Christmas Day Dinner
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Cooking time: 2 leisurely hours for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
We are having Pan-Seared Foie Gras.... And I will attach the recipe for any who would like to try it. But, as I know it's not easy to find, (and some don't like it and some are morally opposed) I'm using a lovely Smoked Salmon Salad for the menu. The rest of the menu is another, traditional Christmas Dinner Menu for 4, or 2 with leftovers.
It takes 2 hours, start to finish, but is really very little work, a lot of oven time
Smoked Salmon Salad Time: 10 minutes
If you are buying the shrink-wrapped, dry-smoked kind 1 package should be enough. If you are buying the moist, European kind that is pre-sliced, paper thin, you will want 2 - 3 slices per person depending on how big the slice.
Smoked salmon. 2 oz (60gr) per person
Lettuce - enough for small salads per person
2 - 4 tsp capers
Olives, nice ones for garnishing
Vinaigrette
1 tbs tarragon white wine vinegar
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp chopped fresh chives or 1/2 tsp dried
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried
1 small shallot or 1/2 large
1 clove garlic
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil - the good stuff
Mince (chop finely - see techniques for definitions) shallots and garlic, snip chives and tarragon if using fresh and put all in medium bowl with vinegar, juice and mustard. Whisk well. Add oil very slowly whisking all of the time. It should incorporate as you add it. If it does not, stop adding oil for a few moments and just whisk. Continue until all oil is added. Add salt & pepper if desired. Tear enough lettuce for small salads and put in a medium bowl. Add 2 - 3 tbs vinaigrette and toss well. Taste and add more vinaigrette if desired. Divide salad and put on dinner plates - off to the side. Artfully arrange salmon by lettuce, sprinkle each plate with capers, add desired amount of olives and serve.
Roast Ham with Mustard Sauce Time: 1 1/2 - 2 hours
A fully cooked ham should be baked to an internal temp of 140F (60C), about 20 minutes per lb.
A ham that must be cooked should reach an internal temp of 160F (71C), 35 minutes per lb. for small hams and 22 minutes for larger (over 5 lbs) hams. All times assume a 325F (165C) oven.
1 small ham, mine is a "1/4 ham", about 4 lbs
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tbs vinegar
Put ham on rack in roasting pan and roast in 325F (165C) oven. About 30 minutes before it's done mix the sugar, mustard and vinegar. Remove the ham from the oven. Remove the skin if there is some, score the fat with a sharp knife (diamond pattern is pretty). Pat the brown sugar mixture over the top of the ham and return to oven. Finish baking. Allow ham to rest for 15 - 20 minutes before slicing.
Mustard Sauce Time: 10 minutes
A timeless tradition in my large, extended family. The original recipe came from "The Anderson House", a small family run hotel in my home town. For some, it's the only reason to have ham!
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain white or cider vinegar
2 tbs dry mustard
1 egg
pinch salt
2 tbs butter
Crack the egg into the top of a double boiler and whisk until beaten. Add sugar, milk and mustard, whisk well. Cook over simmering water for about 5 minutes, until sugar and mustard are dissolved and mixture is hot, stirring occasionally. Add vinegar and continue to cook until thick. Remove from heat, stir in butter and salt. Refrigerate. Good with almost everything and keeps a long time.
Potato Gratin Time: 2 hours
Because this is baking in the same oven as the ham, it's baking at a lower temperature and will take longer. Don't worry, the results will be a wonderful, creamy gratin with tender potatoes.
4 medium potatoes
1 onion
1 tbs butter
1 cup milk or cream or a combination of both
2 tbs flour
4 oz (125gr) cheddar, shredded
pinch of nutmeg
1/4 (1oz, 30gr) cup Parmesan
Roughly chop onion. Melt butter in medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until just tender, about 7 minutes. Slice potatoes as thinly as possible with a sharp knife or mandolin. Put 1/3 sliced potatoes in bottom of baking dish - just big enough to hold everything ...I use my 9 X 12 inch (22 X 30cm) oval ceramic baking dish. Spread half of the onion over the potatoes, sprinkle with half of the flour. Drizzle 1/4 cup of milk over the top, then add 1/3 of the cheese, spreading evenly. Repeat layers once. Finish with a final layer of potatoes. Sprinkle nutmeg over top. Spread final layer of cheese. Pour remaining 1/2 cup milk or cream over all, cover and bake (325F, 165C) for 90 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle Parmesan over the top and bake for 15 minutes longer. Remove and serve.
Note: Whenever I am baking potatoes with a liquid: gratin, scalloped, Savoyard, etc. I always put the baking dish/dishes on a baking sheet covered in foil. They almost always bubble over and this saves on oven clean up. Just wrap up the mess and toss!
Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts Time: 50 minutes
20 - 25 Brussels sprouts - I normally serve 6 - 8 per person; we are having the rest tomorrow night
18 - 24 chestnuts, fresh or canned
2 cups beef broth
3 tbs butter
1 tsp thyme
sea salt and fresh pepper
If using fresh chestnuts: With a sharp knife cut an 'X' through tough outer shell. Put in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and boil for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Removing 1 chestnut at a time peel off shells and inner skin. Chestnuts must stay hot to peel easily. If they cool down too much while you are working bring them to a boil again.
If using canned chestnuts: Rinse and drain
To cook chestnuts: Put into a saucepan, cover with beef broth, bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until tender. Drain.
To cook Brussels sprouts: Slice a bit off of the stem end and peel away the outer leaves - any that are damaged, wilted or discolored. With the tip of your knife make a small X in the stem end - that, supposedly, aids even cooking. Put in a steamer basket over an inch of water and steam for 15 - 20 minutes or until done. They should be tender when pierced with a sharp knife but do not overcook. When done remove and set aside.
Both steps can be done earlier in the day and finished at the last minute.
To finish: Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add thyme and pepper and combine. Add sprouts and chestnuts and sauté about 5 minutes (longer if sprouts and/or chestnuts are cold) Sprinkle with salt and serve.
Bûche de Noël, Christmas Cookies,
the rest of the Bûche de Noël from last night
a slice of Fruitcake?
or a glass of port, maybe an Irish coffee ...whatever, relax, enjoy ...no worries...
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Cooking schedule: 1/2 - 2 hours |
Remove ham and pat on glaze |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
Our Weekly Menu Planner Service gives you healthy, gourmet dinners, carefully planned to eliminate waste and insure a wide variety of seasonal, wholesome foods each week.
All text and images are copyright © 2005 - 2007 Kathleen Lerum Zeller.
All rights reserved unless otherwise indicated
