New Year’s Day Menu
Click on names below for links to recipes.
“Texas Caviar” (Black-Eyed Pea dip), served with Fritos “Scoops” chips
(served as an appetizer, recipe below)
Hickory Ham with Jezebel Sauce and Sweet Potato Biscuits
(I made the Jezebel sauce in the blender to get it really smooth and set aside a little bit of it, before adding the spicy hot horseradish, for the kids.)
Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta
Potato Gratin with Creme Fraiche and Gruyere
(too delicious for words and VERY easy)
Winter-Spiced Molten Chocolate Cakes with Rum-Ginger Ice Cream
(Last year, my sis-in-law said this was the best dessert she’s ever eaten.)
“Big As Your Head” Cinnamon Meringues
(adapted from this recipe – I made a batch and a half, with 12 egg whites, and used 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 tsp. McCormick’s new cinnamon extract, plus a couple of shakes of ground cinnamon.)
Ever since we’ve had kids, we have preferred to stay home on New Year’s Eve and watch Dick Clark (ever tried to find a babysitter for New Year’s Eve? Impossible!). We leave the crazy partying to the youngsters and celebrate the next day. This has become our traditional family New Year’s Day meal. We also tape a dime (Boy and Girl usually do this) to the bottom of each dinner plate before we put them out on the buffet (keep reading to find out why).
I first made these chocolate cakes (cover recipe of January 2004 Bon Appetit magazine) for a potluck going-away dinner party for some friends that were moving to Hong Kong (will be great to have you back stateside soon, Neaglis!). I didn’t cook them long enough the first time and they ran all over the plates – we had to rush them out to dining room to make sure they wouldn’t drip off the edge, but they were so tasty, I knew that I had to try them again. I made them again last New Year’s and they were a huge hit. I knew then that we had a new traditional New Year’s dessert. MANY MANY MANY thanks to Hubby, who went out on New Year’s Eve at 10:00 pm to buy more chocolate, after I mistakenly bought sweet instead of bittersweet – couldn’t have done it without you, Honey! Recipe tip: You have to work REALLY quickly to get these unmolded, garnished and served. The ice cream is softer than usual (it doesn’t freeze as “hard” as regular ice cream once you add the rum) and the cake is warm, so the ice cream will melt if you don’t move fast. Definitely slice the thin pieces of crystallized ginger for garnish ahead of time. Toss them with a little bit of plain, granulated sugar to coat them so that they don’t stick together and keep them in a small, airtight container until you’re ready for them.
The meringues were an afterthought – after using all of those eggs and yolks for the cakes, I couldn’t bear to throw away 12 egg whites, so I whipped up a batch of meringues. They finished baking right as the clock was striking midnight (but, of course, had to stay in the oven overnight afterward). It turned out that I didn’t bake them QUITE long enough and they were pretty chewy, but VERY tasty. They were a big hit with Boy and Girl, so I will probably try them again. Of course, then I’ll have to throw away egg yolks…..guess I’ll have to make Hollandaise or Zabaglione.
“Texas Caviar” Black-Eyed Pea Dip
(adapted from the GREAT Junior League of Austin cookbook, Necessities and Temptations.
I forgot to take a photo of this, but it looks more like a relish or salad than a conventional, smooth dip, since the peas remain whole. It is pretty and colorful, though, and is fairly healthy.
***REQUIRES ADVANCE PREPARATION***
This warning is for my BF, Eileen, who routinely starts to prepare the evening’s dinner without reading the recipe in advance, only to find that she’s overlooked a step that says “marinate overnight” or “allow bread cubes to sit overnight to dry” or “refrigerate overnight to completely cool”. It’s a charming little quirk that has the side benefit of giving us (me, Hubby and Ei’s hubby) lots of amusement at her expense. XOXO, Ei!
2 packages fresh black-eyed peas
(don’t remember how many ounces were in the bags of peas that I bought, but I think they were each about 2 cups)
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
3/4 cup olive oil
3 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
1 medium to large-sized white onion, finely chopped
2 green bell peppers, finely chopped
4 bay leaves, torn in half
salt and pepper to taste
a sprinkle of chopped fresh Italian parsley or cilantro, if desired
Cook peas (I cover them with water and microwave them for 20 – 30 minutes until softened, but not mushy) according to package directions. Drain. Combine all ingredients and pour into an airtight Tupperware-type container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before serving, stirring once every 8 hours or so, if you think about it. Serve cold or at room temperature with Fritos “Scoops” chips.
It is also a family tradition to have someone (Girl, this year) read this as we are loading up our plates, so that we’ll remember what each item is supposed to “do”:
New Year’s Day Reading:
It is considered bad luck to wash, sign contracts or cry on January 1st. So, settle back with a serving of black-eyed peas for luck, cabbage for money, a slice of ham to look ahead (pigs root forward), and a dime under your plate for wealth and health all year long. No questions today, just answers to make the rest of the year as merry and bright as the holidays.