Day 23 - Christmas: What will you be cooking?

[Huma0]

Hello all, for those of you who celebrate Christmas, and those of you who are also responsible for the cooking of the traditional Christmas meal, what are your plans for Christmas lunch or dinner?

What is traditional in your country and do you feel it's best to stick to that, or do you go "off piste" and do something different?

I tend to stick to traditional, but that doesn't mean turkey. Here in the UK, most people think of a roast turkey as the required main course for a Christmas meal, but actually, that is an imported American tradition. Goose would be a far more traditional British option, but not many people go for that anymore (expensive!). I don't actually know anyone that loves turkey, so I usually go for a different bird.

What if you are vegetarian or vegan? Last year, due to Christmas kind of being cancelled here in London, I spent it with my one housemate who was officially a pescatarian (although mostly ate vegan food) so I had to get creative. It turns out better than I thought.

Anyway, I am rather late in planning the Christmas meal I am shortly to cook for my family. We are talking about people from different cultures who have very different preferences. Ideas and inspiration would be greatly appreciated.

[Huma0]

@Laura2592 

Oh dear. Why does Christmas so often cause such drama?

Last year my family had a massive drama over presents and, as usual, I was the one having to sort it out, when really the person who started the fuss should have come up with a solution. 

Another year, we had a really pointless drama over the food. Apparently, I was being neglectful by spending so much time cooking for everyone. This year, if anyone complains that the food is 'too fancy', I am going to throw it at them.

Families can be tricky at any time of year but the holidays seem to bring out the worst in people sometimes.

[Laura2592]

@Huma0 I have no idea, but this is par for the course. 

My husband and I have resolved that next year we will not be traveling anywhere. We will fully decorate our home (we didn't because we knew we would be traveling. This location has no direct flights and it basically takes a full day to get there even though its in the US. So that really cuts down on time to visit.) We will have a party. And not give a flying figgy pudding if certain people come, don't come, or have a tantrum. All guests will stay in hotels or our Airbnb. And we won't listen to any complaints.  This is all too much and it ruins the time my husband and I have to spend with one another. 

[Huma0]

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@Laura2592 wrote:

@Huma0 

And not give a flying figgy pudding if certain people come, don't come, or have a tantrum. All guests will stay in hotels or our Airbnb. And we won't listen to any complaints.  

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Good for you! I don't know of any other time when people get cooked for and complain about it, or are given gifts and complain about it, or have guests to stay and then complain they are not staying long enough.

I was very disappointed last year when we couldn't have our family Christmas due to COVID restrictions. I spent the day with my housemate, who was unable to return to her family. Actually, we ended up having a really lovey time because, for once, there was no drama!

[Angela1056]

@Huma0 In the almost 55 years that I've been married and living here in Italy (I'm native German) I had time enough to learn and practice the Italian cuisine. As with almost all Italians, food has always been important to my husband ...and i had to comply. So, as tradition in my husband's home, on Christmas there must be homemade Ravioli stuffed with Brasato, topped with melted butter and sage. For our family gathering of 17 members I have to prepare at least 500 Ravioli. The main course then is often a stuffed capon. A lot of different appetizers introduce this Christmas lunch or dinner and it will finish with Panettone and Mascarpone of course.

Our homemade Raviolo

Stuffed capon

Appetizers

[Huma0]

@Angela1056 

Wow, that's impressive! Do you do all the cooking by yourself or do you have any helpers and how long does it take you in total?

[Loni56]

Que mesa fantástica parabens😒😍

[Angela1056]

@Huma0 Often my husband helps me with the Ravioli, our daughters may bring some appetizer but for the most part I prepare it myself. It takes 1 day to marinate the beef in red wine and 4 hours to braise it (Brasato) and then 4-5 hours to make 500 Ravioli.  All the appetizers are prepared the night before or the same day of the party. The capon is prepared and cooked the same day of course.

[Huma0]

@Angela1056 

I do hope your family appreciates your marvellous efforts. I know I would. It looks amazing. 

I better get cracking! As usual, when I have a daunting task ahead, I start procrastinating, e.g. started threads about cooking instead of actually starting the cooking...

