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I've decided that I want to do something different for Christmas dinner, so we are going to have a New England Boiled Dinner. I'm not sure what else to serve. I'm thinking cornbread and a green salad, but I want something more. Does anyone have suggestions? Are there traditional accompaniments for this one-dish meal?

If you live in colder climate, a soup appetizer will take away the chill as well as lessen the urge to pig out on that tastey boiled dinner and cornbread.

Thanks, Froo. I live in the EXTREME South. When it is cold enough, we serve gumbo, but that is a full meal itself once you add in the rice and potato salad.

It sounds like a perfect idea! Love those one pot meals!

We usually just enjoy the seafood and seldom serve side dishes.

Are you serving appetizers too?

How about Key Lime pie for dessert?

Do you mean corned beef and cabbage with onions, potatos and carrots? If so Irish Soda bread would be good with it. Somehow beets are used especially the next day with red flannel hash. I can't think of a traditional dessert Martha could probably help with that. Sue

Okay then, a fruit cup or shrimp cocktail can become your appetizer. BTW, there are cold soups to consider.

On St. Patrick's Day, we don't serve corned beef and cabbage but rather a boiled dinner. In that vein, I've served an apple cake, chocolate Guiness cake with whisky frosting, a Bailey's cake.

And I think Irish soda bread would be a better bread accompaniment than cornbread.

But I think you could serve your favorite dessert with it!

Martha

I'm confused! When I was a kid my mom made a Boiled dinner and that was a Daisy Ham with potatos and carrots.

I think a shrimp cocktail and Irish soda bread sound great. My daughter's boyfriend will be making a lemon meringue pie and my mother always makes those pecan sandie cookies dredged in powdered sugar. Thanks for the help!

Jo-CT, I was introduced to the New England Boiled Dinner by my MIL who is from Pennsylvania. She always made it with corned beef so that's the only way I've ever had it. The recipe I am using calls for turnips, beets, carrots, onions, and potatoes.

I've always done a boiled dinner with corned beef!

Martha

I also use corned beef. Irish soda bread would be great, never thought of that.

SMS,

Please let us know what you plan on boiling for your dinner. LOL!

ETA: Thanks for the update! Our local seafood place calls their boil a NE boil also so that was my first thought.

Enjoy your dinner!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Beau's Rose,

Now that I think of it, my mom did a boiled dinner with ham, potatos onions and carrots. It was really good.
Do you boil the beets with the meat and vegetables or on the side? Sue

The beets will be done on the side, according to the recipe. I don't like beets, but my mother does, so I'm doing them. AND just as I would do at anybody else's house, I will eat them! This is my first boiled dinner, but I don't see anything in the directions that appear difficult. It was a spur of the moment choice my daughter and I made when we saw corned beef and corned pastrami at the deli near my house. We are always looking for something different to cook. The deli owner told me uncooked corned beef was hard to come by here (south Louisiana), but I found them with no trouble at both of my neighborhood supermarkets.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
New England boiled dinner with cabbage, potato, white turnip, rutabaga, carrot, onion, and parsnipNew England boiled dinner is the basis of a traditional New England meal, consisting of corned beef or a smoked "picnic ham" shoulder, with cabbage and added vegetable items, often including potato, rutabaga, parsnip, carrot, white turnip and onion. When using a beef roast, this meal is often known simply as corned beef and cabbage even with the addition of other vegetables.[1] A similar Newfoundland dish is called a Jiggs dinner, named for the character in Bringing Up Father. When prepared with a ham shoulder, this meal is often referred to as smoked shoulder.

Or from another source:
Originally made with salted beef, today this East Coast classic more commonly contains corned beef, ham or salt pork. Additional items such as chicken, cabbage, potatoes, parsnips, onions, carrots and seasonings are added at various times and slowly simmered together to create this hearty one-pot meal. New England boiled dinner is traditionally accompanied by horseradish and mustard.
Here in the Midwest it is more likely a roast beef with cabbage, potatoes, onions and carrots.

But it all sounds great. I'd serve a crusty bread with real butter and a leafy green salad with pomegranate seeds, feta cheese crumbles and a raspberry vinaigrette, add some toasted nuts if you like.