Anything so long as it's not Turkey - what're you having?

28 Nov 2005

Ok, so it has fallen that this year I'm cooking Christmas dinner for eight - a goodly proportion of the in-laws are coming over. I'm going to put on a good spread for them, with a reasonably large hot meal, but to be honest I can't stand Turkey or half of the veg/trimmings, so even if I did want to cook them, I've no experience in doing so, and don't fancy subjecting my early experiments to the criticism of my mother in law and Mrs. DP's evil twin. evil

So, personally my plan is to roast a large, free-range chicken, on the grounds that I know how to do that and it's plain enough to keep the couple of kids happy. A few different sorts of veg, but nothing extravagant, and homemade chicken gravy to keep the traditionalists under control. It's ok, but it'll struggle to feed eight and it's not very exciting. sad

Now comes the (hopefully) interesting bit smile

I've found a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipe for pork tenderloin stuffed with mincemeat and chestnuts. It looks good, though I'm not sure about the cinnamon cream sauce he suggests serving with it. confused

I think it should taste good, and has some quite traditional roots. It's also a hell of a lot less effort than last year's craze - the turducken . Given the choice of that or a decent chicken, I should have enough to feed everybody and hopefully they'll enjoy themselves. :)
Dessert is likely to be home made apple pie and custard if I can work out a decent gluten-free pastry in time. Not exactly traditional, but I never get the time to make it the rest of the year and I happen to like apple pie. :)
So, is anyone else planning to have anything other than the near-ubiquitous turkey for their seasonal meal? In the past I've cooked duck and a large leg of lamb, and have considered a large lump of venison or (assuming money were no object) a Turbot.

28 Nov 2005

Sun, sea, beach, and not a turkey or mince pie in sight!

28 Nov 2005

Turkey is very dry - am having a large free range chicken biggrin

Is everyone getting cat-theme avatars now??? :shock:

28 Nov 2005

Roast Goose with Liver Pate Stuffing and Redcurrant Glazed Peaches
17 lb whole goose
3 large just-ripe peaches, halved and stoned
1 1/2 oz butter, melted
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
a few pinches of ground cinnamon
1 small box of fresh redcurrants
1-2 Tsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp redcurrant jelly
a little fresh lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the stuffing:
1 small onion
1 Tsp rapeseed or vegetable oil + extra for brushing stuffing balls
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp dried sage
grated zest of 1 small lemon
3 1/2 oz liver pate, softened
5 1/2 oz fresh rye breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 egg, beaten
Heat the oven to 375Â° F. Prick the skin of the goose in several places, especially around the leg and thigh. Rub the breast with salt. Place on a roasting rack set inside the baking dish.
Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, lowering the temperature to 320Â° F if the bird starts to over-brown.
For the peaches, brush them with melted butter and place in another shallow roasting dish. Strip the redcurrants from the stalks and mix with the sugar. Spoon it into the peach cavities and dust with cinnamon. Bake them on the shelf above the goose at the start of the roasting for 15 to 20 minutes then remove and cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the stuffing. SautÃ© the onion in the oil for 5 minutes then stir in the paprika and cook for half a minute. Cool, then mix with the rest of the stuffing ingredients adding pepper to taste. Shape into 6 balls using wet hands if necessary.
Lay them in a shallow ovenproof dish, brush with oil and bake for the last 30 minutes of roasting, near the top of the oven. As the goose cooks, you may want to pour off the fat as it drips off to cut down on it smoking. Make sure you have help to do this, as the bird will be heavy.
When the goose has cooked, remove and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Pour the fat off the pan and sprinkle in the flour. Stir well and cook for a minute, then pour in about 2 1/2 cups of stock or vegetable water. Stir well and boil, then add 2 tablespoons redcurrant jam, a squeeze of lemon juice and seasoning.
Strain into a jug, then after the bird has been carved, pour the juices over. Arrange the stuffing balls and peaches around it.
Serve with German potato dumplings (KartoffelklÃ¶ÃŸe) and red cabbage (Rotkohl).
Guten Appetit!
Cant wait wink

28 Nov 2005

We'll be having beef with all the trimmings......roast potatoes, roast parsnips, sprouts, carrots, yorkshire pud, horseradish sauce and PROPER homemade gravy. There will only be Pete, myself and my daughter for dinner, and none of us are too keen on turkey.
Christmas pud and custard for Pete and my dauighter, hot mince pies and double cream for me.

28 Nov 2005

That sounds like a great idea. We normally go traditional because of my parents but this year they won't be with us so we could try something new too. I will look into this, thanks for the idea.
Alternatively, I could come up to yours and take your mind off your wife's evil twin :twisted: and have a fabulous meal (by the sound of it) all at once :P

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Sarah
Sun, sea, beach, and not a turkey or minvce pie in sight!

