Christmas side dishes
 

Looking for some good ideas for side dishes, like vegetables, etc. that are served in Europe (including Great Britain). When I lived in England, I remember roasted potatoes and parsnips, but I was wondering if there are any other side dishes traditionally served. Thanks!

At a group Christmas dinner a few years ago, a British friend brought her "traditional" Brussel Sprouts. They were in a light cream sauce with, if I remember correctly, caraway seed? They were amazingly good. I'm not sure how traditional they are in the UK, except among this gal's family.

I've had 2 Christmas dinners in England and my friend's mother always served Brussel sprouts. Hers were simply steamed with butter and salt. She also always had bread sauce to serve over the potatoes and parsnips and white bread/sage dressing. One thing I liked were the small sausages (chipolates? sp?) that she cooked with the turkey, and would buy sausage meat, tuck it under the skin of the turkey, and roast the turkey with the sausage. Delicious!

British Sprouts ? making a perfect British Christmas

This December, sprouts will be an essential part of the Christmas table in homes across Britain. This is part of the huge effort made by farmers across the UK to supply the freshest, tastiest produce during the festive period.

As leaders in their field, UK farmers produce roughly 46,000 tonnes of sprouts throughout the year, a market worth £28 million.

For most of us, making Christmas special relies on creating the perfect blend of tradition, treats, good company and great food. As an important part of the Christmas table, the sprout is part of the uniquely British atmosphere during the festive season.

A LONG HISTORY

The sprout is a descendant of the wild cabbage and was first planted 700 years ago in Belgium, from where it earns its ?Brussels? prefix. The hardy vegetable belongs to the brassica group alongside other favourites including the cabbage and cauliflower. Virtually impervious to the harsh British frosts, the crop has flourished since it was first introduced in Bedfordshire. Today, over 3,000 hectares of sprouts are grown in England and Wales, and harvested from September to March.

Huge advances have been made by plant breeders to produce today's smaller and sweeter varieties, but "overcooking" continues to deprive diners of the best taste and texture.

HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS

A survey by the NFU found 52% of people overcook their sprouts, with 11% boiling them for a merciless 20 minutes! In fact, they need just eight. In the microwave, 225g of sprouts take nine minutes when cooked, covered, on "High" with two tablespoons of water.

Cooking sprouts properly not only ensures the best taste and texture, but also retains the nutrients that make this low-calorie, high-fibre vegetable good for eyes, teeth, bones and fighting infection.

COOK UP SOMETHING TASTY

Sprouts and chestnuts:

Add sprouts to pan of boiling water for one minute. Drain and cut into quarters. Peel and chop some chestnuts. Soften the sprouts and chestnuts in hot butter, turn up the heat and cook until crisp. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve warm.

BRITISH CHRISTMAS ? BRITISH FOOD

As probably the most magical and memorable meal of the year, Christmas dinner is a celebration of the best of the British season that captures the true flavour of Christmas.

I cut mine in halves and sautée them with a little bit of garlic. This gives them a nutty taste.

Every country has its own very different Christmas traditions, and I don't doubt there's a website and a million books about it..

For Britain, you could do worse than look up what the Blessed Delia has to say, or check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/christmas/..._classic.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/favouritef...mas_food.shtml (which will eventually link through to several different recipes for Brussels sprouts).

As for over-cooking - one of the biggest laughs one of our favourite comediennes ever got was for a line in a song about a harrassed mother -'I put my sprouts on in November...'

Someone please type a recipe for the potatoes and parsnips. I want to try them!

I discovered that Good Morning Britain has an outstanding recipe for roasted potatoes and glazed parsnips. Keep them coming! I forgot about the brussel sprouts! I suppose if I start them right now, they'll be ready by Christmas Eve . . . !

cd, for a very basic (but good) recipie, just cook (steam, microwave, or boil) the prepared (peeled and cut in cubes) potatoes and parsnips, then just mash and season as you would regular mashed potatoes. Cooking a clove or two of garlic and mashing them in with the other veg is really good. The glazed parsnips sound tasty.

Hmm, guess I started this Brussel Sprouts thing, but went I went to the grocery this evening, I saw great small B. Sprouts. I bought some and following cigalechanta's advice, sauteed in them in garlic, with a bit of olive oil and butter -- added a little lemon juice and sort of steamed them a few minutes after sauteeing. Wow, were they good!! I never think about those things.

Patrick, happy holidays , glad you took my suggestion, it's not in any cook book, but something I thought up to avoid the guests saying "I hate Brussel Sprouts." I sometimes add fresh orange juice in place of the lemon.

Thanks Mzpossum
Just mash boiled potatoes and parsnips together. I will give it a try.

I also just thought of an odd sort of variation of Bubble and Squeak that I served once for Christmas with beef. Mash potatoes (with butter, seasonings, and half and half, put in a casserole and top with mounds of carmelized cabbage and onions. Sprinkle with grated cheddar and pop into the oven till bubbly. Wonderful!!!

Actually, I think I remember saying next time I'd do it with Stilton instead of Cheddar (or other blue cheese).

OK.

There isn't really traditional starter, but lots of people do smoked salmon or prawns.

The main course, apart from the bloody Turkey is roast potatoes, brussel sprout, chipolata sausages, often wrapped in bacon, gravy, bread sauce, cranberry sauce.

The dessert, of course, is Christmas pudding, with brandy or rum sauce and/or cream; with trifle as an alternative. Stilton and nuts are traditional finishers. And mince pies.

Nowadays people have found clever ways to dress these things up. I, for example, have made cranberry and onion marmalade. I've made Christmas pudding ice cream. The nut roast- I'm veggy, even if my husband isn't, is in the freezer. I've made mini pudding because no-one wants to eat a husge dessert after all that.

Have a look at the BBC's Good Food web site for all this stuff. I'm too busy. I have 10 for dinner tonight, 14 on Christmas Eve and 9 on Christmas Day. Exuse me, I have to go and stuff a prk joint:)

I forgot the carrots. You've got to have carrots.

Yes, roast potatoes, small boiled potatoes, little sausages with bacon wrapped around them. I don't put my stuffing in the turkey but serve it separately rolled into balls.
The pudding has to be brought in flaming, traditionally with brandy but vodka makes a pretty flame.
We traditionally pull our Chritsmas crackers when the pudding is on the table.

ROSOLLI:

3 beetroots
2 potatoes
1-2 carrots
1/2 onion
2 pickled cucumbers
1 apple
salt
- sauce:
1 dl whipped cream
1/2 tablespoon vinegar
a little piece of beetroot (to make it pink)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
- garnish with two mushed, hard-cooked eggs and parsley

1. Cook the vegetables (separately, and not till mushy, sort of al dente). Let cool and cut them into little cubes.
2. Cut the onion, pickled cucumber and apple.
3. Mix all and add salt (if wanted).
4. Whip the cream (not too hard), add vinegar, salt and sugar. Keep the slice of beetroot in till it delivers a slight pinkcolor, then remove. Serve the sauce from separate bowl.

That is a Finnish recepie. You'll find more Xmas recepies here:

http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/xmas.html

Merry Christmas!

Patrick and cigalechanta--after cooking the sprouts (olive oil, garlic, lemon juice) top with crispy bacon crumbles and parmesean or asiago cheese shreds--mmm!

You have all made me so hungry!!

I'm having B sprouts for dinner on Christmas - I love the idea of cutting them in half and sauteing in garlic & butter and yes, I'll add parmigiano or romano or asiago on top!!

Thanks for such a morning upper..