Usually we have a Honey Baked Ham on Christmas Eve and on Christmas we get drunk.
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Usually we have a Honey Baked Ham on Christmas Eve and on Christmas we get drunk.
Pencil me as a Honey Baked man.
And with the tamales you need some atole, yum!! (Atole (Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl atolli) is a traditional cornstarch-based Mexican and Central American)
Man, Honeybaked ROCKS. If we did a big group, we'd go that route for sure. btw, try sauteeing a slab with butter, fresh pineapple and brandy sometime. DAMN that's good!Quote:
Originally Posted by Hipcheck
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We'll entertain casually throughout the year, but we typically go big for Christmas. Rosé Champagne and Pinot Noir have become our tradition, so we're doing a Pinot and Burgundy dinner on Christmas eve for a small group of friends and family. Here's how it lays out:
~For the early arrivals, I'll probably do some skillet-toasted almonds with olive-oil, sea-salt, crumbled dried chili peppers and cinnamon, and pour a glass of Fino or Oloroso Sherry.
~The starter will be smoked salmon canapés on endive leaves with herbed goat cheese, Ikura, and pomegranate berries, with Rosé Champagne.
~The main will be Muscovy Duck Breasts prepared three ways: Sauteed, with a sweet-spice rub of cinnamon, five-spice, clove, etc.; "Natural", with salt and cracked green and red peppercorns; The third style will be tea-smoked. These will be sliced thin and served on a bed of wilted greens with a drizzle of a fresh cherry and balsamic reduction.
~The starch will be a mixed-rice pilaf with assorted exotic mushrooms and truffle oil.
~Also on the plate will be Grade-A Foie Gras medallions, sauteed, served on brioche and with either the cherry-balsamic sauce, or with apricot preserves and a glass of Sauternes.
~The deserts will be brought by the guests.... and knowing them they should be tasty.
And later, it's off to the balcony with the boys for Cognac and cigars.
It's a lot of work, but these are truly wonderful people that are dear to our hearts and worthy of the effort. And not to mention they always bring FABULOUS wines. Now all I have to do is not **** something up royally....
No idea what I'll actually be having, but I'd settle for 2 cans of Spaghetti Oh's and some Stone IPA.
:run:
Holy crap that sounds good. Address please...Quote:
Originally Posted by OTTo VoN BLoTTo
Are you a chef by chance or do you just appreciate a good meal?
Christmas Eve is always clam chowder (homemade) in a bread bowl and spinach salad. Simple and good. Oh and at least several bottles of wine. Top it all off with a viewing of National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, the midnight mass (which for some reason starts at 11pm at our church).
Christmas Morning breakfast is always chorizo and eggs (or just eggs for those that don't like chorizo). Dinner is always big with the traditional turkey, ham and all the trimmings. Occasionally we add in other Italian and Mexican foods. One year we did have turkey and ham with all the trimmings, along with spagehetti, meatballs, sausage tamales and empanadas. mmmmmm.
Thanks, and the latter for sure. We spend countless hours in the kitchen at home and love cooking, eating and drinking more than anything. But I've worked in restaurant kitchens before and would never want to be full-time professional chef. I respect and appreciate them enormously, but it's not for me. It's fun to pretend though!Quote:
Originally Posted by BleedingPurple
i finally took leave for Christmas but couldnt get home for it...so the wife and I are stuck having to go to the inlaws....who are a bunch of health nutz....i have a bad feeling im going to be eating cardboard for Christmas and watching Grandma and the Mother-in-law get blitzed and start crying....oh what a joy
Last year for Christmas Eve I gave my mom the night off and I took over cooking duties. I made a caprese salad as the first starter. Followed it up with crispy panko coated fontina-risotto cakes. Then came lobster pasta in a creamy tomato herb sauce. The main course was an herb-stuffed, bacon-wrapped roast tenderloin, scalloped potatoes with gruyere and truffle oil, and rosemary and garlic roasted baby beets. Topped the meal off with cranberry granita.
Christmas morning for us is all about Colombian tamales!
I have no idea if we're doing anything for Christmas eve this year. Probably not. My brother and his wife are hosting the big Christmas turkey dinner at their house.
Tamales have been made and are waiting for consumption Christmas morning!
