Preparations for our family Christmas dinner of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding were in full swing. Each of us had taken on an assignment—assembling the salad, setting the table, etc. Because of the extensive experience I’d gained peeling and chopping potatoes in the Army, I was put in charge of the mashed potatoes.
I gave it my all, everyone did. Warmth from the oven and from the Holiday Cheer filled the kitchen, and appetites were growing fast. My Mother and sister Anne finished mixing the batter for the Yorkshire pudding, the final stage of preparation.
With several of us eagerly looking on, Anne’s husband Mike opened the oven to remove the roast and slide in the Yorkshire pudding. But…there was a little problem: It was empty.
No one had put the roast beef in the oven.
Much finger-pointing followed: I blamed my mother because mothers are supposed to be in charge; she blamed Anne and Mike because they were hosting; Anne blamed Mike because he was the man of the house; he blamed her because she was in charge of the kitchen; someone blamed me because I was the first to arrive; I blamed my niece because she was younger and couldn’t defend herself very well.
Then we faced up to the reality of what to do for dinner. Someone suggested we put the roast in the oven, take naps, and reconvene in three hours, at 10:00; two people wanted to order pizzas; best, I said, would be to have mashed potatoes for dinner, with salad on the side. Outcome: We piled in two cars, headed for the nearest TGIF, and happily celebrated Christmas by pigging out on—what else but: hamburgers.
Moral of the story: At family gatherings, give the top job to a macro manager, a CEO-type who sees the whole picture. Indeed, year after year I keep volunteering to be that person, to sit on a stool sipping wine and directing operations, but—wouldn’t you know—they still have me peeling and chopping potatoes. Such talent, going to waste.
As a macro manager, a CEO-type, it was obviously not Bob’s responsibility to locate and send us the actual recipes for the Strozier Christmas Dinner, so we had to improvise a bit to share both the plan and the reality. — Editors
Roast Beef
Ingredients
1 (4-lb.) round roast
1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
4 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Recommended: Place roast on a wire rack set in a baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered at least 1 hour or up to overnight.
Preheat oven to 450°. In a small bowl, combine oil, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Rub all over roast.
Place roast in roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack. Place roasting pan in oven. Roast 15 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325° and roast 1 hour, 45 minutes more for medium, or 2 hours for medium well.
Remove from oven and let rest 15 to 30 minutes before serving.
Yorkshire Pudding
Ingredients
1/4 c. (55 g.) beef drippings, rendered pork lard, or unsalted butter
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 c. (235 ml.) whole milk, room temperature
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 c. (120 g.) all-purpose flour
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. Place a 6-cup popover pan in oven until ready to use.
In a large heatproof bowl, microwave beef fat in 30-second increments until melted. Remove pan from oven. Dip a pastry brush in beef drippings and brush each cup. Return pan to oven.
Add eggs, milk, granulated sugar, and salt to remaining drippings in bowl. Vigorously whisk until mixture is frothy, about 30 seconds. Add flour and continue to whisk until very smooth, about 30 seconds more. Divide batter among cups, filling each about halfway full.
Bake puddings, without opening oven door, until puffed and deeply golden brown, 28 to 30 minutes.
Using a clean kitchen towel or tongs, transfer puddings to a platter and serve.
TGIF Whiskey Cheddar Burgers
Ingredients
1/4 cup whiskey
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
8 onion rolls or hamburger buns, split
Optional: Lettuce leaves, sliced tomato, cheddar cheese slices and barbecue sauce
Directions
Combine the first 11 ingredients. Add beef; mix lightly but thoroughly. Shape into eight 1/2-in.-thick patties.
On a greased grill, cook burgers, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160°. Serve burgers on rolls with toppings as desired.
Robert Strozier’s fiction and non-fiction have appeared in numerous publications including Atlantic, Esquire, The New Times Magazine, and The NYT Book Review. He’s had plays produced in NYC, and a musical he wrote (book and lyrics) has had five concert readings. He also helped launch five national magazines, then served as Editor-in-Chief of two and a senior editor at the others.
Since joining OLL-USF he has taught classes on Broadway and the New Yorker magazine and has contributed several stories to OLLI Connects. You can find and enjoy all of them by clicking here and then entering “Strozier” in the Search box.
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