Christmas / Holiday Cooking

[Chickie]

It would be interesting to know what traditional recipes are made in the Lakes Region at this time of year. As so many French Canadians migrated to the Laconia area to work in the mills, I think Christmas means meat pies in a lot of homes even today. Does anyone carry on other traditions from recipes handed down from their ancestors? What about plum and figgy pudding from the U.K. or honored Christmas recipes from Germany and Sweden - foods in the Jewish tradition for Hanukkah? All loaded with sugar and cholesterol without a doubt, but who's counting? I am making caramels this morning from a recipe which has been in my family for years.

[Argie's Wife]

Makes 8 servings. Tourtiere is a pie that French Canadians traditionally serve following midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

FILLING:
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
(I use 1/8 tsp of allspice and a dash of cayenne - I like it a little spicier...)

EGG PASTRY:
2/3 c. plus 2 tbsp. shortening
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 to 3 tbsp. cold water

To prepare filling, heat all Filling ingredients to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until meat is light brown but still moist, about 5 minutes. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, to prepare Egg Pastry, cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas. Mix together egg and 2 tablespoons water. Sir into flour mixture until flour is moistened (add remaining tablespoon water if needed). Gather pastry into a ball. Divide into halves and shape into 2 flattened rounds. Place one round on lightly floured cloth covered board. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate with floured stockinet covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into quarters. Unfold and ease into plate. turn Filling into pastry lined pie plate. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate. Roll other round of pastry. Fold into quarters. Cut slits so steam can escape. Place over filling and unfold. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under.

[Argie's Wife]

I grew up in Southern Maine and tourtieres were like the Franco-American fruit cake. Everyone had one; everyone made or gave several; but the difference is that people ate them! My hometown is very Franco-American, so this was a norm for us...

Hubby's family is Greek, so we often have Greek-style cookies and pastries at Christmas. We make a kick-butt baklava and get requests each year for it.

My family is about as Anglo as they come... we have a rib roast, plum pudding (which is to die for with a lemon curd sauce), and sometime Yorkshire pudding, if there's enough fat on the roast to make one. (Brits love their fat; plum pudding is made with suet!) My mother even has the proper mold for making a plum pudding...





Your post has inspired me to make a tourtiere today... hmmmm.....

[RI Swamp Yankee]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

.... We make a kick-butt baklava .....

That did it ... getting in the car now heading for Alton ...

[jkjoshuatree]

Originally Posted by RI Swamp Yankee

That did it ... getting in the car now heading for Alton ...

RI Swamp...swing by and pick me up on the way!!!

[riverat]

Love Tourtiere, best memories of my young days was the excitement of Christmas Eve, Midnight Mass and Tourtiere and opening 1 present before bed. Ahhh.. I can almost smell them cooking now.

[Waterbaby]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Tourtiere is a pie that French Canadians traditionally serve following midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

Thanks so much for posting the tourtiere recipe! I was going to look one up after reading Chickie's post -- almost bought a pork pie at Market Basket yesterday, but it's not as good as the homemade. And now I need to go back to Market Basket for the ingredients................ lol.

[Chickie]

It seems there are as many ways to make tourtiere as there are people who make them. My grandmother's recipe calls for a combination of ground pork, hamburg, mashed potatoes and onion - the spices are cinnamon and cloves. An aunt on my father's side of the family used only sage, no other spices, and I believe that is how her mother made them. Someone else I know makes it with just ground pork, onions and salt/pepper. To me that is pork pie, not tourtiere and too bland for my taste.

A.W.: Your egg pasty sounds intriguing. Never have heard of that before, but you can bet your bottom dollar I will try it. Does it roll out easily? The egg must make for a nice flaky crust.

Baklava! I love that stuff! Found some made commercially at Hannaford's last year and picked up a package. What a disappointment. Nothing like the one I bought at a local church fair a few years ago.
That plum pudding is beautiful. How long do you have to steam them?

[Argie's Wife]

The egg pastry rolls out fairly easily - I usually use a regular pie crust recipe only because I make awesome piecrust (not bragging; I'm not a top notch cook like my mom, but that's one thing I do very well!)

There's several secrets to a flaky crust:
1. Don't over-work the dough when you're cutting in your shortening or lard - when it gets to the size of a big pea, STOP cutting.
2. When you add your water to the crust mix, use ice water - the colder, the better.
3. Handle a pie crust dough as little as possible. The more you roll, kneed, shape, etc., the tougher it will become.
4. And did I say not to handle the dough too much?

And use good flour; King Arthur is the best, in my opinion.

