My Christmas Dinner Thread

[Glaucus]

Well it's fake Christmas tomorrow got all the ingredients apart from some Prawns. I'll Be updating this thread as I go, makes it easier. So it will be fairly blank till later on and not complete till probably early hours Sunday.

Menu:
Taster - Steak tartare with home made crisps
Starter - lemon prawn bruschetta with rocket and coriander pesto
Main - Roast haunch of venison with Roast beetroot, Celeriac purée, fondant potatoes and port sauce
Dessert - Zuppa Inglese with brandy snap basket and Christmas pudding ice cream
Cheese Board - Port Salute, Blue Stilton Colston bassett, Brie de Meaux, Smoked Apllewood, cambozola, Morbier
Drunken snacks for later in the day - Mince pies


Steak tartare with home made crisps
Steak tartare
Ingredients:

450g fillet steak
2 egg yolks
2 tsp cracked mustard or Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2–4 dashes Tabasco
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3–4 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 shallot
2 gherkins
3 tsp capers, drained
6 stalks parsley, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

1) Whisk the egg yolks, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and lemon juice until it becomes the constancy of a loose mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.

2) Slice the meat with a very sharp knife or cleaver into paper-thin pieces, Gather pieces together and slice crosswise into smaller pieces, then finely chop them and add to the bowl.

3) Add the onions, gherkins, capers and parsley to the mixture and toss with two spoons until everything is well combined




home made crisps
A few potatoes finely sliced
oil

1) thinly slice potatoes and deep fry till golden, drain and salt

[Glaucus]

Lemon prawn bruschetta with rocket and coriander pesto

French Bagguet
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 packages active dry yeast
good pinch salt
egg white



1) In a large bowl, combine 2 cups flour, yeast and salt. Stir in 2 cups warm water, and beat until well blendedt. Using a wooden spoon, stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can.




2) On a lightly floured surface, knead in enough flour to make a stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes total. Shape into a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, and turn once. Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled.




3) Punch dough down, and divide in half. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each half into large rectangle. Roll up, starting from a long side. Moisten edge with water and seal. Taper ends.




4) Grease a large baking sheet. Place loaves, seam side down, on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly beat the egg white and brush on. Cover with a damp cloth. Let rise until nearly doubled, 35 to 40 minutes.




5) bake at 190c for 20 minutes or until golden



Lemon prawn
zest from one lemon
juice from 2 lemons
1 chilli diced
3 tbsp olive oil
salt + pepper

1) de vain he prawns
2) marinate for 30 minutes in all ingredients



3) grill or fry basing with marinade.

Rocket and coriander pesto
ingredients:
0ne bag rocket
two handfuls of coriander leaves
2 cloves garlic
6 tablespoons olive oil, or enough to turn it to pest.

1) throw it all in a food processor and blitz.

[Glaucus]

Roast haunch of venison with Roast beetroot, Celeriac purée, fondant potatoes and port sauce

Roast haunch of venison
Ingredients:
2kilos rolled haunch venison
6 or so sprigs thyme
12 rashers streaky bacon


1) seal the venison in a very hot pan and remove.

2) spread the thyme over the top then wrap in bacon

3) cook at 180 for about 45mins very rare, 1hour medium-rare.

4) allow to rest for 30 minutes.


Roast beetroot

Beetroots
oil
salt
butter
1tbsp sugar
olive oil

1) wash beetroots well, top and tail them.



2) wrap in tin foil with some olive oil, salt and pepper



3) bake for 1 hour at 180c



4) remove and 1/4 them, place in a hot frying pan with a little oil and the sugar and brown.



Celeriac purée

1 and a half celeriac cubed
400ml whipping cream
sal + pepper

1) peel and cube the celeriac and boil till tender.



2) place in a food processor with the cream and seasoning.

3) if you can be bothered pass through a sieve.

fondant potatoes

Potatoes
1 pack butter
a few thyme sprigs
salt + pepper


1) peel and thickly slice the potatoes 1-1.5cm thick/



2) place in a pan cover with water and add the butter, thyme salt and butter.



3) simmer till almost all the water has disapered, remove from heat and cool.



4) place on a baking tray, pour butter mixture over the top and roast for about 40minutes at a 180.


Port Sauce

pan from venison with bacon and juices
400ml port
1ltr stock
3 tablespoons flout

1) mix the flour into the juices and fry for a minute or two.

2) pour in the port and stock and reduce by about a 1/3-1/2

[Glaucus]

Zuppa Inglese with brandy snap basket and Christmas pudding ice cream
Zuppa Inglese

Pastry Cream
Ingredients:
4 cups whole milk
8 egg yolks and 1 egg
2 cups sugar
8tbsp plain flour
5oz(150g) dark chocolate
1 vanilla pod



1) cut a vanilla pod in half scope out he seeds and place with he milk in a sauce pan and bring to the boil.



2) mean while whisk the eggs and sugar together




3) add he flour to the mixture and whisk again



4) remove seed pod and pour the milk over the egg mixture whisking for your life (or electric whisk), return to the saucepan and bring to the boil. This needs constant whisking and remember to touch he bottom of the pan otherwise it will burn and it burns so incredibly easily.



5) melt the chocolate in a bowel over water(one water just starts to bubble turn heat off, too much heat will cause the chocolate to thicken and go grainy).



