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

[Shelby]

Pille, that looks delicious! I've never tried salmon roe. Is it salty?

[suzilightning]

We actually went with just nibbles on New Year's Eve but on New Year's Day:

The Beast before roasting.

The wine

A finished plate. Potato gratin made with McAdams cheddar cheese, gren beans with garlic and butternut squash cooked with butter, toast dope, savory and some orange juice.

The meat did come out perfectly moist, juicy and - for me at least - pink!!

[BekkiM]

It took me a while to figure out why I couldn't upload my pictures (which, miracle of miracles, I actually remembered to take during the course of the evening), so here goes:

We started with Oysters Rockefeller (for Greed) and, except for the fact that I got unshucked oysters from Whole Paycheck without taking into account the minor issue of not knowing how to shuck oysters, forcing my dear, dear husband to rush back out an hour before the guests arrived to get 16 shucked oysters (oops), went, if you'll pardon the expression, swimmingly.

NOTE: The plates are my favorite... Cheap glass plates from Cost Plus onto which I etched "EAT" using glass etching cream.

The next course, which I did forget to photograph, was Shrimp Diablo (Anger) served on a smoked-corn pancake with something called "diablo sauce"--basically a spicy ginger-pepper sauce (and I only used one of the three habaneros called for). The recipe came from Food Down Under (here). The pancakes were a little time-consuming since I'm not that familiar with my griddle yet and spent some time fiddling with the temperature before getting something I liked. But they were extremely tasty and were great the next day as breakfast with scrambled eggs.

Third came sloth, or Pea Soup with Parmesan Custards, Pickled Beets, and Truffle Oil. I basically used a recipe from Gourmet for Asperagus Soup, but since asparagus was $6.99/lb and frozen peas were $1.49, I went with peas. And I had had the pickled beets and truffle oil as part of a tasting menu at Luca D'Italia, so I added those. It was quite lovely, but my truffle oil was a little old--oh well, the guests were well-lubricated by that time and didn't notice.

Fourth course was Pork Belly Confit with French Green Lentils. The confit was from Charcuterie, although I reheated it in the oven instead of deep-frying it, which may have detracted from the final dish, but it kept me from attempting to learn to use my new deep-fryer after several glasses of wine, which I felt was a wiser choice. The lentils were bastardized from a Whole Foods recipe for a pot pie sort of thing, but I cooked them with a smoked pork hock for flavor. They were definitely yummy, but the dish wasn't very pretty. In fact, it might almost belong in the regretable foods thread, except I can't hold a candle to the most recent entry.

Fifth course was individual Wellingtons for Envy. Each guest got one of the four flavors, but not the other three. I'm pretty proud of myself for that idea. I did a Cornish Game Hen from Bobby Flay (recipe, a Pork Wellington of unknown origen (it was wrapped in filo, not puff pastry), Beef Wellington from Fine Cooking (recipe), and a Salmon Wellington, also of unknown origen. Somehow I missed a picture of the beef, but I have pictures of the other three. (As an aside, you may notice that my plating gets increasingly sloppy from here on out--I can only blame the wine!) The unappetizing-looking pinkish sauce was an attempt at a Pinot Noir Butter Sauce--tasted good, didn't look quite as rich as I had been hoping.

Cornish Game Hen:

Pork Tenderloin:

Salmon:

At this point, we took a little break from eating to let everyone get up and stretch their legs. I should mention that although we sat 15 for dinner, my dining room only holds about 12 comfortably, so it was very cramped. My dear, dear husband (who is an absolute saint) actually BUILT a table out of 2x4s and plywood for the occasion, after sitting down with a calculator and figuring out the minimum shoulder-width require for each place setting. The end result was an enormous expanse of table that could double as a dance floor and about 20 inches of free space on all sides, just enough to pull out your chair, slip into your seat, and that was it. If one person needed to get up, everybody got up.

