Christmas dinner for 3 or 4?

[Mumwithbaggage]

For the last however many years I've had at least 10 for Christmas dinner - lovely! However, this year adult kids apart from one are doing different things. It will be me, dh, dd(20) and maybe her bf depending on what day his family are doing the big Christmas thing. Will see all our family a different day and will take votes on Christmas dinner trad style or rib of beef or something.

I'm now looking for something delicious and indulgent for Christmas day. DDs bf has a nut allergy - not sure about chestnuts but would rather not find out on a bank holiday! Done epipen training but don't fancy going there! If you were cooking dinner for 4 (no nuts!) all meat eaters what would your dream luxury Christmas dinner be? Just looking fro something a bit different.

Thank you!

We had duck last year. We only got one and it was actually the perfect amount for 3 of us and the dog but this year we’ll get 2, as you don’t want just enough at Christmas! It looks bigger than it is as it has a big cavity! It was also half price in Sainsburys and cost a whopping £7 😂. We really enjoyed it and just for a not-so-stealth boast, the whole meal was cooked by my 14 (at the time) year old son 🥰.

Fabulous young Mr @Idratherbepaddleboarding !

Yes it's a good point re the body cavity. An average duck may look a comfortable size for four plus but the cavity is much larger than an equivalent size chicken. See also goose. ( But oh my the cost! )

A brace of ducks and loads of roasties...

If you want a practice run, Tesco currently have whole Gressingham duck for £9. Plus, you'll be able to get some of that lovely duck fat into the fridge/freezer ready for xmas roasties (less faff on the day).

We’ve bought the whole frozen goose from Lidl for the past few years, under £30 and excellent quality. You’ve got to be quick though as they sell out very fast!

That is another option. I believe its a castrated rooster. I bought 2 last year when Aldi sold them for 75% off! They are fattier than a regular chicken, but the flavour was much better and the meat moister than a turkey.

I'd do a delicious joint of meat, bone in in an amazing reduction, or a pudding or pie in similar flavours. I'd serve dauphine potatoes (not dauphinoise, I mean the lovely fluffy choux pastry ones), cauliflower cheese and glazed carrots on the side.

I'd do a starter too, maybe mushrooms on bruschetta with Marsala sauce. Or mozzarella pearls, n'duja and pepper dew peppers.

For pudding, something fun. Chocolate fondue for me!

Going to google dauphine potatoes - new one for me! We have a great game butcher near us and also a pretty good butcher in the village - will see what yummy stuff they have, and yes, good idea to have a duck as a warm up! Used to keep the duck fat from tins of confit de canard for roasting potatoes. Yum!

We have the usual Christmas dinner but with pork belly instead of turkey. Always just the 5 of us.

we have ours on Christmas eve, and then the leftovers on Christmas Day - takes away a lot of the stress!

It doesn’t take any more ‘you’ time to cook a turkey than anything else. It just sits in the oven for longer.

Which means it's far less forgiving of how much gin you drink with breakfast.

If do decide to go with duck, I tend to get one in November and freeze it. Last year there were few normal priced ducks in December- not surpringly found the "christmas food" ducks were at least double the price! Also then knew I has the main course in advance. Think the Gressingham whole duck was about £9.

@DogInATent us too what kind I'd duck do you get and where from?

@Words
Our duck is 2kg this test do you think think that's sufficient with all the trimmings for 2 possibly 3 adults and one older teen and younger dc?

We get a duck from the butchers at xmas. A few weeks ago we had a 1.8kg from Tesco that was lovely.

You'll be pushing it to feed 3 adults and 2 children from a 2kg duck. I'd do a couple of ducks for that many. No problems using up leftovers and you'll get lovely stock, and a decent amount of duck fat.

Exactly @DogInATent .
Two ducks.