Gourmet Christmas Dining

(CBS)  It may be just two days before Christmas, but it's not too late to start preparing your holiday menu.

And Eric Ripert, executive chef at New York's world renowned Le Bernardin restaurant, has you covered with a great gourmet meal featuring some of his favorite Christmas dishes.

Recipes Galore

RECIPES:

LOBSTER TRUFFLE SALAD

INGREDIENTS:

The Salad:
Two 2-pound lobsters
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup crème fraiche
1 bunch tarragon, chopped
1 bunch chive, chopped
The juice of 2 lemons
1 truffle (optional)

The Court Bouillon:
12 cups of water
1 1/2 cups champagne vinegar
2 thyme sprigs
4 flat leaf parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
4 whole garlic cloves
1 carrot peeled
1 onion peeled
1 tablespoon peppercorns
Fine sea salt

The Salad:
1 cup micro watercress
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt fresh ground pepper to taste

Equipment:
1 large pot for boiling the lobster
Large knife
Medium bowl for mixing ingredients
Cutting board
Chinois or strainer

Preparation time: 40 minutes

METHOD:
Kill the lobsters by plunging a chef knife between the eyes of the lobster and bringing the knife through the head. Set aside.

For the court bouillon, place all the ingredients in a pot except the salt and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and season to taste with salt.

Place the lobster in the boiling court bouillon. Poach for 9-10 minutes.

Remove the lobster and let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile combine all of the remaining ingredients (except the truffle) in a small bowl.

Split the lobster from tail to head. Remove the meat and discard all of the insides. Remove claw and knuckle from the body and remove the meat. Rinse out the body of the shell under warm water and reserve.

Cut all lobster meat into medium dice and place in a small bowl. Add just enough of the crème fraiche mixture to coat the lobster.

In another small bowl toss the micro greens with the olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper.
To serve place the lobster meat carefully back in the shell and top it with the micro greens. Serve immediately.
As an option, should you have access to fresh black truffle, you can shave several slices on top of the salad to finish.

Roasted Chicken with Chestnuts

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
The Chicken:
1 (4-pound) chicken
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons diced shallot
1/2 pound mixed mushrooms, cleaned and diced
1 cup fresh bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/3 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups chestnuts, roasted and peeled
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 cups chicken stock

Special Equipment:
Kitchen String

METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Remove the wings and reserve.

Heat a large skillet with canola oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and shallots and lightly sweat until soft. Add the mushroom and sauté until tender and golden brown, remove from heat.

Soak the bread in the milk. Squeeze out the excess milk from the bread and place in a large bowl. Add the egg, mushrooms, garlic, shallot, 1/2 cup of chestnuts and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper and fill with the stuffing. Tie the legs together with kitchen string. Season the bird on the outside with salt and pepper.

Place the wings in a roasting pan and place the chicken on top of the wings. Roast for 40-45 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the leg is pierced and the stuffing reaches 165° F. Remove the chicken to a platter and let it rest at least 10 minutes.

Place the roasting pan over high heat and add the remaining chestnuts and lightly sauté until golden; add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan, stirring the browned bits in the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, and then remove from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, carve the chicken and slice the breast meat and leg meat. Serve 2 slices of each and a spoon of the stuffing. Spoon the sauce and some of the chestnuts over the plate and pass the extra sauce at the table. Serve immediately.

For a Buche de Noël recipe, go to Page 2.

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