christmas eve dinner for 30
I need help. My BIL and I have been tasked to make Christmas eve dinner this year. a bit of background: he and I are not American ( he's Swiss, I'm French) and we've married into this big, lovely Irish family. They don't cook however and last year for Christmas Eve we had sandwiches. Our senses were offended, and BIL has been complaining about it ever since. As punishment for not appreciating fine Irish cuisine, we are making dinner this year. So I need suggestions and recipes. I was thinking of a stew (like a nice big french daube) or a roast, accompanied by freshly baked bread, and steamed vegetables on the side.
any suggestions, thoughts, recipes?
Thanks
agninri
Dec 19, 2006 05:42PM
Both sound wonderful! I would suggest agreeing on a menu between the two of you that involves a high comfort zone and minimal stress. Save the "culinary education" for a less festive time, and enjoy what you already do well.
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Thanks. That was my thought as well. We're both pretty good cooks, so we just want something simple and easily made with minimal equipment (we are going to be cooking in kitchens less well equipped than our own. This brings me to a separate question. How do I travel with my chef's knife? Do I have to declare it if I check it with my luggage. Yes, this dinner for 30 is happening in Omaha, NE and he and I are flying in on Wednesday.
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I presume the service will be buffet style. If so, a chicken and beef option for entrees will provide flexibility - a roast and coq au vin, perhaps. Ina Gartner has a recipe in one of her books for 40 cloves garlic roasted chicken (recipe calls for two roasters). It sounds like a lot of garlic, but it is wonderfully elegant and delicious. Another easy to prepare in advance and cook - stuffed pork loin with a red currant jelly glaze. Perhaps if you prepare a stew you can serve it with Irish soda bread?
Of course, a cheese course following dinner is a must!
I fly with my knives all the time. I normally don't carry a lot (yes, I check them) due to their value. If I am travelling to a destination where I will need a larger selection of knives with which to work, I mail them ahead rather than risk theft from my bag. I pack it in a flat box that is taped shut with tamper tape, and place it on the bottom of my bag wrapped in lingerie. You would be surprised how much that alone deters potential pilferers.
Best of luck!
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You can pack the knife wrapped in cardboard and string tied in a bow..so you can unwrap it if needed. As long as you check your luggage it should be OK. Its not a security risk as long as its in the baggage area of the plane. Failing that, you could mail it ahead of time.
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Thanks. At least that's solved :) Now on to figuring out a dish to feed the hungry hordes.
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I think a French stew sounds like the perfect idea -- making something that comes from your culture sounds like it would probably be less controversial (less like you're really trying to show anyone up?)
What about coq au vin or beef bourguignon, over roasted potatoes and vegetables? Any stew type dish like this would be hearty and the work is mostly up front so once it's cooking you'd have time to spend with your family.
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Yes, I too was surprised when I attended my Irish born inlaws Christmas Eve dinner only to find that they were serving sandwiches and shrimp cocktail. Your inlaws must be related to mine. Thankfully, there's always a back up Xmas dinner or two every Xmas eve on my side of the family.
I come from a family of great cooks so I was a bit dissapointed to say the least. On the flipside, my mother-in-law is a great cook on any other day but Xmas Eve.
Beef bourguignon and roast chicken with herbs de provence and champagne sound great. You may want to have two choices for the main course.
If you need more inspiration, Julia Child (an inconic American Chef schooled in France for fine French cooking) wrote quiet a few great French cookbooks (there are a few holiday cookbooks as well) that hold true to French cooking but include some Anerican traditions.
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Great idea on the two entrees. I talked with my BIL last night as he was also packing and we had agreed on the stew, fresh baked bread and a salad. We're both packing a couple of cookbooks, but I think two entrees is an inspired thought and a roast chicken is quick and easy. To tell you my brother in law's obsession, he's packing his fresh herbs in a Tupperware then a ziploc bag and flying from Santa Barbara to Omaha just to make sure he has the exact ingredients. I'm not so obsessed, i think, though as I was packing last night I did have fantasies of packing up my entire kitchen :)
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I would add, make sure you have extra food. If the two of you who have been deemed the chefs for this Christmas Eve are both European, you might be accustomed to smaller portions and smaller appetites. Make more food than you might think you'd need ;-)
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good point. That's happened to me many times before. Fortunately half of me is west african so I'm not too bad at estimating the amounts. amoncada's solution of 2 entrees will help with that as well.
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Be careful the meal isn't too wonderful, or you may be appointed permanent cooks!!
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Bringing your knives is an excellent idea - I would even consider bringing a good heavy pot for the stew. Cooking in kitchens that aren't specced properly can be a nightmare.
What about the food itself? Are there decent suppliers available?
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Yes, I agree with random amblings. If it's too delicious then you're you run the risk of being the cooks every year.
Knives in your baggage?...this may place unneeded delays in getting through security.
I know that your X-mas dinner will be great, especially since you're blending several cultures. Please report back.
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Since the family's Irish, what about a lamb stew? I like a really hearty one with (among other things) carrots, mixed mushrooms, white beans & rosemary.
Another thought -- a few different types of shepherd's pie. Maybe one vegitarian kind (w/ lentils), one with beef or lamb, one with sausage. Different veggie layers and all mashed potato layer on top. It's a bit of work but once assembled, you just have to wait for them to come out of the oven.
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An Irish Christmas Eve meal is traditionally a meatless one.
(traditionally a meatless one, since the rule of fast and abstinence lasts until after Midnight Mass)
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There are all sorts of nice root vegetables this time of year that would be nice roasted. Or you could girll vegetables instead of steaming them.
