Holiday Dinner-Main Course Question?

[schoolchef]

Just a question,
Okay. I have heard Turkey, Goose, Ham, Phasant, Duck, Roast Chicken, Roast Beef, and Fish! I know that various regions of the country may effect main course selections as well as religion, tradition, or how good the hunt went! What do you consider to be the most popular Holiday meal that is traditionally served over the Christmas Holiday? Very curious!!
schoolchef

[shroomgirl]

Beef Prime Rib, horseradish sauce <fresh horseradish and sour cream> I like mine med rare

[Isa]

Roasted duck either with apples or a l'orange, pommes Anna. Ultimate fantasy a croquembouche for dessert.

[schoolchef]

Amazing enough, we're getting a standing rib roast for the upcomming meal, and now that you've mentioned horseradish, I'll have to pick some up (forgot that on the list). Medium-rare is the only way to have it!. I had been in a conversation with my students about the "most popular" menu item for the holiday meal and Roast Beef was #1, and Baked Ham-#2 ("yea") but I was curious what other chefs were throwing on the feasting table!

Anybody doing venison? If so, how are you preparing it?

[chrose]

Every year we have an Xmas Eve candlelight dinner. Myself, my wife and now 11 year old son. He looks forward to this every year.
This year we are breaking a little from the past mostly because of the cost. We are then having a 2 bone Standing Rib Roast, with Truffled Risotto Milanese and Broccoli with Hollandaise. Dessert will be Chocolate mousse. Hey I've had a virtually fat free diet for the last 3 months! I'm going to town!) My second choice was Faison Souvaroff but I can't swing $30.00 a bird!
Xmas day we were going to have Duck A'L'orange with my favorite D'Artagnan duck but the store is sold out and I'm not paying $20.00 in shipping! So I guess we'll have ham and something else, not sure just yet what.
We'll have the Duck on New Years Eve with Wild Rice Dried Cherries and Toasted Almonds, Snow Peas and Frozen Mousse and Tuiles for dessert.
Can't wait!!!

[Jim]

Schoolchef,
I didn't see my invite in today's mail... must have got lost.
We don't really do dinner, per se, we do all the periphery stuff. Lots of fun little appetizers to get the kids involved... stuffed mushrooms, steamed mussles in beer (work well to get the kids off to bed!), skewered chicken kabobs (good kid food... just snap off the sharp tip!). Then, we finish with souffles. Double chocolate with crem anglaise was last year's. This year, we are doing black cherry-vanilla bean with a monster dollop of fresh whipped cream.
Chrose, the candlelight dinner sounds like a great tradition.

[schoolchef]

chrose,
That sounds like an awesome time! I never really did much with the duck thing, not that I don't like it, but my wife, whom I love very much , is kinda picky with her food and never ventures outside the "chicken & beef" box very much. We grew up on the water and I have an obnoxious love for seafood, but she doesn't which is fine. I'll just get it when we do the restraurant thing. I love to experiment with foods and play with the presentation thing often.

Jim,
Thats too bad, I was wondering why you guys never showed up! I thought is was my radical girls you didn't want your kids to be exposed to! I like the appetizer idea. I usually focus more on the main entree and stuff like that. I bought my wife a bunch of etched glass serving platters, bowls, relish trays, and some dessert platters for Christmas. I'll have to exercise my love for baking and pastries and start using the stuff. ( I always wanted to use that bouncing thing)

[chef1x]

In my family, it was always traditional to have the ol' glazed ham thing; they just plugged that in where the turkey was, etc. etc...
I think that's cause they all came from the midwest or something. It was pretty good actually until the invention of the Spiral Ham!!! I had a grandfather who took to that and it was downhill from there'
I did the whole prime rib roast with yorkshire pudding before which was fun to do from a chef's point of vi, but sooo much food, very decadent.
I'm doing a whole duck this year, but only because I happened to have the duck in the first place. I'm planning to prepare it in some sort of classic style, only because I wouldn't normally do that.
I think it's important, and fun, to always try something a little different. And with kids, I think it's great to get them involved and do some fun appetizers.
My GF is eastern european, so on Christmas Eve, she's making a mushroom soup and then some kind of pickled herring. She says it's somewhat traditional and I can't wait!!
Good Luck to you all!!

[schoolchef]

Spiraled Ham is awesome! (That was my wife's comment). I hear you on that it is pretty good. I miss that "solid ham" roast though. My wife and I went to Sweden, me being 75% Swedish, woke up to my relatives serving cold hard boiled eggs, pickled herring with onions, anchovie paste with those wasa crackers, plain yogurt, and toast as the norm. I actually enjoyed the different foods we were given, but my wife had a hard time. The herring was always good!

[Suzanne]

We don't make a big deal of Xmas, but I can't help wanting to do an especially nice dinner anyway. So I'm probably going to do one of our favorites: stuffed breast of veal (stuffed with, um, Pepperidge Farm enhanced with porcini and truffle oil), glazed carrots, spinach soufflé, and a lovely green salad. And a good sparkling wine to cut the richness.

I hope everyone has a great holiday, and good health to you and your families!

[schoolchef]

WOW! Veal sounds great. Hearing all these ideas gives me a new approach to the meal up-comming. I have to work around my mother-in-law's standing rib though (which I thank her for). I like the pommes anna, the glazed carrots, spinach sounds good, probably do a butternut squash, then steamed broccoli, for my little girls, and then something for dessert. I haven't really put much thought in that yet. I think I have some IQF raspberries in the freezer and some dark chocolate in the closet and I'll start there.
schoolchef

[Jim]

Thats too bad, I was wondering why you guys never showed up! I thought is was my radical girls you didn't want your kids to be exposed to!

We're eating @ 7pm, after the big one gets done singing in choir... stop by!!! Bring the ladies.

[chefboy2160]

shroomgirl , you get my vote . Prime Rib medium Rare . The only thing I like to add to this entree is twice baked potatoes and a lightly sauteed squash medly with fresh diced red peppers . A small caesar salad and a small cup of new england clam chowder really start the meal off nicely . Oh and dont forget the fresh baked bread with the best butter . Dessert ? Well Ive always killed em with a cheesecake but then who remembers after all this good food . Lets eat , Happy Holidays , Doug............

[chiffonade]

Originally posted by shroomgirl
Beef Prime Rib, horseradish sauce <fresh horseradish and sour cream> I like mine med rare

Add to this Yorkshire pudding. Prime rib and Yorkshire pudding go hand in hand in many regions.

Tamales are a big Christmas tradition amongst hispanics. Being of Italian descent, we enjoy the feast of the seven fishes on Christmas Eve. Christmas Day is of less consequence.