Christmas Eve Dinner

[Kevin72]

What about 1 ham and 1 lamb?

There's a good Venetian-style baked spaghetti with seafood dish from Molto Mario that may work well for you. Spaghetti, bechamel, shrimps and scallops. Festive and elegant.

You could do some sort of baccala puree in place of one of the bruschetta toppings. Or just braise some with potatoes, onions, and a spicy tomato sauce. Or, in place of the baked spaghetti above, baked rigatoni or ziti with cod, anchovies, breadcrumbs, capers, currants, pine nuts . . .

[Daniel]

Daniel, what happened to dessert? If you still need ideas... I made this zabaglione cake for a large party (25) earlier this year, to finish an Italian dinner, and it was wonderful.  hazelnut zabaglione cake

←

Dessert is the only thing we dont have to do.. However we might make a couple of things.. I will look into your zabaglione cake for sure..

[Luckylies]

get a proof box to hold some food. you'd be surprised at how hot those suckers can get with a bunch of sternos in them. saved my ass on tgiving...

[Daniel]

Hey guys.. Just finishing up the menu over here.. We are trying to do a seafood pasta with not a lot of work.. Is there such thing as a good seafood lasagna?

←

Yes, and in fact it's traditional in Piemonte at Christmas:

Fresh pasta

Anchovies finely chopped into a paste

Garlic

Parmigiano Reggiano

Lots of freshly ground pepper

Not highly packed. Invest in a can of Sicilian salt-packed anchovies--like the one photographed in Molto Mario. (I think you said you have that book.)

←

That is a good idea Pontormo..

[Daniel]

get a proof box to hold some food. you'd be surprised at how hot those suckers can get with a bunch of sternos in them. saved  my ass on tgiving...

←

Where did you get your proof box.. When you were talking about them over thanksgiving I looked what one was up.. They are all like in the 1,000 dollar range, no?

[divina]

a quick note from Italy.

here is a fabulous recipe for eye of round.. I have done for 200 people!

takes 25 minutes in the oven..

From DArio Cecchini when I worked with him.

in expensive easy and a big party hit!

Instead of the truffled cheese on the cheese board... what about making a truffled mashed potato?

We always do fennel.. either raw with oranges and red onions thinly sliced in salad.. r twice cooked.

boiled first and then baked.. simply with butter and parmesan.. or with a bechamel sauce.

I do an octupus.. in a regular pan..

garlic,olive oil and chili pepper... put the whole octopus in... let the legs curl.... and then add a glass of red wine and a small can of tomatoes.

Cover the top of the pot with brown paper bags ( do people still have then in the us?)

and then a lid.. creating a pressure cooker sort of thing.

Cook for 45 minutes.

like BUTTER!

Then I cut the octopus into pieces.. and serve with the sauce..almost like a tiny caccuccio.

or have you ever done the octopus carpaccio??? after boiled... wrap in plastic wrap and push into a PVC tube.. let cool..

the gelatin with "glue" it together and you can slice it paper thin.. beautiful!

have fun! sounds like a biggie!

[Daniel]

Wow thanks for the suggestions Divina... All sound great.. The carpaccio will definitely be another time..

[hathor]

I just found out that I'm getting some excellent polpo. Anybody have a great recipe for polpo? The ones that I have are good, but not FANTASTIC....if you know what I mean. Thanks.

[Daniel]

What about 1 ham and 1 lamb?

There's a good Venetian-style baked spaghetti with seafood dish from Molto Mario that may work well for you.  Spaghetti, bechamel, shrimps and scallops.  Festive and elegant.

You could do some sort of baccala puree in place of one of the bruschetta toppings.  Or just braise some with potatoes, onions, and a spicy tomato sauce. Or, in place of the baked spaghetti above, baked rigatoni or ziti with cod, anchovies, breadcrumbs, capers, currants, pine nuts . . .

←

Hey thanks Kevin,

I am doing one rolled Porchetta and one Leg of Lamb..

