Christmas dinner 2012

[patrickamory]

We're doing a ham for Christmas dinner this year for the first time. (We usually do goose, but because we'll be sampling Peking duck at Mr. Chow's for Christmas Even dinner we decided to change the tradition.)

Any recommendations for accompaniments to a Christmas spiral-sliced city ham? I'm coming up blank! So far I've decided to get gravadlax from Russ & Daughters. But there must be traditional accompaniments ... besides pineapples...

And what are others doing for their Christmas menus this 2012?

[Snadra]

I know in some homes gratin potatoes would be a traditional accompaniment. We usually had it with riced potatoes, a spiced raisin sauce, pumpkin pickles and cauliflower and broccoli in cheese sauce, run under the broiler.

Here it might be surrounded by salads, rolls and giant bowls of prawns.

[heidih]

I know in some homes gratin potatoes would be a traditional accompaniment. We usually had it with riced potatoes, a spiced raisin sauce, pumpkin pickles and cauliflower and broccoli in cheese sauce, run under the broiler.

Here it might be surrounded by salads, rolls and giant bowls of prawns.

Can you elaborate on pumpkin pickles?

[Jaymes]

We do glazed ham, and then put a choice of sauces on the table: Raisin, Jezebel, etc.

Always, creamed onions (there's an excellent thread about creamed onions here on eG if you do a search).

And a green vegetable: brussel sprouts, green beans or broccoli.

We also like baked sweet potatoes with ham, although sometimes we'll do a baked winter squash instead.

For salad, a fruit-based salad, like cranberry & apple salad, or Waldorf. Or this coleslaw:

Red & Green Coleslaw

1/2 head red cabbage

1/2 head green cabbage

1/2 large red onion

1 Cup dried cranberries - Crazins

Dressing:

1/3 C cider vinegar

1/3 C flavorless vegetable oil (not olive oil)

1/3 C sugar

1 tsp celery seed

In a small jar, combine the dressing ingredients and shake until sugar is dissolved.

Slice the vegetables very thinly and put into a large bowl. Add cranberries. Add dressing and toss well. Cover and place into fridge. Let sit for about 3 hours for flavors to combine, stirring occasionally. Drain and serve.

Edited December 20, 2011 by Jaymes (log)

[lesliec]

I'm always a fan of turkey and Christmas pud, even though received wisdom is that that kind of thing in a southern hemisphere summer is silly. Don't care; I like it (and we haven't got to our warmest weather yet anyway).

This year I'll be doing my turkey sous vide in two batches. The legs will go in about 16 hours ahead of serving time (duck fat, butter and sage in the bag) and the breasts 4 hours ahead (duck fat, cider and sage). Not sure about accompaniments yet - certainly potatoes of some kind, perhaps cooked over medium heat with butter, with sage leaves tossed in towards the end of cooking. Possibly fresh asparagus, which is very much in season down here. I'll see what I can find in the markets on Saturday.

My Christmas pudding has been made for several months, sitting quietly in a cupboard drinking the brandy I feed it from time to time ...

The biggest decision will be whether to have the big meal in the middle or at the end of the day. My elderly mother is used to her main meal much earlier than we are, which can create a modicum of stress, but we'll work it out.

Breakfast will probably be something like blinis with sour cream and (lumpfish) caviar, helped along by some Spanish cava.

[Snadra]

I know in some homes gratin potatoes would be a traditional accompaniment. We usually had it with riced potatoes, a spiced raisin sauce, pumpkin pickles and cauliflower and broccoli in cheese sauce, run under the broiler.

Here it might be surrounded by salads, rolls and giant bowls of prawns.

Can you elaborate on pumpkin pickles?

[Darienne]

We are sharing Christmas dinner with a friend and his cousin far from home. We are far from home, that is.

Ed is making his traditional French Canadian Tortiere...for for the dinner and one for the Christmas Eve Potluck...and I am making a Lemon Cream Cheese pie with Chocolate ganache topping (finally found the recipe). I'll bring Brussels Sprouts and I'll be the only one eating them. The other two will be making whatever they decide to make.

Going to attempt some small candies using the Buddha's Hand syrup.

Edited December 20, 2011 by Darienne (log)

[eternal]

I decided to pick up a goose this year and will use the recipe from the WSJ yesterday for cooking it. So, with the goose I picked up a half pound of duck mousse. The recipe calls for foie gras mousse but I'm not sure I can find that anywhere nearby and I can't imagine it'll make that much of a difference, right? It'll be used to stuff prunes that will then go into the goose. I think I'll use some of the fat to make roast potatoes along with brussel sprouts with fish sauce. Not sure we'll have many people over so that might be it.

[heidih]

I think I'll use some of the fat to make roast potatoes along with brussel sprouts with fish sauce.

Can you elaborate on the potato, brussel sprout and fish sauce method/recipe?

[eternal]

I was just going to roast the potatoes in the goose fat (probably in a very hot oven but maybe on the stovetop) and then for the brussel sprouts, I was going to use the momofuku recipe found here, though without the puffed rice. I thought the acidity would be a nice thing since the duck will be so rich - though perhaps I'm mixing too many flavors here...

[FrogPrincesse]

My brother-in-law will be taking care of the turkey and vegetables this year as usual, and I am taking care of the rest. This is a great arrangement as my in-laws insist on having a traditional turkey meal for Thanksgiving AND Christmas, and I want nothing to do with it. I've been trying to convince them for more than 10 years to try goose or duck instead but have been unsuccessfull so far.

We will be starting with homemade saucisson sec (French salami, recipe from Charcuterie) and Terrine de Campagne (country pâté) served with cornichons and whole-grain mustard. Then we will have a root vegetable soup with a green apple and duck prosciutto garnish (the recipe is from Tom Colicchio's Think Like a Chef), followed by gravlax with a green salad. For the gravlax, the salmon is cured in gin, salt, sugar, juniper and allspice berries, coriander, lime zest & fresh mint). I've been doing the Charcutepalooza challenges this year and this will meet the requirements for the December "Showing Off" challenge, with a total of four charcuterie items.

For the dessert, I will be bringing a cake from a local pastry shop.

Edited December 22, 2011 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[Dejah]

We'll be having prime rib and Yorkies for Xmas eve along with trifle for dessert. Xmas day, my d-i-l will be hosting with turkey and ham. I've made a cranberry/apple/orange/pecan chutney for the last 2 years to go with ham or turkey. Brussel sprouts will be done up with Dijjon mustard and bacon.

The chutney recipe if anyone care to make it:

A delicious cranberry chutney with apples, oranges, golden raisins, and spices, perfect alongside pork, turkey, and chicken main dishes.

Ingredients:

· 1 orange, peeled, tough membrane removed, chopped

· 1/4 cup orange juice

· 1 package (12 ounces) fresh cranberries

· 1 3/4 cups sugar

· 1 large Golden Delicious apple, peeled, cored, chopped

· 1/2 cup golden raisins

· 1/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

· 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

· 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

· 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 8 minutes, or until cranberries are bursting. Chill until serving time; freeze surplus in small containers. Makes about about 4 cups of chutney.

[patrickamory]

So this is what I think it's going to be:

Spiral-sliced maple-glazed ham

Potatoes au gratin

Roasted brussels sprouts

Gravlax

Herring in cream sauce with onions

Herring in mustard sauce

Herring in curry sauce

Baltic black rye bread

Paddlefish caviar with melba toast rounds

Crack pie

Items 4-9 come from Russ & Daughters, item 10 from Momofuku Milk Bar.

Wines will be chiefly pinot noir, including a 1999 Maranges 1er Cru and some good Oregons.