Christmas eats: Whatcha got planned?

[Cruiser]

Our crew always does a big dinner on Christmas day instead of Christmas eve. We had such a good response to the smoked turkey at thanksgiving this year that I'm thinking we'll reprise it for Christmas. Would kinda prefer tenderloin but we have too big a group and we ain't made of money. Plus I've gotta spend some $$$ on some primo vino to go with the aged eggnog that's chilling in the beer fridge. Might hook up a side or two of bbq salmon to give folks some variety. And there'll be plenty of sides.

So what do all have planned? Do you have a big group or just the immediate family? Are there standing rib roasts or giant glazed hams on deck? Bring it!

[KQ]

I've changed my mind from the stuffed tenderloin I posted earlier - decided I wanted leftovers for roast beef sammies. Going to do this instead:

ROSEMARY-GARLIC TOP SIRLOIN ROAST

We took a relatively humble sirloin roast and transformed it into an elegant holiday meal with a few simple refinements. Cutting the large, oddly shaped roast in half and then tying it along its length gave us two round, attractive cylinders that cooked through in just 2 hours (half of the time a prime rib would require). This method also offered the convenience of cooking each roast to a different degree of doneness to accommodate guest preferences. Salting the roasts overnight seasoned them well and helped keep them moist during cooking, while roasting them in a low 225-degree oven avoided overcooking the exterior before the interior cooked through. We took a three-step approach to creating a flavorful, attractive exterior. First, we seared the roasts on all sides after their long salting and then we coated them with an aromatic garlic, anchovy, herb, and olive oil paste. Finishing the roasts with a brief stint in a 500-degree oven deepened the paste’s color and flavor and helped crisp it for some contrasting texture.

SERVES 8 TO 10

This recipe requires refrigerating the salted meat for at least 24 hours before cooking. The roast, also called a top sirloin roast, top butt roast, center-cut roast, spoon roast, shell roast, or shell sirloin roast, should not be confused with a whole top sirloin butt roast or top loin roast. Do not omit the anchovies; they provide great depth of flavor with no overt fishiness. Monitoring the roast with a meat-probe thermometer is best. If you use an instant-read thermometer, open the oven door as little as possible and remove the roast from the oven to take its temperature.

INGREDIENTS

1 (5- to 6-pound) boneless top sirloin center-cut roast
2 tablespoons kosher salt
4 teaspoons plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 garlic cloves, minced
6 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Coarse sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut roast lengthwise along grain into 2 equal pieces. Rub 1 tablespoon kosher salt over each piece. Transfer to large plate and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 24 hours or up to 4 days.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking. Brown 1 roast on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Return browned roast to plate. Repeat with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining roast. Let cool for 10 minutes.

3. While roasts cool, process rosemary, garlic, anchovies, and remaining 1/4 cup oil in food processor until smooth paste forms, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add pepper and pepper flakes and pulse to combine, 2 to 3 pulses.

4. Using 5 pieces of kitchen twine per roast, tie each roast crosswise at equal intervals into loaf shape. Transfer roasts to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet and rub roasts evenly with paste.

5. Roast until meat registers 125 degrees for medium-rare or 130 degrees for medium, 2 to 2 1/4 hours. Remove roasts from oven, leaving on wire rack, and tent loosely with aluminum foil; let rest for at least 30 minutes or up to 40 minutes.

6. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Remove foil from roasts and cut and discard twine. Return roasts to oven and cook until exteriors of roasts are well browned, 6 to 8 minutes.

7. Transfer roasts to carving board. Slice meat 1/4 inch thick. Season with sea salt to taste, and serve.

[::: :::]

^^^^^ don't do that to me right now!

#salivating

[KQ]

I'll be serving the roast with slow-cooked whole carrots (with pine nut relish), green salad and rolls.

SLOW-COOKED WHOLE CARROTS

We wanted a technique for cooking whole carrots (currently a popular restaurant dish) that would yield a sweet and meltingly tender vegetable from one end to the other without the carrots becoming mushy or waterlogged. Gently “steeping” the carrots in warm water before cooking them firms up the vegetable’s cell walls so that they can be cooked for a long time without falling apart. We also top the carrots with a cartouche (a circle of parchment that sits directly on the food) during cooking to ensure that they are evenly cooked from end to end.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Use carrots that measure 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches across at the thickest end. The carrots can be served plain, but we recommend topping them with one of our relishes (see related content).