Anyway, after about a 30 minute intermission, we resumed with a cheese course for Pride--my Pride Rainbow (I'm also very tickled with myself for this idea). I served a local chevre with pomegranite and a lame attempt at raspberry pate de fruits (tasted mostly like jelly), homemade ricotta (which I am in LOVE with now) with tangerine confit, a ginger-sesame cookie with lemon stilton (it was supposed to have Meyer-lemon confit, but the lemons turned brown and shriveled, so I ditched them), sage darby with candied pistachios, and a fig with blue cheese. I had intended to plate these ahead of time and bring them out ready to go, but time got away from me and I plated during the intermission.

Final course was Lust, which was supposed to be Molten Chocolate Cakes, only they didn't "molten" The truffle I inserted into each one basically melted into the batter, resulting in a moist, but definitely not runny, interior. They also needed to be sauced--creme anglais and raspberry sauce are my staples--but I ran out of time to make them. Wish it had been different, because this was the only course I was really unhappy about that night. Oh well, you live you learn. The plating absolutely bites in the picture I have, but that was partly because the good-looking plates (e.g. the ones that weren't mine) were taken to the table before I remembered to take a picture.

And, last but not least, I wanted you to have a picture of the aftermath of the table. Somehow we don't have a "before" picture, which is a shame, because it was pretty cool. I draped the whole dining room in black vinyl tablecloth and hung random, off-kilter mirrors around the room. With the red table, the many candles, and some cool, circular menus a friend made for the occasion, it looked like a macabre whore house--which I thought was perfect for the Seven Deadly Sins.

[Lilija]

The food looks top notch, BekkiM, the theme and decoration are SO friggin cool. I bow to your NYE coolness, and might steal an idea or two.

[YPants]

apologies if this has been covered but i thought it was "important" enough to warrant its own topic. feel free to remove if im missing anything.

what are you guys doing for new years eve? anyone hosting any dinner parties or anything? what are you making? im looking for inspiration. have a couple of ideas but nothing is set yet. i will share my ideas in a few hours.

[emilyr]

My friends and I are going to be at various different places early in the evening, but we're all meeting up around 11 and we're going to make a midnight breakfast with champagne. I think I'm doing a strata, but I'm looking for inspiration, too.

[MaryMc]

No plans for New Years Eve--we'll probably stay home with a bottle of champagne and watch the Space Needle fireworks on TV (real swingers, aren't we?) But for New Years Day I'll make my usual big pot of Hoppin' John and a pan of cornbread. My mother was from Alabama, so black-eyed peas have always been a requirement on January 1 for a prosperous new year!

Hoppin' John

1-1/4 cup dry black-eyed peas

4 cups water

1-1/2 cups chopped onion

3 minced cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 bay leaf

8 oz. coarsely chopped ham hock or salt pork

8 oz. chopped smoked ham or bacon

1 cup uncooked white rice

Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper to taste

Boil the black-eyed peas for two minutes, then remove from heat and set aside for 1 hour.

Add the onion, garlic, black pepper, crushed red pepper, bay leaf, and ham hock or salt pork. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Stir in the ham or bacon and simmer 1 more hour, uncovered, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice as directed on the package.

Remove the ham hock or salt pork and the bay leaf from the beans. Stir in the cooked rice. Stir in Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with cornbread. Happy new year!

[MarkinHouston]

apologies if this has been covered but i thought it was "important" enough to warrant its own topic. feel free to remove if im missing anything.

what are you guys doing for new years eve? anyone hosting any dinner parties or anything? what are you making? im looking for inspiration. have a couple of ideas but nothing is set yet. i will share my ideas in a few hours.

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Are you hosting a dinner party? just two of you? Any particular favorites or dislikes? (shellfish allergies, don't eat beef, 8 guests all with strange requests) Please narrow down your target audience/initial ideas. Thanks.

