By now your guests have had a nibble to whet their appetite, a libation to slake their thirst and are now leisurely relaxing in front of a roaring fire watching snowflakes gently falling from the afternoon sky while the aroma of pine cones, cinnamon and roasting turkey fill the air. Okay, that last bit could be purely fantasy, but I am the one writing this! More like the sounds of go team! or you idiot emanating from beyond as the football game plays in the background, and Aunt Sally is yelling at little Johnny to go see what his cousins are up to. Here’s where an Xbox or play station in a room far from the kitchen is desirable.
Now its time forge onward and start thinking about getting the actual meal underway and on the table. Quickly! Before the natives get restless and start poking around the kitchen trying to snag something and getting in your way. Not good.
So, to pull off this next act with a minimum of fuss here are a few simple rules for you to follow, making the reality of it all seem like child’s play.
1) Keep it Seasonal! No garnishing w/champagne grapes when their season is long over. Think of where you live and what’s available.
2) Keep it Simple! A dish that requires a 3 day lead time to buy, prep, assemble & finish is best left to a restaurant and its professional kitchen staff to do it justice. Make what you are familiar with. It is a recipe for success, not failure.
3) Keep it Clean! You do not need wasabi, chai, or sirrachi sauce muddling together on the plate. Do by all means taste ~ taste~ taste as you cook! Find a nice balance of flavours and stick with it. Keep your work space clean too! You will be grateful later.
4) Feel no Shame! Ever. If you know of a superb baker, go buy the artisanal wild yeast bread from him. Ditto a deli with sublime smoked salmon. If you have never made it, now is not the time. Save the kitchen “play-date” for a snowy winter day. Never be embarrassed to use a product that is as good, or better than your own. Trust me. Caterers do it all the time.
With this in mind, here we go. Starters can be a soup, salad or appetizer. I always make something that can be prepared in advance and put together with little or no effort in just minutes. Choose only one offering! Remember you still have a full meal ahead of you.
Think of what appeals to you and your tastes. You are the chef here! Recipes and plating techniques to follow.
Salad *
Fennel, blood orange, shaved red onion & smoked salmon over baby field greens with a simple light lemon vinaigrette.
Romaine Leaves w/small crunchy rye & pumpernickel croutons, shaved parmesan curls and homemade classic caesar dressing.
Baby spinach w/ roasted beets, crispy fried shallot rings, sprinkling of sun-dried cranberries, pecans & balsamic dressing.
Soup **
Tomato fennel soup w/dollop of kalamata olive tapenade.
Creamy roasted corn chowder w/ smoked bacon lardons & frizzled leeks.
Curried butternut squash, leek & apple soup w/ brunoise of caramelized squash & red apple.
Appetizer***
Wild mushroom & goat cheese phyllo w/port wine reduction.
Terrine de mousse of foie gras w/ toasted brioche & quince jam.
Feuilletee of white and green asparagus spears in a champagne veloute.
*Have all your salad mise en place at the ready, greens cleaned & kept chilled, dressings in a squirt bottle or bowl w/ large oval sauce spoon. Plates should be chilled. Assemble no more than 20 mins before sitting down at the table, dress the salads at the last-minute.
**Soups can be made the day before and warmed over low heat. Have the bowls warmed, ladle in soup & top w/ appropriate garnish.
***Appetizers can also be prepared almost to the point of completion the day before or the morning of with the exception of the terrine & jam. **** See note about both in recipe that will follow. Then it is only simply a matter of warming, plating & serving.
Eat well and enjoy for there is more yet to come.
Dear Vic/ Strawberrytoast:
Oh my. I am so hungry. Not only do your ideas sound wonderful, they are just the suggestions needed for this time of year. Holiday preparation is hectic ; you show a lovely path.
Thank you for the tweet recently. Please stay in touch,as will I …… as much as our crazy schedules permit. Thank you for the mention in your blogroll.
I will do the same on my blog. If you are so inclined to click on my google follow icon as a follower on the blog,I would totally appreciate it.
Let me know anything I might do to support you.
Very best regards
SAUCY
Hey Saucy!! U know I love your blog too. Will do so for the google follower too. Here’s to getting thru the holidays with our sanity intact! See ya on twitter. Take Care,
Vic