I wanted to share the food I made, (and the dessert my wife made) for christmas this year, as I did my best to throw down, and as it marked the tenth anniversary of my father's passing. It seems like many people I know have lost a loved one recently, and having to deal with death near the holidays can make the loss much more poignant, as well as tinge future holiday celebrations with a sense of futility, or as was the case for me for a number of years, anger and self destructive tendencies. The point, if there really is one to be made, is that good or bad, holidays are usually a time of spending time with loved ones, and I find that food can be a center for me, especially cooking. I think that many folks, while they might argue at the dinner table, or drink too much and tell others things that might have been left unsaid, can find comfort in a familiar dish, or good conversation over a hot stove. Well, that's my two cents, on to the food!!!
I decided to smoke a prime rib as the main course, since there were only 4 adults. I did a 4.5 lb hunk of meat, it took around 6 hours to reach 155 degrees. I didn't marinate it, but made a paste out of:
Tony Chachere's
Paprika
Curry Powder
Chili Powder
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
The juice of one lemon
Rubbed the whole chunk with that, seared it all around in a cast iron skillet then put it on the grill, (I have an offset smoker box, so it was indirect heat, about 200 degrees)
I served that with a Horseradish Cream Sauce made from 8 oz whipping cream, 1/2 cup horseradish, juice of 1 lemon, and salt and pepper.
Since I wanted southern sides, and others in the family wanted traditional sides, I made both.
Here are the results - I won't give recipes unless you ask, since these were either made up on the spot or I'd like to keep them secret....
Margie's Cheesecake
Rosemary and Sausage Stuffing
Collard Greens with Smoked Oxtails
Red, Kidney, and Black Beans, southern style
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Sweet Potato Casserole
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