Christmas side dishes
Dec 21st, 2003, 09:08 AM
#21
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My brussel sprouts are ready to go. How about a suggestion or two for dessert? My Irish friend used to make a Christmas cake every year but that was A LOT of work. What's good and not too complicated? Thanks!
Dec 21st, 2003, 09:15 AM
#23
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In addition to my DH's favorite Steamed Orange Pudding , we're having a Sherry-walnut Steamed pudding and a trifle! And Orange & Brandy hard Sauce for the Orange and sherry hard sauce for the other!
Try the brussels with chestnuts..lightly cook 1/2ed sprouts , fry and crumble some bacon, then toss the sprouts and whole chestnuts in about 1 TBS of the bacon drippings with a 1/2 cup of water,cook till almost all the water evaporates and looks syrupy..sprikle on the bacon ! I like this because the sprouts can be cooked the night before or in the morning and then don't stink up the whole house!
Try the brussels with chestnuts..lightly cook 1/2ed sprouts , fry and crumble some bacon, then toss the sprouts and whole chestnuts in about 1 TBS of the bacon drippings with a 1/2 cup of water,cook till almost all the water evaporates and looks syrupy..sprikle on the bacon ! I like this because the sprouts can be cooked the night before or in the morning and then don't stink up the whole house!
Dec 21st, 2003, 09:29 AM
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Potatoes and parsnips: I cut up all kinds of root vegetables, but this would also work for just potatoes and parsnips - could include rutabagas (don't laugh, cooked this way they're really good), onions, sweet potatoes. I cut the different vegies into different kinds of pieces so you can differentiate after cooking, put them in a large flat roasting pan, sprinkle with olive oil and favorite seasonings and herbs, including salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes. Every once in a while flip the vegetables so they brown a little more evenly. This is a winter favorite.
Dec 21st, 2003, 02:15 PM
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On my way to the market to get some brussel sprouts ... I'm inspired and will do my best to replicate a traditional English Christmas dinner. Any other suggestions for English Christmas dishes that are a MUST? Also, how does one prepare chestnuts (I like the idea of chestnuts and brussel sprouts together).
Dec 21st, 2003, 02:38 PM
#28
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Well if you can find fresh ones in your grocers...
Cut an X across the bottom , soak them in water for about a half hour, then roast them in a 350 F oven for about 1/2 hour or until you can start to smell this wonderful aroma.. Sorry, I cook by my nose! Then peel them while still hottish!
Or do what I do and look for vacuum packed ones at your super market, Haddon House is one brand or Wm Sonoma carries them...I check the WS website about 2 days after Christmas and stock up at 1/2 price for the rest of the year!.. We love Chestnut soup and dressings in addition to a veg dish
Cut an X across the bottom , soak them in water for about a half hour, then roast them in a 350 F oven for about 1/2 hour or until you can start to smell this wonderful aroma.. Sorry, I cook by my nose! Then peel them while still hottish!
Or do what I do and look for vacuum packed ones at your super market, Haddon House is one brand or Wm Sonoma carries them...I check the WS website about 2 days after Christmas and stock up at 1/2 price for the rest of the year!.. We love Chestnut soup and dressings in addition to a veg dish
Dec 21st, 2003, 03:08 PM
#29
I cut a score a cross on both sides and then in the oven to roast them. Size denotes the time. I also have a chestnut roasting pan, but rarely use it. With that, I oil the chestnuts and over the fire they roast.
Dec 21st, 2003, 03:17 PM
#30
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Sometimes when it is still hot here in Fl in "Chestnut Season" I even do them over the grill outside.
Be sure to line your pan with foil or you'll be scrubbing stain off till you are old and gray!
Be sure to line your pan with foil or you'll be scrubbing stain off till you are old and gray!
Dec 21st, 2003, 03:23 PM
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I'm not sure about preparing fresh chestnuts myself but in England our supermarkets sell packets of frozen sprouts and chestnuts, so I just cheat and use fresh sprouts from the local farm and add the frozen chestnuts into the pan at the end of cooking.
I always use Delia Smiths way of cooking the turkey and roast potatoes (I use olive oil or extra virgin for the potatoes though, don't think she does - just a personal preference taste wise)
I was brought up on always having roast goose for Christmas dinner,but they have gone very expensive now and not easy to get hold of. My parents are still going to have that on Christmas day though!
Most people I know usually start with smoked salmon with lots of lemon and some brown bread and butter, or prawns or both. I like to have both!
