Xmas Dinner Reports - Triumph or Disaster?
Discussion
A game of two halves at Chez Jameson. The lamb came out absolutely perfect; just a hint of pink (Mrs J doesn't like it too pink), moist and tender.
Veg was good - sprouts were flavoursome and carrots sweet and crunchy. Parsnips had caramelised and I had all the "ruined" (i.e. burnt to a crispy piquancy) ones. Chef's privelege and all that.
The mash was good - creamy but not too heavy. Couldn't be arsed putting it through the sieve, so just mashed it loads.
Roasties were only average, unfortunately. I'd forgotten to score and salt them. Gah. The gravy? Suffice to say, I
ing rock at gravy.
All in all, a good first half.
Lest all this self-congratulatory guff induce nausea, let me tell you about custard. Custard is one of my favourite things. Vanilla-y, milky, creamy goodness. Not too sweet, it enrobes your pudding in a light yet delicious creme.
Well, that's the theory.
What aing mess. I mixed it up as per the usual - this was all-natural homeopathic custard powder, it seems. Would it thicken? Would it, hell. I burned one pan - with the consequent stink - and moved everything over to another. Did the usual mix up some more powder in a glass with a drop of milk, dilute a bit, and then add to the pan. boocks. Lumpy. Put it through a sieve. Runny. Tempted to chuck it all out and start over. Mrs J tastes it and pronounces it edible (note, "edible"; not "nice" or "delicious'') and bids me serve up, before the pudding gets cold.
Ice-cream next year. I'm done with custard.
I knew I should have followed my nose and made it from scratch with eggs and whatnot
Veg was good - sprouts were flavoursome and carrots sweet and crunchy. Parsnips had caramelised and I had all the "ruined" (i.e. burnt to a crispy piquancy) ones. Chef's privelege and all that.
The mash was good - creamy but not too heavy. Couldn't be arsed putting it through the sieve, so just mashed it loads.
Roasties were only average, unfortunately. I'd forgotten to score and salt them. Gah. The gravy? Suffice to say, I
ing rock at gravy.All in all, a good first half.
Lest all this self-congratulatory guff induce nausea, let me tell you about custard. Custard is one of my favourite things. Vanilla-y, milky, creamy goodness. Not too sweet, it enrobes your pudding in a light yet delicious creme.
Well, that's the theory.
What a
ing mess. I mixed it up as per the usual - this was all-natural homeopathic custard powder, it seems. Would it thicken? Would it, hell. I burned one pan - with the consequent stink - and moved everything over to another. Did the usual mix up some more powder in a glass with a drop of milk, dilute a bit, and then add to the pan. boocks. Lumpy. Put it through a sieve. Runny. Tempted to chuck it all out and start over. Mrs J tastes it and pronounces it edible (note, "edible"; not "nice" or "delicious'') and bids me serve up, before the pudding gets cold.Ice-cream next year. I'm done with custard.
I knew I should have followed my nose and made it from scratch with eggs and whatnot
Edited by CommanderJameson on Tuesday 25th December 19:05
Triumph for me,
Did
Home made carrot and coriander soup and home made granary bread as a starter
Then
Turkey
Potatoes - baked with sea salt and rosemary
Carrot and Suede Mash
Fine Beans and Sprouts
Local Reared Sausages wrapped in Organic Smoked bacon
Stuffin and Gravy
Cheated and bought a tub of Fresh Custard and heated it through and heated the xmas pudding in the Microwave I'd kind of excelled on the starter and mains so the desert was simple and easy.
All in all very nice all hot all on time very happy with my efforts though tiring and hard work!! Glad to be sat down now
Did
Home made carrot and coriander soup and home made granary bread as a starter
Then
Turkey
Potatoes - baked with sea salt and rosemary
Carrot and Suede Mash
Fine Beans and Sprouts
Local Reared Sausages wrapped in Organic Smoked bacon
Stuffin and Gravy
Cheated and bought a tub of Fresh Custard and heated it through and heated the xmas pudding in the Microwave I'd kind of excelled on the starter and mains so the desert was simple and easy.
All in all very nice all hot all on time very happy with my efforts though tiring and hard work!! Glad to be sat down now
Cracking meal had by one and all.
Seared scallops and salad to start, Scallops quickly sauteed with some lemon, butter, tiny amount of garlic, and Noilly Prat.
Turkey, home made Cranberry sauce, pork and prune stuffing, sprouts with chestnuts and bacon, Roast carrots, parsnips and potatoes.
Christmas pud with lots of brandy butter, washed down with some Hennessy VSOP.
