Xmas Day Meal

[redsturgeon]

We start ours at 2pm. I guess the ages of children present is significant.

John

[AleisterCrowley]

When we had a larger family meal we aimed to start at 2pm, but it was normally closer to 3pm !
We're 'eating out' with extended family this year , as it'll only be me and my mum otherwise. Not something I enjoy particularly, so I've opted for steak just to be awkward and non-traditional

[tjh290633]

Finishing by 3pm for HM's speech has often been more important.

TJH

[Leothebear]

We went out for the Christmas day meal for a few years and most of those occasions were unimpressed with the food quality. Much of it was pre-
prepared ie the previous day or before. And you pay a premium for Xmas day.

Having given up on these expensive mistakes, I followed a Nigella recipe for the turkey. This involved marinating the whole thing in one of her concoctions for 24 hours. Waste of time. Turkey tasted just as dull as it always had. At least I learned that marinating anything with a skin will have no effect on the meat itself.

Now we just have a crown. It's OK but I'd sooner have a good cut of beef.

[simsqu]

Hey Leo my dear chap

Now we just have a crown. It's OK but I'd sooner have a good cut of beef.

Umm...why don't you then?

We never have turkey. Expensive and a complete waste of time. We usually have beef, but for the past couple of years, I've done a sensational Michel Roux recipe for Wild Boar, only I use a whole unboned pork shoulder. Massive great beast it is. It gets marinated for 24 hours in Cassis, Brandy, chilli and bay leaves. Absolutely delicious and not a wishbone in sight.

And by the way Leo, if you MUST have turkey, then for goodness sake don't have a crown: all you get is breast which is akin to chowing down on Amazon packaging.

We're all doomed

[AleisterCrowley]

Michel Roux recipe for Wild Boar, only I use a whole unboned pork shoulder

Probably a good idea, IIRC wild boar is a bit...whiffy,...or so I've been told (possibly by yourself)

[UncleIan]

Confession time: When it's been just the four of us, we've had a "very small turkey", that tastes uncannily like chicken.

[kiloran]

Never been impressed by turkey.
Much prefer duck confit

--kiloran

[stevensfo]

We have two main lunches: Christmas Eve lunch where we follow my wife's Polish traditions with a fish recipe and basically too much of everything. Traditionally, they're not supposed to have any alcohol till after midnight mass, but I won that argument many years ago.

Christmas day: turkey legs cooked in casserole with smoked bacon, wild mushroom sauce, side dishes of gratin dauphinois, veg etc. Then enormous rich desserts with far too much cream. Plenty of good wine helps.

I agree about the traditional roast turkey. It only dawned on me one year when I realised that people were smothering it with whatever sauce was available.

We do try and have a Christmas pudding, though not necessarily on the same day.

I wonder if anyone has that one annoying person who suggests a nice brisk walk afterwards. It sounds good in stories. In real life, they tend to have short lives.

Steve

[AleisterCrowley]

I had some slow cooked turkey legs once, very nice dark meat almost like lamb shanks!
Turkey breast ? Only OK in a Madras curry, or the bin

[redsturgeon]

I wonder if anyone has that one annoying person who suggests a nice brisk walk afterwards. It sounds good in stories. In real life, they tend to have short lives.

Steve

Oh yes, that Mrs RS...

John

[didds]

Goose. When its just been two met eaters i've done duck.

we've aslo certainly done rib of beef before, and beef wellington, but ultimately it was too much fraff.

Had squah+sweet potato stuffed poussin one year (Jamie wotsit receipe) but TBH it was a bit bland and as Id only come out fop hospital three days earl;ier I didn;t have much appetite anyway!

[nimnarb]

Filet de boeuf wellington..beef tenderloin wellington with porcini mushrooms and herb stuffing, scented with truffle oil, wrapped in a puff pastry served with a cabernet reduction. Xmas Eve(lunch) but normally get to sit down anytime from 1-4pm depending on the pre-drink state of us all.

Carré d’agneau....roasted New Zealand rack of lamb provençale. Xmas Day and sometimes this doesn't get going until after the Speech. Remember one year was standing up as we always do drink in hand of course(actually propped up) for the Queens speech and didn't wake up until 8pm..oh dear, disgraceful.

