Christmas Eve meal ideas?

[snappycow]

The parents are doing Christmas dinner this year so we are off to theirs. But on Christmas Eve they are coming to us!

I have no idea what to serve. Got to be something light I suppose to prepare for the gorging the next day. And I really want to impress.

Any ideas?

DH always looks for venison to serve on Christmas eve. That's really mean isn't it?

Christmas Eve here has become a ham in the slow cooker. Its DH birthday, both of us are at work in the day, there's too much going on, people bobbing over in the evening to see dd, people bobbing over to see DH. So It's easy that I can just bung it in the slow cooker. Have it in the oven for 20-30 mins with honey and sugar and leave it on the side with thick crusty bread, pickles, cheeses, crackers and other picky bits and people can help themselves

Ooooh!!! That sounds amazing!!

Ia there a non pig version of that? Would it work with roast beef or a leg of lamb?

We had pancakes last year - big hit with the kids. Apple and cinnamon would be suitably festive too. At home it's more of a bread, cheese, ham extravaganza with mince pies of course.

I guess so. You can cook any meat in a slow cooker and finish off in the oven to go crispy etc. I just like the ham cos with the cloves and honey etc it tastes of christmas! Plus the leftovers make an awesome chicken and ham pie on Boxing Day (we have chicken rather than turkey in Xmas day)

It sounds devine, but we are not hammy sorts and it would go to waste. My brother always does one wizh criss crosses, studded with cloves. Wonder if i could do that with lamb! (Sorry, will stop hijacking the thread)

I have Delia's Christmas countdown book and she suggests a home made (pre prepared) lasagne for Christmas eve.

I think I did a roast beef last year.

I can make lasagne. I love the ham idea. The only person who wouldn't eat it would be my bf but he'd be happy with the cheese , bread etc. like the idea of a massive ploughman's with a Christmas feel.

Any other ideas?

Nigella's coca cola ham! We always make it for our annual Christmas tree decorating party, this year dh has already decided to make two as it gets gobbled so fast! If you haven't tried it you really should, amazingly moist with a sweet sticky glaze that taste of treacle and spice. Mmmm I want some now!

I'm doing a large selection of cold canapes in lieu of a starter followed by either steak, chips and salad or chicken ballotine with a cranberry sausagemeat stuffing with rosti or herby pomes Parisienne. The meal time will need to be flexible as guest arrival time can be delayed by bad traffic Christmas eve so i want something thats quite quick to cook once they're all here.

My mums doing Christmas day and doesn't want to do turkey so she thinks she'll do red meat. If she does turkey, i'll do the steak, if she does red meat i'll do white meat (2 of the approx 18 of us don't eat fish or I'd probably do salmon)

I usually do italian meats, olives, crusty bread and little things like that. Or a fruity curry with mango chutney and poppadoms because i hate the blandness of the next few days :D

venison sausages and mash with kale/Brussels sprouts/slow cooked red cabbage

shop bought meringues with fruit,

I like the fish pie idea

Scallops St Jacques coquille, (basically mashed potato, mushrooms and cream) recipe here

smoked salmon mousse on wilted greens

Make the lasagne and put it in the freezer before

Big pot of mussells cooked in white wine and hunks of bread to soak up the juices

Have a look on Nigella's Christmas recipe webiste for ideas

Why are we all talking about Christmas NOW? It's September For God's Sake! JNan puts down Christmas recipe books

My parents have come to us for the past 8 years for christmas (don't ask..) and I have made a rule that we eat out on Christmas Eve. We always go to a nice restaurant and drink prosecco with the meal. Then that night I cook the christmas ham in the oven and at about 10pm we have hot, thinly sliced ham with freash brown bread, mustard, pickles. its a tradition now.

I love the idea in nigellas christmas book of baked ham with macaroni cheese if you are looking for more of a meal idea.

I always make a small lasagne and serve a salad and crusty French bread, with leftover bread going into the stuffing next day. Lasagne can be assembled well ahead of time and then bunged in the oven and baked.

For dessert I make a chocolate pie or buche de noel.

Prawn salad.