uggestions for christmas dinner

H

horn section

100+ Posts
I cook dinner for my parents and sister every year on christmas eve. This year I am coming up blank on what to cook. I ususally cook something a little nicer but it doesn't have to be. The past few years I have made king crab, cornish hens, lobster tail stuffed tenderloin and smoked turkey. I was gonna do some lamb but my parents didn't seem to excited about it. Just wanted some suggestions or maybe what ya'll are making. Thanks in advance.
 
horn, if you do end up doing lamb, I have a great recipe for a roasted leg of lamb. I don't know if your parents are just worried about the taste of lamb in general or some lamb dishes they have had.

Pork Tenderlion is also a great holiday dish.
 
I have a very good pork tenderloin recipe that I've used for Christmas a couple of times. It's prepared ahead of time and just thrown on the grill for final prep. Prime rib with Yorkshire pudding is a traditional holiday meal to consider. I'm tentatively planning a braised brisket flat that's cooked the day before and reheated for the holiday meal. I know, it's sacrilege not to smoke a brisket, but braised brisket produces a very moist and tender main course.
 
How about veal chops chasseur with a brie, tarragon, wild mushroom potato gratin and hericot vert? Or I second the prime rib.
 
I've done the prime rib thing, and it can be great. BUT, my family has a lot of medium well meat eaters. I can talk some into taking medium, but some "gross out" at any pink or red. I tried dividing up the meat and trying to deal with it, but both times ended up having to cook some of the meat on a stovetop to get it right for some people. That made me sad, so I won't do it again. If everyone can eat it between medium rare and medium (depending on what part of the roast you cut), you are in good shape.
 
pulque did you not read that his family is way messed up and doesn't like pink meat?

This is another reason to go with the pork tenderloin. You can have it 'more' cooked for your family.
 
The pork tenderloin sounds good. also was thinking some sort of seafood. Maybe some fish that you wouldn't normally have? Recipes? Once again thanks, the ideas are great
 
seriously, i have a pork tenderloin dish that continues to amaze people when they try it. I will skip a lot of details, since you seem pretty well-skilled in culinary stuff, given your prior menus.

Stuff a pork tenderloin with Boudin sausage. Coat tenderloin with blackening spices. Sear to blacken in a pan. Put on the grill (away from fire) to finish cooking.

Slice carefully and top with crawfish etouffee.
 
If you're thinking pork tenderloin now, I have a good recipe for a cranberry red wine reduction that's sort of holiday-ish. If you're thinking seafood, I can post recipes for crabcakes with a cayenne dill sauce or maybe some crab stuffed portabella mushrooms. Tell me which way you are leaning and I'll post recipes tonight. I also have a recipe that I make for company quite a bit: seared and roasted chicken breasts stuffed with fontina, prosciutto, and either basil or pesto with a white wine/mushroom sauce on top. Let us know what you want posted.
 
you might consider a goose. much better than turkey. and i havent seen anyone suggest a beef tenderloin. i prefer that to pork.
 
Thanks for all the ideas. I think it is between the tenderloin, crab cakes and duck. I will have to talk to my parents about it and see what they want. I will let you know. I have never made crab cakes or duck. Even if I don't make them for christmas I think I want to cook them in the near future. If anybody has a recipe for either one I would appriciate it.
 
Crab Cakes with Cayenne Dill Sauce (makes 6 crab cakes) Double if doing as an entree

1 pound fresh lump crabmeat shells removed
3/4 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
1 large egg, beaten
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon worcestershire
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil

Place crabmeat in a large bowl. Add bread crumbs and mix gently. Combine egg, mayonnaise, worcestershire, mustard, salt, pepper, parsley, cayenne, horseradish and lemon juice in a separate bowl. Gently blend in crabmeat mixture. Form into 6 large crab cakes. Heat butter and oil in a skillet. Add crab cakes and saute until golden brown. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve atop Cayenne dill sauce.

Cayenne Dill Sauce

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/4 teaspoon salt
pinch pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon worcestershire
2 tablespoons minced dill pickle
2 tablespoons chopped dill
1 tablespoon capers
1 teaspoon Tabasco

Blend lemon juice, mustard, cayenne, egg, egg yolk, salt and pepper in a food processor until smooth. With the machine running, add oil in a thin stream, blending until thickened. Add green onions, parsley, soy sauce, worcestershire, pickle, dill capers and Tabasco. Pulse several times until well combined.
 
