Holiday Menus

[caribougrrl]

it feels like time to start talking about this

I have ordered a big prime rib roast. I am hoping for enough of a thaw to dig up some of my horseradish to prepare... but other than that, I have not thought it through.

Very likely there will be Yorkshire puddings.

[BonitaApplebum]

Xmas day we'll be replicating my MIL's classic menu. I typically like to do my own thing, but this is her first year not able to do it herself, so I'm going to give it a go. Roast goose, knödels, gravy, 2 kinds of kraut (red and green), and a few veggie sides (TBD depending on what I get at the farm that week). Oh and some kind of soup to start.

Xmas eve is open ended. My mom always makes a seafood chowder, but I don't know if I want to go that route. I was thinking of coming up with a new fun classic that the kids would like, like gourmet grilled cheeses or something.

NYE will be mega foodie as I'm doing it with my foodie friends. I also have xmas with my brother's fam the weekend between xmas/nye and there will be plenty of good eating there, but I haven't planned that yet. Probably leg o' lamb or maybe a roast beast.

[DocBuzzkill]

it feels like time to start talking about this

I have ordered a big prime rib roast. I am hoping for enough of a thaw to dig up some of my horseradish to prepare... but other than that, I have not thought it through.

Very likely there will be Yorkshire puddings.

I just ordered a 4-rib prime rib roast and also am hoping to make some Yorkshire pudding.  This is a departure from our usual rack of lamb, but it's certainly welcome and kind of nostalgic since those were foundations of my mother's Xmas menu (with the beef from our own cattle).  Steamed cranberry pudding with butter sauce is our traditional Xmas dessert.

The Mister typically makes fish chowder (consistently excellent recipe) w/ Atlantic cod or haddock for Xmas eve.  I might pick up some Duxbury oysters for a snack for Spawn the Elder and me.    I'm tempted to make a sweet potato pecan pie for Xmas eve.

I anticipate ultralocal bagels (bakery is 3 blocks from my house) with lox and huevos rancheros with grits for breakfast sometime during the holiday break.

Rack of lamb or maybe seared duck breasts might appear on the menu for NYE , and some sort of bean dish for New Year's Day.

[BonitaApplebum]

Steamed cranberry pudding with butter sauce is our traditional Xmas dessert.

Yes, please!!!! Would you share the recipe?

I anticipate ultralocal bagels (bakery is 3 blocks from my house) with lox

Oh yeah, we do bagels for breakfast xmas day with lots o' lox! I always get a salt bagel for me. Everyone else likes garlic or everything...

[DocBuzzkill]

Yes, please!!!! Would you share the recipe?

Absolutely!  The contrast between the tart cranberries and the butter-cream sauce is wonderful.  This reminds me that I need to order a new pudding mold.



Steamed Cranberry Pudding w/ Butter-Cream Sauce

Cranberry pudding

8 servings (12 servings)

1 ⅓ cup flour (2 cups)
½ cup black-strap molasses or sorghum (¾ cup)
⅓ cup hot water (½ cup)
1 tsp salt (1 ½ tsp)
2 tsp baking soda (3 tsp)
2 cups raw cranberries (3 cups)

• Grease a 1-quart mold (2-quart mold for larger recipe) or a 1 pound coffee (how quaint!) can with plenty of butter
• Rinse cranberries, drain, place in bowl, and mix with ⅓ cup of flour (½ cup for larger recipe).  Set aside.
• Put molasses or sorghum in medium-size bowl.  Add water, salt, and baking soda. Mix a bit with a wooden spoon.
• Add the rest of the flour to the molasses/sorghum combo and stir to make a smooth batter.
• Add cranberries and gently fold into batter using wooden spoon.
• Scrape into the buttered mold, cover with lid (mold) or aluminum foil (coffee can).
• Set on trivet in large stock pot with about 2 to 3 inches of water brought to a boil then set at a simmer. Steam for 2 hours. [Note: I tried steaming under pressure once.  Just once.  Not a good result.
• Allow to cool about 15 minutes or so, then remove from mold - may require using a knife to encourage the pudding to separate from the mold

During the last stage of steaming or while the pudding is cooling, make the butter-cream sauce.

Butter-cream sauce

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1 T flour
½ cup cream
1 tsp vanilla

In a small saucepan, mix flour with sugar, add cream, and cook over low heat until the mix comes to a boil, stirring frequently (keep an eye on this as it can quickly boil over).  When sugar is all dissolved, add vanilla last.

Serve pudding with butter-cream sauce to pour over it.

Oh yeah, we do bagels for breakfast xmas day with lots o' lox! I always get a salt bagel for me. Everyone else likes garlic or everything...

Salt bagels are my favorite!

[diablita]

mmm...salt bagels

I would love the recipe for your sweet potato pecan pie please!

[DocBuzzkill]

mmm...salt bagels

I would love the recipe for your sweet potato pecan pie please!

My pleasure! 



Pecan Sweet Potato Pie

Adapted from Chef Paul Prudomme’s Louisiana Kitchen

Makes one 9-in pie

1 purchased pie crust (Pillsbury is my preference;Prudhomme's original recipe resulted in a tough crust, at least in my hands) or made-from-scratch crust, if you're skilled with that.

Sweet potato filling:

2 to 3 sweet potatoes, baked (enough to make ~1.5 cup cooked pulp
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten vigorously until frothy
1 T heavy cream
1 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pecan pie syrup

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup dark corn syrup
2 eggs
2 T unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup pecan pieces or halves

• Preheat oven to 325 F
• Allow rolled pie crust to warm for 15 min at room temp per instructions on box, then roll out into 9 inch pie pan.
• Sweet potato filling: Combine all ingredients for the filling in mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not overbeat.  Set aside.
• Pecan syrup: Combine all ingredients except the pecans in a mixing bowl and stir with an electric mixer at low speed until mixture is opaque, about 1 minute.  Add pecans and gently stir by hand.  Set aside.
• Assemble: Spoon the sweet potato mixture evenly into the pie dough lined pan.  Pour pecan syrup on top.  Bake in a 325 F oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 ¾ hours,  Pecans will rise to top during baking.
• Cool and serve with Chantilly cream.