Vegetable wise, we (and family,friends etc)always have roast potatoes,sometimes mashed too,stuffing (I always use Marks and Spencers)roasted parsnips,sprouts,mashed carrot and turnip. I always do cauliflower cheese too and cabbage (as do a lot of my family).
I always buy a cranberry and port sauce from Marks too, and also have redcurrant and cranberry jelly.
Bread sauce and chipolatas wrapped in bacon too, and not forgetting my gorgeous gravy with loads of wine in it!
Not traditional at all but this year I might do my mashed potatoes a mix of half and half with normal potatoes and sweet potatoes because we love that, and fry the cabbage in olive oil and add soy sauce at the end as that's a favourite Nigella recipe, but not sure if she is known in America?
We also like red cabbage with apples and cinnamon but that just reminds me of Poland!
We finish with Christmas Pudding and Christmas cake later, after dinner mints and we love to have an Irish coffee too.
Hmmm think I may overdo it a bit...no wonder I don't have much appetite by the time I sit down and this year there's only the three of us! :I
I always use Delia Smiths way of cooking the turkey and roast potatoes (I use olive oil or extra virgin for the potatoes though, don't think she does - just a personal preference taste wise)
I was brought up on always having roast goose for Christmas dinner,but they have gone very expensive now and not easy to get hold of. My parents are still going to have that on Christmas day though!
Most people I know usually start with smoked salmon with lots of lemon and some brown bread and butter, or prawns or both. I like to have both!
Vegetable wise, we (and family,friends etc)always have roast potatoes,sometimes mashed too,stuffing (I always use Marks and Spencers)roasted parsnips,sprouts,mashed carrot and turnip. I always do cauliflower cheese too and cabbage (as do a lot of my family).
I always buy a cranberry and port sauce from Marks too, and also have redcurrant and cranberry jelly.
Bread sauce and chipolatas wrapped in bacon too, and not forgetting my gorgeous gravy with loads of wine in it!
Not traditional at all but this year I might do my mashed potatoes a mix of half and half with normal potatoes and sweet potatoes because we love that, and fry the cabbage in olive oil and add soy sauce at the end as that's a favourite Nigella recipe, but not sure if she is known in America?
We also like red cabbage with apples and cinnamon but that just reminds me of Poland!
We finish with Christmas Pudding and Christmas cake later, after dinner mints and we love to have an Irish coffee too.
Hmmm think I may overdo it a bit...no wonder I don't have much appetite by the time I sit down and this year there's only the three of us! :I
Dec 21st, 2003, 03:37 PM
#33
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The following from Epicurious.com is not an exotic mixture with cheese, balsamic vinegar. bacon, etc. but is more typical of British and Irish vegetable preparation. The mashing would have been done by hand not with a food processor.
MIX-AND-MASH ROOT VEGETABLES
A simple and satisfying side dish.
1 pound turnips, peeled
1 pound large carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Ground nutmeg
Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in heavy medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes; drain. Transfer to processor; add butter and process to coarse puree. (Alternatively, return vegetables to same pan; add butter and mash to coarse puree.) Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and serve.
Serves 6.
Bon Appétit
May 1996
Patricia Murray: County Kerry, Ireland
Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.
MIX-AND-MASH ROOT VEGETABLES
A simple and satisfying side dish.
1 pound turnips, peeled
1 pound large carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
Ground nutmeg
Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch pieces. Place in heavy medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 12 minutes; drain. Transfer to processor; add butter and process to coarse puree. (Alternatively, return vegetables to same pan; add butter and mash to coarse puree.) Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper and serve.
Serves 6.
Bon Appétit
May 1996
Patricia Murray: County Kerry, Ireland
Epicurious Food © 2003 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved.
Dec 21st, 2003, 03:44 PM
#34
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ANgel, You gave me a giggle! By the time I talk about it and cook it..I'm not that keen to eat too much!
I do carrots and swedes ( rutabaga) mashed together ..similar to your carrot and turnip. I know swedes are not commonly eaten in Europe,except by cattle ,and except maybe in Scotland..you don't know what you are missing!
I do delia's "roasties" with olive oil too. Meat here never has any fat on it!
BTW..Nigella is very popular here..she has a regular column in the NYX in additon to her TV shows. I still prefer Delia!
Before chestnuts were readily available here in vaccum jars, I used to bring back those foil packs from Sainsbury's or Waitrose every year from our UK trips.
I do carrots and swedes ( rutabaga) mashed together ..similar to your carrot and turnip. I know swedes are not commonly eaten in Europe,except by cattle ,and except maybe in Scotland..you don't know what you are missing!
I do delia's "roasties" with olive oil too. Meat here never has any fat on it!
