Xmas Dinner tips

[jollymummy]

Hi all,

For the FIRST TIME EVER we are having Christmas at home in ED. We normally go to my hubby's parents where his Mum cooks the most wonderful food. It's a pretty big thing for hubby to be away for Christmas but with two small kids we thought it time to start making life easier rather than endless travelling & packing/unpacking. We are having friends over and I really want to make it a special day BUT I'm a pretty hopeless cook and tbh don't even know where to begin. So my question is, where is a good place to order the turkey and other meat and has anyone got any culinary tips they'd be willing to share?

Thx

[rachel83]

Try Cook! in West Dulwich - I received their xmas menu through the post and it looks like a very hassle-free way to cook Xmas dinner. I'm toying with either ordering from there or going out to eat as I am working all during the christmas period, so can't really face a day of non-stop cooking and washing up!

http://www.cookfood.net/menu/cook-menu/christmas

[jollymummy]

Thx for the tip, will look now. Any more?

[Hollybush]

Only done it at home once but we had 17 for lunch! If doing from scratch do lots the day before - e.g. carrots peeled and chopped and into a ziplock bag in the fridge. Also potatoes, sprouts.

Also divide up tasks - get your friends to bring something specific like the whole pudding course or cheeses.

Not really a meat person but either Flock and Herd (bellenden Road) or Matthew Rose (lordship lane) seems to be the place to get a turkey around here.

[Jo'sEnglish]

I'm doing my second ever Christmas dinner this year, and the last one I did I was horribly sick on Christmas day :( This is also my first one I'm doing as a Mum so very excited but currently not at all organised.

My top tips are:

- make lots of lists (I'm obsessive!)

- prepare as much as you can in advance

- make a running order for the day's cooking. This is very important, you need to work out when things need to be in the oven, etc in advance or it's too confusing.

- Get lots of easy things in for boxing day and for light meals Christmas evening.

I'm ordering a turkey and other meats from Manor Meats on the Chiltonian Estate, SE12. They are the trade shop for the butcher Alleyns of Mayfair and have wonderful meat at trade prices, well worth a trip (you can phone an order in and just collect).

[Hollybush]

[ratty]

Scrap the turkey and get a nice joint of meat that people actually like! A nice piece of Beef from Billy Rose or a nice pork joint with extra crackling!

Failing that - Rack of Lamb!

[BeccaL]

Librettos butchers on Wood Vale are good, but you'll need to get your order in very soon. Second the suggestion of looking up a "plan" online, e.g. Delia or BBC Good Food - will help you make sure you don't forget anything. It's great having Christmas together as your own new family - enjoy!

[Belle]

When we've done it we haven't bothered with turkey as think it's a lot of money and hassle for something we don't even like that much! So we've done things like roast beef or a whole sirloin (sic - I'm not the main chef!!) and/or a roast chicken for people who prefer white meat, or before I was married I did a leg of lamb for my family which went down well. Or whole salmon. Makes the timing thing less stressy as in the oven for a much shorter time. Agree about writing out timings and dividing tasks up. Generally my husband does the meat, the roasties and the gravy, I do a starter, sides and puddings. For those, I've tried and found relatively easy either cooking ahead or on the day:

- usual smoked salmon on bread thing or on blinis with cream cheese

- smoked trout pate - from Nigella Express - so so easy yet such a crowd pleaser

- soup in little dainty cups - I think I've done stuff like butternutsquash or sweet potato with honey, ie quite thick soup so it's just a couple of mouthfuls

Sides - I usually do sprouts with chestnuts and pancetta, quite easy and can prep the sprouts day ahead, also red cabbage which is also easy and can do day before (in fact tastes better for it), also chantenay carrots roasted with honey glaze - yum.

Puddings - have done cranachan (can be made ahead but actually tastes better done fresh) and just simple chocolate mousse with cream. Usually by then you just want a sweet mouthful, as you're so full.

[lucyA1308]

For a small family, we have gone for a couple of pheasant from William Rose in the past - a lot cheaper, and tases much the same, and less time to cook.

When we did have turkey, a good recipe was one of Nigela Lawson's which suggested marinading the turkey overnight, this makes the turkey really suculent after cooking it, as it can sometimes get quite dry.

I am sure the recipe can be found on the internet somewhere.

[emza78]

I'm doing our first one with toddler too this year, I was wondering about timings as I'd really like lo to experience her first sit down Xmas meal but she naps 1230-230.. Is 12 unrealistic for getting a whole Xmas meal ready?! If not I guess we'll go for 3 oclock but selfishly I was also hoping to use the nap time for a post eating coma myself!

[canela]

why not eat while she sleeps and enjoy a nice, long, boozy lunch as opposed to one over in about 15 minutes as it would be with your toddler there....

[emza78]

Very tempting, I've just got in my head how nice it would be for her to experience it all, the crackers and hats etc...though to be fair she's only 2 and probably won't remember a thing!

[Fuschia]

How about an Xmas tea for her with leftover turkey and hats and crackers?

[Pickle]

I did Xmas at our house when my older kids were nearly 2, and 7 months (not sure what I was thinking ). We had similar nap times, so ended up starting our meal at around 1ish, meaning that when the kids got up they could come and join us at the table and have some nibbles/wear hats etc, and I'd had a chance to eat my meal in relative peace. They then had leftovers for their dinner later on.

