[Sca-cooks] My Christmas dinner & LOOT

[Betsy Marshall]

Finally time for me to chime in- I got promoted this year- from Scullery
maid to help prep to assistant cook! 
Richard (my sweetie) decided that nothing would do but Beef Wellington
so he spent Tuesday and Wednesday chasing down ingredients, while I made
the sauce. (all this from Cook's -or kook's? -Illustrated magazine) 
Then there was no fois gras. Anywhere. In DFW. He finally chased down
two tins in an Eastern European specialty store, since some one had
bought all the French type that had been made at Central Market that
day. I'm at home roasting oxtails and reducing wine and shallots. On the
up side, discovering that Prime graded tenderloin _if available is
29.95_ per pound, we offs to the dressed beef place to lay hands on two
whole backstraps (min order is 10 lbs) prime grade for about 10$ per
pound. Ahh, the joys of a commercial account!
Wednesday he discovers that Pepperidge farm puff pastry "Will Not Do",
and he must now make some from scratch. After the first batch is made
with powder from a jar clearly labeled "thickener" (It is now in the
fridge to be turned into "dough" ornaments..) something of a marginally
acceptable nature was assembled. (neither of us bakes..)  also he make
the mushroom wrap (duxelles?)The beef has been dry ageing in the fridge,
is now taken out and seared, then put back to rest before assembly. By
now we are running low on parchment paper for the cook/prep stages..
Thursday am I get up and scrub and wrap some potatoes, Discuss the prep
for the asparagus, and slice up three bell peppers and a bunch of
tomatoes for the salad. we decide that crème brulee would be a bit much
at this late date, and go with Bananas Foster instead-  
Noon time: folks finally start to show up- my mom brings some crescent
rolls, which some un-rolled and now look like toasted sailboats, but
Still tasty! Sherry and Ron arrive with Turkey and stuffing, Steve
practices his Salmon in wine sauce on a bed of shredded Shallots. And
all ends well
Except for the Bananas foster- we were out of dark run, so Contrineau
was substituted, and we used cherry vanilla ice cream for the base. Ohh-
sugar rush!
Happy, happy Pyro- (since those who missed helping with prep got to help
with clean-up, HA-Ha!)

Happy new year's to all, and see you around the table!