BTW..Nigella is very popular here..she has a regular column in the NYX in additon to her TV shows. I still prefer Delia!
Before chestnuts were readily available here in vaccum jars, I used to bring back those foil packs from Sainsbury's or Waitrose every year from our UK trips.
Dec 21st, 2003, 04:42 PM
#38
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jsmith and cd- it is certainly more traditional at Christmas to serve the potatoes by themselves as you said, but at other times I love mashed potatoes and turnip - 'neeps and tatties', a traditional dish of Scotland.
jody - I cook at Christmas (and every time I do a roast to be honest!)as if I was expecting the whole street to turn up for dinner. I've turned into my mother
Thanks for the tip on Sainsburys, I'll have a look there for the chestnuts.
Aren't turnips and swedes the same thing btw?
Glad to hear our Nigella is popular in the U.S. too, but have to agree that you can't go wrong with Delia - food always turn out well and I swear by her French Onion Soup with cheese croutons and also her Spanish Pork casserole.
Nigella has some great recipes which are regulars in our house (mostly from the Nigella Bites book, but they are never anything like as quick and easy as she makes out!
jody - I cook at Christmas (and every time I do a roast to be honest!)as if I was expecting the whole street to turn up for dinner. I've turned into my mother
Thanks for the tip on Sainsburys, I'll have a look there for the chestnuts.
Aren't turnips and swedes the same thing btw?
Glad to hear our Nigella is popular in the U.S. too, but have to agree that you can't go wrong with Delia - food always turn out well and I swear by her French Onion Soup with cheese croutons and also her Spanish Pork casserole.
Nigella has some great recipes which are regulars in our house (mostly from the Nigella Bites book, but they are never anything like as quick and easy as she makes out!
Dec 21st, 2003, 05:09 PM
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You gave me a laugh , Angel!
What I've seen in UK that you call swedes ...we call rutabaga..at least in certain parts of the US..my husband is from New Jersey and calls it yellow turnip. What I call a turnip is white fleshed, with purply tinges to the skin. I told a friend from Belgium that we ate swedes (rutabaga)she was astonished,she only heard of them ascattle feed.When we first moved to southern Us
, I went to buy some white turnips in the store. They had some really nice ones with the leaves attached. I picked up a bunch to be weighed and the man pulled off the leaves and bagged them and handed them to me..tossing the turnips in a bin. I asked what the heck he was doing with my turnips? He was amazed that we ate the bulb part and threw away the green leaves!
I do love delia's recipes...and get her online newsletter. But I hate her " Cheat's recipes"....I can't get the things to make them! I make a list and always head to the grocers when we come to the UK and stock up on all the lovely packets you have there.Now if I could only get Greek yogurt and your wonderful cheese at a price I could afford, I'd be a happy person! Oh and creme fraiche at the store for purchase. I have to make my own!
What I've seen in UK that you call swedes ...we call rutabaga..at least in certain parts of the US..my husband is from New Jersey and calls it yellow turnip. What I call a turnip is white fleshed, with purply tinges to the skin. I told a friend from Belgium that we ate swedes (rutabaga)she was astonished,she only heard of them ascattle feed.When we first moved to southern Us
, I went to buy some white turnips in the store. They had some really nice ones with the leaves attached. I picked up a bunch to be weighed and the man pulled off the leaves and bagged them and handed them to me..tossing the turnips in a bin. I asked what the heck he was doing with my turnips? He was amazed that we ate the bulb part and threw away the green leaves!
I do love delia's recipes...and get her online newsletter. But I hate her " Cheat's recipes"....I can't get the things to make them! I make a list and always head to the grocers when we come to the UK and stock up on all the lovely packets you have there.Now if I could only get Greek yogurt and your wonderful cheese at a price I could afford, I'd be a happy person! Oh and creme fraiche at the store for purchase. I have to make my own!
Dec 21st, 2003, 05:13 PM
#40
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Ok, you guys are really making me hungry! I love roasted chestnuts.
yes, angel, as jody said, Nigella is popular here, probably more than Delia: I agree, I like Delia best--have 3 of her cookbooks and use them alot. I first heard of Nigella in the Sainsbury's Magazine. (gorgeous magazine--wish a US subscription wasn't so expensive.) Swedes are what we call rutabagas and turnips are, well,
turnips!
yes, angel, as jody said, Nigella is popular here, probably more than Delia: I agree, I like Delia best--have 3 of her cookbooks and use them alot. I first heard of Nigella in the Sainsbury's Magazine. (gorgeous magazine--wish a US subscription wasn't so expensive.) Swedes are what we call rutabagas and turnips are, well,
turnips!
