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Thread: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

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    Default Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    We were going to have a tradition of cooking osso buco for Christmas. However, my wife is having second thoughts, as she became aware of the Scottish Highlander calf (see below) and now really wants to stay away from eating veal.

    I don't mind spending a lot of time on this project, but there are some limits. 1) no roasted poultry. We actually roasted a duck for Thanksgiving, and while it came out quite nicely, the whole room smelled like duck fat afterwards. Goose is too large, and chicken seems a bit too mundane. 2) no prime rib and no Beef Wellington. I'd love to do a prime rib, and while my wife is perfectly fine with eating medium rare or medium well steak, she finds these two off-putting, especially the Beef Wellington.

    Anything else that has a bit of a wow-factor?


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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    I grill a boned out and trussed leg of lamb, let it rest, and then carve it up on a board sauce (see amazingribs.com for details) and it's amazing. Highly recommend that, along some Middle Eastern sides (stuffed grape leaves, baba ghanouj, fattoush, etc.).

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    We'll probably give this a try. I mentioned your suggestion to my wife, and she said, "we already get that cut of lamb." Hadn't occurred to me that the lamb we use for curries is basically the cut you mentioned.

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    I did brisket last year - doesn't have the issues about being rare that the others you mention have.

    We've had ham in the past too and that was good - some sort of honey glazed thing. My wife talks about a good spiral cut thing she had years ago so I've ordered something which looks like that - I'm not sure if it has a glaze but it is thinly sliced before cooking so that you get lots of texture apparently.
    It's not the years, honey. It's the mileage.

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by JoB View Post
    I grill a boned out and trussed leg of lamb, let it rest, and then carve it up on a board sauce (see amazingribs.com for details) and it's amazing. Highly recommend that, along some Middle Eastern sides (stuffed grape leaves, baba ghanouj, fattoush, etc.).
    Ottolenghi lamb recipe with the sides you mentioned would be nice.
    my name is Matt

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Seafood, for a change?

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    How about lobster? If interested, I can forward a couple of good receipts.
    Chikashi Miyamoto

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Thanks for the suggestion on seafood. Haven't really thought of those.

    I could certainly give the lobsters a try, and I think my wife actually has a recipe she likes. As long as it's not steamed lobster on butter...

    Otoh, we saw an old episode of Great British Bake-Off, and one contestant did a seabass en croute with Puy lentil (basically a seafood Wellington). A lot of work, but the presentation on that thing is amazing. Might give that a try.

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by robin3mj View Post
    Ottolenghi lamb recipe with the sides you mentioned would be nice.
    oh yeah for sure! I have a couple of his books at home but haven't done the lamb. His stuff is reliably great.

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by echappist View Post
    Thanks for the suggestion on seafood. Haven't really thought of those.

    I could certainly give the lobsters a try, and I think my wife actually has a recipe she likes. As long as it's not steamed lobster on butter...

    Otoh, we saw an old episode of Great British Bake-Off, and one contestant did a seabass en croute with Puy lentil (basically a seafood Wellington). A lot of work, but the presentation on that thing is amazing. Might give that a try.
    I lobbied for a non-traditional meal over the Thanksgiving holiday and suggested seafood, but there were a couple holdouts that had to have their traditional meal. I get it, I'm just so over that meal even if it's just once a year.

    I have been thinking lately about making a really decadent fish pie. I've never done so, but I'm thinking about something I would've seen on Two Fat Ladies twenty five years ago. I like a rich, comforting, and somewhat complex (even if it has the feeling of being a simple dish) on a holiday. For many years now I have made a lasagna bolognese on Christmas served with a big Italian salad. The last couple years I have traded a Christmas lasagna to a friend for his Christmas Eve curries and saag paneer.

    I've recently implemented a tradition of having a good ham around to slice on throughout the holiday season. I'm currently trying to settle on a stand/clamp, but its also easy enough to support the hock end with one hand while slicing with the other. The ham is always there ready to be sliced a little and is easy to bring to a party or gathering to share. Showing up to a party with a whole Italian/Spanish/American country ham is a sweet move (unless no one eats pork).

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by echappist View Post
    Thanks for the suggestion on seafood. Haven't really thought of those.

    I could certainly give the lobsters a try, and I think my wife actually has a recipe she likes. As long as it's not steamed lobster on butter...

