The Cookstr Weekly: Roast Beast and Other Christmas Classics

While putting together this menu, I polled the Cookstr team to find out what they saw as the essential main course for Christmas dinner: the must-have, absolutely correct choice to star as the focal point of a holiday table. While some were adamant about the Christmas ham and others open to a standing beef rib roast, whole beef tenderloin, or roast turkey (with one vote for goose as “also acceptable”), everyone agreed that some sort of roast beast, Dr. Seuss-style, anchors the feast. Without my even asking about sides, votes also came in for potatoes (fried or mashed), Brussels sprouts, and plenty of garlic. No matter what beast you choose, the recipes below provide ideas for cooking up a centerpiece for your Christmas dinner, as well as all the trimmings.

Warmest regards,

Kara Rota

Editorial Director

Cookstr

	Aromatic Christmas Ham
	By Nigella Lawson   Served hot or cold, thick slices of Aromatic Christmas Ham are hard to beat. The glaze for this recipe adds subtle spice to the sweetness, with cranberry or red currant jelly, cinnamon and spiked paprika. The glaze reduces to a syrupy consistency as the ham cooks, creating a layer of sweet, salty, crispy goodness. I love ham served with garlicky mashed potatoes, buttery dinner rolls, and something green that’s cooked lightly – Brussels sprouts or peas will do the trick. You can spend all of dinner looking forward to the leftovers.

	More Christmas Recipes from Cookstr
	Wilted Spinach Salad with Hazelnuts, Goat Cheese, and Golden Raisins by Mollie Katzen ———- Wheaten Parker House Rolls by Ken Haedrich ———- Caramelized Brussels Sprouts by Cat Cora ———- Potatoes au Gratin by Lisa Schroeder ———– Oven-Roasted Pork Butt with Rosemary, Garlic and Black Pepper by Melissa Clark ———- Classic Beef Wellington with Honey Parsnips by John Torode ———- Gingerbread People by Georgeanne Brennan ———- Holiday Fruit Cake by Jacques Pepin ——— Hazelnut Buckwheat Shortbread Dipped in Dark Chocolate by Jennifer Katzinger

	Chefs’ Tips and Tricks: Pepper and Spice Dark Chocolate Cookies
	By Bill Yosses   “Fiery black pepper adds a little heat and brings the chocolate in these cookies back to its origins in Mexico. Historically, chocolate was always mixed with chile peppers and taken as a drink by the Aztecs. And to this day, in the rural areas of South America, cooks still grind cocoa beans with nuts and spices. The natural oils in the cocoa and nuts hold the mixture together in a disk, which is then scraped and shaved in the mornings to make hot cocoa.“ – Bill Yosses

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