Christmas food thread...

[bassybill]

What are you guys having today?

I'm really a creature of habit at Christmastime and the menu for today here in the bassybill residence has been pretty much the same for years.

Breakfast: Smoked salmon sandwiches on wholemeal with lemon juice and black pepper, served with a few glasses of Bucks Fizz (champagne and orange juice).

Christmas luncheon - the big meal of the day:
Roast duck dressed with crispy bacon strips
"Pigs in blankets" (sausages wrapped in bacon, cooked in with the roasting poultry)
Roast carrots (gotta have carrots, right?)
Roast potatoes
Creamy mashed potatoes
Brussels sprouts with crispy bacon bits
Sage, onion and sausage meat stuffing
Yorkshire pudding
Bread sauce (do you US guys know what this is?)
Cranberries for those that want them (yuk)
Rich brown gravy sauce

Looking at that menu now, it's definitely bacon time. Yum.

I used to do a Christmas pudding with custard for dessert but don't bother now as nobody really has room for it.

Later, we'll be picking away at some cold meats, good pork pie, nibbles, cheese and crackers, et cetera, plus some stuff for those who have a sweet tooth, mainly chocs.

I know you guys tend to do the roast poultry thing (especially turkey) for Thanksgiving, which we don't do over here. So, what do you have for Christmas? I hear Mexican food is popular on Christmas day in some states, or even BBQ?

[Phalex]

The in laws are coming in the morning for Quiche and cookies.

After that it could be pizza and beer.

[Lonesomedave]

going over to my daughter & son in law's for the christmas dinner....not so many dishes as at the Bill household, but should be good.

she is making a really good prime rib of beef. i have made some asparagus crab royale, with a ton of fresh asparagus and two pounds of jumbo lump crab meat

also potatoes au gratin with about 5or 6 different kinds of cheese, and a good tossed salad, featuring thinly sliced onion and avacados, and my special homemade dressing....should be alright.

[bassybill]

Asparagus with crab? That sounds totally delicious. Got a recipe, Dave?

And you CANNOT go wrong with some good beef.

[Curmei]

We go to a potluck every year - sort-of misfits gathering (people without family in the area and such). I am handling the pasta dishes this year, so putting together lobster mac and cheese, and a white chicken lasagna with a cauliflower cream sauce.

There will be ham and roasted vegetables - and plenty of 'traditional' dishes, but I always look forward to some of the 'ethnic' food that some guests bring - Asian, eastern European, etc.

I also make a basil lemonade with vodka, so will bring a pitcher of that along.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Curmei

We go to a potluck every year - sort-of misfits gathering (people without family in the area and such). I am handling the pasta dishes this year, so putting together lobster mac and cheese, and a white chicken lasagna with a cauliflower cream sauce.

There will be ham and roasted vegetables - and plenty of 'traditional' dishes, but I always look forward to some of the 'ethnic' food that some guests bring - Asian, eastern European, etc.

I also make a basil lemonade with vodka, so will bring a pitcher of that along.

That sounds really, really cool. Have a fantastic day.

An Indian pal/student of mine made me some beautiful masala/balti fish curry as a Christmas gift - I shall be enjoying the fruits of her labour with a few chapattis on Boxing Day (26th).

[Passinwind]

Locally grown grass fed sirloin tip roast from a friend's ranch, slow cooked in one of my DIY pepper sauces. Probably veggies and fruit from our garden or local farm stand. Fresh baked bread. Maybe a local beer or wine. Did I mention that I prefer to use locally grown products?

Most years we do one seafood extravaganza for the holidays too. Dungeness crab is my favorite, but it all depends on the weather at the coast and what the stores decide to pimp in a given year.

Boxing Day brings a huge jam/party/feast at my bandmates' house every year. Thinking about jerked chicken or a curry dish this year since I have a glut of peppers and Thai basil from this year's harvest. I always wing it at the last minute though...

[bassybill]

Charlie - jerk chicken would get my vote. Totally yum.

Lovin' the Dungeness crab, too.

[Curmei]

Originally Posted by bassybill

That sounds really, really cool. Have a fantastic day.

An Indian pal/student of mine made me some beautiful fish curry as a Christmas gift - I shall by enjoying the fruits of her labour on Boxing Day (26th).

Two of my favorites - fish curry and Boxing Day

My wife's family is English and I have wished that Boxing Day would catch on over here - a great way to wind down, in my opinion.

Enjoy your time with family and friends, and here's to 2013

[Passinwind]

Originally Posted by bassybill

Charlie - jerk chicken would get my vote. Totally yum.

That's one of my specialties Bill. I have some three year aged habanero-infused Barbadan rum that just kills for jerk sauces.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Passinwind

That's one of my specialties Bill. I have some three year aged habanero-infused Barbadan rum that just kills for jerk sauces.

Oh wow. That sounds beautiful. I can almost taste it from here.

Anyway, a very Merry Christmas to all you guys - I know it's still the 24th over there, but it's Christmas Day here already. I shall go and grab a few hours sleep in a bit before getting up and getting my kitchen apron on (with a glass of Bucks Fizz to steel myself a little).

[Lonesomedave]

Originally Posted by bassybill

Asparagus with crab? That sounds totally delicious. Got a recipe, Dave?