Well I'm not sure about the sun, but we have a beach and the sea about 15 minutes walk from our house, so if the weather's nice an afternoon stroll along the sand might well be in order on christmas day. smile

I'm not sure if I'll join in with the regular bunch of nutters who go for a swim in the North Sea on Christmas morning though, that looks a bit cold for me.

28 Nov 2005

I am cooking for all my mates who can't get home for xmas, and I ma doing xmas day and boxing day! Selfish bastards, my mates! lol

We will be having turkey and beef on xmas day and lamb and pork on boxing day, along with all the trimmings etc. We will also start xmas day with a champagne breakfast, pink champagne bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon!
I moan, but I enjoy it, especially as with your mates you can tell them to shut up and dop it themselves if they're not happy! :lol:

28 Nov 2005

It's our first Christmas with a vegetarian in the family. Our daughter decided to become vegetarian earlier this year and I haven't a clue what to do. She doesn't fancy nut roast or anything like that and I don't really want to just give her the vegetables. Ideally, it would be something I can prepare the day before just to finish off on the day. Any vegetarians on here?
DP I usually cook a large chicken and a piece of pork loin. Should be plenty for eight people. I wouldn't go with venison, it's a bit of an acquired taste.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Fallen Angel
Turkey is very dry - am having a large free range chicken
Is everyone getting cat-theme avatars now??? :shock:

I agree with you about Turkey being dry, and I'm a definite convert to free-range chicken (and other meat).
I thought I'd change my avatar and this one of my cat was the easiest to find. smile

28 Nov 2005

Quote by freckledbird
It's our first Christmas with a vegetarian in the family. Our daughter decided to become vegetarian earlier this year and I haven't a clue what to do. She doesn't fancy nut roast or anything like that and I don't really want to just give her the vegetables. Ideally, it would be something I can prepare the day before just to finish off on the day. Any vegetarians on here?
DP I usually cook a large chicken and a piece of pork loin. Should be plenty for eight people. I wouldn't go with venison, it's a bit of an acquired taste.

Try this Frecks passionkiss

28 Nov 2005

Or you could just cheat and use quorn as a substitute, that way she can still have a traditional dinner with the rest of you, just hers won;t be real meat!

28 Nov 2005

Havent really found my enthusiasm for Xmas this year yet, at this rate it'll be beans on toast!!
Normally, I do the whole domestic goddess thing and end up doing a traditional Turkey roast and enough veg and trimmings to feed a small army! With any luck I'll have no last minute guests and make do with maybe a small chicken and several bottles of Baileys! :P

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Pete_sw
It's our first Christmas with a vegetarian in the family. Our daughter decided to become vegetarian earlier this year and I haven't a clue what to do. She doesn't fancy nut roast or anything like that and I don't really want to just give her the vegetables. Ideally, it would be something I can prepare the day before just to finish off on the day. Any vegetarians on here?
DP I usually cook a large chicken and a piece of pork loin. Should be plenty for eight people. I wouldn't go with venison, it's a bit of an acquired taste.

Try this Frecks passionkiss

Thanks Pete, we've seen that site before. biggrin

I forgot to mention that she's not keen on cheese when it's cooked and pudding is sorted (my Dad's making vegetarian mince pies). Maybe someone has a home-made dish that doesn't include cheese or nuts?

28 Nov 2005

Not claiming to be an expert, but I think frozen turkeys taste dry, whereas your non frozen free range, are your more regular, better tasting bird biggrin

Can't beat a nice duck I reckon :D
I'll have to ask skimpy on the above, as she's the expert cook in our house :D

28 Nov 2005

Quote by mistress_sassy
Or you could just cheat and use quorn as a substitute, that way she can still have a traditional dinner with the rest of you, just hers won;t be real meat!

Thinking of cooking some of those Quorn fillets. She likes them and it wouldn't be so bad with all the other trimmings would it?

