Food

Maybe Santa will bring you a micro plane....it is just a long thin grater.

That looks.... scary. Is it done yet?

Ah you got the recipe card I sent you?? Can’t wait to see the finished article

I butchered down today a goose today. Then made confit with the legs wings neck etc. It’s so rich and flavoured with allspice, juniper, bay leaves and orange zest.

Carcass roasted down with onion and carrot and then boiled for 90 mins to make stock for gravy tomorrow.

Breast was trimmed and scored and left out in fridge overnight to help the fat dry out a bit.

Red cabbage has been made.

So tomorrow it’s just prepare spuds for roasting, roast the breast. Sprouts with bacon and chestnuts (roast and add a bit of cream at the end) and a carrot puree.

Will make stuffing balls with sausage meat and prunes.

Most of the recipes are from the ginger pig Xmas book my little sister gave me in the run up to the festive period.

Will make loads of roast spuds and sprouts so I have an easy bubble and squeak for later in the week.

This meal was meant to be shared with my in-laws but MIL had a mastectomy on Tuesday so only got out of hospital yesterday and isn’t fit enough ti travel or endure me and my dogs.

Confit may be kept back for home made tagliatelle with mushrooms and goose.

Embarrassed to say my wife and I would demolish that between us, no leftovers.

Reverse sear and serve with bernaise

Potatoes. Red cabbage. Sprouts. Cauliflower Cheese. Parsnips. All prepped. Rib salted in fridge, turkey ready. Pigs in blankets to assemble. Cheat deserts, save for bread&butter pud. Wine sorted. Have a fantastic day all.

Looking forward to being able to find things in my fridge again…

Hate sprouts...

Wasn’t a big fan, but had some fabulous ones the other day, so aiming to emulate them this Xmas.

60 day dry aged rib roast set up.
Should have prepped more of the veg, going to storm through it with some family help after gifts.

Oven, steamer, air fryer, Instant pot and sous vide circulator all running at the same time most likely.

1 Attachment

So you are not worshipping baby cheeses.

Also like that the poles do Christmas Eve party, while the Italians do Christmas day ISH and presents on the sixth of Jan.

But every one means a Fugging long mass. If unlucky, a long Latin mass...you know the farther Ted thing of a long mass more time makes some feel like they have had a long mass. The ones with bells and smells are fucking tedious as a quoirboy (enforced) never mind the hard wooden seats.

I can taste the bitterness thing in sprouts, as an adult it is still there. Even with shallots and lardons, doesn't taste nice to me.

Or has the bitter thing been bred out, same as aubergine not needing to be salted.

Breakfast, I love this place.

1 Attachment

Not prepped anything apart from opening 3 bottles of wine, drunk some of each and tried a bit of all the cheeses.
Just the 2 of us and no set meal time so it will all get done and eaten sometime in the afternoon.
Looking forward to trying the porchetta from Proud Sow, not had it before.

Woke up to pics from my brother in NZ he's already won Christmas in our family.

3 Attachments

• VID-20231225-WA0000.mp4
• 
• 

Massive prawns, 5 times bigger than your British prawns, Stew!

Been bred out

6kg between 4. Should be enough, right?

1 Attachment

I fancied a change from trifle and did this tiramisu for Xmas lunch and it was a huge hit.
Really easy and good way to get rid of any leftover panettone. Strong recommend.
https://www.theguardian.com/food/2023/dec/16/yotam-ottolenghi-christmas-desserts-recipes-poached-pears-panna-cotta-tiramisu

Here's a really crappy picture of my christmas lunch in a bowl, it was so hot we had to eat in the front room in the air conditioning. The porchetta was great, stuffing was delish, the sprouts with chestnuts and roasties were the perfect accompaniment.

1 Attachment

I saw that the other day - tiramisu is our Christmas desert go to. How did the Pannetone hold up? I thought it might go totally soggy.

Will stick it on a rack at some point but I learnt a while back that disposable foil trays are the way forward at Xmas

1 Attachment

Any guesses on reverse sear timing for 6kg?

Thinking about 4 & 1/2 hours at 120 for an internal temp around 49/50 (going for just shy of medium) then resting for 30 mins then 10 mins at bastard hot to crisp the outside so basically 5 hours and 15 mins allowing for messing around.

11 start time for a 4.30 eat (including plating etc)

150⁰C as per our lord and saviour Kenji is taking some fucking time. 1.5 hours in and we're not even registering on the meat thermometer yet

2 Attachments

It was certainly softer than the sponge finger things but it wasn't mushy, even with the overnight fridge stay.
My dips were quicker than the recipe, and even though its texture isn't as nice as the classic the improved flavour more than made up for it.

I’ve got mine in at 70degrees

When are you eating? 8pm tomorrow 😅