No one was going to make anything special for Xmas so I stepped up to the challenge! Bags of fresh, fleshy mussels were on sale in the supermarket (2lb bag was $5 - read and weep, you UK peeps) so I made Mussels Marinara for Xmas Eve supper before Midnight Mass. The broth was made from fresh tomatoes, pearl onion and parsley with a little chili.
On Xmas Day, I resorted to the Law Family institution - Roast Lamb! It took some tracking down to get the mint sauce/jelly though. The usual supermarkets were no good - but I did find it in a neighbourhood gourmet store. Unfortunately, their jars of mint sauce were all expired so I ended up with the mint jelly. That's how popular it is here which begs the question: What do Americans eat with lamb? Needless to say, the mint jelly was a big success with the Szetos - they gobbled up half the jar in one sitting.
My other big success at Xmas was a Mushroom and Roast Fennel Soup. I got the recipe from Food Network. Fennel is my latest obsession - I slice the bulb, smother in olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at 350F for 30 mins. The soup was made from four different mushrooms (white button, carmini, porcini and shiitake). Sorry - no pretty pictures but you have to take my word for it that it was amazing! Very strong mushroom flavour with the fennel providing an anise aftertaste - think this is what they call layering..