And you CANNOT go wrong with some good beef.

yeah, it is and i do.

first let me ask you...do you all have Old Bay seasoning in your country...it is a combination of dry (shake on) seasonings, made in Maryland that has become de rigeur (or however...) for any seafood dish. i don't know what is in it, except it does contain celery salt.

first, i steam the fresh asparagus...i won't tell you how much to use, just the more the better. for this, i just used the tips, maybe a third of the way down, and made creme of asparagus soup from the rest.

then i use the food processor to pulverize some saltine crackers.

use about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice...more or less to taste.

some woostershire of course. a dash or two...to taste.

use about a cup of mayonaise (i believe you call it salad creme over there, but you know what i am talking about)...use good quality.

black pepper to taste...my wife says i use too much...but what the hey.

mix the crushed crackers, the pepper and the old bay seasoning (again, i just use the old bay to taste)

mix it all up putting in the crabmeat last, so you break up the lumps as little as possible.

you want to achieve sort of a moist casserole consistency, so eyeball it and add some more mayonaise or some half and half (don't know if you have half and half in england, but that is simply a dairy product which is half cream and half milk....you could use straight cream if you wanted or make your own half and half...it is delicious in coffee.) if necessary


bake at a relatively low temp. i use about 300 F and check on it from time to time. obviously the exact cooking time will vary, depending upon what material your baking dish is made of, BUT about an hour, you should be thinking of getting it off. don't overcook it!

also, whether to cook covered or uncovered...depends on how moist you start out....if relative wet, cook uncovered...if relatively dry, cook covered...but, in any event, cook for the last 15 minutes on high heat uncovered to brown up.

you should be ready to roll.

hope this helps...

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Curmei

Two of my favorites - fish curry and Boxing Day

My wife's family is English and I have wished that Boxing Day would catch on over here - a great way to wind down, in my opinion.

Enjoy your time with family and friends, and here's to 2013

Boxing Day is a major date in the football calendar over here. In the past I've been all over England to watch my beloved Wolves on that date, and the fans always do a great job of making it a party by bringing along lots of food to share while watching the game. One of our nicer traditions in the UK.

[bassybill]

Originally Posted by Lonesomedave

yeah, it is and i do.

first let me ask you...do you all have Old Bay seasoning in your country...it is a combination of dry (shake on) seasonings, made in Maryland that has become de rigeur (or however...) for any seafood dish. i don't know what is in it, except it does contain celery salt.

first, i steam the fresh asparagus...i won't tell you how much to use, just the more the better. for this, i just used the tips, maybe a third of the way down, and made creme of asparagus soup from the rest.

then i use the food processor to pulverize some saltine crackers.

use about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice...more or less to taste.

some woostershire of course. a dash or two...to taste.

use about a cup of mayonaise (i believe you call it salad creme over there, but you know what i am talking about)...use good quality.

black pepper to taste...my wife says i use too much...but what the hey.

mix the crushed crackers, the pepper and the old bay seasoning (again, i just use the old bay to taste)

mix it all up putting in the crabmeat last, so you break up the lumps as little as possible.

you want to achieve sort of a moist casserole consistency, so eyeball it and add some more mayonaise or some half and half (don't know if you have half and half in england, but that is simply a dairy product which is half cream and half milk....you could use straight cream if you wanted or make your own half and half...it is delicious in coffee.) if necessary


bake at a relatively low temp. i use about 300 F and check on it from time to time. obviously the exact cooking time will vary, depending upon what material your baking dish is made of, BUT about an hour, you should be thinking of getting it off. don't overcook it!

also, whether to cook covered or uncovered...depends on how moist you start out....if relative wet, cook uncovered...if relatively dry, cook covered...but, in any event, cook for the last 15 minutes on high heat uncovered to brown up.

you should be ready to roll.

hope this helps...

That's perfect, Dave - thank you so much. I'm going to do this for my New Year's Day party (I'm gigging NYE, hooray).

Salad cream isn't quite the same thing as mayonnaise over here - it's a very inferior thing and I never touch it. Yes, I know what half and half is and I can get around that, of course. I don't know the Bay seasoning but I have celery salt in abundance and will google the other ingredients. I'm sure it will be beautiful, I'll let you know how it goes next week.

[Lonesomedave]

hey, knock yourself out...make it with homemade mayonnaise and tell me how it was...i bet that would be dynamite.




ps--edit...oh, and i almost forgot...i have made it before, but this year, i also added about a half stick of unsalted butter to it. don't know how it will be, but butter is like bacon...it is never a bad thing to add some butter.

[bassybill]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bay_Seasoning

Yeah, I can do all that.

I know some folks over here who make homemade mayonnaise, but to be honest this stuff is just as good or even better ("the dog's bollocks", as we say over here). Is this a brand you have over in the US?

[Phalex]

C'mon Bill! I can find Spotted Dick in a can here in the heartland. Surely there's an American section at the local grocers?

[Phalex]

Originally Posted by bassybill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bay_Seasoning

Yeah, I can do all that.

I know some folks over here who make homemade mayonnaise, but to be honest this stuff is just as good or even better ("the dog's bollocks", as we say over here). Is this a brand you have over in the US?

Dude.... Seriously? Yeah. That's a large part of the reason I had to buy children's clothes in the "husky" department.

[Lonesomedave]

Originally Posted by bassybill

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Bay_Seasoning

Yeah, I can do all that.

I know some folks over here who make homemade mayonnaise, but to be honest this stuff is just as good or even better ("the dog's bollocks", as we say over here). Is this a brand you have over in the US?

yep... that's a winner...i used Kraft, but hellmans is just as good. i only bought Kraft because it was on sale at the local supermarket.

[Indiana Mike]

Big chunck of beef ... Its what's for dinner .