Chantilly cream (optional, but it is delicious)

1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp brandy
1 tsp orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier or Cointreau
¼ cup sugar
3 T dairy sour cream

Refrigerate a medium-size bowl and electric mixer beaters until very cold.  Combine heavy cream, vanilla, brandy, and orange liqueur in the bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute.  Add sugar and sour cream and beat on medium speed just until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.  DO NOT OVERBEAT.  Overbeating will make the cream grainy, which is the first step leading to butter.  Once grainy, it cannot be returned to its former consistency, but can be enjoyed on toast.

[diablita]

Thank you!  This sounds heavenly and will be made soon.  I love me some Paul Prudhomme 

[BonitaApplebum]

Thanks Doc, I will definitely try that soon!

[DocBuzzkill]

Now with photos!

[diablita]

The pic looks amazing.  I do love to make pie crusts and Rose Levy Beranbaum has a number of delicious (though slightly fussy) crust recipes.  I'll have to figure out which one will compliment it best.

[DocBuzzkill]

The pic looks amazing.  I do love to make pie crusts and Rose Levy Beranbaum has a number of delicious (though slightly fussy) crust recipes.  I'll have to figure out which one will compliment it best.

And I have bookmarked her site!

I think my past mistakes with pie crust could be mitigated in a big way by using the correct flour, i.e., pastry flour. 

[diablita]

Yes, pastry flour, really really cold butter and deftness are all important.  I also get the "cold hands, warm heart" jokes all the time. I think my cold hands help me with baking.  They certainly help when handling crusts and puff pastry.

[seattlegirl]

I believe it will be just the two of us, and I'm toying with the idea of making a vegetarian Christmas dinner.  We are omnivores, but have been conscious of trying to reduce our meat intake, mostly for environmental impact and also for humane reasons.

Bookmarked this, because mmm...cheese... but am still browsing. 

https://heartbeetkitchen.com/2016/recipes/type/vegetables/whole-roasted-cauliflower-with-cheese-sauce/

[diablita]

SG, I made this recipe for Thanksgiving and it was SO good the ominvores were asked to slow their roll 
https://www.noevilfoods.com/recipes/sweet-potato-pie/

I don't know if their products are in stores near you yet (they're now rolling out in Walmart in addition to many Whole Foods, etc) but a high quality chicken replacement product would work, as would seitan, etc.

[caribougrrl]

I believe it will be just the two of us, and I'm toying with the idea of making a vegetarian Christmas dinner. 

We made this for xmas a few years ago and it was AWESOME... also very festive.

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2295/moroccan-spiced-pie


ETA: it was so awesome that we are planning to have it for New Year's this year.

[witchypoo]

abbacchio al forno
green salad
spice cake w/poached pears
cabernet franc

[seattlegirl]

Both of those sound amazing!

[Kumbaya]

My pleasure! 



Pecan Sweet Potato Pie

Adapted from Chef Paul Prudomme’s Louisiana Kitchen

Makes one 9-in pie

1 purchased pie crust (Pillsbury is my preference;Prudhomme's original recipe resulted in a tough crust, at least in my hands) or made-from-scratch crust, if you're skilled with that.

Sweet potato filling:

2 to 3 sweet potatoes, baked (enough to make ~1.5 cup cooked pulp
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten vigorously until frothy
1 T heavy cream
1 T unsalted butter, softened
1 T vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp ground allspice
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Pecan pie syrup

¾ cup sugar
¾ cup dark corn syrup
2 eggs
2 T unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
1 cup pecan pieces or halves

• Preheat oven to 325 F
• Allow rolled pie crust to warm for 15 min at room temp per instructions on box, then roll out into 9 inch pie pan.
• Sweet potato filling: Combine all ingredients for the filling in mixing bowl and beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 to 3 minutes.  Do not overbeat.  Set aside.
• Pecan syrup: Combine all ingredients except the pecans in a mixing bowl and stir with an electric mixer at low speed until mixture is opaque, about 1 minute.  Add pecans and gently stir by hand.  Set aside.
• Assemble: Spoon the sweet potato mixture evenly into the pie dough lined pan.  Pour pecan syrup on top.  Bake in a 325 F oven until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 ¾ hours,  Pecans will rise to top during baking.
• Cool and serve with Chantilly cream.

Chantilly cream (optional, but it is delicious)

1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp brandy
1 tsp orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier or Cointreau
¼ cup sugar
3 T dairy sour cream

Refrigerate a medium-size bowl and electric mixer beaters until very cold.  Combine heavy cream, vanilla, brandy, and orange liqueur in the bowl and beat with electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute.  Add sugar and sour cream and beat on medium speed just until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes.  DO NOT OVERBEAT.  Overbeating will make the cream grainy, which is the first step leading to butter.  Once grainy, it cannot be returned to its former consistency, but can be enjoyed on toast.

Yum!

I don't know what we are having tomorrow - xmas eve.  We normally have A's family over and get pizzas.
Christmas dinner we are having beef tenderloin roast with potatoes and broccoli.
I bought a good Barolo to go with it, and a rose champagne for day drinking.

[caribougrrl]

we got a bit of a thaw, so I managed to get out and dig up some horseradish and some sunchokes... pretty excited about both

we are going to try and keep things on the simple side:
prime rib roast
horseradish
red wine jus
yorkshire pudding
rapini
roasted sunchokes