Quick, simple, and traditional holiday dinner - recipes

Quick, simple, and traditional holiday dinner Sticking to the elements of a traditional holiday dinner, this menu updates the basic meat-starch-salad combination with some new flavors. It's an easy meal to put together for a dozen people. Ingredients are few and cooking steps minimal. With its simple preparation and wide flavor appeal, the menu could become a tradition itself.

New holiday tradition

Prime Rib with Garlic and Herb Crust Individual Yorkshire Puddings Fennel Puree Mixed Greens with Watercress Dressing Tropical Fruits with Orange Liqueur Cabernet Sauvignon or Champagne

To keep the day of your dinner as free as possible, to a few things a day ahead: puree the garlic for the roast, make the fennel puree, wash and crisp the salad greens, and make the dressing.

Mix a variety of greens for the salad. Choose from tender red-leaf and butter lettuces, lacy frisee, spicy arugula, and bitter curly endive or chicory. (To serve 12, you'll need 12 to 14 cups washed and crisped bite-size pieces of greens, about 3/4 lb. total.)

For dessert, decoratively arrange peeled slices of fresh pineapple, papaya, and kiwi fruit on dessert plates. Douse the fruit liberally with an orange- or hazelnut-flavored liqueur.

After you remove the roast from the oven, increase the oven temperature to 400[degrees] and bake the puddings (no additional preheating needed). Puddings should be the last item to come to the table, since you want them as hot as possible.

Prime Rib with Garlic and Herb Crust

1 center-cut beef standing rib roast (about 8 lb.) 2 large (1/2 lb. total) heads garlic 8 dry bay leaves

Cut off and remove strings and layer of surface fat on roast. Place meat, ribs down, in an 11-by 13-inch rimmed pan.

Peel garlic. In afood processor or blender, puree garlic. Pat puree evenly over top and sides of roast. Press bay leaves into garlic. Roast meat in a 350[degrees] oven until thermometer inserted through thickest part to the bone registers 120[degrees] for rare (about 16 minutes per lb.) or 130[degrees] for medium (about 18 minutes per lb.), 2 to 2-1/2 hours total. Place roast on a platter and cover with foil; let stand at least 15 or up to 45 minutes before carving.

To varve, turn roast on a cut end and slice meat away from rack of bones. Cut bones apart and set aside for bone lovers; carve boneless meat across grain into thin slices. Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 332 cal.; 35 g protein; 18 g fat; 5.9 g carbo.; 95 mg sodium; 101 mg chol.

Individual Yorkshire Puddings

3 tablespoons roast beef drippings (from prime rib, preceding) or (from prime rib, preceding) or melted butter or margarine 1-1/4 cups milk 3 large eggs 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

Divide roast beef drippings evenly among 12 muffin cups (2-1/2-in. diameter); rub drippings up sides of cups.

In a food processor or blender, whirl milk, eggs, flour, thyme, and salt to blend. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full of batter. Bake in a 400[degrees] oven until puddings turn a rich golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve at once. Makes 12 servings.

Per pudding: 95 cal,; 3.2 g protein; 5.7 g fat; 7.3 g carbo.; 28 mg sodium; 61 mg chol.

Fennel Puree

3 pounds (about 2 large heads, stems trimmed) fennel 1/4 cup (1/8 lb.) butter or margarine Salt and pepper

Cut off and discard any remaining stems from fennel; reserve feathery leaves. Coarsely chop fennel heads; you should have about 2 quarts.

In a covered 5-to 6-quart pan, cook fennel with butter on low heat until fennel is tender when pierced, about 45 minutes.

In a food processor or blender, whirl fennel, a portion at a time, until pureed. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If made ahead, put puree in pan; cover and chill up until next day. Warm, covered, on low heat about 20 minutes; stir occasionally.e Pour into a bowl. Serve hot. Makes 1 to 1-1/2 quarts, 12 servings.

Per serving: 49 cal.; 1.2 g protein; 3.9 g fat; 2.6 g carbo.; 130 mg sodium; 10 mg chol.

Watercress Dressing

1 cup (1-1/2 oz.) packed, rinsed and drained watercress leaves 3/4 cup olive or salad oil 1/4 cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon dry tarragon leaves Salt and pepper

In a food processor or blender, whirl watercress, oil, lemon juice, and tarragon until watercress is chopped; add salt and pepper to taste. If made ahead, cover and chill up until next day. Makes 1-1/4 cups.

Per tablespoon: 73 cal.; 0.1 g protein; 8.1 g fat; 0.3 g carbo.; 1.5 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.