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Pete_sw
Roast Goose with Liver Pate Stuffing and Redcurrant Glazed Peaches
17 lb whole goose
3 large just-ripe peaches, halved and stoned
1 1/2 oz butter, melted
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
a few pinches of ground cinnamon
1 small box of fresh redcurrants
1-2 Tsp all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp redcurrant jelly
a little fresh lemon juice
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the stuffing:
1 small onion
1 Tsp rapeseed or vegetable oil + extra for brushing stuffing balls
1/2 tsp ground paprika
1/2 tsp dried sage
grated zest of 1 small lemon
3 1/2 oz liver pate, softened
5 1/2 oz fresh rye breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 egg, beaten
Heat the oven to 375Â° F. Prick the skin of the goose in several places, especially around the leg and thigh. Rub the breast with salt. Place on a roasting rack set inside the baking dish.
Roast for about 1 1/2 hours, lowering the temperature to 320Â° F if the bird starts to over-brown.
For the peaches, brush them with melted butter and place in another shallow roasting dish. Strip the redcurrants from the stalks and mix with the sugar. Spoon it into the peach cavities and dust with cinnamon. Bake them on the shelf above the goose at the start of the roasting for 15 to 20 minutes then remove and cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the stuffing. SautÃ© the onion in the oil for 5 minutes then stir in the paprika and cook for half a minute. Cool, then mix with the rest of the stuffing ingredients adding pepper to taste. Shape into 6 balls using wet hands if necessary.
Lay them in a shallow ovenproof dish, brush with oil and bake for the last 30 minutes of roasting, near the top of the oven. As the goose cooks, you may want to pour off the fat as it drips off to cut down on it smoking. Make sure you have help to do this, as the bird will be heavy.
When the goose has cooked, remove and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. Pour the fat off the pan and sprinkle in the flour. Stir well and cook for a minute, then pour in about 2 1/2 cups of stock or vegetable water. Stir well and boil, then add 2 tablespoons redcurrant jam, a squeeze of lemon juice and seasoning.
Strain into a jug, then after the bird has been carved, pour the juices over. Arrange the stuffing balls and peaches around it.
Serve with German potato dumplings (KartoffelklÃ¶ÃŸe) and red cabbage (Rotkohl).
Guten Appetit!
Cant wait

Mmmmmmmmm yum, yum.
I must say your christmas menu sounds like it will be a very special dinner for all. I could and would eat it all now.
You must be cooking this Pete, you have flare and many special talents. :wink: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm i can taste it now.
You are a very nice man. :wink:

28 Nov 2005

Pete!
Run, whilst you have got chance!
She'll be giving you her recipes next.........eye of newt, wing of bat................

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Pete_sw
Roast Goose with Liver Pate Stuffing and Redcurrant Glazed Peaches
Cant wait

That sounds good, but probably a little adventurous for my in-law's palates. I'll get raised eyebrows for not having sprouts :shock: .

Quote by Lissa
We'll be having beef with all the trimmings......roast potatoes, roast parsnips, sprouts, carrots, yorkshire pud, horseradish sauce and PROPER homemade gravy. There will only be Pete, myself and my daughter for dinner, and none of us are too keen on turkey.
Christmas pud and custard for Pete and my dauighter, hot mince pies and double cream for me.

Now that's my kind of meal. I considered beef, but spotted the stuffed tenderloin recipe and decided to have some fun. I'll probably have mince pies and christmas pudding available as well, along with double cream for those that want it. That should keep my father in-law happy (well that and a half bottle of dessert wine :twisted: ).

Quote by berksbex
That sounds like a great idea. We normally go traditional because of my parents but this year they won't be with us so we could try something new too. I will look into this, thanks for the idea.
Alternatively, I could come up to yours and take your mind off your wife's evil twin :twisted: and have a fabulous meal (by the sound of it) all at once :P

Go for it, the recipe I'm using came out of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's River Cottage Meat Cookbook (a highly recommended tome for all committed carnivores).
As for taking my mind off the evil twin (who's not that bad really, as long as I only have to put up with her in small doses), why do you think I'm doing all the cooking? This way I get to hide behind clouds of steam with the radio on, out of the way of everyone (though I might have the cat for company if my nephew is as loud and scary as he was last year).

28 Nov 2005

No FB it would be fine, thats what I did with a vegie mate last year, that way we all had the same, and it was all nice and traditional.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by freckledbird
It's our first Christmas with a vegetarian in the family. Our daughter decided to become vegetarian earlier this year and I haven't a clue what to do. She doesn't fancy nut roast or anything like that and I don't really want to just give her the vegetables. Ideally, it would be something I can prepare the day before just to finish off on the day. Any vegetarians on here?
DP I usually cook a large chicken and a piece of pork loin. Should be plenty for eight people. I wouldn't go with venison, it's a bit of an acquired taste.

I wouldn't buy venison to feed my in-laws, I'd save it for people who'll appreciate it (like me).
As for vegetarian solutions, quorn fillets and the rest of the trimmings sounds like a reasonable solution, especially in conjunction with vegetable gravy. Other ideas might be a roast butternut squash (though that might be a bit excessive for one vegetarian, it depends if anyone else might want some I suppose), or maybe roasted, stuffed peppers? They'd probably be quite easy to do in advance and reheat.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Happy Cats
Pete!
Run, whilst you have got chance!
She'll be giving you her recipes next.........eye of newt, wing of bat................

