The Christmas order list: julbord or Italian Christmas, booked in time
When to order the julskinka, the goose or capon and the fish for the Vigilia, when to buy cheese, and what to leave until 23 December. A calendar from now to Christmas.
Two Christmases meet at my table. One is the Swedish julbord on Christmas Eve, with ham, herring, meatballs and Jansson's temptation. The other is the Italian Christmas I grew up with: a meatless fish dinner on the Vigilia, the evening of 24 December, and in Piedmont a long lunch on Christmas Day with agnolotti and, in many families, a boiled capon.
Both have the same enemy, and that is leaving the shopping too late. The best hams, birds and fish are often reserved weeks ahead, and the cook who orders in November relaxes in December. So here is my order list, with a calendar from late October to 23 December.
The big orders: ham, goose and capon
- Julskinka: a fresh, lightly salted ham (rimmad skinka) from a butcher or a good meat counter is the heart of the julbord. Ask in November when they take orders and how big a ham you need. A rough guide is 150 to 200 g of cooked ham per person, with leftovers being half the point.
- Goose: popular in Skåne for Mårten Gås on the eve of 10 November, and lovely at Christmas too. Because demand peaks in early November, order a Christmas goose early and ask whether it comes fresh or frozen.
- Capon: the cappone is the classic Piedmontese Christmas bird, slow-simmered for broth and served with mostarda. It is a speciality item outside Italy and France, so ask your butcher early whether they can source one. A large free-range chicken is the honest stand-in.
- Collection day: agree on a date. I like to collect the ham on 20 or 21 December so there is time to cook it calmly.
Recipe: roast goose legs with apples prunes and port gravy
Cook the ham one or two days before Christmas Eve. Simmer or oven-cook it slowly to about 70 °C in the centre, let it cool, then on the 23rd or the morning of the 24th brush it with mustard, egg and breadcrumbs and griddle it in a hot oven until golden. Resting matters as much as roasting, for ham, goose and capon alike.
Guide: roasting resting
Fish for the Vigilia and the julbord
The Italian Christmas Eve is a fish dinner. Baccalà, salt cod, is the backbone in many regions, fried or stewed. In Rome and Naples, capitone, a large eel, is traditional. Order salt cod about a week ahead, because it needs two to three days of soaking in cold water in the fridge, with the water changed two or three times a day.
On the Swedish side, herring needs planning too. Homemade pickled herring needs a few days in the brine to be at its best, and gravlax needs two or three days of curing. Order fresh fish for curing for collection around 19 or 20 December and ask the fishmonger for fish that is suitable for raw use or has been frozen first, which reduces the risk from parasites.
Recipe: brantevik pickled herring
Recipe: fish stew
Cheese, then the last-minute shop
Hard cheeses improve with a little time in your fridge, so buy Parmigiano Reggiano, an aged pecorino or a Västerbotten in the first half of December, wrapped in paper. Soft cheeses like Robiola or a ripe brie should be bought two or three days before you serve them.
Leave the fresh things to the end: shrimp, salad leaves, herbs, bread and cream. Everything on the 23rd should be a short list.
Bella's tip: Make one shared list with columns for 'order', 'collect' and 'buy last'. Tick it off on the fridge door. It is the most useful piece of paper in my kitchen in December.
Recipe: sous vide ham kassler with caramelised potatoes and gravy
Late October to 23 December
- Late October: Decide on the menu and the number of guests. Ask your butcher and fishmonger when they take Christmas orders.
- Early November: Order the julskinka, goose or capon. Note the collection dates in your calendar.
- Mid November: Order fish for the Vigilia and for gravlax. Buy non-perishables: mustard, spices, vinegar, flour, wine.
- Early December: Buy hard cheeses. Confirm all orders with a quick call.
- 15 to 17 December: Buy salt cod and start planning soaking. Make pickled herring.
- 19 to 21 December: Collect fish for curing and start the gravlax. Soak the baccalà. Collect the ham.
- 21 to 22 December: Cook the ham and let it cool. Buy soft cheeses.
- 23 December: Griddle the ham if you like it ready on the 24th. Final shop: shrimp, herbs, salad, bread, cream.