INGREDIENTS

3 cups water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 carrots (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), peeled


INSTRUCTIONS

1. Fold 12-inch square of parchment paper into quarters to create 6-inch square. Fold bottom right corner of square to top left corner to create triangle. Fold triangle again, right side over left, to create narrow triangle. Cut off 1/4 inch of tip of triangle to create small hole. Cut base of triangle straight across where it measures 5 inches from hole. Open paper round.

2. Bring water, butter, and salt to simmer in 12-inch skillet over high heat. Remove pan from heat, add carrots in single layer, and place parchment round on top of carrots. Cover skillet and let stand for 20 minutes.

3. Remove lid from skillet, leaving parchment round in place, and bring to simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until almost all water has evaporated and carrots are very tender, about 45 minutes. Discard parchment round, increase heat to medium-high, and continue to cook carrots, shaking pan frequently, until they are lightly glazed and no water remains in skillet, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer carrots to platter and serve.

PINE NUT RELISH

To make a relish, which we like to pair with carrots, we combine bold, acidic ingredients with fresh herbs and spices. Vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil turn the ingredients into spoonable relishes.

MAKES ABOUT 3/4 CUP

Pine nuts burn easily, so be sure to shake the pan frequently while toasting them.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch cayenne pepper


INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all ingredients in bowl.

[KQ]

May go with this for dessert - VERY easy to make:

PREMIUM DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

For a dark chocolate mousse recipe that would be balanced and light, we eliminated the butter and reduced the number of egg whites and yolks. We whipped the cream to soft peaks before adding it to the chocolate to make up for some of the lost volume caused by these reductions. To maximize the chocolate flavor in our mousse recipe, we used a combination of 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, and added water to rescue our mousse from the weight of the chocolate and to restore its airy texture.

MAKES 3 1/2 CUPS (6 TO 8 SERVINGS)

This recipe is designed to work with a boutique chocolate that contains a higher percentage of cacao than the Ghirardelli chocolate recommended in our Dark Chocolate Mousse. A handheld mixer can easily do the job of a standing mixer in this recipe, though mixing times may vary slightly.

INGREDIENTS

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, 62 to 70 percent cacao, chopped fine
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Cocoa powder, preferably Dutch-processed
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
7 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon brandy
3 large eggs, separated
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 cup heavy cream, plus 2 more tablespoons (chilled)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Melt chocolate, 2 tablespoons sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, water, and brandy in medium heatproof bowl set over saucepan filled with 1 inch of barely simmering water, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. Whisk egg yolks, 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, and salt in medium bowl until mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly, about 30 seconds. Pour melted chocolate into egg mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined. Let cool until slightly warmer than room temperature, 3 to 5 minutes.

3. In clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat egg whites at medium-low speed until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, increase mixer speed to medium-high, and beat until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 1 minute. Detach whisk and bowl from mixer and whisk last few strokes by hand, making sure to scrape any unbeaten whites from bottom of bowl. Using whisk, stir about one-quarter of beaten egg whites into chocolate mixture to lighten it; gently fold in remaining egg whites with rubber spatula until a few white streaks remain.

4. Whip heavy cream at medium speed until it begins to thicken, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and whip until soft peaks form when whisk is lifted, about 15 seconds longer. Using rubber spatula, gently fold whipped cream into mousse until no white streaks remain. Spoon mousse into 6 to 8 individual serving dishes or goblets. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set and firm, at least 2 hours. (The mousse may be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.)

[KQ]

or possibly this to brighten things up - another easy recipe:

LEMON PUDDING CAKE

In developing our pudding cake recipe, we baked some 15 pudding cakes, noticing that those made with lemon or orange juice came out especially well, while those flavored in other ways tended to have flimsy, fast-dissolving tops and rubbery, dense bottoms. We eventually deduced that it was the acidity of the citrus juices that made the difference. Because the juice lightly clabbered the milk-based batter, causing it to thicken, the frothy upper layer became stiffer and more stable and thus better able to puff. At the same time, the acidic juice undercut the thickening power of the flour, making a more tender custard. To shore up the cake part of those pudding cake recipes made with coffee, chocolate, and vanilla, we added an extra egg white.


