Xmas Dinner - tips & suggestions please

[PixelpeepS3]

Hi all...

We are on the tail end of an extensive kitchen refit, renovation, re-model kind of thing.

We've kept the progress under wraps from the family, planning on doing a big reveal.

it's taken longer than anticipated and there is a lot of hype around it now - i also got caught up in the moment when teasing my inlaws saying 'you'll have to come round ours for christmas dinner..'

well.. as soon as the words left my mouth i could have shot myself. we (Mrs Peep & myself) have never cooked a Christmas meal, never needed to... we are child free so always just turn up and my mums/her sisters etc to be fed.

The kitchen will be finished by then and we will have no where to hide - So... i need help... anyone got any killer tips for smashing it out of the park?

We don't have any fussy eaters other than her sister who's a veggie (just don't serve her the meat, right?) so pretty much everything is ok.

It will be the traditional turkey, roast potatoes, pigs in blankets but rather than be lazy and just buy M&S stuff and bung it in the oven an hour before they get here i'd like to wow them.

We have a steamer, induction hob, fan assisted oven, pizza oven, 2 grills, a fan assisted grill etc etc..

Help!

[Du1point8]

I enjoy beetroot gravlax and it looks impressive even if not.

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/h...

though if not having cold cuts anytime and its purely just Xmas day, what kind of meat you like?

Duck
Goose
Venison
Salmon

I try and stay away from the usual of chicken/turkey/beef.

[shirt]

This is super simple yet tasty and always goes down a treat when i make it:

https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/...

I use sherry instead of vin santo and also add chunks of meringue and crystalised ginger. You can add what you fancy really, i bet chunks of decent christmas cake, there would work as well. You can make the bombe days ahead and just add the melted choc on the day, then keep chilled until ready.

If you really want to wow, practice your beef wellington. A level down would be a nice cote de boeuf. I’m probably in the minority that xmas isn’t xmas without at least a bit of turkey but you can cover that with a crown rather than a complete bird.

[Cotty]

On the sensible side. I have never really liked turkey, but if you must have a bird this Delia Smith recipe always goes down well
I find shoving some lemon and red onion segments into the cavity help keep it moist
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/s...

Or you could find somewhere selling a turducken

On the silly side, foot long pigs in blankets
https://www.thesun.co.uk/money/7298157/aldi-foot-l...

[C0ffin D0dger]

Just start drinking as soon as you get up in the morning. The cooking will be no bother once you've had a few

[alfaman]

Most succulent way of cooking turkey is to deep fry the whole turkey.

Quicker than roasting and doesn’t dry out.

Best done outdoors on a gas burner - huge deep pan needed.

For roast potatoes - pre boil and fluff them.

And put the other veg on the roasting tray.

Roast onions are awesome : crunchy skin mmmm

[Jag_NE]

Any chance of some plans/pics of this kitchen?

I wouldn't have thought a new kitchen would justify a big reveal and be able to create hype in the extended family, maybe I'm going to the wrong places!

[R1gtr]

Roast the parsnips in Maple syrup, absolutely delicious. A couple of drops of the maple syrup on the pigs in blankets half way thru cooking is also lovely.

[21TonyK]

Buy a turkey crown or single breast (will feed 15+) and brine it for 24-36 hours, wrap in cling and cook at 125 until it reaches a core of 75 degrees. Cook everything else and then put the unwrapped breast/crown back into the oven at 220 until its golden. Remove and serve.

[PixelpeepS3]

Jag_NE said:

Any chance of some plans/pics of this kitchen?

I wouldn't have thought a new kitchen would justify a big reveal and be able to create hype in the extended family, maybe I'm going to the wrong places!

Sorry.. maybe i am guilty of hyping it up, again...

it may not be the most exciting thing for others but we've had to put up with a microwave and a george forman grill for over a year..

Some before and after shots..

[omniflow]

Goose fat for the roast potatoes - use a variety of potatoes that are good for roasting - I like Rooster. Chop them into medium size pieces - a potato slightly bigger than a large egg should be cut into 4 pieces. Parboil them for 10 minutes, drain them, let them steam dry for 5 - 10 minutes, put them back in the pan, lid on and shake. Tip into roasting tray that's been in the oven with the goosefat in it for the past 15 mins. Give a good stir using 2 fish slices to coat all the potatoes in fat - back in the oven. Stir a couple more times during the cooking. Give the Veggie some Aunt Bessies.