My baklava recipe comes from one of the ladies who makes it for the Greek Orthodox Church here in Laconia. We've modified it by using less walnuts, more pistachios and a little roasted almonds, and we use fresh Clementine juice in the syrup. We mix and chill the syrup first, then make the baklava. Cold syrup is poured over HOT baklava - and you should hear it crackle! That's the secret to sweet, not watery and too sticky, pastry.

Finally, the plum pudding has to steam for several hours; I think it's four or five hours. I'll ask my mom the next time I talk with her. She made a bourbon sauce, I believe, last year and lit the pudding on fire to burn off the alcohol - it was beautiful! It burns in a blue flame and was so elegant looking. The taste is outta this world; I don't have the vocabulary to describe it other than wonderful!

[Sunrise Point]

AW, would you share your recipe for baklava? I would love to try to make some this year.

I worked for several years with a woman who used rosewater as part of the syrup. She told me that it was the Lebanese way to do it. I like the idea of fresh clementine juice...yum.

thanks!

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by Sunrise Point

AW, would you share your recipe for baklava? I would love to try to make some this year.

I worked for several years with a woman who used rosewater as part of the syrup. She told me that it was the Lebanese way to do it. I like the idea of fresh clementine juice...yum.

thanks!

...let me ask permission first, please...

If you've ever upset a Yia Yia, you'd understand.

[Chickie]

I can attest to how good the Baklava from the Greek church in Laconia was. It was where I got my first taste of that delicacy and it was out-of-this-world good. I haven't been to their fair for the past couple years, but if I go again, it will be the first table I'll hit in case they run out. I think it is too involved and labor intensive for my culinary skills, so I will wait and let the experts rule.

[SIKSUKR]

Not sure how many will like our family tradition but here goes. We have had an ongoing family X-mas party going since the late 1800's and next Saturday will be like 120 years or so. Being of German heritage I am always in charge of bringing the Kielbasa, usually around 12 lbs. But here's the staple and it's always been at the table for my 50+ years. Raw meat sandwiches. We take very lean top round beef and grind it like hamburg. It is applied about a 1/2 inch thick on rye bread and topped with sliced red onions and salt and pepper. We all love it but it fun to watch the newbees to the family reactions.

[Jersey Bob]

Siksukr,

Isn't the name for the raw meat sandwich sound sound something like "rawhock"?
My FIL used to go to a tavern down here that served them. They stopped serving them years ago, for obvious reasons.
Just be sure of the source of your beef and ENJOY.
I've been known to partake myself.

JB

[Argie's Wife]

Originally Posted by SIKSUKR

Not sure how many will like our family tradition but here goes. We have had an ongoing family X-mas party going since the late 1800's and next Saturday will be like 120 years or so. Being of German heritage I am always in charge of bringing the Kielbasa, usually around 12 lbs. But here's the staple and it's always been at the table for my 50+ years. Raw meat sandwiches. We take very lean top round beef and grind it like hamburg. It is applied about a 1/2 inch thick on rye bread and topped with sliced red onions and salt and pepper. We all love it but it fun to watch the newbees to the family reactions.

Don't the French have something like that called 'steak tartare'?

[ghfromaltonbay]

The German version of steak tartare is called Gehacktes or Gehacktes Bifstek. We make our own for obvious reasons by putting round steak thru the Kitchen Aid meat grinder twice and then mixing in finely diced onion, a raw egg and parsley. This delicacy is great on German dark bread with lots of salt and pepper and a great big glass of cold beer! If there are any leftovers, this meat mixture then makes a great juicy hamburger.

[SIKSUKR]

Two things here. First my family owned and operated a meat processing plant in Manchester for 30 years and I purchased and formulated all the products for 15 so I have quite a bit of background in the field. I would not suggest using store bought hamburg having too many opportunities for contamination. I always buy a top round of beef. The less contact from unknown knives and grinders the safer. I trim every possible visible fat with a sterile knife. It is then ground with my sterile grinder. Very safe this way. Lastly, I must disagree with GH as this makes a terrible hamburger in my opinion because it is too lean. As much as we like to condemn fat, it is the flavor we cravor!

[Sal]

Mama's Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
¾ cup unseasoned bread-crumbs
¼ cup grated parm cheese (best you can find)
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 ½ tsp. minced garlic
3 eggs
Salt and pepper

Mix all together

Roll into balls (about 15)

Place in oven @ 500 degrees, bake about 10 min.

Throw into tomato sauce … simmer, the longer, the better.

[SteveA]

From the "bosses" side of the family, Swedish Meatballs, and something called Glögg. Something like a Swedish Molotov Cocktail, I'm sure it was flammable.
They told me how it was made, but I had a few glasses of it... and can't remember.