SERVES 4 TO 6

This pudding cake can be made in any of the following: 6 - 3/4 cup custard cups; 4 - 1 1/3 cup ramekins or miniature souffle cups; 1 - 9" round cake pan; 1 - 8" square cake pan. All pudding cakes, regardless of pan size, require the same baking time.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease the pan
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
1/8 teaspoon table salt
3 large egg yolks
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 - 3 teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 cup lemon juice, strained, from 1 to 2 lemons
1 cup whole milk
4 large egg whites, at room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly butter pan or baking molds of choice. Lay folded dish towel in bottom of roasting pan and set molds or pan inside. Bring several quarts of water to boil for water bath.

2. Meanwhile, in mixing bowl mash 2 tablespoons butter together with sugar and salt with back of wooden spoon until crumbly. Beat in yolks, then flour, mixing until smooth. Slowly beat in lemon zest and juice, then stir in milk. Beat egg whites to stiff, moist peaks. Gently whisk whites into batter just until no large lumps remain.

3. Immediately ladle (don’t pour) batter into pan, custard cups, or ramekins. Set baking pan on oven rack. Pour enough boiling water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of baking pan or molds. Bake until pudding cake center is set and springs back when gently touched, about 25 minutes. Remove roasting pan from oven and let pan or molds continue to stand in water bath for 10 minutes. Pudding cakes can be served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled.

[KQ]

However.... I really like this too:

LEMON PANNA COTTA

Our mission in developing a panna cotta recipe was to find the correct proportions for the simple ingredients and the most effective way to deal with the gelatin that thickens the dessert. Because cream gave the panna cotta a rich mouthfeel and a creamier, more rounded flavor, we concurred with those panna cotta recipes that favored a heavier proportion of cream to milk. The amount of sugar called for was straightforward—enough to sweeten our concoction without making it too sweet. For a flavor accent, we added vanilla and found that a vanilla bean contributed a richer flavor than did vanilla extract.

SERVES 8

Serve the panna cotta very cold, with strawberry or raspberry sauce or lightly sweetened berries. Though traditionally unmolded, panna cotta can be chilled and served in wine glasses and sauced on top. If you would like to make the panna cotta a day ahead, decrease the gelatin to 2 5/8 teaspoons (2 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon) and chill the filled wine glasses for 18 to 24 hours.

INGREDIENTS

1 cup whole milk
2 3/4 teaspoons gelatin
3 cups heavy cream
2 inch piece vanilla bean, slit lengthwise with paring knife (or substitute 2 teaspoons extract)
4 pieces lemon zest (about 2 inches long by 1/2 inch wide), cut into julienne strips
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice from 2 medium lemons
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch table salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pour milk into medium saucepan; sprinkle surface evenly with gelatin and let stand 10 minutes to hydrate gelatin. Meanwhile, turn contents of two ice cube trays (about 32 cubes) into large bowl; add 4 cups cold water. Measure cream into large measuring cup or pitcher. With paring knife, scrape vanilla seeds into cream. Place pod in cream along with seeds, add julienne lemon peel, and set mixture aside. Set eight wine glasses or 4-ounce ramekins on baking sheet.

2. Heat milk and gelatin mixture over high heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved and mixture registers 135 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 1 1/2 minutes. Off heat, add sugar and salt; stir until dissolved, about 1 minute.

3. Stirring constantly, slowly pour cream mixture into saucepan containing milk, then transfer mixture to medium bowl and set bowl over ice water bath. Stir frequently until thickened to consistency of eggnog and mixture registers 50 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 10 minutes. Strain mixture into large measuring cup or pitcher, stir in lemon juice, then distribute evenly among wine glasses or ramekins. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap, making sure that plastic does not mar surface of cream; refrigerate until just set (mixture should wobble when shaken gently), 4 hours.

4. Serve panna cotta in wine glasses, or, following illustrations 1 through 4, unmold panna cotta from ramekins and serve immediately.