[YPants]

it will be 4-5 people, me and the gf included. no meat allowed but fish and seafood is more than ok. no other neuroses than i know of, everyone should be able to enjoy whatever we throw at them. my preferences? i like butter, expensive stuff and i like to challenge myself. three or four courses!

this little italian deli has these black truffles that are quick frozen when fresh that we bough last year, they were really great so i want to buy one again this year. i have this salad that i actually mentioned in some other thread that i am considering...

was thinking artichoke hearts (steamed?) on frisé lettuce with super aged comté, shaved black truffle, shaved radish (you know so they become this beautiful little red-bordered transluscent bite) and some form of vinaigrette. ive never made this but it sounds awesome in my head.

a fish course is probably required too. this thread got me curious about butter poaching, another thing ive never done but would like to try - butter poached monkfish?

also my gf will be getting a pasta machine for christmas so she would probably appreciate a pasta course. ravioli, openfaced or otherwise, served in consommé or otherwise, would be cool.

deserts are just not my arena. but id like it to be refined and elegant, fit in with the other dishes and also, i have a strong preference for finishing meals with ice cream.

ps, all ideas are 100% scrapable! i just want it to be elegant and exciting.

Edited December 22, 2008 by YPants (log)

[Lilija]

This year, we're lying to everyone, save for a few close friends, and keeping it low key. Last year was a dreadfully dull and arbitrarily alcohol-free party (I brought a flask of Crown Royal, and took care of myself, but the toast was sparkling grape juice...lame. lame. lame.) Three years of boring NYE parties, and we've had it.

This year, we'll likely go out for a late hibachi lunch on NYE, with some close friends. It's rather festive, with 12 of us taking over the empty hibachi joint, and getting buzzed on cheap sake. For the evening, we're gonna nibble our favorite finger foods, all night, while playing video games and enjoying each other's company. Definitely toast with a nice, expensive bottle of Champagne, and maybe if we're hungry have a 3 am breakfast. No more boring parties! I'm taking NYE back!

[Marlene]

We are heading to the cottage right after Christmas and will be hosting a New Year's Eve party up there. Everyone will stay with us and we expect to have about 12 people in total, inlcuding three teenagers.

We'll be smoking a large prime rib on the smoker, and doing yorkies and roast potatoes etc. We'll also do a secret santa exchange after dinner. Our canal should be frozen and turned into a skating rink, (apparently there is a LOT of snow up there!). There will be board games, and champagne etc.

[RAHiggins1]

I host a New Year's party every year. I try to mix it up on food served. I usually do provide a couple of starters, beef, fish, poultry, 2 starches, 2 veggies and a dessert.

So far I am I know I am making;

Goat Cheese Mouse served on Crostini with a strawberry compote, red wine caramel and walnuts.

Shrimp and Queso Stuffed Chili Relleno with a Tomato Beurre Blanc on Polenta

Chicken Balantine with Tarragon Scented Veloute.

Parsley Buttered Red Potatoes

Steak Au Poivre

Bouche de Noel

[emilyr]

My friends and I are going to be at various different places early in the evening, but we're all meeting up around 11 and we're going to make a midnight breakfast with champagne. I think I'm doing a strata, but I'm looking for inspiration, too.

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OK, I just got off the phone with my friend and have to change my plan. I was going to make a quiche with hashbrown crust similar to this Martha Stewart recipe, but the hostess is going to be making quiche and is asking everyone to bring breakfast side dishes.

She specifically asked me to make a hashbrown casserole *or something.* I'm not really in the mood to go the normal-around-here route of cream of... soups and Velveeta. I already bought some good ham, monterrey jack cheese, mushrooms, spinach and green onions, in addition to the frozen hashbrowns (they work better for the crust) for the planned quiche. I know I can sautee the veggies as usual and add them to the potatoes and bake or fry, frittata-like (with lotsa butter), but I feel like it needs a binder. What can I use to make this more of a casserole and not just baked hashbrowns with stuff in.

Also, when we did this last year, I made the cocktails. Mango or apricot nectar with Cava and a bit of vanilla vodka. She wants something like that again this year. Any suggestions?

[Alex]

We're having a couple of friends over for dinner, then we'll try to stay awake for TV coverage of the Elmore Sausage Drop at midnight.

Mushroom-chestnut soup

Veuve Cliquot Brut Yellow Label, N.V.

