New Year's Eve: What are You Eating or Serving?

[sarah w]

Is anyone having a dinner party on new years eve ?

We have just decided to and the proposed menu is

Amuse ? Undecided

***

Lobster thermidor

***

Fillet steak with Port and Redcurrant sauce, Stuffed mini savoy cabbages with chestnuts,mushroom,bacon

Heston Blummenthals Mash

***

Croquembouche

So what else are people cooking?

Also does anyone have any good lobster dishes? I am not sure about thermidor as i have never eaten it and always imgaine it would overpower the lobster. I am thinking of prehaps just doing grilled lobster with garlic butter..

Sarah x

[jackal10]

Smoked Salmon

Cock-a-leekie

Haggis, neeps and tatties

Syllabub, shortcake

[marie-louise]

Yes, we will be cooking a special dinner at home, just for the two of us.

So far, the only thing on the menu is champagne. I'm thinking of an assortment of seafood dishes. I may order a couple of lobsters from back east. Last year I made gravlax as an appetizer-good w/ champagne and makes great sandwiches the next day. Ending the year w/ a rich chocolate dessert also seems appropriate.

[fresco]

Interesting. The first thing that occurs to me, as well, for dinner New Year's Eve is seafood. Wonder what the connection is.

[Mayhaw Man]

We are going to a big potluck gathering that we go to every year. The food is usually pretty outstanding.

I will be taking a rare beef tenderloin and a batch of oyster/artichoke soup.

I will grill the tenderloin in advance and finish in the oven at the party and I will need to finish the soup there as well.

New Years day is a big cooking day for us. The usual:peas, cabbage, corn beef, black eyed pea fritters, cheese grits, etc.

[JPW]

We had a similar thread on the WashDC forum.

Typically, I prepare a tapas/meze menu and have a stocked bar around.

That way we can nosh throughout the evening as we watch the ageless wonder. It's also great to have tapas because inevitably someone stops by and it's nice to have something ready to offer them.

[ludja]

Baked Stuffed Lobsters and Champagne

[suzilightning]

haven't got all the menu down yet but pretty sure of the following

smoked salmon

baby greens

chocolate mousse

mumm dvx and maybe a bottle of 90 sir winston that should find it's way into my stocking

i know johnnybird will want fish but i really want beef(uh, oh - maybe it's craving time?). steak diane, perhaps. would REALLY like lamb but am not allowed to cook it in the house. sigh....

[Dana]

Anyone else have to work? I will get off just in time to drive home with all the drunks. Glad I don't live too far.....

[Jake]

Is anyone having a dinner party on new years eve ?

We have just decided to and the proposed menu is

Amuse ? Undecided

***

Lobster thermidor

***

Fillet steak with Port and Redcurrant sauce, Stuffed mini savoy cabbages with chestnuts,mushroom,bacon

Heston Blummenthals Mash

***

Croquembouche

So what else are people cooking?

Also does anyone have any good lobster dishes? I am not sure about thermidor as i have never eaten it and always imgaine it would overpower the lobster. I am thinking of prehaps just doing grilled lobster with garlic butter..

Sarah x

I personally find Lobster Thermador a very rich dish. Based on some of your courses, and what you eventually decide to serve as an ameuse, I would probably go for a lighter treatment on the lobster. Even a cold dish...

[Maison Rustique]

Since that is my birthday (Well, why the heck did you think there were all those parties?!?) and I don't like to go out that night, DH does the cooking. And his speciality is meatloaf, mashed potatoes and broccoli with cheese sauce. So, that is probably what we're having.

He did try once to make one of my favorites. Osso Buco. He spent the whole day on it and I came home from work sick as a dog and took about 2 bites. Since then, he's stuck to his meatloaf dinner. And that's just fine--he makes a great meatloaf!!

[sarah w]

Our "thermidor" is hopefully going to be lighter than some. We arent doing a bechamel as some recipe's say, we are going to a champagne sabayon, parmesan and a few herbs.

Lobsters are on order for collection next week !

excellent

sarah

x

Edited December 22, 2003 by sarah w (log)

[budrichard]

Winterpoint oysters, harvested 12/26 -27

Dayboat scallop sashimi, scallops fished 12/28

Yellow Tail Sashimi

Salmon Caviar

Whole turbot with a lobster/champagne sauce

Wisconsin Uplands Cheese Company 'Pleasant Ridge Reserve' Farmstead Cheese , aged 17 months

Washed down by Taittenger' Blanc De Blanc' 19xx

Japanese New Years ale.

Sleep.......................

Dick

[itch22]

Egg rolls, fried wontons (or wonton soup), duck (exactly what recipe I have yet to decide), drunken chicken, and a few vegitable dishes (still undecided buy will most likely include almond guy ding).

[hillvalley]

Assorted Pates and Cheeses

Homecured Gravlax

Oysters on the Halfshell

Caviar on Latkes

Wilted Greens with Prosuctto

Lobster

The eating will begin around 5 and last throughout the night, coming to the table only for the lobster and wilted greens.

We will be drinking Wasabi Bloody Marys, Wine and Champagne.

[docsconz]

We will be cooking at home and sharing the responsibilities with friends coming to visit. Dinner is shaping up to be:

Winterpoint oysters from Browne trading Co. with lemon and a sauvignon Blanc that I haven't decided on yet.

Fresh homemade pasta preparation of my friend's. Wine TBA.

