It’s that time of year again – the time when all us cooks in the house say “Help. Less than three weeks to Christmas and I haven’t even thought about Christmas Dinner.” Here are my promised tips for “Prepare Ahead – Christmas Feast”.
In our house at the moment we have a slight sense of chaos, as we have been doing up our spare bedroom by replacing an old and fairly useless cupboard with a brilliant white, Shell-style wash-hand basin, set into a Sapele wood worktop and topped off with simple Aegean Blue tiles, finished with a topping of tiny mosaics, a mixture in shimmery silver and more Aegean Blue. Pictures will be forthcoming when all is tidied up. In between more hospital visits Erik and our plumber have taken a couple of months to turn this alcove into a stunning corner, but the mess is very …… messy, still, but I have been promised that it will be totally finished this weekend. And then guess who will be dusting, hoovering, washing and ironing to make it perfect for our Christmas guests? Moi!
So no panic then!! My post, Prepare Ahead – Christmas Feast, isn’t just for you, our lovely readers. It is also to help me get our Christmas Feast together. Me, with one arm that is recovering from a blood-clot and needs some physio to make it work! I can’t even peel vegetables at the moment, as my hand is slightly useless, but Erik has taken control of the vegetable peeler for me, bless him. Nil desperandum – we will have our Feast.
The words, Christmas Feast, really apply to the Main Course, and all families have their favourite dishes. Some that have been handed down through the generations, such as my Forcemeat Stuffing, and just the words of it alone bring back so many happy memories of my Mum and Dad and sisters, sitting around the big old gateleg table, lit by spluttering candles. And my Dad, carving the Turkey, asking with a gleam in his eye, “OK, who’s wants to make a wish with the ‘wishbone’?” as he extracted the spindly bone from the big bird. “Me, me, it’s my turn this year,” we three would all shout out. Such happy memories.
But enough of nostalgia. Time for the tips.
Freeze Ahead – Christmas Basics
Forcemeat Stuffing Recipe
It starts like this, below.
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Forcemeat Stuffing recipe.Dry Stuffing mix.
- 100g/4oz rindless bacon, finely chopped
- 50g/2oz shredded beef suet (or vegetarian suet)
- Grated rind of 1 lemon (plus more if needed - you need to be able to smell the lemon aroma)
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 2 tsp chopped mixed herbs (thyme & sage are best)
- Good pinch of allspice
- Good grating of fresh nutmeg
- Pinch of ground mace
- 150g fresh white breadcrumbs
- Salt
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg
- Stock (from Turkey Giblet stock if poss, or use Chicken stock cube or similar - just enough to bind ingredients without making them too sticky)
- The above mix of ingredients usually makes 10-12 stuffing patties. Most diners have about 2 each. I usually double or triple the mix as they keep crispy or can be warmed up the next day. We just love them!
- If, like me, you want to prepare this a couple of weeks ahead and freeze, put the bread into a food processor and process into fine crumbs (but don't turn it to dust).
- Chop bacon finely, mix in suet, all the herbs and spices, the finely grated lemon rind, salt, then tip the breadcrumbs into a large freezer bag, and add the bacon, suet and herbs and spices, lemon rind etc into the bag.. Shake well, label and freeze.
- On Christmas morning, take the stuffing bag out of the freezer at breakfast time. Leave to thaw for 2-3 hours.
- Tip the stuffing mix into a big mixing bowl. Add some more grated lemon rind if you can't smell lemon. If you can't see much parsley, add some more. Season with salt and Cayenne Pepper.
- I cook my Forcemeat Stuffings in a shallow non-stick bun tins. They do puff up, when cooked. Grease the bun tins.
- Calculate how long it will be before the meal and work backwards. 50 minutes before the meal is on the table, whisk a large egg then add it to the dry mix. Mix very well. Then, if you have made Turkey Giblet stock (or are using Chicken Stock) using a soup ladle, add one ladleful at a time and mix well. You don't want the mixture to be too sticky or wet, just wet enough to be able to shape with your hands. (I have always used a mantra that I taught Grandson Jacob (now 19!!) - just add a little of something, taste or check it is correct, then you can always add more, but you can't take it away if you have added too much.
- Spoon the mixture into the bun tins, fill right up and don't smooth the tops. They want to look rough and rounded.