Cranberry-Lime-Ginger sorbet

Crane Dance Farms roast goose, with a sauce made from stock, chestnuts, prunes, and cognac

Braised red cabbage and apples

Potatoes roasted with goose fat

Robert Mondavi Unfiltered Merlot, Napa Valley, 1999

Palazzolo’s Lavender-Honey and Roasted Pistachio ice creams

Pahrump Valley Winery Creme Sherry

Jeffrey Steingarten’s hot chocolate

[Peter the eater]

. . . . i like butter, expensive stuff and i like to challenge myself. three or four courses!

No red meat? Bummer, but a worthy challenge. Your line above resonates for me, I've been watching the box set of Julia Child's The French Chef. This NYE I'm going with butter and a challenge, but not very expensive. Lots of Pinot noir from France , French onion soup, coq au vin, crème brûlée, and Kir royale. A retro classic.

[Ktepi]

Hoppin John, with black-eyed peas that I grew on my deck even though nobody local thought they'd grow up here, and country ham that I cured myself.

Had to buy the rice, though.

[sadistick]

For the past few years we have decided to ditch the typical $150 a head club/bar scene and go for the more intimate 10-15 type person tasting menu.

This year so far:

Gravlax & Smoked Trout

ginger/lemongrass/yam/carrot shooters

wild mushroom ravioli in brown butter & sage sauce

sliced kobe beef steak with side of baby bok

arugula/pear/chestnut salad

random quebec cheeses

molten lindt lava choc cakes

....as it stands for now.

[dockhl]

this year..........new boyfriend *blush* so..............

early...........

gravlax and tomato burgundy soup .......champagne

significantly later........

prime rib

mashed potatoes

Brussels sprouts with browned butter and hazelnuts

Chateau Margene 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon

(Don't want him to be uncomfortably full............. )

[Recoil Rob]

New Years Eve, Cotecchino and Lentils.

[rooftop1000]

Also, when we did this last year, I made the cocktails. Mango or apricot nectar with Cava and a bit of vanilla vodka. She wants something like that again this year. Any suggestions?

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I am going all peach, sparkling wine, peach nectar and peach schnaaps

tracey

[TheSwede]

Was going to a party, but girlfriend caught a cold so we are staying home. Upside with that is that I will do the cooking so the food will probably be better... Although girlfriend probably won't be able to taste it.

Starting with raw tuna and water melon slices, soy sauce, a touch of rice vinegar (had something similar at a restaurant - had to try it at home)

Then lobster with vanilla beurre blanc (sounds so strange I had to try it), potato discs "parisienne", leeks,

Transparency of manchiego cheese (from Alinea - of course inspired by Carol at alineaathome.com)

Lastly Caramel Popcorn, liquiefied (also Alinea, see above. Not a proper dessert really, but another recipe I wanted to try)

I have a nice bottle of Bollinger in the fridge to go with the first two courses, then we can switch to a port or madeira.

[Jon Savage]

Just a quiet evening for us two. I'll be making:

Lentil Soup Linsensuppe

with bread dumplings Serviettenknödel and a simple endive/radicchio salad.

Served with a nice red wine.

This hearkens back to the time I Lived in Austria. Lentils on the new year are said to be

fortuitous. I won't be serving pig snout though tradition be damned!

[Peter the eater]

Lentil Soup Linsensuppe

I have seen lovage in other people's gardens, but that lentil soup is the first time I've ever seen it in a recipe.

[Jon Savage]

Lentil Soup Linsensuppe

I have seen lovage in other people's gardens, but that lentil soup is the first time I've ever seen it in a recipe.

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Its taste (lovage) is reminiscent of Maggi (the condiment). I probably won't include any in this soup unless I happen to find some (I chose the recipe I linked to as a fairly representative example).

My version includes thyme, an einbrenn (roux) *lots* of minced garlic and omits the frankfurter but is otherwise similar to the one posted. I don't know how "authentic" my take on this is but that is how my (ex) Austrian wife liked it.

[Doodad]

Curry shrimp app

Brussels poached in lemon and hot peppers

orange glazed carrots

Cauliflower done as fried rice

orange marinated grilled salmon with ponzu sauce

apple tart tatin