Christmas dinner varied between my grandparents. My father’s parents traditionally served oyster stew; the stew accompanied thin slices of salty country ham that were sandwiched between hot-from-the-oven beaten biscuits.
To complete the meal and as a tribute to their Southern roots, my grandmother served green beans that had been cooked for hours in the essence from the country ham.
My mother’s parents served the customary Thanksgiving dinner menu for Christmas. When my parents hosted us five children and their parents, they served a Christmas menu that included variations on a few of the menu items that were traditionally served by their families with some “modern changes.”
One year mother served what became a family favorite; jumbo lumps of crab were folded into a creamy homemade bisque, and blue cheese dressing topped wedges of head lettuce. Perfectly seasoned roast beef accompanied creamy mashed potatoes, and colorful vegetable side dishes rounded out the meal.
I adopted portions of my grandparents’ and parents’ Christmas menus: seafood Newberg, baked or country ham, marinated beef tenderloin, rack of lamb, stuffed chicken breasts, Cornish game hens and crown roast of pork are some of the main menu items I have served over the years.
I’ll serve our family favorite this year for Christmas dinner, including my recipes for orange marmalade tomatoes and spinach gratin.
Whatever you decide to serve for your family Christmas dinner, these colorful (red and green) and festive side dishes complement almost any main dish.
ORANGE MARMALADE TOMATOES
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup onion, chopped
1 cup tomato juice
1/2 cup orange marmalade
1 teaspoon cinnamon
28-ounce can chopped tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350. In a sauté pan over moderate heat, melt butter and add curry powder, stir for a minute or so, add onion, and sauté for 5 minutes or until translucent, stirring often.
Add tomato juice, orange marmalade, cinnamon and tomatoes, bring mixture to a boil, and remove from heat; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Serves six.
Nutritional analysis: 140 calories, 4 grams total fat, 2 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 10 mgs cholesterol, 251 mgs sodium, 26 grams total carbohydrate, 3 grams dietary fiber, 3 grams protein, 14 grams sugar
SPINACH GRATIN
This spinach gratin can be prepared the morning you plan to serve it; it also doubles with perfect results. I prefer quick frozen spinach, as it thaws faster than boxed spinach, although boxed can be used with equal results. To easily remove excess water, remove spinach at least 8 hours prior to preparing this dish.
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups onions, sliced
16-ounce package quick frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup lowfat milk
2 eggs
3 tablespoons horseradish
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 350. In a medium skillet, over moderate heat, melt butter, add onions and sauté until translucent. Remove from heat, stir in spinach and combine until evenly distributed.
Spoon spinach/onion mixture into a lightly oiled 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl using a wire whisk, combine cream, milk, eggs, horseradish, salt and pepper and pour over spinach mixture. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine cheddar cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over gratin and bake an additional 25 minutes. Serves six.
Nutritional analysis: 299 calories, 20 grams total fat, 12 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 121 mgs cholesterol, 719 mgs sodium, 18 grams total carbohydrate, 4 grams dietary fiber, 13 grams protein, 6 grams sugar.
What to drink?
Depending on what you plan to serve, here are my favorite picks to serve with Christmas dinner.
» Non alcoholic: From R.W. Knudson’s vast new line of celebratory non-alcoholic beverages, pear and/or cranberry are festive (beautiful served in a champagne glass)
» Champagne: Laurent-Perrier Brut LP, $30 (NV)
» Red: Girardin Emotion de Terriors Bourgone Rouge, $22
» White: Saumaize Saint Vernan $20
» Rose: Inman Family Rose from the Russian River Valley, $22
Kerry Dunnington, food columnist and author of “This Book Cooks,” is passionate about food that reflects nutrition, color, balance, texture and variety of the season. She can be reached at [email protected].