It actually felt like the preparation and cooking was worthwhile!
Seared scallops and salad to start, Scallops quickly sauteed with some lemon, butter, tiny amount of garlic, and Noilly Prat.
Turkey, home made Cranberry sauce, pork and prune stuffing, sprouts with chestnuts and bacon, Roast carrots, parsnips and potatoes.
Christmas pud with lots of brandy butter, washed down with some Hennessy VSOP.
It actually felt like the preparation and cooking was worthwhile!
Another Triumph here...
Local pork - superb rare breed stuff by the bloke who rents my old Mum's fields to keep animals on. Four hours at 140 and 45 mins at 230. Melting meat with super crackling. Apples from my parents "orchard" turned into Apple sauce. Lovely local sprouts and carrots. Gravy made from Duck, Pheasant and Pork stock reduced practically to syrup and lightly thickened.
Only cock up was the potatoes. I par-boiled them for 12 minutes and, for some odd reason, they cooked completely in that time! Smushed! So we mashed half of them. The other half got roasted and, amazingly, turned into the best roasties EVER - loads of crunch. Might do it deliberately next time!
Christmas pud (Brandy flambe worked!), with Brandy butter and a little cream.
All eaten at 2:30pm or so. Didn't need anything else all day.
Washed it down with Henschke "Tilly's Vineyard" and a bottle of Montana "Virtu" for the pudding - which, BTW, is utterly sublime and worth importing from New Zealand YOURSELF if you have to in order to get some.
Local pork - superb rare breed stuff by the bloke who rents my old Mum's fields to keep animals on. Four hours at 140 and 45 mins at 230. Melting meat with super crackling. Apples from my parents "orchard" turned into Apple sauce. Lovely local sprouts and carrots. Gravy made from Duck, Pheasant and Pork stock reduced practically to syrup and lightly thickened.
Only cock up was the potatoes. I par-boiled them for 12 minutes and, for some odd reason, they cooked completely in that time! Smushed! So we mashed half of them. The other half got roasted and, amazingly, turned into the best roasties EVER - loads of crunch. Might do it deliberately next time!
Christmas pud (Brandy flambe worked!), with Brandy butter and a little cream.
All eaten at 2:30pm or so. Didn't need anything else all day.
Washed it down with Henschke "Tilly's Vineyard" and a bottle of Montana "Virtu" for the pudding - which, BTW, is utterly sublime and worth importing from New Zealand YOURSELF if you have to in order to get some.
Did the big Christmas Eve fish dinner due to family roots east of the Rhine, and went around to a friends for a venison christmas dinner today.
The fish dinner was good, started with a small cup of Borscht, then a starter of melty San Daniele ham with sweet pickle.
Main course was monkfish tails with a shellfish sauce. The monkfish tails were marinated overnight in lemon, olive oil and parsley then sauteed. The sauce was a bit more complicated...first I made seafood stock from crevettes, the monkfish bones and tails, clams, white wine and some crab shells. I then sauteed the meat from the crevettes in butter with shalotts and a small amount of diced veg, before pouring in the stock, and reducing until it had a really intense seafood flavour. Final step was to blend with some single cream and strain.
Accompanied with some simple boiled red potatoes and snow peas.
The only problem was all the family had flu / colds so couldnt bloody taste anything because of blocked noses
Not even the rather excellent '96 Contantia sticky we had with the pannetone and ice cream had the aroma to penetrate such bunged up sinuses!
The fish dinner was good, started with a small cup of Borscht, then a starter of melty San Daniele ham with sweet pickle.
Main course was monkfish tails with a shellfish sauce. The monkfish tails were marinated overnight in lemon, olive oil and parsley then sauteed. The sauce was a bit more complicated...first I made seafood stock from crevettes, the monkfish bones and tails, clams, white wine and some crab shells. I then sauteed the meat from the crevettes in butter with shalotts and a small amount of diced veg, before pouring in the stock, and reducing until it had a really intense seafood flavour. Final step was to blend with some single cream and strain.
Accompanied with some simple boiled red potatoes and snow peas.
The only problem was all the family had flu / colds so couldnt bloody taste anything because of blocked noses
Not even the rather excellent '96 Contantia sticky we had with the pannetone and ice cream had the aroma to penetrate such bunged up sinuses!
Edited by Wadeski on Wednesday 26th December 00:35
Doddle.
3 roast legs of Lamb. 2 large turkeys, 10kg Rice (called Zeresh Polo - look it up on Google if you want an idea what it's all about). A whole field full of spuds, carrots etc. Cooked over 3 days and warmed when needed. 30 guests. Home made Choux pastry, truffles and assorted petit-yummie things
A big oven and lots and lots of help (including a paid helper...well worth it)
Preparation is the word.
