Tuesday, December 25, 2007

A Kiwi Christmas Dinner in Belgium

So it happened and everyone seems to have enjoyed it ... I got a heel lekker! or two, Inge ;)

We started everyone with wine and little snacky things while Jessie and I worked on the main course's final touches in the kitchen.

The gravy was stunning, she writes modestly, and tasted so good with the roast lamb, roast potatoes, kumara (sweet potato), parsnip, carrots, tiny onions and garlic, (unroasted) green beans. For those not partial to lamb, there was persian chicken and rice.

Huge inroads were made into every dish and many helpings were taken.

We rested a while, opened gifts and then Jessie's pavlova's was served, with hot coffee and more of whatever drink was required. Maybe we should have made 3 pavs for the 10 of us ... they disappeared in a flash, covered in whipped cream and a served with a little vanilla ice cream.

As kiwi christmases go ... it wasn't a bad one.

8 comments:

christina said...

Fantastic! Maybe you should open a restaurant?

A very Merry Christmas to all of you!

A said...

Great that everyone enjoyed the Kiwi Christmas dinner Di!

I always admire anyone who manages to cook diner for more than two: I'd feel lost and call some emergency catering in pure despair :-)

Di Mackey said...

Ohhhh noo, Christina. I'm not sure I could do the everyday of it and it was a long day.

We cleaned alot and we peeled a lot of vegetables and I fretted some. Once a year is far more me.

I hope you and your family had a lovely Christmas over there.

Thanks Peter but there was a cast of thousands ... lol, did I forget to mention them?

But I was determined to recreate some of what I was missing - next year it will be turkey and stuffing ... if I'm allowed to do it again.

Anonymous said...

All that food, and it sounds all so delicious. Those NewZies now how to throw a Christmas dinner.

Happy Boxing Day!

Di Mackey said...

A couple of us kiwis compared notes on what we cooked for our Belgian families on Christmas day - he did the roast lamb, kumara and etc too.

Clearly we're out the colonise Belgium, winning them over with kumaras and pavlovas ;)

Veronica said...

So happy to hear it went so well and I'm beyond impressed with your menu.

You New Zealanders set the standard!

C. said...

Am I the ONLY one that thought heel lecker was something dirty and then read on to be disappointed that I was totally off base? ;)

Sounds like you had a WONDERFUL, gourmet experience!! Next year I am coming to YOUR house for dinner (for the vegetables & wine of course, not the meat).

Di Mackey said...

Thanks v-grrrl, but I saw your menu and it read pretty damn good actually :)

Claudia ... tsk tsk tsk. 'Heel' is very and 'lekker' is 'something that tastes good'.

I want to work on the vegetables ... we can improve it.