Roasted beef tenderloin with sides of sauteed mushrooms, lentils and most likely spinach. This will be served with a vintage Bordeaux - possibly 1982 Gruaud LaRose

Dessert TBA with dessert wine TBA

1990 Taittinger Comte de Champagnes for the moment.

[Naomi]

It is a family party and I am keeping it simple, with a real Sottish/ Irish theme.

Wild Irish salmon trio: hot smoked, cold smoked and marinated

Miniscule portions of haggis, neeps n tatties

Locally reared venison, spiced red wine sauce, colcannon(light on potato, heavy on greens)

Choice of Desserts

Cranachan with rasberries

Clootie dumpling ice cream (lighter than the dumpling itself)

Plain Ice cream w. my rum butterscotch sauce

Dad is sorting out the drinks, so dunno until he arrives. I'm sure both whiskey and champagne will appear throughout the evening!

[Katherine]

It is a family party and I am keeping it simple, with a real Sottish/ Irish theme.

neeps

tatties

Cranachan

Clootie

Translation?

[haunted_chef]

Happy new year to all !!!

No, in fact I will be drinking my dinner tonight. I will not forget to toast my fellow Egulleteers at Midnight tonight as well. As for cooking, that will take place on New Years Day, at the Father-in-laws house....it will be typical Texas fare....Smoked white bass and red snapper, smoked ham, and smoked brisket. I am bringing the black-eyed peas, Greenbeans sauteed with Tasso, a Flourless Chocolate torte and homemade chocolate velvet icecream. I am not sure what the rest of the family will be bringing....I just hope its something that isn't going to stay with me all day...

Happy New Year to all!!!!!!!

John

[Mabelline]

Is Sottish a typo? If not, my SO and family are Sottish, also.

[Naomi]

Is Sottish a typo? If not, my SO and family are Sottish, also.

LOL. Scottish.

Cranachan is a dessert with whiskey and heather honey and cream and raspberries and a crunchy scottish oat topping. Very Scottish

Clootie dumpling aka "black bun" is a new year tradition. It is a pudding made of dried fruit and spices and plenty of booze. I have made a lighter ice-cream version.

Some people carry black bun with their whiskey when they visit friends and family after midnight. It is called "first-footing" .. black bun symbolises that the house will not go hungry in the coming year. The first footer might also bring coal to symbolise warmth and safety. Whiskey... Dunno what that symbolises, but it is the best bit

Neeps and tatties are turnips and potatoes... traditional accompaniments to haggis... I'm serving the tiniest cubes of each, sauteed.

Haggis. Thats a small scottish creature with one long leg and one short leg so it can run round mountains easily!

Just kidding.

And back to the kitchen with me.

Happy new year to all.

[adoxograph]

In "first-footing" doesn't the first one through the door after midnight have to be a dark haired man? I read somewhere that blonds, redheads and women mean bad luck for the house, regardless of gifts...

But if someone shows up at my door with a lovely bottle of Scotch just past midnight, I'm letting them in no matter what color their hair. :)

[KateW]

Well shoot, I hope my fiance walked in first!

<---Redhead

My fiance is dark haired...

Does anyone cook on new year's day? My fiance commented that his family always cooked the big meal on new year's day.

[James Kendal]

I am Curious to see what everyone is going to be serving for New Years Eve.

Up here at the Aerie Chef Letard has given me a "Jazz" inspired menu to work with:

New Years Eve 2004

“JAZZ”

“Confetti”

Carpaccio of Wild Salmon, Albacore Tuna & Weathervane Scallop

N/V Blue Mountain, Brut, Okanagan, B.C.

Poultry & Pomegranate Consommé

Duck Foie Gras, East Coast Lobster & Quail Egg

2003 La Frenz, Viognier, Okanagan, B.C. (not sure about this pairing)

Potato Crusted Partridge in a Pear

Quince Macedoine, White Truffle Oil

2002 Cedar Creek, Platinum, Chardonnay, Okanagan, B.C.

Manhattan Shooter

Bourbon Marinated Buffalo Tenderloin

Roasted on Cedar & Pine, Jerusalem Artichoke Tarte Fine,

Pine Mushroom Essence

1999 Leasingham, Classic Clare, Shiraz, McLaren Vale, Australia

“Marcella” Goat Cheese

Blood Orange, Peppercorn & Cilantro Salad, Balsamic Syrup

2002 Venturi-Schulze, #3, Cowichan Valley, B.C.

“Nuit Blanche”Black & White Cheesecake

2000 Paradise Ranch, Chardonnay Ice Wine, Okanagan, B.C.

[nwyles]

Nice menu James.

Our New Years is a little simpler than that. We have a wedding booked in. They already got married and are having a cocktail reception at the retaurant.

I could not be happier. 100 people have RSVP'd. Done. Booked. My juggling, no scrabling to find reso's etc. Smooth sailing. Love it. Three out of the past four years we have had full restaurant bookings for New Years. I have been a little bit spoiled.

For those of you in the business , you know what I mean when I say it is "rookies" night out. Lots of young people, infrequent restaurant diners etc. People have an unreal expectation of what New Year's Eve will bring them. I am glad that I do not have to attend one of those parties that for $80.00 entrance fee you get -

1. in

2. a glass of Segura Vidas at midnight

3. paper hat

Maybe I am just getting old ? Perhaps a little Grinchy. If I did not have a restaurant, , I would have friends over to the house, nice food, some lobsters, champagne, nice wine, kick back and relax !