Monday, January 6, 2025

Making Merry Meals

I hosted three family get togethers over the holiday season, ceebrating Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and ringing in the New Year.



Christmas Eve menu
Holiday Aperol Spritz
Devilled Christmas Eggs, Nuts, Cheese
Miso Soup
Frenched Lamb Rack chops, Roasted Cabbage, Minted Pea Mezze
Bliss Balls, Shortbread, Chocolate and liqueurs for dessert

For Christmas Eve dinner with Alex, Penny, Nora and Rob, I held the number of courses to four to avoid too much fuss. It was a delicious and unhurried meal. The Holiday Aperol Spritzes were made more festive with large fruited ice cubes. Party in a glass!
red miso

The soup course featured  hand crafted Miso Soup Ball from Ukiyo Life. Beautiful little works of art! I poured the individual servings at the table after placing them singly in each bowl. Alex and Penny received their own box among their Christmas presents. Delicious favour and striking presentation: dried daikon, spicy tofu, roasted sesame, red miso, white miso, wakame. I've since seen recipes online to make your own.

After tasting Mai Lis' easy roasted cabbage at the BPYC Book Club Christmas potluck, I added it to my own holiday table. Such carmelized flavour, and truly no fuss. A fabulous complement to roasted meat or veg, this is going into my regular meal rotation.

Dessert Bliss Balls were made with medjool dates, almond and tahini. No baking! Had I thought of it, I would have rolled them in rose powder, but desicated coconut helped them look like little snow balls. A virtuous alternative to the shortbreads.

Boxing Day 
Charcuterie
Prime Rib, Green Beans with Miso Butter Onions, Scalloped Potato, Homemade pickles (beets and yellow beans)
Persian Love Cake, Shortbread, Liqueurs

More guests on Boxing Day, with Dave, Therese, Leo, Emma, Amita, Twincy, Alex, Penny, Nora, Rob and I. We were rubbing elbows, for sure! Oops! Too bad, I forgot to take a photos. 

Most of the prep could be done before dinner so I could enjoy the company. Rob made the scalloped potatoes the day before so it was just a matter of reheating. We made Persian Love Cake the day before as well. 

Green Beans with Miso Butter Onions were a huge hit, such big umami flavour. 

I was happpy to learn my local butcher was open on Boxing Day, so went around the corner that morning to pick up a 3 lb roast. 

This method, Roasted and Reverse Seared Prime Rib from Serious Eats, will now be my 'go to' for cooking Prime Rib. Not only delicious but scrumptious.

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to lowest possible temperature setting, 150°F (66°C) or higher if necessary. (Some ovens cannot hold a temperature below 250°F/121°C.) Season roast generously with salt and pepper. Place roast, with fat cap up, on a V-rack set in a large roasting pan, or on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place in oven and cook until center of roast registers 120-125°F (49-52°C) on an instant-read thermometer for rare, 130°F (54°C) for medium-rare, or 135°F (57°C) for medium to medium-well. In a 150°F oven, this will take around 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 hours; in a 250°F oven, this will take 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
  2. Remove roast from oven and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Place in a warm spot in the kitchen and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 1/2 hours. Meanwhile, preheat oven to highest possible temperature setting, 500 to 550°F (260 to 288°C).
  3. Ten minutes before guests are ready to be served, remove foil, place roast back in hot oven, and cook until well-browned and crisp on the exterior, 6 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, carve, and serve immediately.
Full House! January New Year Celebration
Crudite & Charcuterie
Meat Lasagna, Vegetarian Quiche, Salad
Holiday Cookies

Wonderful to host a get together for those who could make it. Twenty! Dave & Therese & Leo & Emma; Mike & Karen & Sarah & Patrick; Al & Sue & Jessie & Jerod; Pat & Robin; Alex & Penny & Nora; Amita; Rob and me. It filled my heart with gladness to have so many I hold dear gathered for a happy occasion. I made a toast to Kathy and Mom in their absence.

Since we'd be crowded it had to be a meal easy enough to eat from your lap. Costco sure came in handy. I served in courses throughout the afternoon. 

Note the Christmas tree formation of the photos ;-)










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