New Year's Party Tasty Favours

As we are inching ever closer to New Year's Eve, and many of us are scrambling around for ideas of things to make for our parties, I wanted to share with you a few favourites that have always been main-stays on our New Year's Eve table.

Each year, we would gather together for dinner... our very last dinner together of that year. It was usually an early dinner because we wanted to make sure we had room for the tasties what would be the first foods we ate in the New Year. It was always important that what we ate right after midnight were extravagant because they would be the first tastes of the wonders that we would enjoy the coming year. Yes, I grew up with a lot of superstitions, and I must say that the NYE superstitions are ones I still hold close and dear to me. No matter what the previous year has looked like, it has always been important in our family that we spend a few extra dollars and do something really extravagant so that the year would be paved with the same opportunities for extravagance.

So here are a few indulgences for you to try out for your New Year's party this year. They are not overly time consuming and you can definitely start making them a day or two ahead of time and keeping them in the fridge, just to assemble the afternoon of.

Deviled Eggs with Caviar

I never knew that Deviled Eggs were ever topped with anything other than caviar, until I moved to Canada. Yes, I know, it is the "curse" of growing up with a privileged lifestyle.

Ingredients
12 eggs, hard boiled (approx 10 mins)
2-3 TBSP Miracle Whip (adjust amount depending on consistency of egg mixture)
1/8 tsp hot mustard powder (English mustard)
1/16 tsp garlic powder (the smallest amount for just a hint)
Salt to taste
1 small jar black (or red) caviar
Parsley (for decoration)

1. Once eggs have been boiled, shelled and set aside to cool, cut them in half and carefully remove egg yolks into a bowl. Set the egg white "cups" aside.
2. Mix in next five ingredients to make a manageable paste. Using a pastry bag with a star tip, put egg mixture into piping bag and pipe egg mixture into the egg white "cups".
3. Using the tip of a plastic knife, scoop caviar on to the knife and place gently on top of each egg center. Stick a small sprig of parsley into the egg as decoration.

Shrimp Cocktail Cup

1lb cooked shrimp, deveined and shelled with tails still on
1 cup ketchup
3/4 cup horseradish
Juice from 1/2 lemon

1. Mix together the ketchup, horseradish, and lemon juice until smooth. Pour approx 2 TBSP of cocktail sauce into the bottom of a good size shot glass, and top with 3 shrimps. Serve cups on a pretty platter.

Smoked Salmon with Creme Fraiche Blinis

1 packet of smoked salmon
1 tub of creme fraiche (or sour cream)
1 jar of capers
1 packet of blinis (little pancakes)
3 eggs, hard boiled and chopped finely
1 small white salad onion, diced very finely

1. Arrange on each blini a little creme fraiche, topped by a piece of smoked salmon, and then arrange a few capers on top.
2. Serve the salmon on a platter with two small bowls, one containing chopped boiled egg and the other with finely diced onions. Your guests will add the egg and onions on top of the smoked salmon for a complete flavour explosion.

Moroccan Carrot Salad

When carrots are cut on the round, they resemble gold pieces, so for many cultures carrots served in such a way at New Years signifies gold (or money) for the coming year.

This is a rather garlicky recipe, but packs a full flavour punch and is definitely a huge hit at any party.

Ingredients
3-4 carrots, sliced
1 TBSP clear honey
3-4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp ground cumin, or to taste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2-3TBSP Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 TBSP red wine vinegar, or fruit vinegar such as raspberry
2 TBSP chopped fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, or a mixture of cilantro and parsley
Salt and ground black pepper

1. Cook the carrots by either steaming or boiling in lightly salted water until they are just tender but not too soft. Drain. Leave for a few minutes to dry and then place them in a bowl.
2. Add the honey, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, olive oil, and vinegar to the carrots and toss them together. Add the herbs and season.

Chill before serving.
 

Smoked Oysters are served on crackers or on small rounds of toast

Easy Crab Puffs

2 cans crab meat, drained
1 packet cream cheese, softened
1 stalk spring onion, chopped finely
Dash Sriracha chili sauce
Salt to taste
1 pkt flour won ton wrappers

1. Mix together all ingredients and place 1 TBSP of mix into the middle of a won ton wrapper. Fold over to create a triangle, and using a mix of corn starch and water (to make a paste), spread on the edges (lightly) and seal closed.
2. Heat oil in a wok until very hot and drop the crab puffs into the hot oil, cooking until they float to the surface and are golden brown. Transfer from hot oil to a plate with kitchen paper.

