoons sound interesting Major - I have one growing in the garden, so will give the leaf stems a try! You might want to scour t'interweb a bit. It seems the French tend to mound up earth around the stems to blanch them in a similar style to celery or leeks in order to keep the cardoons from going too bitter. Although what do I know? It's my wife with green fingers; I just cook what gets grown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
