What’s for Dinner on Christmas Eve?

It’s fascinating what people cook on Christmas eve. Some go out to dinner and some have family traditions. If I didn’t have family with us we would go out to dinner because I have probably spent all day prepping for Christmas Dinner and wrapping presents until my back hurt. When the family is around we have a tradition of my making every Christmas Eve. The main course was shown to me by a friend in Spain. It is so quick and easy, especially if you use fillet steak. No planning, no thinking, no worries. I’m always up for easy but special meals for Christmas eve.

This is our traditional Christmas Eve dinner:

FIRST COURSE we have smoked salmon with Champagne or Sauvignon Blanc. Ordered from Scotland it’s the best. I like it served with capers, black pepper and lemon juice and fresh dill. If you need something else on the plate a few salad leaves with a light dressing will add interest. Serve with brown bread and butter.

MAIN COURSE follows the salmon with steak and a red wine sauce and of course, red wine to wash it down.

FRY the steak to your liking in Olive Oil.

REMOVE steak from pan to rest, keep warm.

TOSS in some peeled, sliced garlic cloves for flavour if liked just to flavour the oil. Fry gently. Don’t have the oil too hot or the garlic will burn and make the sauce bitter.

REMOVE the garlic when golden (not brown)

POUR IN a large glass of red wine to the hot pan with the olive oil and meat juices in it.

COOK a few minutes to burn off the alcohol (it spits and smokes)

ADD juice of half a lemon or to taste. Then use the lemon half to rub round the pan to release all the meat bits.

S & P to taste

POUR sauce over the steak that has been resting.

Have some crispy bread to mop up the the sauce, can’t waste any.

DESSERT is always Mince Pies with Port. Then an early night because Santa is on his way.

Pictures to follow.