December 24, 2012 Christmas Eve Open House

December 24, 2012 Christmas Eve Open House

It is hard to do justice to the food at our open house.  This year we had seven cooks, so no one had to do more than three or four dishes, so it was a breeze for all the cooks. 

Here is the menu

Billy, made Florence's Texas chili con carne with posole
Baked ham: bob
Salmon: bob
Squash casserole with three types of squash, celeriac and whipped potatoes and topped with chunk of pinon nuts and Pecorino Romano cheese: Suzette
Roasted baby eggplants with tossed with garlic, parsley and capers: Rebecca
Green bean salad with sliced mushrooms: Elaine
Roasted asparagus: bob and Suzetteb

Israeli Couscous salad with red peppers: Rebecca/Elaine
Corn pudding: bill
Cheese plate: bob  The cheeses this year were Leyden, Brie, Huntsman (English with layers of stilton and cheddar), Swiss Gruyere, Irish Cheddar, French Roquefort, and California Goat Cheese.

We also served chunks of Lebanon Bologna sent to us by Suzette’s parents.

Cynthia Elliott made Cranberry Chutney, but could not make the party due to a cold, but Ricardo came and it was great to see him. 

Suzette also made a cranberry sauce, green tomato chutney, and a cranberry and cherry mayonnaise for the ham.

Our neighbors Ed Johnson and Michele Varner, who live in Santiago, Chile and Mississippi respectively but who have a condo in the Park Plaza tower came and cooked.  Michele brought in fresh eggs from their farm in Mississippi and made deviled eggs garnished with a spicy crawfish and Ed made chicken live paté. 

I made my usual gravad lax with a dill and mint flavored tzatziki sauce and the more traditional Swedish salmon sauce with dill.

I also made mulled red wine with herbs and lemon juice and used the mulling herbs to also mull some apple juice for children and non-alcohol drinkers to drink.

We also served some steamed tamales to go with the chili.

For desserts:  Elaine brought white and black decorated cookies with intricate designs and also sliced apples and pears into thin slices

 Suzette made one of her amazing Candied Quince and Pear tart that was the first dessert to be eaten.

 I made my chocolate baked pudding with crème anglaise pouring custard.  Jill Duval brought a wonderful orange cake and Lucy brought chocolate bars.

 

We also offered red wine and beer to those who did not want the mulled wine and at 10:30 we opened a bottle of Argyle Brut champagne to toast Michele and Ed’s anniversary.

Finally, we went for a walk and when we returned around 11:15 Willy and about fifteen of his friends had arrived and they did a good job of finishing off most of the food.

 

Bon Noel