Christmas Feasting 2020
The meals and activities at the end of 2020. Looking forward to 2021!
Author: Agnes
Normandy Beef Hash
When cooking up a storm over the holidays, eventually you need to confront that fridge bursting with leftovers. And from the remains of one meal rises, phoenix-like, more delicious meals!
I had a bunch of roast beef to use up. And, it turns out, I also had a number of historic recipes in various books to choose from! But, since it contains a whole chapter on hashes, I had to choose this one from Wartime Recipes from the Maritimes. I served this with Creamed Carrots and Peas from the same book.
Ingredients
1 tbsp fat (used fat saved from the roasting pan) 3 onions, chopped (I used 1.5 large onions) 2 cups beef, diced 1/2 cup diced potatoes 1/2 cup meat stock (also saved from the roasting pan) Salt and pepper
Instructions
Heat the fat and fry the onions until golden-brown. Add the beef and potatoes, and fry for 5 minutes more. Pour in the stock, and cook for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked. Season and serve hot.
I had more beef than the recipe called for, so I increased the potatoes and stock as well.
Fat from the roast 
Onions and potatoes
Besides the chopping, this was a really quick meal to put together.
Frying with the beef and potatoes 
Stock added
I had roasted the beef originally with butter and Ethopian Berbere spice blend (which I’d highly recommend!), so the final dish had those flavours as well.
The verdict
A straightforward and delicious way to use up some cooked beef. I’d definitely make this again!
While the recipe is pretty plain, you could add whatever additional seasonings you’d like, or let the original seasonings of the beef flavour the dish, as we did.
What’s your favourite kind of hash? Let us know in the comments.
Lobster Newburg
Super easy to make, this dish features in two historic cookbooks, but I’ve given my family recipe for it here!
Matelotte of Large Onions
We made this ages ago out of From the Hearth, and I’ve not posted it yet because, well, it’s odd and wasn’t our favourite. But this is for posterity, and so here it is. Come along with us on this adventure of large onions, beef gravy, and seafood …
Ingredients
6 large onions 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 2 bay leaves 1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped 2 artichoke bottoms (didn't have) 3-4 carp roe (didn't have) 1/2-1 cup crayfish, lobster, crab or oysters (we had mussels, so we used mussels) 2 tbsp butter 2 tbsp flour 1/2 onion, sliced 1/2 cup red wine 1-1.5 cups beef bouillon 1/2 tsp capers 1 anchovy fillet, minced croutons vinegar
Instructions
Blanch the onions whole. Cut into small pieces and blanch the artichoke bottoms. (Instead of blanching the artichokes, you can add them to cold water with vinegar). Place the onions, artichoke bottoms, salt, pepper, bay leaves, mushrooms, roe and shellfish in a baking dish (if finishing in the oven - preheat to 350F) or a pot (if finishing on the stove top). Make a roux with the butter and flour in a pot. Add the sliced onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the wine and bouillon, stirring continuously. Simmer for 10 minutes. Strain. Add the sauce to the large onions. Cook about 20-25 minutes (this may be insufficient, based on your onion size) either simmering on the stovetop or baking at 350F. Add the capers, anchovy, a small amount of vinegar, and croutons.
Well. First, it’s onions with onion gravy. Second, it’s beef and seafood. And third, it’s still mostly onions. Apparently, the residents of Louisbourg were rather fragrant due to their high levels of onion consumption. However, we digress.
The sauce didn’t come up over many of the onions – not sure if that contributed, but they did not cook through in the time suggested in the recipe.
The verdict
Yeah … probably wouldn’t make this again. (Maybe once more for the blog, with all the ingredients and a different seafood. But not a meal I think I’ll anticipate with joy).
Partly the onions were so large that they didn’t cook through, even though I increased the cooking time drastically. But mostly it’s the combo of ingredients.
Do you think this would be better with a different type of seafood? Tell us in the comments!
Eggs with Candied Citron Peel
Among odd recipes that are included in From the Hearth, this is one of the oddest. It’s an egg dessert. Like a semi-sweet omelet. With candied peel.
I made this together with stuffed cabbage from the wartime Maritimes. I expected the cabbage to be good, and this dish to be marginal. Read on to see the verdict!
Ingredients
5 eggs, beaten 4 tbsp soft bread crumbs 1/4 cup milk or cream 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp sugar (I used 1 tbsp) 2 tsp candied citron peel 1/4 tsp orange flower water 2 tbsp butter sprinkle of sugar
Instructions
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk for 15-20 minutes. Puree or strain (I didn't do this), and then add to eggs. Add salt, sugar, candied peel and orange flower water, and mix well. Melt butter in an omelet or frying pan. When butter is bubbling, add the egg mixture. Let the eggs set, and then lift the outside edges of the eggs to let butter run underneath. Shake the pan occasionally and run spatula underneath to prevent sticking. When eggs are still a bit runny on top, folder over. Remove from heat before they are fully done and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and serve.
So, I am not the best omelet-maker. This started to stick in the pan, which resulted in semi-scrambled eggs.
The verdict
This was surprisingly good! I think it would read more as dessert with a little more sugar. But it was a little custardy (with milk+egg+breadcrumbs) and a little sweet and a little citrus. I would make and eat this again! A surprising winner!
Are sweet eggs for you? Let us know in the comments!
Stuffed Cabbage
Stuffing a cabbage with bologna – what wartime cooks came up with to use leftovers and feed families.