[Daniel]

Antipasti

Bruschetta

*Ricotta and Orange Marmalade

*Roasted Beet and Parmigiano Reggiano

*White bean and white truffle puree

Cheese

*Big ol brick of Parmigiano Reggiano

*Ricotta Salata

*Gorgonzola Dolce

*Tartufello Senese

Nuts and Olives

*Marinated Sicilian Olives

*Marcona Almonds

*Pistachios

Cured Meats

*Seranno Ham Leg "Self Serve"

*Sweet Coppa

*Italian Brasiole

*Hot Sopressatta

Vegetables

*Marinated Mushrooms

*Marinated Judean Artichokes

Fish

*Shrimp Cocktail

*Alici White Anchovies

*Frutta Di Mare

*Fried Bait Fish Tempidi with Lemon

*"Traditional" Caviar Pie

Primi

*Lasagna Bolognese Al Forno

*Pasticcio di Maccheroni con la Parmacotta & Ricotta - Baked Pasta with Parmacotta Ham & Ricotta

Secondi

*Arista alla Porchetta

*Stuffed Leg of Lamb

Contorni

*Broccolli Rabe Soffriti

*Braised Fennel with Butter and Parmigiano Reggiano

Dolci

*Dark and White Chocolate Mousse Cake

*Maple & Mascarpone Cheesecake

*Chocolate Chiffon Cake

*Cookies

*Chocolate

Edited December 21, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[Kevin72]

That's some serious cooking! Looking forward to your typically spectacular food photos afterwards! Er, you are taking pics, right?

[Daniel]

I will try my hardest for photos.. Almost a 100 percent there willl be photos.

[hathor]

In bocca di lupo, Daniel!! Can't wait to see the photos! With any luck, if I stick my head out of the window, I'll catch a whiff of the porchetta. Enjoy!

[Daniel]

Thanks Hathor,

Look what was waiting for me when I arrived home from work! Complete with hoof.

I offer you one of the centerpieces

Edited December 21, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[Luckylies]

get a proof box to hold some food. you'd be surprised at how hot those suckers can get with a bunch of sternos in them. saved  my ass on tgiving...

←

Where did you get your proof box.. When you were talking about them over thanksgiving I looked what one was up.. They are all like in the 1,000 dollar range, no?

←

you can rent them, most party rental places have them and will pick up and deliver.

it was a HUGE de-stresser for my thansgiving, when the guests arrived i actually got to say hi!

[Daniel]

Unwrapping it..

Slicing of the hams..

The sequal:

The guy is ready to go.. Noone else showed up to the party yet

7 lbs of lamb stuffed with lamb peas and bacon and then rolled up..

I am just so happy.

Edited December 24, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[hathor]

I am just so happy.

←

Now that's as good as it gets. That ham and the lamb look just gorgeous.

[judiu]

Unwrapping it..

Slicing of the hams..

The sequal:

The guy is ready to go.. Noone else showed up to the party yet

7 lbs of lamb stuffed with lamb peas and bacon and then rolled up..

I am just so happy.

←

Daniel, where in the WORLD did you find that stand the ham is sitting in? It's brilliant! That lamb looks wonderful, I could probably eat half of it all by myself!

[Daniel]

Thank you, I woke up this morning with a knife in the bed and ham all over the place.. I must have been sleep walking.. Just kidding.. I got the stand and the ham at latienda.com

[divina]

Daniel.. once again.. you went whole hog!!!

can;t wait to see more!

[Daniel]

Hey thanks Divina.. The party was really just such a success.. I dont have many photos of the food, but I will post them shortly.. After the dishwasher and my computer at home broke, everything after that was perfect.. One of my presents was a wireless thermometer which took a lot of pressure off of me.. I was able to walk around the party and hang out until the alarm went off on the Lamb and Pork.. The times worked out smoothly! Having only one oven, I had the lamb on the stove top, the pork in the oven right after I took out the pastas..

I was really shocked at how much I over made.. But there was a few people helping us out who were more then happy to take the food home with them.. I was certain I needed four more dishes.. I am very happy I went against my instincts and didnt do the fish courses I was going to add..

The only indication that there was a party of any kind is that lovely leg.. Covered with towels, sitting in my dining room, it will make another appearance on New Years Eve..

Edited December 27, 2006 by Daniel (log)

[hathor]

So....come on....any pictures??

Really glad to hear the party was a success, not that any of us had any worries!

Happy New Year to you!

[Kevin72]

You're not getting any help next year if we don't get pics soon!