A nice Christmas Eve casserole recipe?

[StuckInTheFensAwayFromHome]

We will be having the family round on Christmas Eve and I am starting to think about menu. Last year we had a buffet and although it was nice - I don't think it quite worked and I was a bit frazzled getting it all together. So this year I'm thinking of doing a nice big casserole that can be prepped earlier and can spend the day slowly cooking, which will be easier on me!
But I'm at a loss what kind of casserole to do thats a bit special - my usual beef and ale is good, but maybe I should be a bit more adventurous! Can anyone offer any tried and tested ideas/recipes that will inspire me?

I've done Beef Koresh before on Xmas Eve - the herbs make it a bit different to other casseroles. Coat 1lb chunks of stewing beef in flour and brown then set aside. Fry an onion until soft, then put the beef back in together wih 1 tbsp fenugreek leaf, 2 tsp turmeric and .5 tsp cinnamon. Fry for a minute then add 1 pint water. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. In a separate pan fry a big bunch each of chopped parsley and chopped chives, then add to the beef with a can of kidney beans and juice of 1 lemon. Simmer for 45 mins more (or as long as you like, topping up with very watered-down beef stock as required). Serve with rice.

That's the basic recipe which feeds four - I double it up for more people and it's fine.

I do a sausage one. Fry sausages, onions, fresh ginger in pan then put into casserole dish. Fry 4 red&4 green sliced apples in juice of sausages for a few minutes, add 2 tabsp brown sugar on apples to caramelise. Put these into casserole dish too.
Add 1l of apple juice or cider and a good few glugs of sweet chilli sauce. Tip in tin or 2 of canellini beans depending on amount of people.
Cook in oven for an hour.

My 'special occasion' casserole is Venison. I have two similar versions and do them in the slow cooker - one is this:
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1935/succulent-braised-venison
and the other is this one - marinate in red wine and juniper berries overnight.
allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/301/venison-casserole.aspx - but I used half wine and half beef stock.
The end result is similar, the first is sweeter, and the veg is in the stew, the second has a lovely juniper flavour (I crush the berries a bit)
I do both by quickly frying browning the venison and then piling it all into the SC and forget about it all day till dinner time.

I second the vote for venison, perhaps served with potato and parsnip mash.

Nigellas lamb shanks in lentils and masala is amazing and can be cooked all day on a very low heat, serve with cous cous and green beans or green salad.

yummy recipe here

Some lovely ideas thanks!
I want the sausage and apple one for tea tonight!!!
Have never cooked venison or even noticed it for sale but I will look for it next time I'm in a posh supermarket (normally an aldi shopper!)
The beef one sounds nice and different... Def would need to do a practice one to see what those spices taste like as I'm not familiar with fenugreek.
And I'd forgotten that lamb would endear me to my mum as she lives somewhere where they don't really eat lamb and its something she misses!
Thanks for the recipes- definitely feeling inspired and hopeful now

My mum often makes something very similar to this around xmas/ny and it is my absolute favourite. Pork, port, cranberries, chestnuts and shallots. I feel right festive just thinking about it

There's a beef in guinness one in the hairy bikers christmas one which I find very christmassy

Beef casserole with lots of red wine in it and chestnuts.

Or nigella's choc chilli beef is lovely and can be served with her loaded potato skins and both can be made in advance and frozen.

I like to do a big ham on Christmas Eve and serve with with braised red cabbage (which I have in the oven right now and will freeze for then).

Nigella's christmas book has an amazing brined pork recipe that I serve with mash and the apple and onion gravy in the book and the peas in cream. Most of that can be done in advance too and is truly delish.

Lurking for ideas - these all sound yum.

As a vegetarian I can't get excited about casseroles but FWIW:

if you know your beef and ale casserole works then do that. You can be adventurous with the side dishes- mashed potato, maybe slow cooked red cabbage .
Not everone likes spices or herbs and as for venison- you can't eat Bambi

Then do a blardy nice trifle for afters.

I love This, pork, chorizo and haricot bean casserole, although I use pork shoulder rather than belly. It's good with potatoes or just nice bread. It's very rich though.