The Swedish traditional meals at Christmas were heavy with all sorts of seafood. Fantastic!

[riverat]

Originally Posted by SteveA

From the "bosses" side of the family, Swedish Meatballs, and something called Glögg. Something like a Swedish Molotov Cocktail, I'm sure it was flammable.
They told me how it was made, but I had a few glasses of it... and can't remember.

The Swedish traditional meals at Christmas were heavy with all sorts of seafood. Fantastic!

I too had Glogg once but as you, it is a faint memorie must be good stuff.

[Chickie]

If there is anyone who doesn't have the time or inclination to make meat pies, I understand Sacred Heart Church in Laconia has some available. The parishioners made an over abundance for their Christmas fair and those which were not sold were placed in the freezer immediately afterwards. They are on sale this week. Call the church office week days at 524-9609 for details.

[Rag Top Daze]

For many years (at least 50, probably more) my mother made blueberry steamed pudding for Thanksgiving and Christmas. She hasn't made it for at least 15 years, so I decided maybe it's time for me to learn to make it while my mother is still around to critique (she'll be 90 in February). I remember her making it in a large coffee can, but she gave me a mold, like the one Argie's Wife pictured in her post, when I was there for Thanksgiving. Thursday is the day that I will attempt to follow the recipe my mother wrote many many years ago that has a line that says "add lard 2/3 as big as an egg"...wish me luck

[John A. Birdsall]

My mother said I should be on a diet. I have read this thread three times and must have gained 15 lbs just thinking about these yummy treats.

[Gearhead]

German food is some of the best stuff, but it's about the worst for you.

My family's Pennsylvania German, and for New Years Day we always had roast pork and Sauerkraut. We called the raw hamburg thing Hackfleisch; I think that's how it's spelled. Never tried it but I suppose it would be alright if Grandma added enough horseradish. That would kill off the bacteria.

My wife makes Linzertorte. You haven't had dessert until you've had Linzertorte.

[sa meredith]

Originally Posted by Argie's Wife

Makes 8 servings. Tourtiere is a pie that French Canadians traditionally serve following midnight Mass on Christmas Eve.

FILLING:
1 lb. ground pork
1/2 lb. ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/4 tsp. ground sage
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
(I use 1/8 tsp of allspice and a dash of cayenne - I like it a little spicier...)

EGG PASTRY:
2/3 c. plus 2 tbsp. shortening
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
2 to 3 tbsp. cold water

To prepare filling, heat all Filling ingredients to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until meat is light brown but still moist, about 5 minutes. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, to prepare Egg Pastry, cut shortening into flour and salt until particles are size of small peas. Mix together egg and 2 tablespoons water. Sir into flour mixture until flour is moistened (add remaining tablespoon water if needed). Gather pastry into a ball. Divide into halves and shape into 2 flattened rounds. Place one round on lightly floured cloth covered board. Roll pastry 2 inches larger than inverted pie plate with floured stockinet covered rolling pin. Fold pastry into quarters. Unfold and ease into plate. turn Filling into pastry lined pie plate. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1/2 inch from rim of plate. Roll other round of pastry. Fold into quarters. Cut slits so steam can escape. Place over filling and unfold. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of plate. Fold and roll top edge under.

Wow...thanks for the memory.
"Memere" made this every Christmas. From as far back as I can remember. Late 60's until she passed in 2000.
Dad tried to keep the tradition going...but some things, only a grandmother can do.

[Chickie]

That blueberry pudding sounds scrumptious, Rag Top Daze. Blueberries are my favorite berries and am planning to make a plain ole' blueberry pie for Christmas (served a la mode, of course). Please let us know how your steamed pudding turns out. Would love to see the recipe.

My mother made a steamed walnut pudding every Christmas and used a coffee can - never had a real mold. It was sliced and served with a buttery sauce. So many yummy recipes were only made during the holidays and became traditions. Those old recipes were usually made with either bacon fat, chicken fat or lard and no exact ingredient amounts were given. It was the "by guess and by gorry" method.

Good luck, R.T.D. We will be awaiting the results of your success (or failure) once the deed is done.

[Rag Top Daze]

Originally Posted by Chickie

Please let us know how your steamed pudding turns out. Would love to see the recipe.

Well, Chickie, the results are in as of today. The good news is that it tastes just as I remember it. The bad news is, the reason we got to taste it, is that it stuck in the bottom...or top, depending on how you look at it...of the mold. I either didn't butter the mold enough, or I didn't wait long enough for it to cool. Maybe both. In any event, it's presentable for our small very informal family. If anyone would like to PM me their email address, I have saved my version of the recipe as a Word document and would gladly share the recipe.

Merry Christmas to all!!!