UNMOLDING THE PANNA COTTA



1. Pour 1 cup of boiling water into a small bowl, dip a remekin into the water, count to three, and lift the ramekin out of the water.



2. With a moistened finger, press lightly around the periphery of the cream to loosen the edges. Dip the ramekin back into the water for another three-count.



3. Invert the ramekin over your palm and loosen the cream by cupping your fingers between the cream and the edges of the ramekin.



4. Gently lower the cream onto the plate.

BERRY COULIS

We found that simpler was better when developing the best berry dessert sauces. Tired of thick, overly sweet fruit sauces that tasted like jam, we made a variety of sauces with bright, fresh flavors by simmering fruit, sugar, salt, and lemon, thinned with a bit of water, for just one minute to combine the flavors and help release the fruit's natural pectin.

MAKES 1 1/2 CUPS

Because the type of berries used as well as their ripeness will affect the sweetness of the coulis, the amount of sugar is variable. Start with 5 tablespoons, then add more if you prefer a sweeter coulis. Additional sugar should be stirred in immediately after straining, while the coulis is still warm, so that the sugar will readily dissolve. Serve the coulis with cheesecake, pound cake, ice cream, rich chocolate tortes and cakes, dessert souffles, pancakes, French toast, waffles, or crêpes.

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces fresh raspberries (or thawed if frozen), or blueberries, blackberries, or strawberries (fresh strawberries hulled and sliced, if using)
5 - 7 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In medium saucepan, bring berries, 1/4 cup water, 5 tablespoons sugar, and salt to bare simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally; cook until sugar is dissolved and berries are heated through, about 1 minute longer.

2. Transfer mixture to blender or food processor; puree until smooth, about 20 seconds. Strain through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl, pressing and stirring puree with rubber spatula to extract as much seedless puree as possible. Stir in lemon juice and additional sugar, if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Stir to recombine before serving. (If too thick after chilling, add 1 to 2 teaspoons water.) Can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days.

[hawkgt]

these threads suck as we all know KQ is going to show us up.... unfair I tell you.

ham..... family wants ham, I shall cook them ham. And whiskey for the cook.... lots of whiskey.

[Dantheman]

Short ribs in a red wine-porcini sauce. Sides TBD.

[Dantheman]

ham..... family wants ham, I shall cook them ham. And whiskey for the cook.... lots of whiskey.

A meal of ham and whiskey would leave me looking like one of those Peruvian natural mummies.

[riser4]

is McDonalds open on Christmas?

[mud]

Smoked Amberjack, sauteed shrimp and andouille sausage with crab cake dressing.

[riser4]

Seriously though, the rule is that this kind of thread has to be started by KQ to be a valid thread. All posts here are invalid.

[KQ]

these threads suck as we all know KQ is going to show us up.... unfair I tell you.

ham..... family wants ham, I shall cook them ham. And whiskey for the cook.... lots of whiskey.

Awwwwwwwww not trying to show anyone up - I'm a recipe cook which many find boring and unimaginative. My goal is something good and easy - I want my meal to turn out as it should and to do so consistently which is what I get with these recipes.

Ham is good - always like ham but not a guest favorite so I'm going with beef.

Smoked Amberjack, sauteed shrimp and andouille sausage with crab cake dressing.

That looks tres yummy! That's some nice looking crusty bread you've got there too.

[butterscotch]

We're gonna do ribs on the big green egg for Christmas eve and make pierogis on Christmas. Gonna make that Bee Sting Cake that was in Cooks Illustrated over the summer as well.

We have done Tenderloin and Smashed Potatoes the last few years.

[mud]

That looks tres yummy! That's some nice looking crusty bread you've got there too.

Probably go with jalapeno hush puppies instead of baguettes this year because I can eat a half-dozen of them before dinner without anyone noticing.

[Bobby Stainless]

Looking good mud!

Probably do some Bone-In Ribeyes or a Tenderloin on the Egg.

[chatton18]

these things are pretty much the shit. Waking up early to get them going can be rough after heavy drinking on christmas eve.

