Cold Turkey
So much for being determined! After I wrote the post yesterday I had a quick word with my son to confirm the time, and I mentioned I was going to make this Shepherd's Pie. He didn't sound all too convinced, and when he also said that his girlfriend was used to turkey for New Year's I decided I had to figure out something else. Turkey wasn't an options since a frozen one needs hours to defrost, and with added to cooking time, the dinner wouldn't be ready until next year...
So I went for a smaller bird - chicken breast - with mixed roasted potatoes and roots, onions and mushrooms. The fillets I first sealed over the grill pan (making this nice diamond pattern), then placed them all in a dish and put it the oven together with the veggies. I served the chicken with a French style sauce with butter and herbs. Not from scratch, I must admit that, but no one could tell. The trick is to finish it off with that magical touch.
It was quite the party here, with not only my son and girlfriend, but the oldest daughter too, and not the least my cousin from Sweden who's here working. She's a nurse and they come in hordes from Sweden via the employment agencies around the country here. Lucrative for the nurses, but something is very wrong with the Norwegian politics which make this possible. Not my cousin's fault, so why not make a buck? I'm just glad she was here, she's like the sister I don't have.
It's icy cold here today, and I have a hard time letting go of the blanket. No one's here to keep me warm either, but I'm not complaining really. It's a New Year and I have a feeling of confidence when I look on to the future. These last few weeks of 2009 has meant a lot, and there has been some minor breakthroughs. Some due to things said, some to the unspoken. By listening to the silence one can sometimes hear the truth.
6 comments:
Sounds like a wonderful evening! The chicken sounds fantastic! I think I will steal your idea - if you don't mind - and try out a similar dish for our supper.
I can certainly understand the need to bundle up and stay indoors! Enjoy the time to reflect and explore - you've already found it can work wonders if we just stop long enough to listen....
Of course I don't mind! Good cooking is in my opinion meant to be shared. Enjoy!
And for my brief existence as a recluse, I must say that it did me good somehow. Went to see my cousin today at her place, she's got a room close to the hospital, and I walked there. Not that long, perhaps 3 km, but it was a nice walk. Snow, sun shine and cool fresh air. I almost ran...
Aaaarrrrggghhh... those spoiled brats... ;-)
"Shepherds Pie" is an excellent dish and I'm sure you would have made a really good one.
If this girl is "used to turkey on new years..." she could have made it herself...
On the other hand - as adults and parents - we of course tend to please our children... and their friends.
I'm sure the meal were delicious.
Happy new years.
Yeah, you know me - always trying to please everybody. (Although I don't think I'll come to that party later in January...)
As I can read a ";-)" I'm thinking you were not that serious, but I must stress anyhow that son's girlfriend is a very charming young lady and not spoiled, but I also remember how it was to come into a new family, a long way from home...
The Shepherd's Pie I'll make for another occasion - wanna come?
Where is she from? I haven't heard of the turkey on New Year's eve tradition. Just being nosey...
Yes, we do many things just for our children - I don't think they really understand the lengths we sometimes go. Not that it's a bad thing, it's just what we do as a parent.
I snickered at your 'only 3 km' as not that long, here most would consider that an unreasonable distance to tackle! Very sad I must admit, just seems to be the way it is here, we drive everywhere...no matter how far it is.
Turkey on New Years Eve here in Norway is an interesting thing. For someone as young as my son's girlfriend (she'll be 23 now) the turkey tradition may seem like it's always been here, but actually it's just about that long it has been around as a favorite New Year supper. The popularity has increased enormously over the last two decades. For several reasons, I guess. It is a spectacular thing to put on the table, that's for sure. It's light and fresh, compared to a lot of things we've been stuffing ourselves with previously during the Holidays. But it's also incredibly cheap. Frozen turkey (well, here frozen is the only option actually), goes for 30 Nok/Kg. Where as beef tenderloin will cost you ten times as much.
I'm just about to leave the house now, to visit a friend who moved a little too far away to visit as often as I'd like. So I'll stay the night, and make the most of it. Guess what she's serving for dinner? Turkey leftovers from New Year's... can't wait... :)
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