Frazzled
Sense of humour intact
I thought it might be good to have a thread for Christmas Dinner tips for easing the stress, particularly for someone's first time? I know you can buy it all ready prepared but there's nothing nicer than doing most of it yourself, assuming you have the time!
When the mob descend on me (at anytime of the year) there's never less than 10-12 of us, has been 16, so I have to plan well ahead. These are my best tips especially the gravy!
First week of December
Wrap chipolatas in bacon, make sausage meat stuffing (or balls) and freeze.
Remember to take them out of freezer on Christmas Eve.
Make cranberry sauce and brandy butter (easy, quick and delicious), put into sealed jars, keeps a few weeks in the fridge. Serve the cranberry sauce at room temperature or warm slightly. (recipes below)
CHRISTMAS EVE
Prepare all the veg (if you're really pushed use frozen roast potatoes, add some extra fat or oil)
Brussels
Steam brussels until just cooked and cool, cover & chill. On the day cook some finely chopped bacon till crisp add the brussels with a little butter and reheat, season to taste.
Caramelised Carrots & Shallots
This is a great veg dish that reheats really well - the amounts are for 8 people.
450g Shallots, 700g baby carrots or thickly sliced carrots
50g butter, 50g demerara sugar, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Peel shallots and put in pan with carrots, butter, sugar, add 300ml water and season. Cover the pan, heat and simmer for 8 mins. Remove the lid, add vinegar and cook till tender and liquid has evaporated down to a glaze (if veg are cooked but still lots of liquid, remove the veg and rapid-boil to reduce liquid, re-add veg. Cool, cover & chill. Reheat on the day in pan or microwave, add a tablespoon of water if necessary, sprinkle with parsley to serve.
EXTRA FRIDGE! - if the weather is cold, use cooler boxes, outside storage or car as spare fridge for things like this and cream, cheese, wine, beer etc.
CHRISTMAS DAY
TURKEY - make sure it's cooked well before your eating - cover it the tin with 3-4 layers of tin foil then fold a big thick bath towel (or two) into 4 and tuck right around the turkey and tin. Will stay hot for least an hour or two allowing you to turn the oven up for potatoes etc.
GRAVY - make as soon as meat comes out of the oven using the juices and put into thermos flasks until ready to serve
PUDDING - VERY carefully - heat brandy for the pudding in a ladle over the gas until it catches fire - then pour over the pudding
*************************************************************
Cranberry Sauce
200g cranberries, juice of 1 large orange, 1 cinnamon stick, a little grated nutmeg
100g light muscovado sugar, 1 tablespoon cointreau (buy a miniature)
Put berries in a small pan with juice, cinnamon stick and nutmeg - cover and gently cook until the berries are just tender and starting to pop. Allow to cool for while, remove cinnamon stick, add sugar and cointreau. Spoon into small jars, seal and keep in the fridge.
Brandy Butter - for 8-10 people
6 oz, 175g unsalted butter at room temperature, 6oz, 175g soft dark brown sugar
6 tbsp Brandy or Rum
Blend it all together until pale and smooth, put into a container and cover, keep in the fridge.
Serve it from the fridge so it's really cold
If you going make a Christmas pudding or cake - do it in October/November
When the mob descend on me (at anytime of the year) there's never less than 10-12 of us, has been 16, so I have to plan well ahead. These are my best tips especially the gravy!
First week of December
Wrap chipolatas in bacon, make sausage meat stuffing (or balls) and freeze.
Remember to take them out of freezer on Christmas Eve.
Make cranberry sauce and brandy butter (easy, quick and delicious), put into sealed jars, keeps a few weeks in the fridge. Serve the cranberry sauce at room temperature or warm slightly. (recipes below)
CHRISTMAS EVE
Prepare all the veg (if you're really pushed use frozen roast potatoes, add some extra fat or oil)
Brussels
Steam brussels until just cooked and cool, cover & chill. On the day cook some finely chopped bacon till crisp add the brussels with a little butter and reheat, season to taste.
Caramelised Carrots & Shallots
This is a great veg dish that reheats really well - the amounts are for 8 people.
450g Shallots, 700g baby carrots or thickly sliced carrots
50g butter, 50g demerara sugar, 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp chopped parsley
Peel shallots and put in pan with carrots, butter, sugar, add 300ml water and season. Cover the pan, heat and simmer for 8 mins. Remove the lid, add vinegar and cook till tender and liquid has evaporated down to a glaze (if veg are cooked but still lots of liquid, remove the veg and rapid-boil to reduce liquid, re-add veg. Cool, cover & chill. Reheat on the day in pan or microwave, add a tablespoon of water if necessary, sprinkle with parsley to serve.
EXTRA FRIDGE! - if the weather is cold, use cooler boxes, outside storage or car as spare fridge for things like this and cream, cheese, wine, beer etc.
CHRISTMAS DAY
TURKEY - make sure it's cooked well before your eating - cover it the tin with 3-4 layers of tin foil then fold a big thick bath towel (or two) into 4 and tuck right around the turkey and tin. Will stay hot for least an hour or two allowing you to turn the oven up for potatoes etc.
GRAVY - make as soon as meat comes out of the oven using the juices and put into thermos flasks until ready to serve
PUDDING - VERY carefully - heat brandy for the pudding in a ladle over the gas until it catches fire - then pour over the pudding
*************************************************************
Cranberry Sauce
200g cranberries, juice of 1 large orange, 1 cinnamon stick, a little grated nutmeg
100g light muscovado sugar, 1 tablespoon cointreau (buy a miniature)
Put berries in a small pan with juice, cinnamon stick and nutmeg - cover and gently cook until the berries are just tender and starting to pop. Allow to cool for while, remove cinnamon stick, add sugar and cointreau. Spoon into small jars, seal and keep in the fridge.
Brandy Butter - for 8-10 people
6 oz, 175g unsalted butter at room temperature, 6oz, 175g soft dark brown sugar
6 tbsp Brandy or Rum
Blend it all together until pale and smooth, put into a container and cover, keep in the fridge.
Serve it from the fridge so it's really cold
If you going make a Christmas pudding or cake - do it in October/November
