The Christmas Cooking Thread

Yikes just noticed it's nearly Christmas. Also just noticed this from the NHS

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Healthychristmas/Pages/cooking-turkey.aspx

Which means that IF you have an 8Kg frozen Turkey you need to start defrosting it in the fridge TODAY!

Anyway, think we will need a Good idea cookery thread for the build - up.

Stick the good ideas up here, Mulled Wine recipe's, what you're doing with your Sloe Gin etc...

What the best herbs are for toasting skates over an open fire

Roast Spuds:

Use King Edwards or Maris Piper, peel and cut to about the size of an egg.

Parboil for about 8 minutes, drain and give them a shake to roughen them.

Pre-heat (gas mark 7) a roasting tin containing goose-fat or lard (do not use cooking oil).

Pop them in the tin with a bit of thyme, baste them and cook for 40-45 minutes, giving them a turn halfway through.

Serve straight away - crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside - delicious.

Roast Spuds:

 

Use King Edwards or Maris Piper, peel and cut to about the size of an egg.

 

Parboil for about 8 minutes, drain and give them a shake to roughen them.

 

Pre-heat (gas mark 7) a roasting tin containing goose-fat or lard (do not use cooking oil).

 

Pop them in the tin with a bit of thyme, baste them and cook for 40-45 minutes, giving them a turn halfway through.

 

Serve straight away - crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside - delicious.

Butter, Lard or Oil though?

Always used Lard but that is like 10 times more expensive than butter down here so we switched

Roast Dinner recipe :

Take a leisurely stroll to Morrisons on Xmas Eve.

Pick up leg of lamb from the butcher.

Stroll home.

Put lamb in fridge and allow to cool for 24 hours.

Wake up Mrs WSS on Xmas day - if the kids haven't already done this.

Remind Mrs WSS what time dinner should be ready - about 3pm would be nice.

Plonk fat arse on the sofa and watch a lovely xmassy movie.

As if by magic the dinner apears on dining table.

Not sure how else it can be done to be honest

Can anyone give me any tips on making gravy with gravy powder with the meat juice.

I just cant get it right

Cheers

What the best herbs are for toasting skates over an open fire

Thyme is very important, but they dont have any

Can anyone give me any tips on making gravy with gravy powder with the meat juice.

 

I just cant get it right

 

Cheers

Blend the gravy powder with the meat juices and then slowly add water. I always used to use the drained water from cooking the spuds.

You can get extremely tasty ready made gravy these days.

Can anyone give me any tips on making gravy with gravy powder with the meat juice.

 

I just cant get it right

 

Cheers

Remove the meat from the baking tray/pot

add 1/2 pint boiling water and heat the tray on the hob and get as much brown sticky stuff off the pot and into the liquid

pour into a jug and allow to settle

spoon off most of the fat and any burnt bits.

taste it! add extra stock cube or granuals (beef, chicken, lamb, and make up to required quantity/taste,

thicken with corn flour if required (this requires returing to the boil to cook the cornflour)

you can add salt and pepper, or dark soy sauce to beef gravy.

Can anyone give me any tips on making gravy with gravy powder with the meat juice.

 

I just cant get it right

 

Cheers

Being a lazy so and so use Bisto GRANULES, not the powder. (Well tbh have never SEEN the gravy powder down here until this week in local supermarket where we now have a choice of about 6 types of Waitrose Finest/whatevers)

Pour the Meat Juice in the Measuring Jug first

Then Pour Boiling Water in the measuring jug (I use Veg water & boiled water about 60:40).

Then sprinkle one teaspoon of granules at a time while stirring with your other hand - stops the lumps.

Leave to thicken for a few moments and add any more meat juices that you can gather up after carving, quick final stir and voila. Ain't gourmet but it works

My turn - cannot find ANY Bread Sauce mixes - anyone got a winning recipe? Or am I back off to Casa Google?

My turn - cannot find ANY Bread Sauce mixes - anyone got a winning recipe? Or am I back off to Casa Google?

Known as "Gareth Google" in chez pap.

Yikes just noticed it's nearly Christmas. Also just noticed this from the NHS

 

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Healthychristmas/Pages/cooking-turkey.aspx

 

Which means that IF you have an 8Kg frozen Turkey you need to start defrosting it in the fridge TODAY!

 

Anyway, think we will need a Good idea cookery thread for the build - up.

 

Stick the good ideas up here, Mulled Wine recipe's, what you're doing with your Sloe Gin etc...

 

What the best herbs are for toasting skates over an open fire

Surely you have servants to do this for you whilst you play golf with the Emperor of Kuwait?

Surely you have servants to do this for you whilst you play golf with the Emperor of Kuwait?

Of course he does silly, he is just trying to see what it's like to be a peasant like us lot :lol:

Surely you have servants to do this for you whilst you play golf with the Emperor of Kuwait?

Yeah of course. We all have them.

Down side is she's from Sri Lanka and after 18 years I am REALLY getting fed up having curry for lunch & dinner EVERY day & really thought I'd try and get some new ideas. I learnt yesterday that you have to defrost a Turkey, but haven't found a Roast setting on the microwave yet, so that's bugging me.

Once I get the recipes, I'll start a thread asking how to switch my cooker on, followed by how do you do the washing up? Apparently someone on facebook told me I am supposed to add water to the washing-up liquid. WTF is that all about?

Might even see if I can work out how to wash my car tomorrow.

Yeah of course. We all have them.

 

Down side is she's from Sri Lanka and after 18 years I am REALLY getting fed up having curry for lunch & dinner EVERY day & really thought I'd try and get some new ideas. I learnt yesterday that you have to defrost a Turkey, but haven't found a Roast setting on the microwave yet, so that's bugging me.

 

Once I get the recipes, I'll start a thread asking how to switch my cooker on, followed by how do you do the washing up? Apparently someone on facebook told me I am supposed to add water to the washing-up liquid. WTF is that all about?

 

Might even see if I can work out how to wash my car tomorrow.

You need a new servant (s) why do this when a man in your position can get someone to do it for them?