Christmas Menu

[Paranormalbouquet]

Been on already re Christmas desserts!

Have 6 adults and 1 preschooler (ours) for dinner this year. Want some advice regarding menu please!

I have only one oven and a kitchen/dining room which are open plan so no way of hiding mess from the guests! Looking to see if this is possible with such limited oven space!

Main:
Goose (large one ordered) with potato stuffing and some sausage meat stuffing balls. Will take 2-3 hours in oven and can sit happily for up to 2 hours before going cold.
Ham- large one, will cook on Xmas eve and glaze, then just heat up on the day- while goose stands.

Sides- red cabbage (made day before), heated on hob, Brussels sprouts with cream, butter, bacon and Parmesan (fairly quick on the day, will prepare night before). Potatoes par boiled early in the day and then roasted in goose fat (worried about managing this and the ham in the oven at the same time).
Will make goose gravy also.

Dessert: think I’ve settled on trifle. Or an orange and ginger cake with vanilla ice-cream. Either way made day before.

Would an antepasto type starter be reasonable do you think? Some nice meat, figs, olives etc? DH thinks it’s fine but people might prefer a warm starter? Any suggestions for making it more Christmassy?!

Oh no! Nipples and fizz....stupid autocorrect...

Pigs are on the side of the dinner, not an appetiser.

Can you please tell us about the potato stuffing?

And I don't think you need an appetiser - dinner and dessert will be enough.

Oh and I'll expect my invitation soon OP

nipples and fizz is a hard act to follow though....

Not sure I’ll have oven space for pigs in blankets too unless they are part of the canapés too!

Potato stuffing is a traditional goose stuffing in Ireland although it’s nice in turkey too. It’s basically boiled potatoes mashed with butter,onions, salt, pepper, thyme and usually some apple and a little flour. Lots of recipes- some people use some orange/lemon zest or other herbs. Then stuffed into goose when it’s cold. Some goose fat then obviously mixes with potato while it all cooks.

I'd have the pigs in blankets as a canapé. We've had goose for the last few years and I don't think they would go very well as a side. Could you do smoked salmon as a starter? Serve with a bit of greenery, a wedge of lemon and a few capers with brown brad and butter for people to help themselves to (and no cooking)

I could but then I’d have to make soda bread as have never managed to buy a nice loaf here and you need soda bread with smoked salmon in my humble opinion! It’s a group of Irish people coming to lunch so I suspect they’ll feel the same.

Maybe I could make the bread this weekend and freeze it.

Ooh... soda bread! I'd forgotten how lovely that is. I may just have to make some this year.

Yes I really miss it actually. Have you ever seen buttermilk in 1L portions here actually?

Good point! My DH (from North America) has suggested 'biscuits' with bacon and maple syrup for breakfast. Still needs buttermilk.

You can make it by adding lemon juice to fresh milk. You need a good 900mls or so to make a loaf of soda bread!

What are these biscuits you speak of?

Biscuits are like a bready savoury scone.

would use the microwave to steam some greens of some sort to balance out the rich goose and veg dishes that you are serving . You can get them in the freezer aisle in supermarkets so no pots to wash, just ping in the bags and tip into a big bowl to serve. Your ham and goose should keep warm for at least half an hour if wrapped loosely in foil and draped with a big bath towel once cooked, then jack the oven up to 220 degrees for spuds (then pop the essential devils on horse-backs in for the last 20 mins).

Yeah - as far as I can tell a 'biscuit' is essentially a scone. I may well tell him to jog on.

Devils on horseback rather than pigs in blankets would be lovely with goose - prunes and goose are good together. Or you could do them as a canapé to start along with the pigs.

Googles devils on horseback. How strange they sound!

I fear my menu is growing rather than shrinking!

They taste amazing, sweet, smokey, bacony, all in one bite . You have to try them!!

They are gorgeous, but they ave to be served hot so they may be out.

Oops... have to be served

We always cook our meats the day before then slice them up (much easier to carve cold meat) then microwave on the day. Nobody has ever noticed it's not just cooked and saves so much room.

We also cook a lot of the normal veg and reheat them in the microwave as well.