A Foodie Christmas Dinner Party

Menu

appetizer

Three Holiday Crostini Served with Bubbly:

Italian Truffle Cheese, Truffled Shiitake, Truffled Frisee
Cambozola, Cranberry Orange Relish, Walnut
Foie Gras Paté

dinner

Lori Lynn’s

Spicy Curried Butternut Squash Soup with Creme Fraiche
Garnished with Toasted Coconut, Chopped Cashews, Dried Pomegranate Arils

Gail’s

Bejeweled Endive Christmas Salad
Radish, Shallot, Basil, Fresh Pomegranate Seed
Creamy Champagne Thyme Vinaigrette

Lori Lynn’s

Roasted Cornish Game Hen
Meyer Lemon, Fennel, Olive, Garlic
Meyer Lemon Cream Fraiche “Gravy”

Pat’s

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Sally’s

Brussels Sprouts with Hollandaise

Lauren’s

Warm Chocolate Lava Cake
Peppermint Chip Ice Cream

A few days before Christmas I hosted A Foodie Christmas Dinner Party for my friends. Everyone was to bring a dish and wine. I had said that I would be making Cornish game hen and the rest of the menu was open. Without any formal planning, the menu evolved and the dinner turned out fabulous! My only direction was to let the cooks know what menu category was available. Since we are foodie friends that have been cooking together for years, it shouldn’t have surprised me that the random menu items complemented each other perfectly.

the appetizer

Paul, Gail, and Barry

Here are three delightful crostini to kick off any party which go great with sparkling wine…

Cambozola Cheese, Cranberry Orange Relish, Chopped Toasted Walnut

Italian Truffle Cheese, Truffle Oil Roasted Shiitake, Frisee Tossed with Truffle Oil
&
Foie Gras Paté on Toasted Bread Brushed with Olive Oil

the soup

The spicy curried butternut squash soup with creme fraiche was a perfect soup to begin the sit-down portion of the dinner. It is a wonderful winter soup, the small portion was full of flavor with a spicy finish from the cayenne. Garnished with toasted coconut, chopped cashews, and dried pomegranate arils made it fancy with an interesting texture. I posted this recipe a few days ago here.

the salad

This is an elegant Christmas salad with it’s bright red and green colors and jewel-like pomegranate seeds. Crunchy sliced endive and radish, with minced shallot and ribbons of fresh basil are tossed with a creamy Champagne vinaigrette and topped with fresh pomegranate arils.

the main course

Roasted Cornish game hen is a great main course for a party of 8 to 10 people. These hens were almost 2 lbs. each, so splitting them lengthwise made for a perfect portion. Thin slices of Meyer lemon are placed under the skin. Sliced fennel, smashed garlic cloves, assorted olives, thyme and Meyer lemon slices are placed in a roasting pan with the hens arranged on top. A drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper, then into the oven they go. One pan and seasonal ingredients equals a splendid full-flavored entree for a holiday crowd. I posted the full recipe yesterday here.

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Brussels Sprouts with Hollandaise

the dessert

Warm Chocolate Lava Cake
Peppermint Chip ice Cream

the wine

We thank Paul for bring both the 2002 and 2003 vintages of the luxurious Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Read more about this stellar winery  and these particular wines on my post earlier today here.

the festive table

with a wire Christmas tree centerpiece decorated with fruit, vegetable and foodie ornaments

wishing you the happiest of holidays

40 thoughts on “A Foodie Christmas Dinner Party”

  1. A lovely menu and such a warm and inviting setting (as always). The only thing that makes it better is sharing it with dear friends. Priceless.

    All the best to you in 2011.

  2. Wow, what a beautiful table you set and what delicious food was served! That sounds like quite the dinner party…How fun! And, Silver Oak cab? Lucky! That’s a favorite treat in our house 🙂 Happy holidays!

  3. What a fun evening and a delicious menu! I just made curried squash soup for the first time yesterday and I have to say I really liked it. The table setting is beautiful, too. Happy New Year!

  4. a fab evening, I love how the food all came together. the hot lava cake with peppermint ice cream is my fav, so festive and the tablescape..lovely! happy holidays!!

    sweetlife

  5. Beautiful! Table setting is lovely and foods look amazing. I had Christmas Eve dinner in much much smaller scale because just two of us but next year, I will copy most of in here. Thanks!

  6. It’s like being at a five-star restaurant – no better, because the atmosphere is even more welcoming at your place. I will be trying that cornish game hen recipe. Love the lemon beneath the skin idea.

  7. everything looks breathtaking.
    the table-setting, the menu, the food, the photos.
    thanks for sharing it with us.

    May this new year bring many opportunities to your way,
    to explore every joy of life
    &
    may your resolutions for the days ahead stay firm,
    turning all your dreams into reality
    and all your efforts into great achievements.
    Happy New Year to you & your loved ones.

  8. What a lovely and simply stunning menu, LL. I love all the truffle-infused dishes. Very nice. Hoping your Christmas was just a lovely.

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