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RECIPES: A New Year's Eve feast
New Year's Eve is always pressure cooker, but for some reason, the culmination of 2011 feels like it's arriving with the speed of a runaway train. So consider the alternative: staying in this Saturday.
RECIPES: A New Year's Eve feast
New Year's Eve is always pressure cooker, but for some reason, the culmination of 2011 feels like it’s arriving with the speed of a runaway train, transporting a side order of stress in its caboose. The rush to plan, plan, plan to be somewhere special when the clock chimes 12 can be a killer. So consider the alternative: staying in this Saturday. Chill down a bottle or two of Prosecco and cook up this easy, expensive-sounding menu of oysters, lobster and exotically spiced bread pudding. It's a helluva lot more relaxing than scrambling for plans, and a helluva lot cheaper too.
Oysters with Jalapeño Ice
The Nucky-era Knife & Fork in Atlantic City serves their raw oysters with a similarly spicy, emerald-tinted slush. The jalapeño creates an interesting sensation of heat across the icy oysters.
Go Get This:
12 oysters, shucked
1 jalapeño, split
2 limes, juice and zest
1 cup cilantro, chopped, plus 12 leaves for garnish
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
Pinch salt
Now Do This:
The ice needs to be made at least three hours before dinner. Start with a jalapeño simple syrup, just the water, sugar and pepper simmered together in a saucepan over medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Cool the syrup completely, whisk in lime juice and zest, salt and cilantro and transfer mix to a shallow glass baking dish. Freeze, scraping every half hour or so to break up ice crystals and create a slushy textured granita. Hold in freezer until ready to plate.
Shuck the oysters or have your fish guy do it for you (Ippolito's is always happy to). Arrange the oysters on the half shell and top each with a small scoop of jalapeño ice and leaf of cilantro.
Grilled Lobster Tail with Cardamom-Lime Butter
This is what I wanted the lobster at Tashan to be: rich, bright and boldly spiced. You’ll need metal skewers, a pastry brush and a solidly built grill pan — or someone hot-blooded enough the brave the elements and grill al fresco.
Go Get This:
2 cold-water lobster tails (about 8 oz. each)
1 stick unsalted butter
1 tbsp. coconut oil
4 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise pod
1 tsp. coriander seed
1 lime, zest only, plus wedges to garnish
Salt and pepper to taste
Now Do This:
Begin by making the cardamom-lime butter. In a saucepan over low heat, toast the spices until fragrant, 5-8 minutes. Remove from heat, allow pan to cool and add the butter and coconut oil. Return to very low heat, stirring until melted and warm. Keep on low heat 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cool slightly and add lime zest and salt and pepper. Reserve to brush on tails.
Extract the lobster tail. This guy has a good method, just be sure make the cut all the way down to the tip and remove the shell completely. (For this recipe we don't need it; save it for stock.) You should be left with 4 nearly even pieces of lobster tail.
Grease the grill pan with a neutral oil and preheat. Get your burners up as high as they’ll go and get the exhaust going. While the pan is heating up, thread each piece of lobster onto a metal skewer and brush with cardamom-lime butter. Arrange across the pan and grill about 5 minutes, constantly basting with the butter. The lobster should begin to turn opaque white and gradually blacken as the grill pan does its thing. Turn the skewers, brush with more butter and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Using oven mitts, remove skewers from pan, allow to cool slightly and slide the lobster tails off the skewers.
Coconut Curry Grilled Asparagus
This is a simple side to the lobster that doesn't require a second pan. Just toss the asparagus in oil and seasonings and throw right on the grill pan after the lobster is done cooking.
Go Get This:
1 bunch trimmed asparagus
1 tsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Now Do This:
Toss the asparagus in the coconut oil, curry powder, salt and pepper to coat. Arrange on the grill pan and cook until the asparagus turns bright green and picks up grill marks, about 5 minutes or so. Serve immediately with lobster.
Panettone Bread Pudding
The classic Italian holiday fruitcake has many uses after Christmas morning. Here, it becomes individual bread pudding cups you can make ahead of time and reheat to order.
Go Get This:
1/2 slightly staled panettone, sliced, buttered and cubed
1 cup half-and-half
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp. Chinese five spice
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch salt and pepper
2 8-oz. ramekins
Now Do This:
Preheat the oven to 350, then prep the bread. You want day or so old bread for this recipe. (You can dry the slices out in the oven if necessary by toasting them at 350 for 5 minutes. Just remember to cool them completely before buttering and cubing.) Divide the bread between the two ramekins and reserve.
Make the custard by whisking the remaining ingredients together. Divide mix between the bread-filled ramekins and let sit for 15 minutes, or until some of the custard has absorbed.
Bake the bread pudding cups 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm.
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