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Countdown

So the presents are all wrapped and under the tree. The house is vacuumed, dusted, and tidy. The tree is lovely and sparkling. The refrigerator is loaded to the gills with all sorts of good stuff. I have the Christmas Eve dinner planned and won’t have to start that much before 4:00. Christmas music is in the air, no matter which room we’re in. It doesn’t seem as if there is much left to do and nothing that requires attention for the next several hours. There are already three Christmas movies for later tonight. This is going to be a leisurely day.

Dinner shall be comprised of a 5.5 pound eye of round roast, fresh asparagus cooked tender crisp and drizzled with drawn butter and fresh squeezed lemon (served on a piping hot platter), mashed potatoes with sour cream and lots of cracked pepper, a green tossed salad with cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices, warmed French Bread, and, to finish it all off, freshly baked gingerbread topped with whipped cream and a side of vanilla ice cream.

I’ve been trying to decide how I want to cook the roast. It needs special treatment since the cut of meat is a little less tender, though more flavorful, than others. It wants slow roasting in order to achieve melt-in-your-mouth status. I think I’ll sear it first, then rub it down with crushed garlic, then sprinkle with kosher salt...place it on a rack in a shallow roasting pan, pour some red wine and beef broth into the bottom of the pan, and stick the whole thing in a 500 degree oven for about a half an hour, then reduce the heat to 200 degrees and let it continue cooking for about an hour and a half. That should get it to about medium rare. Then I’ll remove it to a platter and cover it for another 10 minutes so the juices reabsorb into the meat. It should, at that stage, be about 135 degrees on the inside and to die for tender. Then it’s slice and eat time.

Leftover roast, of which there will be plenty, to be thickly sliced for the best roast beef sandwiches ever. With a bit of mayo, fresh grated pepper, a dash of salt, enough lettuce to make it good and crunchy...and sour dough bread. Oh Yum.

Posted on 12/24/04 at 10:12 AM
 




Jennifer AKA Me

Sounds good to me. Wish I was there! I might just make hamburgers on the grill tonight lol. Tomorrow is ham dinner. Usually we like to have tamales or Italian. Not this year lol.

United States   Posted by Jennifer AKA Me on 12/24/04  at  02:06 PM





Linkmeister

Our normal is turkey Christmas Eve here and roast beast at my sister’s house Christmas Day, but she’s working today as is her daughter.  So it’s a block party in her neighborhood this evening and turkey tomorrow, with the roast beast in abeyance till New Year’s Day or Eve (I’m unsure which).

This shock to the routine is, um, unsettling. surprised

United States   Posted by Linkmeister on 12/24/04  at  02:58 PM





Jennifer AKA Me

LOL linkmeister. Ya, a little different holiday in my household this year too! I thrive on change and spontaneity, but don’t mess with my traditions! big surprise

United States   Posted by Jennifer AKA Me on 12/24/04  at  03:04 PM





steph

Gah!  Such food porn may make me stop being a vegetarian!

We had french fries for dinner tonight.  Tomorrow, mashed sweet potatoes with sage, roast vegetables (onions, carrots, bell peppers, and brussel sprouts, jerusalem artichoke and salsify from the garden), cranberries, stuffing with apples and walnuts, and a Christmas pudding I got at Sainsbury’s when we were in the UK in October which already has sherry and brandy in it and I’m going to flame with cognac.  I think that ought to do it.

Netherlands   Posted by steph on 12/24/04  at  03:32 PM





terrilynn

That sounds lovely.  Today is my birthday so mostly I’m having champagne, but there is a London broil on the grill as we speak, and who knows what else.  As long as I don’t have to cook it, it doesn’t much matter what else!

Happy Christmas to you and the lad.

United States   Posted by terrilynn on 12/24/04  at  05:42 PM





Lynn R.

Merry Christmas Kate smile

Canada   Posted by Lynn R. on 12/25/04  at  07:13 AM





Kate

Steph, a foodie is a foodie whether vegetarian or omnivore. Your Christmas dinner sounds quite tasty, ‘specially the part with the sherry, brandy, and cognac. As it turned out, I turned to the cognac last night, too, as I realized my red wine reserve was exactly one bottle and that was for my glass, not the cooking. Cognac turned out to be a worthy substitute in the composition of a delectable au jus.

Terrilynn—Happy Birthday! I hope it was a wonderful one! Champagne and London Broil? Oh yeah, bet it was! smile

Merry Christmas to you, too, Lynn. I can imagine the excitement around your place with a little guy’s eyes bright enough to make all kinds of Christmas magic. Joy to you and yours.

United States   Posted by Kate on 12/25/04  at  11:57 AM





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