Heston Blue-Mental

cheese_dave

cheese_dave

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I'm one of those people who are up their own backside about food. Just don't get me started. I'll happily spend way more than 40 mins of prep in the kitchen (I find it relaxes me). At the moment I'm trying to concoct a decent recipe for Christmas Dinner. It'll just be me and swmbo, so I can't do swan or albatross :p

In the past I've done a variety of unusual things, including my own multi-bird roast (partridge inside a mallard inside a chicken, all boned by myself - not that kind of "boned"). This year I think it'll be some sort of ballotine, guinea fowl if I can find it, with a stuffing of black pudding, prunes soaked in brandy, and... I dunno yet, I'm still experimenting. I've just reduced a huge pan of homemade chicken stock down to about 250ml for a gravy. I mean it's just bonkers.

Anyone got any plans for something out of the ordinary this Christmas dinner?
 
Dave, you are my hero.

Here's my little contribution: a digestif drink I call Best ’Un Blue Menthol

Ingredients

Red cabbage

Candyfloss (white if possible; candyfloss makers can be bought for use at home)

Sugar

Peppermint essential oil


Method

Boil or steam the red cabbage, which can used or discarded. You will need the cooking water, however, which should be a deep inky blue colour.

Allow this to cool but before doing so stir in some sugar (to taste).

Add peppermint essential oil, again to taste but approx 10 drops per pint as a guide.

Stir, decant to test tubes, top with candlyfloss “bung” and serve one test tube per diner.


Notes

Cabbage and peppermint both have properties with beneficial effects on the digestion so the aim is to serve this as a digestif at the end of a meal.

Option / alternative: use the large “coffee crystals” of sugar as well as or instead of normal sugar to sweeten; if so, they should be added when liquid has cooled and been decanted so they settle and sit at the bottom of the test tube.

The blue minty liquid should be sipped through the candyfloss “filter”, which will sweeten it. White candyfloss will be stained bright blue.
 
I'm your hero? With a post like that? I feel humbled, sir!

Also, BBQing sheep, that sounds great. I once BBQ'd some venison at New Year, but that was in Cheshire, man alive it was cold.
 
Well this year

The family are going away for Christams up to our nothern contingent. I will be looking after the dogs. I normally and always have spent Christmas with family but this year I am on my own + dogs.

Im really looking forward to it.. but I do need to think of a sad meal for one. I might just do a chilli, if i dont get invited round a friends.

will be a first for me!
 
Sorry Dave, we love to try new and wonderful recipes but this year (as usual) we're being very traditional. Delia Smith will feature quite strongly as we've been given her Christmas cook book.

When I was a student I was on my own at Christmas when a couple of mates came over in the afternoon to surprise me. We found a local takeaway that was open and had curry that evening. That's about as non-traditional as I get!! :hungrig
 
Tassie will be a little bit warmer than Cheshire over the festivities. I got informed yesterday that my father in law's mate is going to drop by, he has a fishing boat....the cray fish & oysters will go down a treat too.

I have had a bit of drama BBQing venison before. I found there is a fine line - a razors edge if you like- between nicely cooked and ruined. Due to a severe lack of fat i imagine.

Turduckens are readily available here in the southern US, $ 80 - 120.00 ea. I have never had one, it one thing on my to do list though...<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://homecooking.about.com/od/turkeyrecipes/ss/turduckensbs.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://homecooking.about.com/od/turkeyr ... kensbs.htm</a><!-- m --> They do turporkens too...
 
Does preformed chicken slice wrapped in a turkey twizzler stuffed into a chicken nugget count?

Ummm is there really any point to these multi bird roasts other than the novelty factor?

Wouldn't you have to cook them for an age anyway in which case they'd end up fairly dry?
 
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