(actually confession time: went to a friends house and she did it and it was wonderful). The lamb was literally out of this world.
3 roast legs of Lamb. 2 large turkeys, 10kg Rice (called Zeresh Polo - look it up on Google if you want an idea what it's all about). A whole field full of spuds, carrots etc. Cooked over 3 days and warmed when needed. 30 guests. Home made Choux pastry, truffles and assorted petit-yummie things
A big oven and lots and lots of help (including a paid helper...well worth it)
Preparation is the word.
(actually confession time: went to a friends house and she did it and it was wonderful). The lamb was literally out of this world.
Well considering my location and the conditions I'm forced to cook in, it went damn well!
We managed to find a Turkey, which when cooked was moist, tasty and carved up beautifully. I found some decent spuds which roasted very well and tasted lovely.
We had salad, salami, ham and cheeses to go with the meat and roast tatties. It was a bit of a group effort as some friends and I all got together to do Chrimbo dinner.
Everybody was happy and we got very drunk!
We managed to find a Turkey, which when cooked was moist, tasty and carved up beautifully. I found some decent spuds which roasted very well and tasted lovely.
We had salad, salami, ham and cheeses to go with the meat and roast tatties. It was a bit of a group effort as some friends and I all got together to do Chrimbo dinner.
Everybody was happy and we got very drunk!
Went quite well here, I had cooked the turkey on Monday, so it was sat witing for everything else. Couldn't get any goose fat, so got some duck fat. Par boiled the tatties, seemed to cook them too well! Then the oil wouldn't get hot enough, all the veggies were well on the way to being done, so the tatties had to go in. Turned out rather well really. The cauli was a little over done. Other half didn't so much as carve the turkey but more like butchered it. And it wasn't till afterwards that I realised I had forgotten the sausage and bacon rolls!
But it all seemed to go down ok, probably helped by the fact that I was half cut by then, and managed to burn my thumb getting the tattie out of the oven.
All were too stuffed to eat much else, and I was too stuffed to try out my new chocolate fountain!
But it all seemed to go down ok, probably helped by the fact that I was half cut by then, and managed to burn my thumb getting the tattie out of the oven.
All were too stuffed to eat much else, and I was too stuffed to try out my new chocolate fountain!
The freshly baked croissants with smoked salmon and cheesy scrambled egg went down a treat at breakfast with a nice cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain. Lunch went really well, MrsJimothy roasted the free range turkey on Christmas eve (due to lack of oven space) and it came up a treat. The roasted topside was perfect, well done on the outside to suit MrsJimothys taste, still rare on the inside for me, the stufing, sausage meat and pigs in blankets were great, the spuds not very crispy, but well flavoured with the juice from the beef. The gravy was top notch, reduced pinot noir, beef juices and a few gravy granules to thicken. The cranberry sauce was a fresh one, and the mustard and horseradish was from a local farm shop
All in all, a top notch lunch, server with a nice Chablis during preparation, and a Malbec during the meal.
No dessert due to stomach/space constraints. - it was a 13lb turkey, 5lb beef joint, and only MrsJimothy and myself to eat it!
All in all, a top notch lunch, server with a nice Chablis during preparation, and a Malbec during the meal.
No dessert due to stomach/space constraints. - it was a 13lb turkey, 5lb beef joint, and only MrsJimothy and myself to eat it!
decided on a buffet style christmas day this year. went well nice canapes, ham joint side of salmon turkey etc.indian starters.mini sausauges, brie and cranberry filo pastry thingies.
individual home made trifle,xmas pudding cream and brandy butter
was good because i did most of it before hand and could enjoy the day.
No whinging children complaining about the veggies.(they dont really).
ill today and hence the children are helping themselves from the remainder of the buffet from the fridge.
would i do it again?
NO WAY.
too much like hard work and I missed my christmas lunch so much. going to have it at new year instead. with all the trimmings.
individual home made trifle,xmas pudding cream and brandy butter
was good because i did most of it before hand and could enjoy the day.
No whinging children complaining about the veggies.(they dont really).
ill today and hence the children are helping themselves from the remainder of the buffet from the fridge.
would i do it again?