Use the Jamie Oliver method for the gravy - roast chicken wings with celery, onions and carrots for at least one hour, then use this as your gravy base. This means you can do whatever you like with the turkey - brining etc, and you don't have to worry about ruining the gravy.

[PixelpeepS3]

thank you for the replies so far, Jamie Oliver gravy sounds amazing!

Crown sounds like a plan..

Drinking also sounds like a plan as this will be the first Christmas day for 15 years i won't have to drive!

[Cotty]

If you want some ideas or different versions of roast potatoes, there is video by Jamie Oliver on YouTube where he cooks them three ways. One with olive oil, one with butter and one with goose fat, also different herbs, garlic etc. He also uses a masher to increase their surface area for more crunchy bits.

Found them
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=jamie+oliver+roa...

Edited by Cotty on Tuesday 9th October 12:13

[CaptainSensib1e]

Get one of these.
https://www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas/christmas-...

Pretty much foolproof, they even give you are card telling you exactly what to do and when. And it tastes as good as anything you could make yourself.

[PixelpeepS3]

CaptainSensib1e said:

Get one of these.
https://www.cookfood.net/menu/christmas/christmas-...

Pretty much foolproof, they even give you are card telling you exactly what to do and when. And it tastes as good as anything you could make yourself.

That is pretty awesome... i think that, plus a batch of Jamie's 'mash in the baking tray also' roasties, maple syrup pigs in blankets and drinking from when we get up sounds like a winner!

[SaulGoodman]

If you do fancy cooking try this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jamies-Christmas-DVD-Jamie-Oliver/dp/B000K2BUH0

Takes you step by step from prep the day before right through all the cooking. The gravy is great and I enjoyed making my own stuffing. Recipe cards as well, it's foolproof.

[geeks]

SaulGoodman said:

If you do fancy cooking try this: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jamies-Christmas-DVD-Jami...

Takes you step by step from prep the day before right through all the cooking. The gravy is great and I enjoyed making my own stuffing. Recipe cards as well, it's foolproof.

I am not a big JO fan on the whole, don't as me why it's just the way things are, however I have just ordered this for a few quid as its nice to have ideas I havent thought of before.

In terms of smashing it out of the park, order the meat from a butcher as early as they will let you, find a nice one to use, we have a good one called Woburn Meats and the meat is second to none if a little pricey in places!

Get all your other items either booked for delivery ahead of schedule or bought as late as you can so they are fresher.

Then just get stuck in, ultimately it is just a big roast dinner, getting st faced while cooking always helps, I find Eggnog best for this

I use honey on my parsnips, never thought of Maple Syrup though, might give that a bash this year.

Toss your Brussels (giggady) in a wok with some butter, garlic and bacon lardons before serving as well

[geeks]

Oh, the turkey, if you chose to go for it, you can get boned and rolled from the butcher in most cases. Just a thought as it is easier to cook and serve.

[JustALooseScrew]

R1gtr said:

Roast the parsnips in Maple syrup

^^^ This ^^^

Another good way is to roast them in a little goose fat (almost like a shallow fry) and cover them with honey and nutmeg.

I hated parsnip's flavour all my life until I was served them cooked this way, and to add - what really works so well with them cooked this way. Throw a couple of (don't get too excited - two is enough) star aniz in to the carrot's pan, then, when cooked drown them in butter.

Butter drowned carrots and roasted parsnips are now higher up my Sunday roast favourites list than goose fat roasted maris pipers!

ETA - should read the whole thread before posting.

geeks said:

I use honey on my parsnips, never thought of Maple Syrup though, might give that a bash this year.

Chuck a bit of nutmeg on there too.

Edited by JustALooseScrew on Tuesday 9th October 17:56

[JustALooseScrew]

CaptainSensib1e said:

Pretty much foolproof, they even give you are card telling you exactly what to do and when. And it tastes as good as anything you could make yourself.

My mum does that.

Me and 'tiny screw' go to see the grand parents every weekend, the mother has it all written down on a piece of paper which she prepares every Sunday.

I keep asking her 'Why don't you just use the same sheet again next time?'.

'I can't be bothered trying to find old sheets, it's so much easier to just write a new one, and then the clocks will change and we're all buggered'.

Bless, they're both in to their 80s now, but I swear they're eating the best five star food in the county.

A timing card might have you jumping out of your chair every few minutes, but likely you'll end up with a fantastic meal.