The preparation of the holiday feast can be the highlight of a dedicated cook’s Christmas. Or it can plunge a frazzled host into the depths of anguish and anxiety.
Trying to cook too much elaborate food in too little time can be a recipe for disaster —something that can be made more acute when working in the cottage kitchen. While some cottages are decked out with kitchens any chef would envy, others provide less than ideal circumstances.
Muskoka Lakes cottager and Chatelaine magazine’s food editor-at-large Monda Rosenberg comes to the rescue with some make-ahead recipes that pare down a few of the seemingly countless tasks required to prepare the feast of feasts.
Organization is the key to success. Follow these time guidelines to get a head start on preparations.
Three weeks ahead: Invite guests and ask for confirmation, begin decorating plans, launder linens and review recipes to begin shopping for non-perishable items. Order the turkey or roast.
Two weeks ahead: Order flowers and decorative greenery for pickup or delivery the day before dinner. Make a list of cooking and serving utensils required and make wine purchases.
One week ahead: Clean house and finish all decorating other than the arrangement and placement of flowers. Prepare snacking food such as marinated olives or spiced nuts.
Two days ahead: Shop for perishables, polish silver and set the dinner table.
One day ahead: Pick up and arrange flowers. Prepare make-ahead items like Monda’s Strata and Ice Cream Fruit Cake.
Feast day: Check the timing of recipes and begin as soon as possible so much is done before guests arrive.
Stuffing Inspired Strata
From Chatelaine’s food editor-at-large, Monda Rosenberg. This side dish can also satisfy the hunger of the vegetarians on your guest list.
8 to 10 slices multi grain bread
1 to 2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 small white onions, sliced
1 tbsp butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
3 cups finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped carrots
6 sliced green onions
2 tsp crumbled dried sage leaves
1-1/2 tsp dried savory
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
3-1/2 cups homogenized milk
7 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
Spread bread out on counter to dry. Do not remove crusts.
Heat oil in a large frying pan set over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened. Add butter to melt, then mushrooms, celery, carrots, green onions and seasonings; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add sherry and stir until absorbed.
Arrange a layer of bread slices in a buttered 9x13-inch baking dish, cutting to fit if necessary. Press down to flatten. Spread half of vegetable mixture over top. Sprinkle with half of cheese. Cover with a second layer of bread slices. Press down again. Spread with remaining vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Firmly press down.
Whisk milk with eggs and salt. Pour evenly over bread and cheese mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours or preferably overnight.
To bake, preheat oven to 325 F. Take cold strata from the refrigerator and remove wrap. If roasting turkey, place strata in oven below the roasting turkey. Bake until golden and centre is set when jiggled, about 1-1/2 hours. Let sit 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced green onions.
Ice Cream Fruitcake
Monda’s version of traditional Christmas fruitcake with a cool twist became one of her most requested holiday recipes.
1/2 cup glacé mix
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup brandy, cognac or rum
2 L container French vanilla ice cream, about 8 cups
35 to 40 medium-size gingersnap cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted
10 oz pkg frozen unsweetened raspberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 pint fresh raspberries
In a small bowl, stir glacé mix and raisins with brandy. Cover and leave at room temperature overnight. Or place in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on medium until warm, 1 minute. Place ice cream in a large bowl and cut into 8 pieces. Let stand at room temperature, occasionally mashing with a wooden spoon, until soft enough to stir, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, place cookies in a food processor. Pulse until fine crumbs form. Crumbs should measure about 2 cups. Turn into a medium-size bowl. Using a fork, stir in butter until evenly moist. Press over bottom of a 9-inch springform pan.
As soon as ice cream is soft enough, stir in glacé mixture and any unabsorbed brandy, frozen raspberries and pecans. Spoon over crust. Gently press ice cream down and evenly spread over crust. Smooth top.
Cover top with plastic wrap. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight, or up to 1 month. Overwrap with foil if freezing fruitcake more than a day.
To serve, remove ring from springform pan and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Arrange fresh raspberries on top. Cut into wedges and serve. Great with store-bought raspberry sauce or Sherried Berry Sauce.
Makes 8 to 10 wedges.
Sherried Berry Sauce
1 cup sliced strawberries
1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
3 tbsp sweet sherry
2 tsp granulated sugar
In a food processor, whirl strawberries with raspberries until puréed. Whirl in sweet sherry and granulated sugar. Using the back of a spoon, press purée through a sieve. Discard seeds. Drizzle over ice cream or cheesecake.
Makes 1 cup.
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