Usual traditional veg with a twist(but do like fondant potatoes) and not decided on pud yet, thinking different this year but will have homemade mince pies along with fresh beignets sprinkled with powdered sugar served with a dip of chantilly.

By the way, who was the one person in the poll who eats before noon? Or perhaps just does not do Christmas lunch at all? One year invited the local Rabbi(he just lost his wife and was on his own) for Xmas lunch, said it was the best he ever had, started at around 5pm and went on all evening with him getting quite drunk and telling us the funniest Jewish jokes and stories I had ever heard.

Always look forward to this.........Actually get to have this twice as celebrate thanksgiving here as always go to friends where they normally serve Turkey and I return the favor by not serving Turkey again.

[tjh290633]

I wonder if anyone has that one annoying person who suggests a nice brisk walk afterwards. It sounds good in stories. In real life, they tend to have short lives.

Steve

Our next door neighbour has a hot dogs and soup lunch on New Year's Day, followed by a walk, usually with 4 dogs in the party. Wellies are needed for the green lanes that we traverse, but it gets dark too early to do it on Christmas day.

TJH

[simsqu]

Filet de boeuf wellington..beef tenderloin wellington with porcini mushrooms and herb stuffing, scented with truffle oil, wrapped in a puff pastry served with a cabernet reduction.

Man Alive

Can I come round to you for Christmas please?

[simsqu]

Michel Roux recipe for Wild Boar, only I use a whole unboned pork shoulder

Probably a good idea, IIRC wild boar is a bit...whiffy,...or so I've been told (possibly by yourself)

Do you know AC, I believe it was, but in The Other Place

[nimnarb]

Filet de boeuf wellington..beef tenderloin wellington with porcini mushrooms and herb stuffing, scented with truffle oil, wrapped in a puff pastry served with a cabernet reduction.

Man Alive

Can I come round to you for Christmas please?

For you simsqu, I will serve stuffed courgettes with goats cheese and garden herbs, if memory serves that is your absolute fav(not!!!!..or was it something else?)

[AleisterCrowley]

Michel Roux recipe for Wild Boar, only I use a whole unboned pork shoulder

Probably a good idea, IIRC wild boar is a bit...whiffy,...or so I've been told (possibly by yourself)

Do you know AC, I believe it was, but in The Other Place

Possibly your butcher complaining? Sad to think all those posts are now lost forever.
I remember your crabs one (culinary, not medical) - and that Greek (?) place with the massive portions and elderly staff

[stevensfo]

Our next door neighbour has a hot dogs and soup lunch on New Year's Day, followed by a walk, usually with 4 dogs in the party. Wellies are needed for the green lanes that we traverse, but it gets dark too early to do it on Christmas day.

Yes, but that's New Year's Day, not Christmas. By that time, most of us have had quite enough and I have some relatives who go to bed well before midnight and if asked why not wait to see the New Year in, will give a look worthy of any Jedi warrior who is ready to go over to the dark side.

So we too often go for a walk, through a forest devoid of other humans, and with a dog who will always find something disgusting to roll in.

Those under 30 don't usually join us. No decent WiFi.

Steve

[Leothebear]

Hey Leo my dear chap

Now we just have a crown. It's OK but I'd sooner have a good cut of beef.

Umm...why don't you then?

We never have turkey. Expensive and a complete waste of time. We usually have beef, but for the past couple of years, I've done a sensational Michel Roux recipe for Wild Boar, only I use a whole unboned pork shoulder. Massive great beast it is. It gets marinated for 24 hours in Cassis, Brandy, chilli and bay leaves. Absolutely delicious and not a wishbone in sight.

And by the way Leo, if you MUST have turkey, then for goodness sake don't have a crown: all you get is breast which is akin to chowing down on Amazon packaging.

We're all doomed

I don't have beef because we have beef most Sundays. We have ghastly turkey as well as the disgusting "trimmings" because it's unfortunately Christmas
"We're all doomed" Well, when you consider the pollution of the oceans and atmosphere, global warming, terrorists getting hold of nuclear toys, Putin's grand plans for an empowered USSR, China's own agenda (working so far) on global domination, Trump - the less said the better. Then the inevitable catastrophe caused by a mega volcano, asteroid strike - I'm sure there others, the yes we ARE all doomed. Merry Christmas.