Christmas recipes foods, and cooking ideas

[KeenCook2 Profile]

Thx, all, some lovely ideas, I'll definitely give your sauce/dip a go, Gill. I've never heard of carom seeds
Just out of curiosity, why roast/toast the seeds and nuts separately? Is it because they all take different lengths of time to brown?

Funnily enough, guess what we've got for supper tonight, Kacey? Roast cauliflower with onion wedges, and quite possibly a tahini and lemon dressing

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

KC, it's neater to do them separately. Sesame seeds certainly take longer.
You'll get ajwain/ carom at an Indian Store near you. Go easy on them, they are much stronger than coriander or cumin seeds.

[OneMoreCheekyOne Profile]

... and I’m currently on the look out for some festive cocktails (preferably not whisky or rum based).

How about black or white Russian?

Gosh it’s been a while since I’ve had either of those! Thanks for the ideas. We often make French 75s and my husband likes an old fashioned but I can’t drink whisky at all so that’s a no for me.

We are going to make Nigel Slaters lebkuchen chocolate cream for an easy dessert over Christmas. I need to buy some more lebkuchen though as we’ve eaten the first packet already

[Amyw Profile]

Oooh I do like a White Russian . I think anything mulled is nice at Xmas and last year I had a very nice hot cider punch which was good from the Xmas market

[Kacey Profile]

We tend to drink more whisky and brandy based cocktails this time year. A new one I've tried recently is a Godfather, just whisky and amaretto, simple but delicious.

[PatsyMFagan Profile]

We tend to drink more whisky and brandy based cocktails this time year. A new one I've tried recently is a Godfather, just whisky and amaretto, simple but delicious.

Ooh, that combination may persuade me to like whisky

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Change of plans again. Steak and chips is off the menu, I don't think I can digest the beef.
Have just had an adverse reaction to a beef casserole and had better keep clear of it.

So we are thrashing out other options yet again.
ie: no idea what we shall be having this year. I might do a mini chickenducken = chicken guineafowl pheasant?

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Gill, can you digest/do you like venison? I find it more digestible than beef.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

I probably can, EM.
I probably can have fillet steak too, it's just I 've had a horrid (histamine) reaction to something. And just want to give it a wide berth.

How would you cook the venison?

[Hickybank Profile]

I probably can, EM.
I probably can have fillet steak too, it's just I 've had a horrid (histamine) reaction to something. And just want to give it a wide birth.

How would you cook the venison?

I used this recipe many years ago but remember it was awesome.
https://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/col ... sin-confit

[Earthmaiden Profile]

Can understand that! Venison is my favourite red meat but I love poultry and any sort of Turkducken sounds delicious.

I tend to cook cheaper venison cuts with a long, slow cook drowned in port with juniper berries and mushrooms but good steaks would be a real treat - I would fry, in a similar way to beef, to people's liking.

[Stokey Sue Profile]

I can understand that Gill, but if you had a histamine reaction, perhaps just think of the rest of the casserole recipe too? Not an impossible reaction to beef, but herbs and fungi more usual

I had some all butter croissants and they were fine, although cold butter is still nasty, so I think salmon en croute is quite likely to be my main, I’ve a pack of all butter puff languishing in the freezer

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

That looks excellent, Hicky, thank you.
If I say to Tony "venison" he'll jump at the change of menu. He adores venison.
(I've just corrected my spelling mistake, as a wide birth is something else!) I never can see them till hours later.

Indeed Sue, it's taken me 2.5 years to finally narrow down what is crippling me, for definite. But the beef would be a new one.
Although pasta and beef have given me nasty cramps previously that indicate some difficulty.

Still. I'm just about normal, so I can't complain (but that won't stop me )

[Suffs Profile]

Gill ... juniper can cause problems for some folk

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingre ... 24/juniper

[WWordsworth Profile]

My favourite way to do venison is a Gordon Ramsay recipe.

It's a rich stew topped with sweet potato and cheese mash, although I often use half regular potato to reduce the sweetness.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Decisions all made, and provisions all done.

We are going back to steak frites for our meal, and have bought a huge piece of chateaubriand at a local farm shop: Jesse Smith.
I have a few things to make in the run up, and need a "things to bake" list.

Marja's Polish bread for melba toast; ginger cookies; boiled ham; croissant sausage rolls; pickled red cabbage; baked turkey crown, Pizarro's apple dessert

And my dishes to have throughout the season are:

Wye Valley smoked salmon with scrambled eggs and melba toast
Steak frites with dijon mustard
Pizarro's custard and apple pie https://www.lovefood.com/recipes/60318/ ... -apple-pie
Sliced ham and turkey with pickles and lemon potatoes
Clive's Goan fish curry
Spanish salt cod croquetas with a tomato salad

Somebody pop me!

[halfateabag Profile]

Hi folks, it's been a while......now feeling like posting again. Our C. day veg is now all semi cooked in the DF. Did not feel I could cope with too much on the actual day so have been doing a bit when I felt I could. We are having guinea fowl with HM cranberry sauce (will do that tomorrow). We went to Marlborough to a great butchers called Andrews. Bought odds and sods and was given some fab beef bones that have made a wonderful stock. Also bought some Boerwewars which we have never had before so will cook alongside the fowl.

We have eaten mince pies recently so on the day will be making a mince baked roll with custard (his choice) for a change. May even chop an apple into the mince for a bit more fruit.

[oat Profile]

Nice to see you back Zosh

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Also bought some Boerwewars which we have never had before so will cook alongside the fowl.

I love Boerewors (literally, farmer's sausage in Afrikaans).. Lived on them when I spent 3 months in South Africa

The best of all barbecue (braai I suppose) sausages. Often served with mealie pap (white polenta, not a great fan) and chakalaka - a tomato based relish or vegetable side dish (made differently by everyone who makes it, and availabl ecanned too)
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/cha ... eto-chilli

Sounds as if you've not been firing on as many cylinders as usual halfateabag, hope you pick up, take care

[Suffs Profile]

Glad you’re feeling a bit brighter Zosh
Love a big ring of boerewors sausage on the grill ... enjoy