Chocolate Stout Braised Short Ribs

6 pounds beef short ribs
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
24 ounces Chocolate Stout
1 1/2 cups beef or veal stock
1 cup port
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 250ºF.
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs on all sides until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove short ribs from pan and transfer to a large, ovenproof Dutch oven.
Add carrots, celery, and onions to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add Stout, stock, port, balsamic vinegar, and thyme and bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven.
Braise the short ribs until the meat falls off the bone and they are tender to touch, 8 to 10 hours. Remove from oven and take short ribs out of pot. Remove meat from the bone, discard bones, and set meat aside. Place the cooking liquid on the stove and cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Strain sauce and return to pot. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Return meat to pot and reheat.

In the past I've served them with creamy parmesean polenta or dirty mashed potatoes and some sort of roasted vegetable

[sal the salmon]

my situation is dire....

in all honesty ill be eating peanut butter from the jar, top ramen, and oatmeal. that is pretty much my diet right now. Got denied unemployment AND food stamps. the food bank pretty much stocks these options.

oh and refried beans.

[NW_SKIER]

Probably go with jalapeno hush puppies instead of baguettes this year because I can eat a half-dozen of them before dinner without anyone noticing.

Recipe please. For the dipping sauce too if its homemade. Much thanks

[hikesalot]

We are hosting my brother-in-laws family and they are vegetarian. So I have no idea what to make. They had us for dinner a couple weeks ago and had vegetarian lasagna, so I was going to try something different than pasta. But they also have two kids who are picky, so my idea of stuffed zucchini or something crazy probably won't go over well. Any suggestions for a vegetarian main dish that would satisfy meat-eaters are welcome. Or maybe I do a ham for us and a dish for them, but still need to figure that out.

[papapoopski]

However.... I really like this too:
LEMON PANNA COTTA
decrease the gelatin to 2 5/8 teaspoons (2 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon) and chill the filled wine glasses for 18 to 24 hours.

pay attention to this step, panna cotta left to set too long goes from creamy to rubbery

[papapoopski]

these things are pretty much the shit. Waking up early to get them going can be rough after heavy drinking on christmas eve.

Chocolate Stout Braised Short Ribs

6 pounds beef short ribs
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 onion, chopped
24 ounces Chocolate Stout
1 1/2 cups beef or veal stock
1 cup port
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 sprigs thyme

Preheat oven to 250ºF.
Season the short ribs with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Sear short ribs on all sides until well browned, about 10 minutes. Remove short ribs from pan and transfer to a large, ovenproof Dutch oven.
Add carrots, celery, and onions to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add Stout, stock, port, balsamic vinegar, and thyme and bring to a boil. Cover and place in the oven.
Braise the short ribs until the meat falls off the bone and they are tender to touch, 8 to 10 hours. Remove from oven and take short ribs out of pot. Remove meat from the bone, discard bones, and set meat aside. Place the cooking liquid on the stove and cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Strain sauce and return to pot. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Return meat to pot and reheat.

In the past I've served them with creamy parmesean polenta or dirty mashed potatoes and some sort of roasted vegetable

This recipe will come out better doing it at least a day ahead of time. Take it all the way to the last step where you are adding the meat back into the sauce, then cool it off and then wrap it (don't wrap it airtight while warm). Reheat the day of in the sauce. Flavors will be better, meat will be better, less time in the kitchen on the day you need it.

[mud]

Recipe please. For the dipping sauce too if its homemade. Much thanks

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/j...es-recipe.html

The only difference in the recipe I use is dropping tablespoons of batter so the puppies come out bigger and fluffier.

[KQ]

We are hosting my brother-in-laws family and they are vegetarian. So I have no idea what to make. They had us for dinner a couple weeks ago and had vegetarian lasagna, so I was going to try something different than pasta. But they also have two kids who are picky, so my idea of stuffed zucchini or something crazy probably won't go over well. Any suggestions for a vegetarian main dish that would satisfy meat-eaters are welcome. Or maybe I do a ham for us and a dish for them, but still need to figure that out.

There are some good recipes in this thread:

http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/s...light=eggplant

There was another thread here with some veggie recipes but I can't seem to pull it up. Went through my posting history but oddly it stops about 30 days back. Maybe someone else can find it.