- The oven needs to be 180C fan/350/Gas4. (AGA - grill shelf at top of baking oven (turn around after 15 minutes). Cook for 20-25 minutes. They should be puffed up, slightly crisp and crunchy at the edges and golden brown.
- Remove from oven, take out of tins and keep warm. Enjoy.
And ends up like this crispy, herby stuffing.
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Crispy Forcemeat Stuffing – straight from the oven.
The next recipe in our “Freeze Ahead – Christmas Basics’ is Giblet Stock, handed down from my Mum, who I believe found it in a ancient Mrs Beeton cookbook. Giblet Stock does not make for a fantastic photograph, but it should be a light golden colour (or a richer colour if you roast the giblets). Well worth making and the wonderful scent that wafts around your kitchen and the rest of the house on Christmas Day will stay with you forever.
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Giblet Stock Recipe
The next recipe in our “Freeze Ahead – Christmas Basics’ is Giblet Stock, handed down from my Mum, who I believe found it in a ancient Mrs Beeton cookbook. Giblet Stock does not make for a fantastic photograph, but it should be a light golden colour (or a richer colour if you roast the giblets). Well worth making and the wonderful scent that wafts around your kitchen and the rest of the house on Christmas Day will stay with you forever.
Giblet Stock Recipe
- Giblets from a turkey or goose (neck, heart and gizzard but not the liver - turn the liver into pate)
- 2 large onions, leave the skin on and chop into quarters.
- 2 large celery sticks, roughly chopped
- 2 large carrots, roughly chopped
- Good handful of parsley stalks
- 3 Bay leaves
- 6 large black peppercorns
- Put the giblets in a large pan or stockpot and add 1 litre (or 1¾ pints) of water and bring to the boil. Skim off any 'gunge' that comes to the surface and dispose of it.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer for at least an hour. (If using an AGA, bring to the boil, cover and place in your simmering oven for about 3 hours.)
- Strain the stock well (the dogs like the innards but be careful of bones.) Cover, and cool then either put in the fridge to use later (it can be done a day ahead) or freeze in containers or bags to use in soups, sauces or gravies during the year.
So go on, be brave, those of you who have never made this Giblet Stock recipe before. Conquer your fear of using the ‘innards’ of the big bird, have a go at this recipe and bet you’ll change your mind when you smell the aroma of Christmas Day floating around your house.
To Freeze or Prepare Ahead
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Stir-fried Sprouts
We either hate them or love them! For those who do eat them, and want to get ahead with your Christmas Feast, buy Sprouts on a Stalk, twist off stalk, peel and trim the base, blanch for a minute in hot water, drain, then put in freezing cold water to chill. Drain well, then pack in boil in the bag freezer bags. On Christmas morning, take out of freezer, keep in bag, bring water to the boil and, if just keeping simple, cook the sprouts for 7 – 8 minutes. If you just want to part-cook them, only boil for 2/3 mins, then drain well. You can stir fry them at the last minute with pancetta an ginger, add a knob of butter and a good twist of black pepper. This year my son is stir-frying his with chopped chorizo. Sound interesting.
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Parsnips – courtesy of Grow Your Own
If you want to get ahead with your carrots or parsnips, peel and parboil for only three minutes, drain, cool and freeze. Take all out of the freezer on Christmas Eve and put into the fridge. Then cook or boil as normal. Carrots and Parsnips are brilliant par-boiled then tipped into a pre-heated roasting pan with hot oil for 25-30 minutes. Add a splash of Maple Syrup or Honey towards the end of cooking. Gorgeous!
All this eliminates as many dirty pans as possible on Christmas Day.
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Crispy potatoes in our Wood-fired oven
To save time on Christmas Day, you can partly prepare your Roast Potatoes. Peel and parboil for five minute, drain really well and cool. Open freeze on a tray for 15 minutes then carefully place in a freezer box. On Christmas Day, I usually heat a roasting try with oil, and when hot, tip the defrosted potatoes on to it. Cook for 10 minutes then take out and move aside. Later, when the Turkey is taken out, put the potatoes in for 35/40 minutes, turning over occasionally. But if you want the lovely fluffy roast potatoes, you will have to cook them from scratch on Christmas Day to fluff them up in the pan before you roast them. To save on washing up, I first put the roasting tin with oil in the oven to get hot for 10-15 minutes, then I bring my potatoes to the boil for about 7-8 minutes, drain and shake well and fluff up in the pan. Don’t worry if they have slightly broken up but tip them straight into the very hot oil, scraping any broken off bits from the pan (as this makes them extra crispy) and into the oven for 10 minutes, turn over, then take out of the oven. Put to one side. When the Turkey is out of the oven and resting, finish off the roasting the potatoes, turning them over once, for about 35-40 minutes.
