New Year's Eve Dinner
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Cooking time: 70 minutes for menu Cooking schedule: see below for "menu" instructions |
One last tradition to usher out the old year!
The diet goes back to 'healthy gourmet' tomorrow; but tonight I'm even doing dessert.
More champagne!
Feta and Caper Tart Time: 35 minutes
We are using filo (phyllo) dough to make cups for these little tarts, filled with feta and capers. They could be made smaller, using a small muffin pan, and eaten out of hand.
2 sheets filo (phyllo) dough
1 tbs crème fraiche
2 oz feta cheese
1/4 cup capers if capers are large, roughly chop
2 slices (1oz, 30gr) bacon
1 egg
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tbs olive oil
Sauté bacon until crisp. Remove and crumble. Place 2 ramekins, 2 1/2 - 3" (6 - 7cm) on a baking sheet and set aside. Lay out 1 sheet of filo and, using pastry brush, lightly brush all over with olive oil. Fold the sheet in half, lightly brush the top. Fold in half again, the other way, so you have a small square. Brush the top lightly with olive oil. Pick the filo up by bringing all 4 corners together and carefully put inside a ramekin. Smooth out the bottom a bit so it kind of lines the ramekin, leaving the 4 corners to hang over the edge. It should all be rather loose. Repeat with other sheet and ramekin. Divide feta and place in each ramekin. Divide and add capers and bacon. In small bowl whisk together egg, herbs and crème fraiche. Divide egg and pour over cheese, capers, etc. Bake at 400F (200C) for 20 - 25 minutes. The corners hanging over the edges will get quite brown very quickly - don't worry, they won't burn (Or, at least, mine didn't) When done remove from oven and carefully remove filo cups from ramekins. Kind of wiggle, then turn upside down into your hand. Serve, garnished with a few olives and/or a bit more feta.
Coquilles Saint-Jacques Time: 30 minutes
If you are getting scallops in their shells, the shells make a lovely presentation. I love scallops but do not like the coral. Remove it or not as suits you. Be careful not to overcook the scallops. Yes, I know this is decadent ...enjoy it! I only do it once a year!
12 - 14 oz sea scallops (350 - 450 gr)
2/3 cup white wine
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
4 oz mushrooms
2 shallots
5 tbs butter
3 tbs flour
1/3 cup (3oz, 90ml) cream or milk
3/4 cup shredded Gruyère cheese (3 oz, 100gr)
1/2 cup bread crumbs
Bring white wine, chicken stock and bay leaf to boil in medium skillet. Add scallops and cook until just opaque, about 5 minutes. Remove and put into two individual baking dishes (scallop shells?) or 1 larger baking dish. Boil cooking liquid until reduced by half. Remove bay leaf. Mince shallot and slice mushrooms. Melt 2 tbs butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté until golden, about 8 minutes more. Add shallots and mushrooms to scallops, dividing evenly. Melt remaining 3 tbs butter in sauce pan. When hot add flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low and slowly add in reduced cooking liquid, stirring constantly until thickened. Add cream and heat through. Pour sauce over scallop/mushrooms in baking dish(es). Sprinkle with bread crumbs and cheese. Bake in 375F (190C) oven for 10 - 15 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Serve.
Baked Potato Chips Time: 55 minutes
These get such a lovely brown and so crispy, nothing other than a bit of sea salt is needed to finish.
2 large potatoes (not huge), or 3 medium
2 tbs olive oil
salt - sea salt is good
Slice potatoes the long way into 3/16 inch (.5cm) thick slices. You should get 5 - 7 slices from each potato - discard 'end's. Put olive oil on a small plate. Dip both sides of potato slices in oil and lay on a nonstick baking sheet (if you have one - just makes it easier). Put into a 375F (190C) oven and bake for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, remove pan, turn potato slices and return to oven for 10 more minutes. When done, remove from pan, sprinkle with salt and serve. These should be a lovely golden brown and very crunchy.
Wilted Spinach with Bacon and Shallot Time: 15 minutes
One of my favorite ways to eat fresh spinach: tossed with bacon and onion and a dash of vinegar. Be careful not to cook the spinach too long; it quickly goes from just wilting to fully cooked and limp. You want it to still look like spinach leaves!
1 bunch spinach, 6 oz (180 gr) fresh spinach
1 shallot
2 slices bacon
2 tbs cider vinegar
1/2 tsp sugar
Wash and stem spinach if needed. Drain in a colander. If you don't feel you need to wash it - do it anyway. We want a little bit of water on them - what ever is left on the leaves after draining well - and shake them around a bit, too. Thinly slice shallot. Sauté bacon in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp, remove and crumble. Add shallot and sauté briefly, just to wilt it a bit, 1 - 2 minutes. Add sugar and vinegar, stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove pan from heat and add spinach. Toss briefly to coat spinach and wilt it slightly. Add crumbled bacon, toss to combine. Put into a bowl and serve.
Adult Chocolate Pudding Time: 10 minutes plus chilling
I don't often make dessert, but when I do, unless it's summer I make something Chocolate!
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tbs cornstarch
1 tsp flour
pinch of salt
2 cups milk (low fat is okay)
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 oz Kahlúa (or however much you want)
Mix sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, flour and salt in large saucepan. Add 1 cup of milk, turn heat to medium and whisk, dissolving dry ingredients. Add remaining milk and continue whisking over medium heat until thickened and starting to simmer, 5 - 7 minutes. Simmer for 1 minute, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour into pretty glasses, dessert dishes or custard dishes. This may make more than you want - if it does, just save some for tomorrow (breakfast?). Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator or 1 hour in the freezer. Pour Kahlúa over the top, and serve.
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Cooking Schedule: 70 minutes |
Add scallops to stock and cook |
Cooking for Two? Or more?
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