Keith_W
Major Contributor
Since i'm in Australia, i'll start
I used to serve "northern hemisphere" Christmas food, but it is totally inappropriate down here. It is way too rich and warming for our summery Christmas. So for a few years now, I have changed my menu - lighter dishes but with festive spices.
Grilled fish head with saffron butter sauce. The fish head (Kingfish) was grilled over charcoal then put aside until dinner. Then it goes into the oven for 10 minutes to reheat. The sauce was made by infusing saffron into a butter emulsion, then add some finely diced shallots and herbs (tarragon, thyme, basil, parsley). A generous squeeze of lemon finishes the sauce. To make the butter emulsion, melt some butter with equal weight of water whilst whisking vigorously. It will split easily - so it needs a final whisk just before serving.
Duck Fat potatoes. Boil potatoes, toss in duck fat and salt. Roast twice.
Cherry Strudel. Pit some fresh cherries and halve them. Make the filling: 200g cream cheese, 60g sugar, 1 tsp vanilla bean essence, pinch of salt. If your cherries aren't sweet enough, add more sugar. Whisk everything together. Layer 10 sheets of Filo pastry, brush each sheet with butter which has been melted together with some sugar and cinnamon. Roll into a log, and place seam side down into an oven at 180C for 35 minutes. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream and drink with a glass of chilled Kirsch.
I used to serve "northern hemisphere" Christmas food, but it is totally inappropriate down here. It is way too rich and warming for our summery Christmas. So for a few years now, I have changed my menu - lighter dishes but with festive spices.
Grilled fish head with saffron butter sauce. The fish head (Kingfish) was grilled over charcoal then put aside until dinner. Then it goes into the oven for 10 minutes to reheat. The sauce was made by infusing saffron into a butter emulsion, then add some finely diced shallots and herbs (tarragon, thyme, basil, parsley). A generous squeeze of lemon finishes the sauce. To make the butter emulsion, melt some butter with equal weight of water whilst whisking vigorously. It will split easily - so it needs a final whisk just before serving.
Duck Fat potatoes. Boil potatoes, toss in duck fat and salt. Roast twice.
Cherry Strudel. Pit some fresh cherries and halve them. Make the filling: 200g cream cheese, 60g sugar, 1 tsp vanilla bean essence, pinch of salt. If your cherries aren't sweet enough, add more sugar. Whisk everything together. Layer 10 sheets of Filo pastry, brush each sheet with butter which has been melted together with some sugar and cinnamon. Roll into a log, and place seam side down into an oven at 180C for 35 minutes. Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream and drink with a glass of chilled Kirsch.