I'm having a kiwi Christmas this year, a lot simpler due to warm weather - we still have turkey, but with boiled new potatoes etc so the logistics of the oven are much easier!

[Fuschia]

In 2010 we did Christmas lunch of a sort with a 7 year old, 2 x 2 year olds and a 3 week old baby who had just had a tongue tie clipped but was still learning to bf and was on 100% expressed milk. And the breast pump died on Xmas day at 7pm. Thank goodness for the forum, with several offers .... I went to Brinkley at 11pm with my coat over my pyjamas and borrowed pickle's pump from saffron. I will always remember that Christmas day!

[Fuschia]

Brockley!!!!!

[The Nappy Lady]

Love our stay at home Christmases now, refuse to go anywhere! Nothing nicer than waking up in your own house on Christmas morning, kids running in to see you etc.

We always have a turkey crown, don't bother with the whole bird. Get some belly pork & cook over the top at the end - it flavours the turkey AND you get crackling - hurrah!

Do Jamie Oliver's Christmas veggies (will find you tube video & put link here when I get a chance - from his Jamie does Christmas 2 or 3 years ago) - so easy you par boil then mix each veggie with olive oil, an acid (varies according to veggie, balsamic, white wine vinegar, etc) add a herb & lay in a baking tray in strips. Can do the day before & cling film in fridge over night. They then go on oven for 30-40 mins on the day - couldn't be easier. Turkey comes out to rest, roasties & veggies go in. Make gravy while you wait!

If friends are coming ask them to provide the starter or pudding as that removes some stress.

Let people help in kitchen!

It seems daunting the first time but isn't as difficult as it sounds.

Finally....ALWAYS par boil & shake your potatoes before roasting - it's essential!!!!

Xxx

[Pugwash]

When we first moved to Barry Road, decades ago - our kitchen was very small and we had one work surface which was about 2 foot wide and 3 foot long. A turkey and it's dish took over all the space. I decided rather than to have pans all over the floor that I would cook the turkey well in advance, cool it and slice up the white and brown meat. I would calculate how many people would be coming to us over Xmas and portion out x number of slices and wrap up in foil and freezer bags and number the slices. That way we had turkey soup before Xmas and got rid of the carcas, and I took out the day before, the required package from the freezer. The turkey was well smothered in gravy and allowed to heat through well before serving. Have done this for over 30 years and works well every time. Also you do not get turkey every meal for around 4 days. I have also done the same with pork, beef and bacon. Last year, the cost of a decent turkey was so expensive that I decided to purchase a few packs of Sainsbury's individually wrapped chilled turkey breasts and froze them, They were cooked and sliced up on the day and everyone was happy. I do most of the veg prep on Christmas Eve. People are usually too full to worry about pudding. For the Christmas Day Tea/Supper - I just put out cold meats, pickles, small amount of salad and cheese, a trifle, few mince pies and cream, maybe a cake of sorts and let everyone help themselves - buffet style. We have a family of 13 but this year hubby and I are having Christmas Day on our own as daughters will be else where, our Christmas Day will be Boxing Day sp will have a little longer to prepare. I also have a dinner party for friends on New Year's Day which is more stressful in many ways as I cook several dishes to suit Jewish/vegetarian/Polish/English palates.

[Fuschia]

If you are planning on roasting stuff, check the pans fit in the oven well before ... Pop them all in to check

[Mrs TP]

As well as the food think about the table itself: is it big enough, is it in the right place / does it need moving? Do you have enough chairs, crockery, cutlery, serving bowls, table linen & decoration, glasses?

Great tip from Fuschia - does it all fit in the oven?

Quiz your guests (much as you have the final say) what is Christmas dinner for them - sprouts / bread sauce / cranberry / Queen's speech?

Also think about later, what will you have for tea?

Good luck and have a fun day.

[Fuschia]

for large groups I never do formal starter, just hummous and crudit?s which ate great to keep children quiet before we sit down at the table

[The Nappy Lady]

Here is the Jamie Oliver Roasted Vegetable Megamix recipe I was talking about;

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/vegetarian-recipes/roast-vegetable-megamix

There was also (somewhere) all his Christmas shows from a few years ago which you could watch on demand, and one of

them included him doing these veggies. I can't find it right now, but it's dead simple so the recipe should suffice

you could have a trial run for a Sunday Lunch between now and Christmas. The Beetroots are AMAZING done like this.

In fact it's all good. Though I always forget to pour the honey over the Parsnips in the last few minutes!

[Saila]

Great thread!

We split jobs:

So someone brings the bread sauce,

someone brings the bird round (to save on fridge space for host)

Someone else does stuffings

Then final person brings salmon round for starter

P.s. Not a 'dinner-tip' but we abolished xmas presents a few years ago. Now we can buy 'presents' but they must be consumable or usable on the day. So food, games and fun xmas silly stuff.

Means you can enjoy xmas shopping and buy on a whim. Rather than have to think too hard about stuff. Also, they are general presents for everyone. Can involve a lovely cheese, or fine wine/whisky etc it's great fun! We don't look back...

Father xmas still comes for the kids tho!

[theasidonio]

etta166 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Delia Smith did a magazine called Christmas Easy.

> It is amazing, because it has all the lists and

> timetables in it.

>

> I followed it the first time I cooked Christmas

> dinner (in 2003) and I still use it today. You

> should be able to find it online or in a library.

etta,

any chance you could scan this? struggling to find it online! :)