How does this menu sound?

[SausageSmuggler]

DH and I are hosting Christmas day for our parents and my sister this year for the first time. Does this menu sound ok? MIL a veggi so need to cater for her too:

Canapés: blinis with smoked salmon and cream cheese (what would a veggi alternative be?)

Starter: pear, walnut, stilton and rocket salad.

Main: gammon as no one likes turkey, what veg would go with it though? MIL will be happy with just the veg.

Dessert: christmas pudding and/or chocolate tart.

Does that sound ok?

Could you little pieces of cucumber or red pepper instead of salmon for veggie starter

Not sure about cold starter after cold canapés, what about a lovely butternut squash soup with cream and those bake at home rolls?
We do a jerk seasoned ham every year which is amazing as gammon can be bit plain - veg? Something creamy like dauphinoise potatoes, honey glazed carrots and parsnips and green beans

I would personally skip the canapés if it is just your close family.

I'd do:

• Starter- your starter is nice, but I always start with a melon medley.
• Soup- Chicken soup
• Main- ensure you have roast potatoes :)
• refresher- a fruit sorbet- after a heavy meal I wouldn't jump straight into cake/tart.

then wait until everyone fills a little less full before serving:

• dessert

You could put the pear, walnut and Stilton in some puff pastry as a warm starter.

Sounds lovely.

I do like blinis! Would go for a blob of sour cream instead of cream cheese, a curl of salmon,a piece of lemon fillet, teeny tiny cubes of red onion, a caper and some black pepper on top. yum. For veggies substitute griddled aubergine (from the deli) or sun blush tomato for the salmon.

With gammon/ham - leaks in white sauce/gratin, roasties and roast parsnips, honey carrots.

....can't believe I am helping you think about Christmas dinner. Not sure what to cook tomorrow!

Himalaya I know, I struggle with dinner but I like cooking for special occasions.

Thanks ladies, lots of veg choices and I like the idea of putting the starter in puff pastry too (I do like a tart ). My parents often do enough food at Christmas to feed 5000 but because it's our first year doing it and first time doing a roast I want to keep it as simple as possible!

You can get quorn meat so to speak for christmas dinner. Both my parents are veggies.

Its normally out around x-mas its very nice(im a meat eater saying that)

You do know it's early September, right? There could be a mass shortage of turkeys, sprouts and carrots, which would leave your plan in tatters. Sorry.

Lush! Love the leeks suggestion.

Deliah had a fantastic recipe for a parsnip roulade, which would be a substantial main for mil and a nice side for other guests.

She also had a really nice gammon method, and had some lovely cheese based nibbles.

I'd really recommend her Christmas book? I'm not Deliah btw, or generally a huge fan, but by god that lady knows how to do Christmas!

My Swiss neighbours are now addicted to her Christmas cake, and already asking if I'll make this year!

Also just check that a Christmas pudding is suitable for veggies, if you are having one, as with mince pies - due to the suet?

Just be careful how you cook the potatoes and any other roasted veg, animal fats will obviously stop them being veggie (sorry, I'm sure you know that but just mentioning due to my near foolishness at my first Christmas dinner (I was a teenager)).

Check the stilton is suitable for vegetarians though. You could use Danish Blue (it's suitable for vegetarians and creamier)
You could try Quorn slices instead of the salmon. Or just cucumber instead of the salmon for MIL.

DH and I are vegetarian, but DC aren't.

I know people say goose fat is the only way to roast potatoes (I wouldn't know) but if you use the right type (Maris Piper or K.Edwards are my favourite) they are lush in sunflower oil.
Roast parsnips - you could do the Nigella style in honey. I sometimes do them in breadcrumbs and vegetarian 'parmesan'.
Red or green cabbage ,thin sliced and steamed.
Carrots with almonds or chestnuts
Sprouts (goes without saying)
Swede or turnip (pureed with butter)
Yorkshire Puddings in our house
Bread sauce and gravey.

Anything goes!

I should add that MIL isn't a vegetarian for ethical reasons. Since she was little, meat has made her physically sick so cheese etc won't be a problem it's just actual meat.

I'll check out the Delia book, I think my mum might have it.

Pudding has changed from chocolate tart to salted caramel chocolate torte. Might need to do a test run of that .

Recipe for the salted caramel tart please?!