    Otoh, we saw an old episode of Great British Bake-Off, and one contestant did a seabass en croute with Puy lentil (basically a seafood Wellington). A lot of work, but the presentation on that thing is amazing. Might give that a try.
    If you have access to good quality sea bass, that's always an excellent option!
    Chikashi Miyamoto

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    The Sheekey fish cookbook has a great recipe for halibut served over a very light sauce of cream, peas, and bacon, with pea shoots.
    It’s a great meal if you’re also having a starter or dessert because it’s light on the stomach (no carbs) but also very tasty.

    Highly recommend that cookbook too, if you can find it in the US. It’s a London seafood restaurant.
    my name is Matt

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by ColonelJLloyd View Post
    I lobbied for a non-traditional meal over the Thanksgiving holiday and suggested seafood, but there were a couple holdouts that had to have their traditional meal. I get it, I'm just so over that meal even if it's just once a year.

    I have been thinking lately about making a really decadent fish pie. I've never done so, but I'm thinking about something I would've seen on Two Fat Ladies twenty five years ago. I like a rich, comforting, and somewhat complex (even if it has the feeling of being a simple dish) on a holiday. For many years now I have made a lasagna bolognese on Christmas served with a big Italian salad. The last couple years I have traded a Christmas lasagna to a friend for his Christmas Eve curries and saag paneer.

    I've recently implemented a tradition of having a good ham around to slice on throughout the holiday season. I'm currently trying to settle on a stand/clamp, but its also easy enough to support the hock end with one hand while slicing with the other. The ham is always there ready to be sliced a little and is easy to bring to a party or gathering to share. Showing up to a party with a whole Italian/Spanish/American country ham is a sweet move (unless no one eats pork).
    The fish pie my wife makes is out of this world. She uses a dab of mustard that amplifies the flavor a bit.

    We do the holiday ham as well if we’re going to be around our home thru the holidays. Sprung for the wooden stand from La Tienda a few years back and it’s worth it. This year we got a Spanish ham, but if I’m honest, I prefer the Spanish-style ones from Surry Farms, which has the benefit of being in-state to us rather than having to buy one that’s crossed an ocean.
    Last edited by robin3mj; 12-04-2021 at 09:47 AM.
    my name is Matt

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by robin3mj View Post
    The fish pie my wife makes is out of this world. She uses a dab of mustard that amplifies the flavor a bit.

    We do the holiday ham as well if we’re going to be around our home thru the holidays. Sprung for the wooden stand from La Tienda a few years back and it’s worth it. This year we got a Spanish ham, but if I’m honest, I prefer the Spanish-style ones from Surry Farms, which has the benefit of being in-state to us rather than having to buy one that’s crossed an ocean.
    By ham, do you mean cured ham such as Jamon Serrano/ Iberico, or do you mean the more traditional ones? Also, as you are in VA, I guess there's also the famous Virginian Ham.

    Costco sells a whole Jamon Serrano. Great for grazing throughout the day for a family gathering.

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Quote Originally Posted by echappist View Post
    By ham, do you mean cured ham such as Jamon Serrano/ Iberico, or do you mean the more traditional ones? Also, as you are in VA, I guess there's also the famous Virginian Ham.

    Costco sells a whole Jamon Serrano. Great for grazing throughout the day for a family gathering.
    Yes. This year my wife bought a Serrano made in Spain from La Tienda, a nice online store. Surry Farms in Virginia makes all kinds of traditional VA hams, but they make a Spanish cured one called Surryano which is out of this world.

    https://www.edwardsvaham.com/category/surryano-ham

    Last edited by robin3mj; 12-04-2021 at 03:16 PM.
    my name is Matt

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Big slab of wild salmon grilled on a cedar plank. Can be amazingly good.

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    My brother and I - and our families - are partial to Bo Ssam, Korean roast pork:

    https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...mpaign=website
    Steve Hampsten
    www.hampsten.blogspot.com
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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Lasagna, the Christmas dinner of my family for, well, most of my life. My sister and I have cooking duties these days, using my Italian mother's recipe. One with meat and one vegetarian. A nice bottle (a few!) of wine to go with them, and mangiate!

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Why not Carp? In Poland this is traditional Christmas fare

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    Default Re: Need an idea for home cooked Christmas dinner

    Would strongly recommend this. It's surprisingly little work and everytime I serve it, people love it.

    Quote Originally Posted by hampco View Post
    My brother and I - and our families - are partial to Bo Ssam, Korean roast pork:

    https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/...mpaign=website

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