:scared:
too late, she found the hidden enterance to me PM box mate banghead

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide ........................ we're all doomed I'm tellin ya, doooooooooomed bolt

28 Nov 2005

I think its nice to do something different for Crimbo - free range duck, goose or turkey are nice. I've done a 3 bird roast or 3 fillet roasts before but I've nver managed to get upto those 10 bird jobbies that Hugh FW and co get upto.
I'm not working this year which is great and its going to make a change to be cooking for 6 instead of 60.
I'm thinking of having Partridges stuffed with Pears. Unusual but not too challenging for those who like something simple. All done the day before and quite quick to cook compared to a big bird.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by mistress_sassy
I am cooking for all my mates who can't get home for xmas, and I ma doing xmas day and boxing day! Selfish bastards, my mates!
We will be having turkey and beef on xmas day and lamb and pork on boxing day, along with all the trimmings etc. We will also start xmas day with a champagne breakfast, pink champagne bagels, cream cheese and smoked salmon!
I moan, but I enjoy it, especially as with your mates you can tell them to shut up and dop it themselves if they're not happy! :lol:

That sounds like fun, though I think we'll be having the somewhat more mundane breakfast of bacon sandwiches and strong tea (at least for me), especially if I'm having to spend all morning slaving over a hot stove.
We're getting a load of mates up for New Year, but by some quirk of fate almost all of my mates are vegetarian or vegan.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by celticq
I think its nice to do something different for Crimbo - free range duck, goose or turkey are nice. I've done a 3 bird roast or 3 fillet roasts before but I've nver managed to get upto those 10 bird jobbies that Hugh FW and co get upto.
I'm not working this year which is great and its going to make a change to be cooking for 6 instead of 60.
I'm thinking of having Partridges stuffed with Pears. Unusual but not too challenging for those who like something simple. All done the day before and quite quick to cook compared to a big bird.

That sounds good.
I've just rediscovered a load of my cookery books (they were buried behind a stack of boxes in the library) and need to find the time to sit down and go through them again. I'm already considering asking my butcher to order in a bucket of pig's blood and some proper sausage casings so I can try out a couple of black pudding recipes I've found.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Darkfire
Havent really found my enthusiasm for Xmas this year yet, at this rate it'll be beans on toast!!
Normally, I do the whole domestic goddess thing and end up doing a traditional Turkey roast and enough veg and trimmings to feed a small army! With any luck I'll have no last minute guests and make do with maybe a small chicken and several bottles of Baileys! :P

Well I'm not particularly enthuseastic about christmas, but given that I'm having to plan for a big meal I thought I'd better have a think about it. I do like cooking, and don't get much chance to cook for anyone other than myself and Mrs. DP, so motivation hasn't been that hard to find.
Given that there's a couple of things that I'm planning that I've never cooked yet (I've not done gluten-free pastry or the stuffed tenderloin) I'm going to have to sort myself out quickly and find some willing victims to practice on. smile

Oh, the hardship. lol

28 Nov 2005

Quote by Pete_sw
Pete!
Run, whilst you have got chance!
She'll be giving you her recipes next.........eye of newt, wing of bat................

:scared:
too late, she found the hidden enterance to me PM box mate banghead

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide ........................ we're all doomed I'm tellin ya, doooooooooomed bolt

Dont forget i am always watching you both, so if you show signs of being completely unstable and defo crazy in the head.
I am much better when observing people or situations, the pair of you are so crap that you forget im close by, waiting for you both to make a slip up.
Serious punishment this time round, i want your bare arses. smackbottom

RED BUM CHEEKS, WILL BE COMING VERY SOON.
lol

:lol:

28 Nov 2005

Quote by HornyRed
Pete!
Run, whilst you have got chance!
She'll be giving you her recipes next.........eye of newt, wing of bat................

:scared:
too late, she found the hidden enterance to me PM box mate banghead

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide ........................ we're all doomed I'm tellin ya, doooooooooomed bolt

RED BUM CHEEKS, WILL BE COMING VERY SOON.
lol

:lol:
Ooooeeeerr Happy Cats, back of the que :moon: :kissmyarse:

28 Nov 2005

Thank God my brother and family invite me over for Chritmas Day. I get picked up at approx noon, oodles of good champers ,fed, wined, dined et al and I do not have to scrape a spud or de-stem a brussel sprout. I get taken home at about -- well can never really remember that bit too well. Whatever you eat/ do etc just enjoy it with an open-mind and a good, gracious heart.

28 Nov 2005

Quote by freckledbird
It's our first Christmas with a vegetarian in the family. Our daughter decided to become vegetarian earlier this year and I haven't a clue what to do. She doesn't fancy nut roast or anything like that and I don't really want to just give her the vegetables. Ideally, it would be something I can prepare the day before just to finish off on the day. Any vegetarians on here?

One easy-to-please veggie here. How about a vegetable quiche?
The first Christmas day after I went veggie, many moons ago, my Mum was in tears worrying about what I was going to have instead of meat, so I hope you're doing better than her, FB!
Mike.