Christmas Eve food

[MariahsBaubles]

What do you do for dinner on Christmas Eve? We don't normally make it a thing, but this year will have family arriving on Christmas Eve to stay for the festive season, so I need to feed the tired hungry people and start the celebrations but without upending the kitchen as we are hosting on Christmas Day.

What would you do?

Buffet. Then if people are late or early it doesn't matter.

Our tradition is tapas.

We do abendbrot. A selection of breads, cold meats, a roasted gammon, pickles, sausage rolls, things the kids will eat (they’re usually too excited), cheese, pate etc etc. Then everyone gets whatever they like in the quantity they want and it’s all delicious. The leftovers then get eaten for the next 2 days along with Christmas dinner leftovers. Really highlight

We do a buffet made up of M&S food although one year we ordered a curry and we really enjoyed it.

I tend to make Delia's Christmas Eve Fish Pie, made with hot smoked salmon, and serve it with greens. It's easy to make ahead, feels special, and I prefer a less meaty meal on the eve of the Christmas Day meat blowout.

I would probably do m&s party food buffet and a baked Camembert and cheese and biscuits.

We never have company Christmas Eve so usually get a takeaway!

Ham, Baked Potatoes, Cabbage and Sweetcorn. Wwrm mince pies and thick cream to follow The same every year and shows no signs of ever changing

We have party food on Christmas Eve from M&S and usually including Camembert, warm bread, olives, cheese and biscuits washed down with a glass of Baileys and followed by opening the Christmas choccies.

A large boiled gain joint with mash and several veg. I slice up left over ham for Boxing day.

We always tend to go out for lunch so we just need something light for tea so we’ll have turkey , stuffing and cranberry rolls with lots of different cheese and chutney.

We do Christmas Dinner so that no-one is stuck in the kitchen cooking or washing up on Christmas day.

But if we didn't do that and had guests arriving, I'd probably put out a selection of nice party food/picky bits and a cheese board. Yum.

Takeaway.
But to feed a crowd this is easy:
Jamie Oliver's Hit n Run chicken. Add a lot more garlic and at least quadruple the paprika (I use hot and smoked). Add more vinegar and oil too. Two chicken thighs/head and add more veg as needed. I serve it on rice.
Or try his wild boar salami pasta. I use Milano salami. I stir in grated mixed cheddar and mozzarella to the cooked pasta before adding the tomato/salami sauce.

Buffet here as it means we have loads of left overs for a few days after

We get crispy duck and pancakes from the Chinese

Fish pie, with prawns added. It’s a bit of a faff though.
Occasionally the big piece of gammon which I cook on Christmas Eve, hot, with mashed potatoes and parsley sauce.
Only me and dh for the actual day this year though, so v likely spag Bol with batch cooked Bol out of the freezer. And garlic bread - must make a few lots for the freezer.

We've ordered this for Xmas Eve. 4 adults and will be perfect to heat up after a festive pint in the pub.

That looks fab thanks for the link.

We usually have fajitas and tacos.

Fish pie, or meatball lasagne this recipe is similar to mine but mine puts diced mozzarella in the layers rather than a bechamel sauce on top. The recipe for mine was by Geraldo, Jamie Oliver's friend but I can't find it online now
www.sainsburysmagazine.co.uk/recipes/mains/meatball-lasagne

Brilliant idea!

There was a similar thread recently on which I said we have an ‘Alpine’ supper. Cheese fondue, and we have one those Pierrade (hot stone) things to cook bits of beef and chicken on top with potatoes and cheese grilling in the little shovels that fit underneath. Plus some salads. Popular with all the family.

Tradition for our Christmas Eve is a buffet dinner, selection of meats and cheeses, crackers and olives. I always buy some battered prawn type things for DS1 and this year mini pies. I do the buffet to try and cut down on the cooking, but I always seem to be ages in the kitchen, might try ordering a takeaway next year or just cooking a chilli with Jacket Potatoes instead to save my time..

Cheese and biscuits and Christmas cake.

I was inculcated with "things for Christmas are not touched before Christmas Day" growing up. I've got beyond that enough to break open the smoked salmon, usually with some sort of hot dip or cheese and baguette.