ou have to prepare something that is not too heavy for the stomach since some people might be falling asleep soon. At the same time, the dish has to be good enough to take people through the rest of the night when merrymaking. This article focuses on some of the good choices for Christmas dinner you can go with.
- Roasted Duck
Very often, turkeys are associated with family gatherings like Christmas so it is not a wonder to find them on people’s dinner tables during Christmas. However, you can always break this norm with a whole duck. A whole duck is big enough to be shared by everyone present that evening. Since ducks are heavily marbled, first simmer it for about 45 minutes with some bits of vegetables and herbs to give it mouth-watering flavors. This also works by getting rid of the excess fats to keep your heart health in check. Then, roast the duck for another 30 minutes at 500℉ to make it crusty. Doing this helps reduce the remaining fats.
- Beef Wellington
Surprise your guests with a beef wrap and wait for compliments to start flowing when you gather at the dinner table. The best thing about this wrap is that the pastry provides you with massive energy while the beef inside offers you the much-needed protein to keep you energized throughout the fun-filled night of merry-making. To make this, sear the beef tenderloin then coat it with spicy and salty mustard. You then wrap the beef tenderloin in prosciutto spread with duxelles. These are made by mixing shallots, thyme, and mushrooms, and they are used to give the beef wellington wrap its flavors. Bake the wrap until golden brown to obtain a crusty skin. Let it cool off before serving with a favorite bottle of wine.
- Mini Potatoes with Chive Butter
Christmas evenings are frequented with a lot of merrymaking that includes some physical games. This means you will require many energy-rich foods to keep you going through the better part of the night. There is no better dish to give you the much-needed energy than mini potatoes with chive butter. To make this, begin by bringing your oven to 145℉ and slicing through your potatoes to at least a ¼ inch. Smear the potatoes in some oil then flake them with bits of salt and pepper before roasting them golden brown. About 55 minutes of roasting should give you that crusty golden brown feel on your potatoes that you can serve with a favorite juice or vegetables.
- Pineapple Glazed Ham
Ham is always a good choice for any gathering; and once glazed with pineapple, it will satisfy the taste buds. Bring your oven to the right temperatures, 325℉, so that you do not waste any time later. Remove the skin together with fats off your piece of ham and squeeze cloves all over. Then roast the ham for about 1 hour. As you do the roasting, you can prepare the glaze in the meantime. To do this, mix mustard, pineapple juice, and brown sugar and boil them to medium heat in a saucepan. Boil the glaze gently for about 30 minutes until it thickens then reduce by 50%. Using a meat brush, apply the glaze all over the ham and roast for 15 minutes. Repeat this process but this time roast for another 30 minutes to bring it to the desired doneness. Remove the ham from the oven and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing it into small pieces. Then serve with your favorite bottle of wine and vegetables.
The aforementioned Christmas dinner menu choices are easy to prepare. However, sometimes it gets tricky and tedious because you want enough time with family members and friends you have not have seen for quite a while. In this case, you can always hire a caterer to do the cooking while you have all the time you want by yourself. The best about it is that they will cook some great meals that will make your evening memorable.