Tag: beef

Christmas turkey alternatives

If you’re getting a bit bored of the same old Christmas turkey, we’re got plenty of alternatives that will make a lovely main on the big day. Whether it’s a small duck or an extra large goose, there are plenty of other meats and vegetarian dishes that can take the place of the traditional festive bird.

We’re here to make Christmas as stress-free as possible and that includes making sure the main event – Christmas dinner – goes off without a hitch. It’s such a big part of Christmas day so there’s a lot of pressure to make sure it goes smoothly and that everyone is happy with the food choices you make.

We’ve rounded up loads of classic roast dinner main recipes which are sure to please the family. Succulent ham, tender beef or an earthy nut roast, our selection of turkey alternatives includes a great variety of different flavours and tastes that will suit veggies, meat-lovers, fussy eaters and of course the kids!

Don’t forget to save any of the recipes that you like in your very own Recipes Book. It’s the perfect way to keep all of your favourites recipes in one place, which is ideal for Christmas Day. You won’t have to spend ages searching for that delicious dish that caught your eye.

From all of the goodtoknow team, we hope you have a lovely – and delicious – Christmas!

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Holiday Recipes

The holiday season involves a number of luxuries, from nice gifts, to comfortable traditions, and, perhaps most importantly, food. It seems that, come Christmas, people go to great lengths to find new and appealing recipes with which to impress friends and families. To some, this can be as simple as looking into Christmas hampers from Marks & Spencer^[1], which often offer a number of specialty food and drinks; however, for others, it can mean learning how to cook and prepare exciting new dishes that go well with the holidays and can be enjoyed by a number of different people. For the latter type, there are a number of websites online that specialize in sharing holiday recipes.

One example of one of these helpful websites is epicurious.com, which has an interesting and broad selection of recipes specifically designed to go well with the holidays. For example, their porchetta dish offers an interesting alternative to the somewhat more traditional Christmas meat dishes of turkey or roast beef. The dish is pork based, and is prepared to offer a seasoned, almost crispy skin-on outer layer, with juicier meat at the center. This is a fantastic option as a centrepiece for any Christmas meal, or even for a different meal during the holiday season.

There are also a number of recipes listed on epicurious.com that are more geared toward desserts and holiday treats than main courses. For example, one of the most highly rated options on the website is a decadent-looking zeppole with chocolate sauce. Essentially, these are light, small powdered donuts that can be great to offer to a group of people. With a number of these in a bowl and a dish of chocolate sauce available, an entire group can enjoy a unique dessert together, which some find more appealing than indulging on different sorts of pies and cakes.

There are of course thousands of other recipes available online and indeed in cookbooks and kitchen advice publications all over the world. Due to the nature of the holiday season as a time of comfort and luxury, holiday recipes are an extremely popular topic in the world of culinary expertise. In fact, this is one of the most consistent portions of cooking, as the holidays come every year and many people – though they enjoy their traditions and like to stand by what’s good – never stop looking for the next great meal. All it takes is a little bit of research, and you can find this meal just about anywhere.

References

^{^} Marks & Spencer (www.marksandspencer.com)

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Swedish Meatballs and the Most Under Appreciated Celebrity Chef Ever

Whenever there’s a discussion about the history of celebrity
chef pop culture, one name is invariably left out, and this Swedish Meatballs
recipe served as a reminder of that sad fact. How anyone can talk about the
pioneers of food television without including the Swedish Chef from the Muppets
is beyond me.

His frenetic energy and charisma makes Gordon Ramsey seem
like a shrinking violet by comparison. His technique surpasses Emeril’s on
every level, and if we’re just talking catch phrases, how can you even begin to
compare “Yummo” to “Bork, Bork, Bork?”

Some use the excuse that he wasn’t actually real, that he
was just a bunch of stained, smelly fabric, wrapped around some dude’s hairy
forearm. Well, that may be true, but it goes beyond that. I believe there’s
been a systematic discrimination against Swedish chefs, which has made
advancing upward impossible. I call it the ice ceiling.

Do NOT forget the Lingonberry jam!

Anyway, in related news, these Swedish meatballs rocked!
Unlike most of the recipes I post here, I’ve had little experience with the
recipe, but was very happy with the results, except for one major issue, which
I mention in the video. I broke the cardinal rule of meatball making, and used
lean meat.

Not paying attention, I picked up a package of ground pork
that turned out to be 95% lean. The horror. I might as well have used tofu.
Nonetheless, I loved the flavor, but implore you to use regular ground beef,
and ground pork with a 75/25 lean-to-fat ratio. Do that, and you’ll be enjoying
a plate of meatballs even the world’s most under appreciated celebrity chef
would love. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 4 large portions:

For the meatballs:

2 tbsp butter

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup milk

2 large eggs

1/3 cup plain bread crumbs

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

pinch of cayenne

1 pound ground chuck

1 pound ground pork

*Note: you can always cook a little piece to taste for salt,
and adjust from there.

Brown meatballs in 425 degrees F. oven for about 20-25
minutes.

For the sauce:

2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp
all-purpose flour

3 1/4 cups beef broth

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper to taste