Holiday menus

Guests are coming, it’s a sparkly occasion and you want to serve something fabulous. Here are suggestions for special feasts for celebrating Christmas or Hanukah and the New Year.

Of course some of these dishes take a bit of time, and a certain amount of planning is needed. Look through the list and mix and match to create your own outrageously wonderful combination.

Every one of these meals could begin with Champagne, the most festive drink of them all. So raise a glass with good cheer, and let me wish you happy holidays. Bonnes fêtes !

A very French Christmas

Champagne / Champagne
Plateau de fruits de mer / Shellfish platter
Dinde à la française / Roast turkey, French style
Gratin de potiron Georges Blanc / George Blanc’s pumpkin gratin
Haricots verts à la française / Green beans, French style
Salade mesclun à l’huile de noix / Mixed greens from Provence
Assiette de fromages / Assorted cheeses
Bûche de Noël chocolat-noisette / Chocolate-hazelnut Yule log

A special Hanukah supper

Galettes de pomme de terre / Potato pancakes
Saumon mariné à la russe / Gravalax, French-Russian style
Salade de betteraves aux noix / Beet salad with walnuts and herbs
Poulet rôti épicé / Roast chicken with spices
Légumes d’hiver rôtis / Roasted winter vegetables
Salade de cresson / Watercress salad
Poires au vin et cassis / Pears in red wine and cassis

New Year’s Eve, French style

Champagne / Champagne
Langouste beurre blanc Noilly / Lobster tails beurre blanc
Perdreaux aux poires / Roast partridge with pears
Purée de fenouil / Finocchio purée
Purée de patates douces / Sweet potato purée
Riz sauvage / Wild rice
Salade de roquette / Arugula salad with balsamic vinegar
Assiette de fromages / Assorted cheeses
Galette des rois / Kings cake

A festive feast

Kir royal / Champagne-cassis cocktail
Gougères / Apéritif cheese puffs
Assiette d’huitres / Oysters on the half shell
Côte de boeuf / Rib of beef
Gratin de chou-fleur / Cauliflower gratin
Salade de cresson / Watercress salad
Assiette de fromages / Assorted cheeses
Biscuits de Noël aux amandes / Butter-almond crescents
Truffes aux chocolat / Chocolate truffles

A touch of elegance

Champagne / Champagne
Blinis au caviar rouge / Blini with red caviar
Oie rôtie de Noël / Roast Christmas goose
Purée de céleri rave / Puréed celeriac
Purée de potiron au Parmesan / Pumpkin purée with Parmesan
Salade de cresson / Watercress salad
Assiette de fromages / Assorted cheeses
Terrine de poires au chocolat / Chocolate-pear terrine

Gala dinner from the farm

Vin chaud épicé / Hot spiced wine
Foie gras / Foie gras
Confit de canard / Duck confit
Gratin savoyard / Potato gratin from Savoie
Légumes d’hiver rôtis / Roasted winter vegetables
Salade de cresson / Watercress salad
Fromages de chèvre / Assorted goat cheeses
Tarte aux noix / Walnut tart

Gala dinner from the sea

Champagne / Champagne
Saumon mariné à la russe / Gravalax, French-Russian style
Coulibiac / Coulibiac
Salade verte à la française / Green salad, French style
Assiette de fromages / Assorted cheeses
Vacherin aux fruits de la passion / Meringues with passion fruit and vanilla ice cream

Gala dinner from the land (vegetarian)

Kir royal / Champagne-cassis cocktail
Cake au roquefort et aux noix / Walnut-roquefort savory cake
Soupe au fenouil braisé / Braised fennel soup
Potimarron farci / Stuffed pumpkin
Riz sauvage / Wild rice
Salade mâche-betterave / Salad of lamb’s lettuce and beets
Assiette de fromages / Assorted cheeses
Tarte aux pommes tout simple/ French apple tart

Gala dinner from the land (vegan)

Soupe angevine / Sparkly Loire cocktail
Salade d’hiver aux poires et aux noix / Winter salad with walnuts and pear
Salade de haricots rouges aux noix / Red bean salad with walnuts
Haricots verts aux noix en salade / Green bean salad with walnuts
Courge butternut rôtie aux pignons / Roasted butternut squash with pine nuts
Poêlée de champignons des bois / Wild mushrooms with herbs
Boulgour aux oignons rouges / Bulghur with red onion and mint
Clémentines, noix, dattes / Mandarin oranges, walnuts, dates
Mendiants / Chocolate mendiants

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3 Responses to Holiday menus

  1. Diane says:

    I am always delighted to see your blog pop up. You are like a next door neighbor tapping on the door with a “Here try this!” creation in hand. Been reading you for years and truly appreciate your love of food and making excellent tastes happen. Best of the new year to you. Stay safe.

  2. Christine says:

    I hope to try the iced raspberry charlotte at the beach!! Sounds perfect for a Kiwi Christmas in the sun. Joyeux Noel, Meg. 🙂

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