Festive meal: 10 tips to save time in the kitchen
You will certainly agree, it is always precisely the days of Christmas Eve that time suddenly decides to spend much faster. Never mind ! This year, all you have to do is to practice some stupid tricks to become mistress of time (at least these days and in your kitchen). You will see, everything is a question of organization ... upstream.
1 / Have a tidy kitchen, where everything is clean and each utensil has its place: it avoids the unnecessary comings and goings and therefore the loss of time and therefore nervousness.
2 / Do not take it at the last minute to develop your menu and do your shopping: everything must be ready and placed on your worktop (or in the refrigerator for the fee, of course) the day before so that you have peace of mind on D-Day
3 / Do not wait for D-Day to do everything that can be done the day before like washing the lamb's lettuce or peeling them vegetables for example. And freeze what can be (velouté, soup au gratin, brioche with foie gras, fruit crumble ...). Remember that a lot of appetizers are much better the next day once they've rested and get on the job the night before to make everything from mini cakes, mini quiches, puffs, rolls and spreads such as hummus, whipped cheese + sardines or tuna, anchoïade, tapenade ...
4 / Make sure several days in advance that your washing up is very clean: it will save you from having to urgently ask Aunt Berthe to wipe the silverware on D-Day.
5 / Do not hesitate to make your husband your clerk (yes, he has arms and hands too) and delegate all the small tasks ungrateful and time-consuming but not risky and without challenges to your children (we forget the opening oysters or the bottle of champagne for the benefit of washing vegetables and placing the bread in the baskets for example): they will love to proclaim to all your guests that without them no one would have had food and you will be able to parade by telling everyone that he is in your educational project to empower them while you have damn benefited from their goodwill.
6 / List the instruments that you might miss that evening (mandolin, electric whip, balance ...) and buy them or borrow them from a friend / neighbor: as the saying goes, the right tools are the right ones workers, and it is by being well equipped that you will save time and be effective.
7 / Let yourself be tempted by the frozen (your guests will not even feel the difference with fresh quality) scallop or raspberry (for the grout of the log for example), but be careful not to force the Microwave thawing at the last minute: take it in advance and opt for a mild cooking mode if needed.
8 / Avoid cooking something for the first time or cooking minute D: in case of failure, hello disappointment and stress to find something else to present.
9 / Never pretend to believe that burning the turkey on Christmas Day only happens to others (these dazed!) And arm yourself with a timer ... just in case.
10 / Day D: plan enough washing up (again, if you do not have enough, think about family and friends) not having to spend the evening behind your sink as soon as you finish a dish.