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Duchesse Potatoes
(courtesy of Taste Au)
Or what about Duchesse Potatoes? All my grandchildren love mashed potatoes as well as roasted ones. So one year, when catering for a lot of family and friends, I decided to have both Roast Potatoes plus Duchesse Potatoes. For these, I cooked a lot of peeled potatoes in a pan of boiling water, until soft, then I drained them well, added a big dollop of butter, some grated Parmesan cheese, a beaten egg and seasoned well to taste. I then used a big icing nozzle and piped this mashed potato into Duchesse style whorls onto a baking tray, cooled them then put them into the freezer until frozen. When fully frozen, I careful put them in a plastic freezer box and froze them for 2 weeks. They needed about an hour to defrost, then 20 minutes in the oven at 200C/180F. The addition of the beaten egg helps to make them gently brown on the ridges. The children really loved these.
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Sausage & Bacon Rolls
(courtesy of Channel 4) Pigs in Blankets
Another dish the grandchildren and adults alike love are Sausage and bacon rolls (or Pigs in Blankets as they are now called) and these are so easy. I buy good chipolata sausages, and lots of streaky bacon, then wind the bacon around the sausages, trying to cover most of the sausages. Put these into a freezer bag, and freeze. I take them out of the freezer on Christmas Eve, put in the fridge, then make sure I take them out of the fridge 2 hours before cooking. I always add a big glass of Madeira wine to the Turkey for it’s last 3/4 of an hour in the oven, and I add the sausage/bacon rolls to the base of the Turkey dish to cook. They have all the lovely Turkey flavour, and when the Turkey is taken out of the oven, I put the sausage/bacon rolls on a tray just to crisp up for the final 10 minutes before serving. I make loads of these, because we like to eat them on Boxing Day.
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Mulled Cranberry Sauce Recipe
How do you fancy a recipe for Mulled Cranberry Sauce. I just loved the sound of this, and it is now a real favourite of mine. This Mulled Cranberry Sauce recipe is taken from Delicious magazine, and after searching for a recipe that really appealed to me, and was suitable for freezing for up to 6 months, this is the one I have chosen to prepare for our Christmas Dinner. The flavours sound warm and gently spicy, and I’m going to at least double or treble the ingredient amounts so that I have some in my freezer over the cold months to eat with Venison, Pork or Chicken dishes. A little touch of Christmas spice to enhance our meals. Looking forward to this Mulled Cranberry Sauce. Hope you like it too.
- 50ml tawny port
- ½ tsp fresh ginger, finely grated, plus optional extra
- Grated zest and juice of ½ orange
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 50g caster sugar, plus optional extra
- 375g cranberries
- Put the port, ginger, orange zest and juice, cinnamon stick and sugar into a pan and gently heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cranberries and simmer gently for 8 - 10 minutes until they begin to burst, and the sauce starts to thicken.
- Add more sugar or spice to taste, then set aside and allow to cool completely before serving.
This is rather a long post! So I will quickly finish with some links for Starter recipes for your Christmas Feast that can be frozen or prepared ahead Again, these are favourites of mine.
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Smoked Salmon Souffles Recipe – courtesy BBC Good Food
Click on the title of the recipe – Smoked Salmon Souffles Recipe.
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Mulled Wine Sorbet with Clove Biscuits – Delicious
Click on the title of the recipe – there are a few recipes on this link as well as the dish above)- Mulled Wine Sorbet with Clove Biscuits recipe
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Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup Recipe
Click in the title of the recipe – Roasted Sweet Potato & Carrot Soup Recipe
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Mulled Pears with Roquefort Dressing – courtesy Good Food
Click on the title of the recipe – Mulled Pears with Roquefort Dressing
I think I’ve written enough for today, and given you lots of my tips and favourite recipes to prepare ahead for your Christmas Feast. Some recipes are to freeze well ahead of the big day, others are to prepare just a day ahead. The next post I want to write is mainly about desserts and nibbles and biscuits to share with your family and friends on this very special day. Hopefully I’ve given you plenty to think about, and I do hope it helps. Right – time to go and light the fire now.
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