Christmas Eve Dinner

[Caitlin991]

I’ve offered to host Xmas eve this year, it’ll just be my parents, siblings, husband and son, but I am at a complete loss as to what to serve.
There are 2 pescatarians that claim they’ll ’eat whatever they’re given’ (they tend to eat meat for Xmas dinner…don’t ask) but I think I’d feel more comfortable just serving them a meat free dinner.
Has anyone got any suggestions of easy mains and puddings that won’t involve spending all day in the kitchen & even the meat eaters will be happy with (or I can easily do a meat and veggie option for).

I usually make a posh fish pie, with white wine in the sauce and the best smoked fish in it I can get hold of. It can be made ahead of time. I take more trouble with the potato topping whirls to make it look smart.

Before my son was confirmed as coeliac we sometimes had salmon coulibiac but ready-made GF puff pastry is not very good and I am not making it at home.

Salmon?

No way would I do a Christmas Eve meal when I got to cook a bloody Christmas dinner next day
Sorry
Not helpful

Quiche? Easy to make a veggie and meat one in advance. Baked potatoes and salad. Job done.

Just do a picky platter or a takeaway

@Abra1t funnily enough fish pie is what my mum suggested - is that a traditional Xmas eve meal? (I’m pregnant and fish pie makes me want to vomit, but maybe by then I’ll feel OK about it 😂)

@Thatbloodyhedge luckily I won’t be doing Xmas dinner, that’ll be at the in-laws this year 😂

Chilli? Meat one and a bean one?
Rice, wedges, nachos, sour cream etc.

It's not my fave personally, but you often see people suggest chilli as an easy meat and veggie option. The latter being bean or quorn mince. Then range of toppings eg cheese, sour cream, avocado, jalapeños, tortilla chips etc

Great minds!

I'd be doing jacket puds, a cooked chicken, and a small ham, salads and sides etc, something nice and easy so you can enjoy instead of working your butt off.

Pescatarians can either just go meatless or have chicken if they eat meat at Christmas anyway.

Haha! It's my go to! Easy to adjust for numbers, easy to do a veggie option, easy to add extra sides....winner winner, mexican dinner 😆

Pesto and cream cheese spread on top of salmon fillets, cooked in the oven for 13 mins, served with tagliatelle, slow roasted tomatoes in the oven and some toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top. It looks posh, but it's basically pasta and fish so apart from sticking toms in the oven an hour before you eat on low, it's basically a 25 min job in the kitchen

Fish is traditional in a lot of countries and linked very strongly to Catholicism - seven fishes etc

Christmas Eve is a good time for the ham I always think. With hot rolls, cheeses, chutneys and plenty of salad.

I'm going to make fish pie, probably. We've also done pizza party but we had loads left as even the whole pizza eaters only ate a few slices
When we did big family Christmas we'd usually make a lasagne made with tiny meatballs and mozzarella pearls

Fish pie is kind of Christmas-Eve-y, but for us, it is about the one thing that a pescatarian, a coeliac and three others who eat everything can manage that’s reasonably straightforward! If the lactose intolerant is also with us, I can make it with lactose-free cream/milk.

• Whole, baked salmon with veg
• Fajitas (or tacos) served with plain or savoury rice, chilli with black beans and another with chicken, guacomole, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, re-fried beans, salsa and everyone helps themsevles
• A chicken pie and veg
• Salmon or tuna pasta bake

For dessert, if you don't have time to cook something yourself. I'd buy an apple or berry strudel thing and serve with ice cream/custard. Cheesecake, pavlova, jelly and fruit.

Fondue? Something middle eastern? Baked Camembert and sides? Chinese takeaway…

I think fish pie is pretty traditional for Christmas eve - I'm sure Nigella said once ;) but if it's making you feel a bit pukey what about a simple baked salmon fillet - this is really easy and all in one pan https://www.tamingtwins.com/baked-salmon-recipe/ I tend to serve peas alongside.

I usually do a ham for Christmas eve - would they extend their meat eating for one more day. You could then have salad, bread, chutney alongside?

This is really interesting!

My family does ham, egg and home made chips every year for Christmas eve. We tend to get a whole ham that we start off loving and are desperate to give away by new year, and the xmas eve meal is its first outing.

We have ham, tongue, gala pie and toast for breakfast on Christmas day and boxing day, with champagne or bucks fizz, then any leftovers of that morph into lunch stuff. Personally I can't eat meat that early so I just have the toast, much to my family's endless disdain.

It's nice to have something easy on xmas eve - there's enough stress about getting the house clean and tidy, and everything else that's going on.

Salmon parcels with a mushroom, leek, spinach filling in (ready made) puff pastry with a creamy tarragon and white wine sauce?

Fish is traditional for us on xmas eve, normally as the centre piece of a cold spread with cheese, etc.

We do a whole baked salmon with rice and a choice of sauces. Pastly sauce, creamy lemon garlic sauce, dill etc. Roast mixed veg/peas.

Tabbouleh with halloumi and or shwarma type chicken. I like to have something light and ready prepped for Christmas eve

We don't have a home cooked meal on Christmas Eve because we cook Christmas dinner the next day so we tend to get a Chinese, works for us