Christmas Day 25th - Fettuccini …
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Slept in until the boyz wanted their breakfast at 7:30.
Lazy day. Spoke with my sister and BIL, and then my SIL in CA. (My nephew was still sleeping at 11:30 PST when she and I hung up, because…18yo).
Dinner was my standard: beef tenderloin with cognac cream sauce. Baby potatoes steamed and then roasted in duck fat in the convection oven simply seasoned with s/p and then topped with a half knob of butter, and pomegranate-ginger glazed carrots alongside.
A 2003 Barbera D’Asti Tre Vigne that I had forgotten about in my wine rack for the libation. The cork was too dry and broke but a fine mesh sieve and paper towel lining kept the cork bits that fell into the bottle from the glass. The wine was still good.
A mini Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake for dessert when I get around to dessert, and probably a pour of Cuarenta y Tres.
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Christmas Day lunch and dinner.
Oysters from Arcachon.
Tuna tartare with lumpfish caviar, soy sauce, wasabi, baby onion, dill, lime juice and olive oil
Guinea hen cooked with white wine, onion, thyme and chicken broth. Chanterelles cooked with duck fat, bacon and garlic. Pumpkin roasted with anise.
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Last night for Christmas Eve we made roasted turkey breast, cranberry-orange-hazelnut sauce, rice pilaf, green bean casserole, and a twist on William Sonoma’s winter slaw with cabbage, grapes, apples, arugula, and pepitas. Purchased dinner rolls on the side. Unfortunately the turkey had been frozen, thawed, refrozen, and thawed before cooking due to a change in our camping cooking plans at Thanksgiving. I found it tough and inedible despite sous vide cooking. The green bean casserole was the hit for the adults. The Rice-a-Roni jazzed up with currants, Spanish almonds, parsley, and lemon zest tasted of salty bullion - a foolhardy attempt to tempt the toddler. Brown butter chocolate chip cookies with pecans for dessert.
Tonight’s dinner redeemed us: sous vide seared leg of lamb (garlic, fresh rosemary, red wine jus), Parm Regg. papardelle, that cranberry sauce, popovers, Brussels sprouts hash with dried cherries, pistachios, and pomegranate arils, and an avocado and grapefruit salad garnished with mint and cilantro (CI) served over arugula. A nice Cali Pinot in our glasses, and a Negroni beforehand. Still nursing both. I started a new med and have mostly lost my appetite for food and drink - it’s super strange. There was also an underdone root veg gratin my DH made, which we finished cooking and saved for a later meal.
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Greek salad with lamb gyro, homemade pitas. Merry Christmas to all who celebrate. We don’t, so no traditional foods, but a fun baking project.
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We enjoyed an excellent charcuterie dinner mainly courtesy of D’Artagnan. We enjoyed duck and chicken leg confit, uncured applewood smoked and hickory smoked bacon, uncured applewood smoked heritage ham, smoked chicken, andouille sausage, chicken sausage with apples, roasted delicata squash, Humboldt fog cheese, drunken goat cheese, 60 day aged gruyere, onion focaccia bread, various crackers, caramelized onion jam, cranberry cherry cabernet conserve. It all went great with an excellent red blend. I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas under the circumstances.
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Christmas for two was quiet but relaxing, and doing the cooking myself ensured good food! I made two of the best dishes I think I’ve ever cooked - homemade egg pappardelle with Guinness-braised short rib ragù and crispy roasted pork belly with maple-fennel pollen glaze on a white bean and wild mushroom ragoût, with kale, garlic and sage.
I rolled the pasta to a 6 on my KA attachment and I would probably do a 5 next time with such a hearty sauce. Otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing!
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That lamb looks absolutely amazing!
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100% DH’s doing 
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Despite how this year has gone, we actually had a great Christmas. My friend joined us rather than travel to PA to attend a large family gathering that he normally does, and it was a nice change of pace. There was an endive salad and shrimp cocktail to start followed by my BFs honey glazed ham, a roasted chicken, garlic mashed potatoes, homemade buns, bacon Brussels Sprouts, stuffed mushrooms, and stuffed artichokes. Dessert was an assortment of cakes and cookies.
The cat was behaved today, enjoying his new house.
But he did get a cut on his nose from digging where he didn’t belong. Must have been overnight!
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Wow. What an extraordinary collection of Christmas Tree Ornaments.
Hope you are having a lovely holiday season.
All our best wishes to you and Mrs. P.
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Very nice and a change! Yum! Happy holidays!
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Your tree decorations especially the animals are nice, love that! Delicious meal as usual. Great selection of cheeses! Best wishes to you and family!
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Love especially the ham and the ham (cured)! 
Was it a Greek theme?
Enjoy your holidays and greetings to you and family.
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We don’t celebrate Christmas either but I decided to do something somewhat special for dinner anyway. Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese. Since we had no where to be I figured I could spend the 5 or so hours it needed (not that I have anywhere special to be most days). I planned on making fettuccini but Mr Bean preferred cavatappi. An easy switch to make him happy.
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The Iberian Air Dried Bellota (acorn fed) Aged Pata Negra (black foot) Ham … The hogs are raised on acorns.
No it was an international lunch of all our votes ! At my apartment we were legally able to have only six. So, my parents, my dear and me, and one set of grandparents.
The goat cheese is a type of Feta, which is prepared here in Empordà.
The Tenderloin roast of pork is Italian …
The rest of the family went to one of my son´s flats for lunch and stayed with their great grandsons.
The other son, went to his in-laws. But the kids wanted to be with their great grandparents.
Sort of a challenging time however, all worked out well.
We were a bit skeptical to have 10 when the law said 6 is legal number in house.
Have a lovely weekend.
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Here too, gathering should be limited to 6 adults, which led to a small scandal of the famous private dinner of Macron of 11 persons and the next day he was tested positive of Covid. Luckily none of his dinner mates got sick.
I will love to cook the Italian ham you’ve made, but will need more people for so much food!!
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We had a cozy Christmas dinner for three—that is, the two humans and one pooch in our household. My husband requested a simple menu to keep the day relaxing.
To start, we shared smoked tuna pate (improvised from pantry ingredients) and buttery Chalkidiki olives with a glass of Alsatian bubbles. (Pictured bottle was just okay.)
Our main was a pork roast stuffed with Prosciutto and provolone, marinated with herbs and olive oil. Our butcher prepares these roasts for cooking at home. Some call the preparation a “Capone roast” and it is something like porchetta.
For sides, we made buttery mashed yellow potatoes and a green salad of baby arugula, pomegranate arils, sliced pear, and glazed walnuts in balsamic vinaigrette. We uncorked an agreeable Chateauneuf du Pape to go with.
For dessert we had this picture-perfect cake made by a talented local baker. I admit my favorite part is the layer of mocha buttercream on the sides. I don’t love most frosting but I do love mocha frosting when done well.
Finally, a gratuitous picture of our pooch. She likes the silly Christmas sweater because she knows extra attention and treats will follow. Have I ever mentioned how much she looooves attention and treats?
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Thank you very much @Barca! You had a pretty sensational spread of food yourself! That porchetta looked outstanding.
I hope you and your family enjoy the holiday season.
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Thank you @naf! I have been salivating over your sensational meals over the past week.
I hope that you and your family enjoy the rest of the holiday season.
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