NO WAY.
too much like hard work and I missed my christmas lunch so much. going to have it at new year instead. with all the trimmings.
jimothy said:
The freshly baked croissants with smoked salmon and cheesy scrambled egg went down a treat at breakfast with a nice cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain. Lunch went really well, MrsJimothy roasted the free range turkey on Christmas eve (due to lack of oven space) and it came up a treat. The roasted topside was perfect, well done on the outside to suit MrsJimothys taste, still rare on the inside for me, the stufing, sausage meat and pigs in blankets were great, the spuds not very crispy, but well flavoured with the juice from the beef. The gravy was top notch, reduced pinot noir, beef juices and a few gravy granules to thicken. The cranberry sauce was a fresh one, and the mustard and horseradish was from a local farm shop
All in all, a top notch lunch, server with a nice Chablis during preparation, and a Malbec during the meal.
No dessert due to stomach/space constraints. - it was a 13lb turkey, 5lb beef joint, and only MrsJimothy and myself to eat it!
You. Fat. Bastard.All in all, a top notch lunch, server with a nice Chablis during preparation, and a Malbec during the meal.
No dessert due to stomach/space constraints. - it was a 13lb turkey, 5lb beef joint, and only MrsJimothy and myself to eat it!
can i come to your house next year?
CommanderJameson said:
jimothy said:
The freshly baked croissants with smoked salmon and cheesy scrambled egg went down a treat at breakfast with a nice cup of Jamaican Blue Mountain. Lunch went really well, MrsJimothy roasted the free range turkey on Christmas eve (due to lack of oven space) and it came up a treat. The roasted topside was perfect, well done on the outside to suit MrsJimothys taste, still rare on the inside for me, the stufing, sausage meat and pigs in blankets were great, the spuds not very crispy, but well flavoured with the juice from the beef. The gravy was top notch, reduced pinot noir, beef juices and a few gravy granules to thicken. The cranberry sauce was a fresh one, and the mustard and horseradish was from a local farm shop
All in all, a top notch lunch, server with a nice Chablis during preparation, and a Malbec during the meal.
No dessert due to stomach/space constraints. - it was a 13lb turkey, 5lb beef joint, and only MrsJimothy and myself to eat it!
You. Fat. Bastard.All in all, a top notch lunch, server with a nice Chablis during preparation, and a Malbec during the meal.
No dessert due to stomach/space constraints. - it was a 13lb turkey, 5lb beef joint, and only MrsJimothy and myself to eat it!
can i come to your house next year?
Absolute triumph, not me but hubby, even my Mum said it was better than hers, there is no higher accolade. 
Prawn cocktail to start with Honduran king prawns and secret receipe sauce
Turkey crown
Pork with crackling
Roast potatoes
Roast sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Broccoli
Sprouts
Leeks
Fresh peas
Carrots
Cauliflower
Pigs in blankets (Not homemade this year, didn't have time.)
Stuffing with sausagemeat
Followed by choice of:
Mince pies
Christmas pudding
Chocolate cheesecake
Lemon torte
Well done to hubby for cooking everything
Prawn cocktail to start with Honduran king prawns and secret receipe sauce
Turkey crown
Pork with crackling
Roast potatoes
Roast sweet potatoes
Parsnips
Broccoli
Sprouts
Leeks
Fresh peas
Carrots
Cauliflower
Pigs in blankets (Not homemade this year, didn't have time.)
Stuffing with sausagemeat
Followed by choice of:
Mince pies
Christmas pudding
Chocolate cheesecake
Lemon torte
Well done to hubby for cooking everything
disaster. Turkey,- tough/chewey
(turkey crown cost £28.30p from M***..., I've cooked turkey before so want a refund)
potatoes mash and roast - cold
parsnips mash/roast - warm
carrots - warm
sprouts good - hot
broccolli - hot
stuffing - always good - hot
gravy home made good stuff - hot
christmas pud great - hot
brandy sauce home made - great - hot
several glasses of chataue neuf de pape excellent - the best
crackers - no BANG - jokes sad as usual, gifts memerable to say the least.
but hey, it's Christmas and we had a great laugh, thank goodness, as I cooked everything.
Party last night. great, (didn't cook turkey!)
Spot on.
Brunch of scrambled egg and smoked salmon on the veranda in the sun (southern Spain) then a wander over (okay 20 min drive over the mountains by moi) to a local restaurant whereupon I had;
Stuffed mushrooms with chorizo
Roast turkey and all the trimmings
Chocolate mousse
So good not having to cook this year- any of us!!
Brunch of scrambled egg and smoked salmon on the veranda in the sun (southern Spain) then a wander over (okay 20 min drive over the mountains by moi) to a local restaurant whereupon I had;
Stuffed mushrooms with chorizo
Roast turkey and all the trimmings
Chocolate mousse
So good not having to cook this year- any of us!!
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