Serve with plum dipping sauce

Sui Jao served on Chinese spoons makes it very easy for guests to eat. With the shape of the tasty little morsels looking like the ancient Chinese money Yuan Bao, it is most auspicious to serve and eat this dish on New Year's.









Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes

These are great little morsels that pack a real flavour punch.

1 packet cherry tomatoes, washed and hollowed
1 packet cream cheese, softened
2 TBSP sour cream
1 packet mock lobster, chopped
Salt and ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 sprig spring onion, chopped finely

1. Mix together all ingredients (except tomatoes), and using a small spoon gently fill each tomato hollow.




Spicy Deviled Eggs

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Moroccon-Style Turkey

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving in Canada and since I have moved down here to the States, I have always tried to do something to observe it, even if making a full turkey and trimmings has not been first on my mind.

Always thinking of new ways to make turkey, I experimented with a new way tonight, and it was amazing! Not to mention fast; a 12.5lb turkey cooked to perfection in 1 1/2 hours! NO KIDDING!

Wanting to do something different, and align with a craving I'd had recently, I defrosted the turkey yesterday - did it the "quick method" way, and basically what that is is putting the turkey (bag and all) into a sink filled with cold water. Then every 1/2 hr (per pound) you change the water and add more cold water. Today, it was perfectly defrosted and ready to make.

So lately, I have been really on a "Middle Eastern" flavours kick, so I thought I'd take the idea of the tagine and apply it here. Now, as I've already mentioned in previous posts that required the Moroccan tagine, I don't have one, so I improvise. I use a huge aluminuium pot which, when filled, I take a really long piece of aluminium foil, fold it over to create a long "snake" and then wrap it around the edge of where the pot and the lid meet and "seal" it up. You can also do this in a crock pot or a Dutch oven. 

Ingredients:

Spice Rub:

2 TBSP Ras el Hanout (I make my own ingredients followed)
    1 tsp ground cumin
    1 tsp ground ginger
    1 tsp ground turmeric
    1 tsp salt
    3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
    3/4 tsp ground black pepper
    1/2 tsp ground white pepper
    1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
    1/2 tsp ground all spice
    1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
    1/4 tsp ground clove

    - Mix all together in a jar and can be stored for up to 1 month

1 TBSP ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cardamon seeds
1 TBSP garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sumac

- Mix all together and rub all over the washed and dried bird

2 large onions, sliced
5 cloved garlic, diced
5-6 carrots, peeled and cut into 3" long - 1/4 sticks
1/4 cup almonds, ground to a paste (optional)
2 cups raisins (or golden sultanas)
1 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP Olive oil
1 1/4 cup hot water
3 tsp chicken powder
1/2 tsp orange blossom water


Method:

1. Heat the pot you are going to use and add oil, then add the onions and garlic and fry until the onions are soft, then add the raisins and almond paste, fry together until the almond paste "releases" and coats everything. Turn the pot off.

2. Now add your turkey (breast side down) to the pot (make sure the pot is large enough to hold the entire turkey and to fit the lid on well also. Add the carrots all around the turkey. Add remaining rub spices all over the bird.

3. Mix the chicken powder and orange blossom water together with the 1 1/4 cup hot water and stir until the chicken powder is dissolved, add it around the turkey (try to not get the liquid over the turkey otherwise it'll take all the spices off), then drizzle the 1 TBSP olive oil over the turkey.

Cover and take your long foil "snake" and seal the lid to the pot. Turn on heat to high until you hear it boiling, then turn the heat down to the lowest setting to allow for it to simmer and cook slowly.

The bird I made was 12.5lbs and it took 1 1/2 hrs of slow cooking for it to be cooked through perfectly.


I served this with flavoured rice: 
    

3 cups rice, washed well
Enough water to come up to just below the first digit of my index finger from the top of the rice
3 tsp chicken powder
pinch of salt (to taste)
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
pinch of saffron threads

Mix well together and put on heat.



 I use a rice cooker, but if you don't have a rice cooker, use a heavier weight pot and bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover for about 15-20 minutes. When cooked, turn off heat, place a paper towel over the pot and replace the lid. Leave it to sit for about 10 minutes.