Christmas Eve Dinner Chez Irene

Christmas eve dinner for some is a synonym to the worst nightmare that one could ever imagine. Family members squabbling over the most petty issue that would later escalade to some family members leaving early slamming the door behind them followed by an awkward silence and someone saying "Would anybody want some more wine..." just to break the icy cold atmosphere. Cliché you said? Probably, but nonetheless I'm sure it happens every year for some family rendering Christmas eve dinner a tradition that some would gladly stay away from.

In my family Christmas eve dinner is usually held at my sister Irene's place. And unlike those who dread this kind of family gathering it has always been something that we look forward to at the end of the year especially when other family members who lives overseas come to visit. Irene will go all out in decoration and not to mention the food. Last Christmas eve dinner was no different. The table was beautifully decorated as usual and the dishes were exquisite.

It started with a fennel and dill soup which is frothy, light and refreshing with an extra something in the aftertaste which I later find out is from the kaffir lime leaves which was added into the soup. I would never have thought of adding kaffir lime leaves into a fennel soup, but it sure was a good idea.

Fennel and Dill Soup

The next dish was just as refreshing as the fennel soup. A raw salmon fillet marinated in vinegar and topped with vegetable julienne, it's like a salmon cheviche of some sort. The acid from the vinegar which cooked the fillet marries well with the vegetable julienne. My wife Aisha is not a fan of raw fish or meat, but she said that it didn't taste raw at all and she really liked it.

Raw salmon marinated in vinegar topped with vegetable julienne

The pièce de la résistance came with a small glitch which was in line with the saying too many cooks spoil the soup. However it was easily remedied and the guests were served roasted quail stuffed with fois gras, topped with orange sauce and served with wild rice mix which was simply sublime

Roasted quail stuffed with fois gras, topped with orange sauce and served with wild rice mix

Unfortunately my baby girl was tired and was getting really cranky so we had to leave without having any desert. But again Irene and her neverending hospitality managed to provide us with the desert to take away. After the baby was in bed sleeping the desert was a goner, it was a chocolate mouse, delicious and light as air, and another one which I don't know the name, but it was some sort of white creamy desert with raspberry coulis. Both desert was the courtesy of Christine the sister in law of Irene. To Irene's request, Aisha made her famous cheese cake for desert too. Irene loves Aisha's cheese cake, thus from what I heard the cheese cake didn't come out on that Christmas eve dinner but was greatly, and privately, enjoyed the next day at tea time.

All in all Irene out did herself again last year. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was laid back and cozy. I wonder what she is reserving for us next year....