Cranberry/red wine reduction Sauce for Pork Tenderloin or Duck

2/3 cup dried cranberries
1 1/3 cup dry red wine
olive oil or pan drippings
6 shallots minced
4 garlic cloves, minces

Plump the cranberries in the wine in a bowl for 2 hours.
Put olive oil or pan drippings in frying pan. Saute shallots and garlic for 1 minute. Drain the cranberries, reserving the wine. Add the wine to the shallot mixture. Cook until reduced by 1/3. Stir in the cranberries and heat through, stirring frequently. Drizzle over meat.
 
Sock Monkey's Favorite Taters

8 large new potatoes, thinly sliced
1 pound wild mushrooms sliced
4 shallots finely chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound brie cheese, rind removed, cubed
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Soak the potatoes in ice water in a bowl for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Saute the wild mushrooms and shallots in 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet for 10 minutes or until tender. Layer the potatoes, mushroom mixture and Brie 1/3 at a time in a greased baking dish. Whisk the whipping cream, 6 tablespoon melted butter, garlic, and tarragon in a bowl until mixed. Pour over the prepared layers. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until the potatoes are tender.
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+1. I rarely find any reason to bread something in anything other than panko bread crumbs. they are super crunchy and 100% foolproof.
 
+2 on panko.

Also,
On the duck front. I kept the tv on last night to watch Good Eats.. and lo and behold... here come Alton with a VERY timely episode on cooking a duck!
He said almost all ducks are frozen at the factory to the store because they do not fly off the shelves. He says no bother with that because they are frozen so freshly they hold up very well.
I checked out a frozen duck @ the local HEB today (scottsins, I never noticed but our HEB on 31st has duck, quil, AND capon.) and it says to thaw in the fridge. Alton recommends the fridge OR under running tap water...

He then recommended cutting out the spine, and the wings, and then slaying the duck open and quartering the bird. From there BRINE BRINE BRINE. He brined in a solution of salt, pinapple juice, thyme and black peppercorns (whole). He did that in a ziplock for a few hours. Then he steamed the duck for 45 min, and then pan seared the pieces in cast iron in a 475 degree oven.

Also, he went through scoring the skin, but NOT so deep as to puncture the meat. This allows for escape of subcutaneous fat.

Anyway.... that is the short version.... and yea.. my memory really is that scary sometimes...

But anyway, if you want more details about what he said I remember most of it so you can PM me, or just look up to see if his recipe is on the web.
 
a) there is a small gland behind the knee on the leg of lamb that should be removed, then your lamb will taste muy bueno.

b) that being said - I like a big old ribeye roast- On sale for 4.99 a pound at randall's grasshopper..
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So I went with stuffed flounder (crab stuffing) that was decent. There was something about the stuffing that I didn't really like. I also grilled pork tenderloin that i rubbed with my own seasoning (spicy montreal, salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, smoked paprika, and ancho and chipotle powder) that turned out wonderful. I made an ancho-bourban sauce to go with it that was good but was not needed with the pork. I also grilled up some lamb loin chops so that my family could at least try it. They ended up loving lamb. A few I marinaded (a paste of garlic, rosemary, thyme, s&p, cayanne, olive oil, lemon juice) and a couple with salt and pepper since my dad is repulsed by rosemary. It was amazing how different of a taste the marinated ones had from the non. It was like they were two different types of meat. Both were great though. For the sides we had scalloped potatoes and asperigas wrapped in bacon. It ended up being way more than the four of us could eat but we were stuffed and had a great night of family!!!!

My camera batteries were dead and the only pictures I could take were with my blackberry. If they are decent enough I will post those later.

Once again thanks for all the suggestions. I will probably need more next year. Hope ya'll all had a wonderful Christmas and have a safe and happy new year!!
hookem.gif
 
The questions I have horn section are:

1)which type of lamb chops did you end up going with?

and

2)how did you cook the chops? (as in med? med rare?)
 
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