6) split the mixture and pour mix the chocolate into one of them.



7) cover and place in the frdge untill needed

Spounge
Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups "00" flour
1 cup potato starch (I couldn't find it so used plain flour)
10 eggs
8 egg yolks
4 1/2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt



1) Cream the eggs and sugar together




2) Sift the flour and salt in and whisk again

3) cook at 180°C in a greased cake tin






Brandy Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
good slug brandy

1) place sugar and water in a pan and reduce by half, remove from heat and cool
2) stir in a good slug of brandy.

Brandy snap basket

1/4 cup/50g unsalted butter
1/4 cup/55g caster sugar
1/4 cup/60g golden syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tbsp brandy
1 tsp lemon zest
1/4 cup/55g plain flour ( I recon it's 1.2 a cup)

1) Place the butter, caster sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan and place it over a moderate heat. Stir until the butter and golden syrup have melted and the sugar has dissolved.




2) Stir in the vanilla essence, ground ginger, brandy and lemon zest, and then gradually mix in the flour until well incorporated. Set the mixture aside for 15 minutes to cool and become firmer.


3) Place dollops on a greased non stick baking tray, leaving room for the to spread and bake for about 10minutes at 180c. I had to do trial and error, never made them before and the recipe I used was far to liquid and they just spread out everywhere with big holes in them.



4) remove from oven allow to cool for 1-2minutes, and mould over a ramekin or other suitable item. Once cool store in an air tight conatiner



Christmas pudding ice cream
600ml double cream
600ml single cream
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp sugar
1 vanilla pod

1) split the pod and scope out the seeds. Place all of it in the single cream and bring to he boil.
2) cream the egg and sugar together, remove he pod then pour the hot cream on top of the egg mixture, whisking continuously
3) return to he pan and bring back to the boil, continuously whisking.
4) allow the custard to fully cool
5) whisk the double cream to soft peaks, fold in the custard and place in your ice cream mixture. Alternatively place in a plastic container in the freezer and whisk with a fork every 20-30minutes till.




6) When it has thickened up but not set crumble the Christmas pudding in.




Assembly.
1) Cut the sponge into about 3mm thick rings, spread one ring with the rum syrup, then a layer of chocolate custard, then a layer of chocolate custard. Then another sponge circle, more brandy syrup and dust with icing sugar.

2) dip a kumquat in chocolate and place on the spon
ge stack.

3) take a brandy snap basket and fill with ice cream.

4) poor a little extra brandy syrup on the side

[Glaucus]

Mince Pies

Sweet shortcrust pastry
Ingredients:
360g Plain flour
210g butter
2 egg yolks
2tsp sugar
2-4tbsp cold water
pinch of salt



1) sift the flour and add the cubed butter, rub between finger tips until it resembles bread crumbs.



2) mix in the salt and sugar, then add the egg yolks and 2tbsp of water and mix to form a dough, but which is not to crumbly. Add more water as needed but be careful.



3) Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for at least 20 minuets before using





Mincemeat
Ingredients:
1 large brambly apple. Peeled, cored and grated
100g sultanas
200g Raisins
200g Mixed fruit
100g dried cranberries
100g mixed candid peel
100g glacéed cherrys diced
50g pecans diced
250ml run
100ml brandy
100ml calvados
1 orange zest + juice from 2 oranges
1 lemon zest and juice
2tsp mixed spice
1/2tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp ground cloves
1/2sp grated nutmeg
200g muscovado or dark brown sugar
100g suet.


1) mix all ingredients together except 150ml of the rum, calvados, brandy and the suet.
2) heat over a low heat for 30mins or until mos of the liquid has been absorbed.
3) allow to cool fully. Mix in the rest and sit aside for a few weeks. Alternatively bottle and keep for months. Check and stir occasionally adding more booze if it starts to dry out.









Assembly

1) Roll the pastry out to about 2-3mm thick. Grease an individual cake/muffin tin and line with pastry



2) fill each pastry case with mince meat, then coat the edge with egg white.



3) press he op on and cut excess off. Egg was the top, sprinkle with sugar and cut a hole in the centre




4) bake for about 20mins at 180c or until golden.

[Glaucus]

Cheese Board, wine and otherstuff

Port Salute, Blue Stilton Colston bassett, Brie de Meaux, Smoked Apllewood, cambozola, Morbier

[Glaucus]

Oh wow I wasn't sure what that sponge would be like. But it is sponge fingers. It's the oddest batter in the world and looks like slightly melted hargen daz. Burnt the first one, but lots can still be used, Luckily it amde a huge batch. Recipe said enough for 10people. i recon it's going to be more. there will be a lot of waste from cutting of he outsides and creating circles though

And how many eggs today .. that's 3 boxes of 12 gone already and I need a few more tomorrow.

[lostkat]

Really good choice with the starter imo. Very light, leaving you ready for a heavy main and dessert. Can't wait to see how it all turns out

[Glaucus]

Originally Posted by lostkat

Really good choice with the starter imo. Very light, leaving you ready for a heavy main and dessert. Can't wait to see how it all turns out

Thanks for the idea kind of, when you said gravlax I though of bruschetta.

[Glaucus]

Unfortunately like usually I forgot about the camera