Christmas Breakfast

[Gruney2 Profile]

smoked salmon trimmings

Trimmings are excellent for smoked salmon risottos.

[Suffs Profile]

... and with pasta ...

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

Anyone successfully "made" gravadlax?

I tried and it was dead salty, like seawater. In an unpleasant way (think it was a Rambo method).

[Suelle Profile Website]

If I wanted a special breakfast, in the fishy area, I'd source some smoked eel. Even the best smoked salmon can't beat it for flavour.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Oooh me too Suelle. It's scrumptious.

[liketocook Profile]

Anyone successfully "made" gravadlax?

I tried and it was dead salty, like seawater. In an unpleasant way (think it was a Rambo method).

Yes using this recipe https://www.recipetineats.com/cured-sal ... b46a4IflaQ curing for around 36 hours. The second time I made it I added double the amount of dill as we felt the dill flavour wasn't strong enough. Make sure you use rock salt rather flaked salt or it will be too salty. Leftovers freeze well.

[WWordsworth Profile]

We usually walk on Christmas morning, fortified by porridge with demerara, cream and a capful of whisky!

[aero280 Profile]

While OH was away singing at the weekend, I made myself a smoked salmon and cream cheese (well, Philadelphia…) omelette. It was delicious with a watercress salad as accompaniment.

[Lusciouslush Profile]

If I wanted a special breakfast, in the fishy area, I'd source some smoked eel. Even the best smoked salmon can't beat it for flavour.

I'm with you there - it can't be beaten!
I lurve smoked eel you just don't see it too often but now you have given me an idea for Christmas.
We don't really do anything special for crimbo morning but might have a festive brunch later on - it depends on what time we're having the dinner - I couldn't manage much before.

[Earthmaiden Profile]

We've never had a special breakfast at Christmas. Just toast or something. Back in the day we ate at 1pm so the morning was always a flurry of cooking, coffee and biscuits and drinks as the morning went on then the day could really begin after the washing up and Queen . Although we had treats, we never had groaning plates before I met ex OH so there was always room for a slice of Christmas cake for tea and leftovers for supper. I don't think I've ever had a very 'adult' Christmas!

If DD is here we treat ourselves to a good unsliced white loaf and have thick slices with butter, jam, marmalade and nice cheese - because it's Christmas and we can!

I agree that in civilised company or as a couple, smoked salmon and scrambled egg and a few glasses of something would make a delightful brunch if you are having your Christmas celebratory meal in the evening.

[herbidacious Profile]

We usually walk on Christmas morning, fortified by porridge with demerara, cream and a capful of whisky!

That's my favourite way to eat it (minus the whisky.)

[WolfGirl Profile]

We always have smoked salmon and scrambled eggs. I have suggested once or twice that we should try something different but the thirty somethings won’t entertain the idea.
They also have very fixed ideas on the turkey/gammon combo for later in the day. I suppose it means they really enjoyed it all when growing up.

[Seatallan Profile]

Oooh me too Suelle. It's scrumptious.

Yummy!!!

Just thinking- another possible Christmas brek for me would be crab fritters....

[Lusciouslush Profile]

Just thinking- another possible Christmas brek for me would be crab fritters..

The big problem with that Sea is crab is very much out of season right now......... how I miss it so

[scullion Profile]

i thought christmas breakfast consisted of the tangerine, nuts, chocolate balls and chocolate coins that father christmas leaves in the stocking (sock)!
we, too, have never had a christmas breakfast tradition. i rarely have breakfast on an ordinary eating day let alone one that is full of overeating potential.

[Seatallan Profile]

Just thinking- another possible Christmas brek for me would be crab fritters..

The big problem with that Sea is crab is very much out of season right now......... how I miss it so

I was thinking along the lines of one of those frozen packs of half white & half brown meat. But yes- fresh crab would be wonderful wouldn't it?

[Badger's Mate Profile]

I made gravadlax once for a New Year starter and it was very successful. Can't remember the recipe, perhaps there's one in Falling Cloudberries, if so it would have been that. There's definitely a salmon ceviche recipe in there. Otherwise it would have been online.

I love smoked eel, but as with jellied and stewed it's now a very occasional treat. Another favourite is smoked halibut, Gigha smoked halibut is wonderful.

Christmas breakfast used to be a bacon and goose liver sandwich. If we were instead having turkey, Boxing day would start with bread and turkey dripping.

[KeenCook2 Profile]

I've made gravadlax twice - at least 20 or 25 years ago. First time was absolutely delicious, 2nd time not at all, never tried again!

[Stokey Sue Profile]

Gravadlax comes in little packets from the freezer in the Ikea basement, no?

I do like their dill mustard sauce in jars, it's nicer than some I've had in fancy bistros

[liketocook Profile]

The IKEA mustard dill sauce is gorgeous, we bought some to go with the homemade gravadlax

WG - my lot are just the same for the main event, if turkey all the trimmings and an ocean of gravy didn't feature there would be a mutiny unless it was unavoidable. As for the requisite mountain of pigs in blankets I dread to think of the carnage if those didn't feature. Even Greek DIL-to-be is a convert! DS1 has already checked if everything is in hand and did I want him to bring croissants from a local bakery on Christmas Eve. I did wonder if they might forego breakfast here as seeing their Dad in the morning but no apparently some things are sacred (and he probably won't offer food!).

KC2 - you should give it another go, I think the trick is not to over cure it. DS1 made some pretty inedible stuff that had been cured for 48 hours and I'd rather have eaten my shoe! He ended up treating it like salt cod and soaking for ages then cooking it which was better but still not wonderful.

Gill it struck me after I posted that if you didn't want to risk a whole side of salmon or deal with the remainder, rainbow trout cures very well if you can get it. It needs a much shorter cure just overnight/12 hours (the side I cured would have been around 1lb weight so if smaller or very thin it will need less time). In the link I posted I replaced the dill with grated lemon zest. I don't know how well it keeps as there were no leftovers.