[Mark116]

@Huma0  We did all the cooking for Thanksgiving this year, except the turkey, at our house.  We then brought all the sides/desserts to the family and made only gravy and mashed potatoes on site.  They did all the apps.

This meant that we cooked everything 1 day ahead and I cannot tell you how much easier this was!  Cooking 1 dish at a time, then wash up, then cook another, maybe rinse/ reuse the same pot.  It was completely stress free and much, much easier to clean up. We undercooked everything a little so that it could be reheated right before dinner.  I highly recommend this strategy.

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Yes, I am deliberating about what I can get started on. I like your suggestion, however, I do find that certain things like roast potatoes and other roast veg is just not the same reheated as when fresh out of the oven. I could certainly do a lot of the prep in advance though...

Even though I have usually been the one to cook Christmas dinner since I was about 13 (when I became a vegetarian, which my mother hated, so I had to learn to cook for myself) and there have been no disasters to date (I am 48 now), my family still seem to think I am incompetent. I don't know why. I am generally considered to be a decent cook, but I guess some of them are just better cooks than me and I am a very SLOW cook.

I'm starting to get annoyed by the constant messages asking me what I am going to cook, what should they bring, should they come early to assist. I know they are just trying to be helpful, but I've been doing this for 30 years already! Too many cooks in the kitchen always spoils the broth. I just want them to come, eat, enjoy it and (hopefully) say thank you.

[Mark116]

@Huma0  My family is obsessed with food, so whenever my mother comes to visit,  she will immediately want to know what are we having for dinner and what about breakfast tomorrow and maybe lunch.  She will have a list of restaurants she also wants to go to.  She also has a long list of dietary requests, a certain kind of cream, bread has to have X fiber count,  must have a green side at dinner, must have a few kinds of fresh fruit for snacks.  She's a little on the OCD side, LOL.  It used to drive me nuts, but now I just buy everything on her list and she has to assume she's making her own breakfast most days which leaves the mornings more peaceful...this has reduced stress a lot.

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

Lol, I thought I had it bad! 

Yep, this is the problem with having foodies in the family. My brother is a foodie, wine connoisseur and very good cook. My sister-in-law is also a foodie and excellent cook. My niece, who is 12, has been a foodie since she was about three years old. Meanwhile, my aunt is a fantastic cook (Pakistani food) and a domestic goddess, but very, very reluctant to try anything new at all.

Half of them don't drink alcohol and will only eat halal meat. Sister-in-law loves cheese but hates any other dairy. Niece has picked up same dislikes. Lamb isn't an option anymore because some have stopped eating it. Some hate spicy food and others like a lot of spice.

At least there are no veggies or vegans to cater to this time (in Pakistan it's actually considered rude to not offer meat at a meal), although sometimes I think that is easier!

[Huma0]

@Mark116 

I rely very heavily on BBC Good Food for recipes, because there are so many on there but also because there are very useful comments from users (with suggestions on how to tweak the recipes) as well as the star ratings.

I have also always liked Jamie Oliver recipes as I find them very easy to follow and have only ever made one that was unsuccessful. Jamie has a useful page on his website with ideas on how to prep ahead, if anyone is interested:

https://www.jamieoliver.com/christmas/collection/get-ahead-christmas-recipes/

[Huma0]

By the way, this is roughly what I made last Xmas for our pescatarian meal (these are all borrowed photos as I can never seem to take decent photos of food):

Smoked salmon blinis to start

I think we had these topped with a choice of either dill or caviar. I like that here they have done it with what looks like hot smoked salmon and radish though and I've seen slices of cucumber incorporated too.

For the main, I made Whiskey and Nut Baked Camembert (this was very rich, so you don't need a lot)

With all the trimmings, including roast potatoes, honey glazed parsnips and carrots, red cabbage with balsamic vinegar and cranberries, stuffing balls, gravy and sizzled sprouts with pistachios and pomegranate.

So, the sides were pretty traditional, but with a few little twists here and there.

My housemate made the desert, which was homemade chocolate eclairs.

We did not make it to the cheese and crackers 😞 which seems to be the case every year!

[Loni56]

@Huma0. muito rico !!

aqui se fala! legal !! amei !

Parabéns pelas apresentações!!