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Hi everyone. As luck would have it, I've made it to Omaha, but my brother in law hasn't. No flights out of denver so I am now without my helper. He won't be able to make it at all. Yikes. Now I'm on the hunt for a good soup kettle or dutch oven (would you believe my wonderful husband finally caved in and bought me a Le Creuset and it's 1500 miles away). I think I will go the easiest route and roast root vegetables (thanks EJ). I'll make two no-knead bread and make a modified daube. and of course a nice cheese plate. Off I go shopping in a strange town! I'll report back later
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Yikes is right! It's time to pull out my moms roast chicken (Julia Child inspired) recipe. My mom has tweaked it to perfection over the last 35 years so it's truly amazing. I would be happy to email it to you...it's quite simple and incredibly delicious. Works great with turkey as well.
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For fun, why not provide sandwiches in addition to whatever you are cooking? That way you could cook just one entree and have sandwiches as the alternate choice. Maybe there are some who would prefer that? It might be interesting to observe who chooses the sandwiches. YOur fellow chowhounds would love to hear the report!
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Please, no sandwiches for Xmas. They can enjoy them for the rest of the year.
Agninri, here are two fantastic fail proof recipes using French herbs; The “herb’s de provence” combination.
LOLA’s CHAMPAGNE & HERBS ROASTED CHICKEN:
Marinating for about 6 hours is best (overnight marinating is too long...the acid from the lemon starts to cook the bird and break everything down ). Roast it in the conventional oven at 375 degree’s on the middle rack for 1 hour and fifteen minutes.
Ingredients:
3-3.5 lb whole chicken
1-2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1⁄2 teaspoon ground pepper
Fresh Lemon juice from 1 lemon (you can use juice from only 1⁄2 lemon if you don’t like it lemony)
6 large garlic cloves crushed through the garlic press
TWO OPTIONS FOR DRY HERBS:
3-5 tablespoon’s of herb’s de provence
OR
1 tablespoon of Italian or Greek oregano, 2-3 tablespoons of rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons of Japanese Tamari (do not substitute with soy sauce)
2 tablespoons of Italian red balsamic vinegar from Modena (do not substitute with other vinegars)
1⁄2 to 3⁄4 teaspoon of coarse salt - OPTIONAL (careful not to over salt...there’s salt in the chicken stock as well as the Tamari)
1 regular sized can of lower sodium chicken broth (around 14 fluid ounces), preferably organic. If you only have the regular sodium chicken broth then, do not add the optional coarse salt.
1⁄2 cup of dry champagne (optional-try the recipe once without champagne-use more chicken broth in the roasting pan if you don’t use champagne)
2-3 large potato’s peeled and cut in long thick sections / place in cold water until ready to use
Directions:
Drain potato’s and place in roasting pan.
Wash and dry bird thoroughly then place in roasting pan over potato’s.
In a jar or Tupperware bowl with lid combine all of the ingredients (except for the chicken broth and potato’s) and close tightly.
Shake marinate for 30-60 seconds and let stand for 5 minutes.
Slather and rub paste-like marinate over bird and potato’s inside and out and let stand covered in refrigerator for 4-6 hours. Try and cover the potato’s with bird as much as possible.
Remove bird from refrigerator and let stand for 20 minutes prior to cooking.
Preheat oven to 375 degree’s. Total cooking time is typically 75 minutes depending on size of bird.
Mix 1⁄2 can of chicken broth with 1⁄2 to 1 cup of dry champagne (add more chicken broth when champagne is excluded)
Pour chicken broth and champagne mixure in bottom of roasting pan and swish until blended
Place roasting pan with chicken and potato’s on middle rack uncovered.
Cook bird with breast side down for 30 minutes.
Turn bird breast side up and then baste (baste once only-basting throughout the cooking time will make for soggy skin) top of bird with the liquid in bottom of pan. Add more heated chicken broth and champagne to pan if needed.
Cook for another 40 minutes or until skin is relatively dark and crispy.
Remove from oven and cover tightly with foil. Let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving. The au jus in the pan is very flavorful and does not need to be thickened with flour.
This recipe is amazing with mashed potato’s as well. Use the juice from the bottom of the pan.
HERBS DE PROVENCE BEER CAN CHICKEN: Get your grill heated to 375 degree’s. Beer can chicken stands are available but not necessary. Turn the burner off under the chicken for indirect cooking.
Ingredients:
Approximately 3.5lb whole chicken
3-5 tablespoon’s of herb’s de provence
kosher salt to taste
3- tablespoons (or more...careful not to use too much, It could catch on fire. Use just enough olive oil so it’s not dripping all over) of extra virgin olive oil-works best because of it’s low burning point. Makes skin really crispy.
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions:
Wash and dry chicken thoroughly inside and out.
Rub olive oil all over bird inside and out
Rub kosher salt inside and out to taste and finally pepper
Rub herb’s de provence all over inside and out
1⁄2 of a beer in the can (you can’t waste the other half so you must drink it)
Place the bird over the can on the grill without any direct heat underneath (make sure that burner under bird is off) and prop up the legs in front of the bird
Close grill lid and cook for 45 minutes before checking. Adjust temperature if needed when bird appears to be burning (not likely). Cook another 15-25 minutes or until juice from bird is clear.
When bird is done, remove from grill and cover with foil and let stand for 10-15 minutes before serving
Please report back with your results.
Enjoy.
Alex Moncada
afinance@rcn.com
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