A plan to make cooking Christmas dinner easy
Award winning chocolatier and chef! More like chief cook and bottle washer, This year I am only feeding twelve but I’m aware of the fact that I need to feel in control at Christmas So I feel it is worth having a plan in writing just incase, here is a copy of mine,
(Click here for an idea on how much food to buy)
The week before (December 12-19)
Write a menu for Christmas Day. Include nibbles drinks and snacks. Remember any allergies and pet hates.
Buy the drinks, dry and tinned goods (Turkey if frozen).
Make a shopping list, dividing it into dairy/meat/ seafood/vegetable and sweet.
Don’t forget lemons and ice for the drinks, breakfast food and essentials like foil cling film freezer bags, candles and napkins.
Do a quick stock cupboard check of plates, glasses, napkins, cutlery and chairs, and borrow or buy extra on ebay if necessary.
The week (December 22rd)
Move the turkey from the freezer to the fridge to defrost, if it is frozen.
December 23 (Friday)
Buy the fresh food that you need from your list.
If you are making roast potatoes make them in advance – Just boil them as usual, drain and leave to cool. Open freeze on trays then store in plastic containers with the lid on in the freezer.
On Christmas day, spray them with oil season with salt and pepper and reheat in a hot oven for 30 minutes until crisp and golden.
Season the turkey well and put it in the fridge (use the veg drawer at the bottom if necessary, and store the veg in a covered box in the garage or shed.
Christmas Eve (Saturday)
Rinse the turkey and pat dry, cream some butter with a fork and push under the skin of the turkey. Put a whole onion, garlic and thyme inside. or underneth if like me your using a crown Put the turkey to back in the fridge.
Prep turkey tray veg (celery, carrots, garlic, onions and thyme), put in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Put the prawns in the fridge to thaw
Prep veg sprouts potatoes carrots parsnips
(Tip: you can make the stuffing, a week ahead and freeze; today just take them out of the freezer to defrost)
Christmas Day
For a 1.45pm sit-down, and a 5kg turkey
8am Take the turkey out of the fridge to help bring it to room temperature.
10am Put the oven on at its highest setting. Arrange the turkey on a roasting tray with the vegetables.
10.15am Put the turkey in the oven and turn the heat down to 180C/350F/gas 4. Get family members to lay the table.
10.30am Go your Christmas apron or jumper on.
11pm Get the Christmas pudding on to steam. The slow cooker is a good option 1/3/ fill with water put an upturn side plate on the bottom and stand the pudding in
Remove the foil from the turkey.
12.30pm Take the roasties from the freezer.
1pm Take the turkey out of the oven and leave it to rest. Turn the oven temperature up to 200C/400F/gas 6.
Make the gravy. Warm the plates
1.15pm Put the potatoes in to roast on a high shelf, make Dress the plates for the starters with salad and prawns or pate.
1.30pm Give the potatoes a shake. Put the stuffing covered in foil on a lower shelf to heat up. Put three pans of water on the stove season them and get the new potatoes, sprouts and carrots cooking.
1.45pm Sit down to lunch (checking the potatoes, and putting the sprouts to keep warm before you sit down).
2pm Serve up the turkey, gravy, sprouts, mash, and roast potatoes.
3pm-ish Move on to the pudding, and pour yourself a large drink and breath.
Christmas menu, 2022
|
Dish |
Served on |
Cutlery |
accompaniment |
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|
Starters |
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|
|
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|
Prawn cocktail |
Coupe dish |
T-spoon Fork |
Brown bread & butter |
|
|
Duck & orange Pate |
side plate |
Butter knife |
Hot breakfast toast & butter |
|
|
Main |
|
|
|
|
|
Turkey |
Dinner plates |
Knife & fork |
Cranberry sauce bread sauce |
|
|
sprouts |
Veg dish |
Serving spoon |
Melted butter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Carrots |
Veg dish |
Serving spoon |
|
|
|
Roast pots |
Veg dish |
Serving spoon |
|
|
|
New pots |
Veg dish |
Serving spoon |
|
|
|
stuffing |
Veg dish |
Serving spoon |
|
|
|
Gravy |
Jug |
|
|
|
|
Sweet |
|
|
|
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|
Christmas pudding |
Dessert bowls |
Spoon & fork |
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|
Brandy sauce |
jug |
|
|
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|
Cheese |
Wooden board |
Cheese knife |
Cheese biscuits Butter |
|
|
Coffee/ tea |
Tea pot /French press |
Cups t spoons |
Milk dinner mints mince pies milk sugar |
|
|
Wine/champagne |
glasses |
Cups t spoons |
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